Virtually Optimized - SEO

17/03/2026

I've already started some spring cleaning at home, as everything just feels and works better once you've chucked out the old stuff and freshened the place up.

But Spring cleans aren't just for your home - you should also schedule in some digital housework on your website. Why? Because a cluttered, out-of-date website is like a dusty, jumbled house - more difficult to get around and harder to find things. And Google doesn't like that.

Or it may look absolutely fine, but website stagnation leads to a drop in rankings, sales and leads.

My own website has been a tad neglected of late, so it's time for an SEO scrubdown. Before I get cracking, the first job is to protect it and close the door to glitches and intruders.

The SEO Spring Scrub: Step One

If you’re running a WordPress site and you’ve been ignoring those "Update Available" notifications for a while, you’re basically leaving your front door wide open.

1. Get a backup sorted. Do this first. You need a safety net just in case you hit ‘update’ and something goes wonky. Cover your arse.

2. Update your Plugins. Don't let them sit there gathering security holes.

3. Update your Theme. Keep the framework solid.

4. Bin the duplicates and the junk. I found an old "Christmas Snow" plugin on mine that I haven't used since 2023. I often come across two plugins doing the same job—pick one and sack the other off.

It usually only takes a few minutes, but it stops the hackers from moving in and keeps everything running as it should. If you haven't done updates for a while, get them on your 'To Do' list now.

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Need some help with tidying up your website? Get in touch to see how I work with small businesses to get their business found on Google

29/05/2025

I've been working on something completely different recently and am pleased to share news about my new book called 'Activate Your Body's Reset Button: 10 Simple Stress-Busting Exercises".

The motivation for this has been dealing with an autoimmune disease that is made much worse by any stress. But stressy vibes are a symptom, so it was becoming a bit of a vicious circle that needed to be broken.

I discovered breathwork was super helpful and made me feel so much better. But, it's not always practical to do on the go. So, I kept looking for other stress-busting shortcuts.

I learnt so much from this research and have a much better understanding of how my body works and what secrets it holds to combat stress naturally.

Now my days are calmer and more enjoyable as I'm not constantly flustered or worrying about what I've got to do next. My autoimmune condition is now under control and on the brink of remission too 🤞

I wanted to share this knowledge, so I've written an ebook that teaches you how to activate your body's reset button and unlock your natural calm. It's a short read and is full of useful info about stress as well as practical advice about how to deal with it.

It's currently free to download to Kindle Unlimited subscribers (or costs just £2.99 from Amazon). I'd love to know your thoughts and reviews if you have the time to provide feedback.

Download it here now

Modern life has hijacked our natural ability to find calm, but what if your body already holds the key? Reclaim this primal knowledge and learn how to hit the reset button on stress, anytime, anywhere. with 10 ridiculously simple exercises to instantly activate your body's stress-busting su...

03/10/2024

I've been updating meta titles and descriptions for an online retailer. I often come across websites that don't utilise them correctly, so it's prompted me to come and give you all a reminder about them as improving them can have a measurable impact on SEO results.

These little bits of information are important for Google's first impression of your business website. Search engines use them to try to make sense of what your web page is all about. If they are missing, incomplete or don't contain any keywords, then you are missing a trick.

And they aren't just for Google's benefit. A good meta title and description should summarise what your web page is about and entice the reader to click on your website. And who doesn't want better click-through rates?!

How does your website look in the search results? If you want to tackle them, you can usually update this information using Yoast or other SEO plug-ins for Wordpress. On Shopify, you'll find it at the bottom of the page entry.

If you're busy (and who isn't?) and need a hand or advice on checking and updating meta titles and descriptions for your website, let me know.

24/09/2024

Have you started to get your head around Net Zero goals for your SME business yet?

It's going to be BIG so don't keep putting it off. Have a read of my latest blog post (written for Smartbags).

Learn about:

🌱The environmental pitfalls of some promotional products

🌱Three ways to create more eco-friendly marketing campaigns

Create more eco-friendly & sustainable marketing campaigns to help your company reach Net Zero

23/09/2024

Many SEO techniques are employed ON your website (like implementing keywords, optimising page content and tidying up errors). This is known as on-page optimisation).

Off-page refers to content about your business that appears on somebody else's website, sending traffic from an external source.

Follow the link to get more savvy about off-page optimisation:

❓ What are the key factors ❓

❓ What is a backlink strategy ❓

❓ How many backlinks does your website already have❓

You'll also find links to a handy (and free) backlink worksheet and tracker. Download for immediate access.

What are the main SEO factors for off-page optimisation? Start incorporating them with a backlink strategy to build traffic to your website

20/09/2024

What are your biggest hurdles to blogging regularly to promote your business and get visitors to your website?

In my experience, it's one of 4 reasons:

1 No time

2. Lack of knowledge

3. Concerns about cash flow

4. A need for direction & planning

What are your personal barriers? And have you overcome them, or are you still hitting those obstacles?!

Read more about the solutions for getting over these common hurdles at https://virtuallyoptimized.co.uk/small-business-blogging-hurdles/

31/07/2024

🔗 Getting backlinks from other websites is an SEO strategy that puts your brand in front of new customers, helps build domain authority and is a factor in your website climbing up the search rankings. 🔗

A backlink can come from a range of websites including business directories, guest blog posts, news features or local event listings.

Simple so far, right? Building backlinks doesn't need to be complicated. As with most things marketing-related, it’s just a case of getting organised.

Read my blog then download a free Backlinks Tracker Worksheet to get started. Make building backlinks part of your regular digital marketing plan to get more eyes on your brand online.

Boost SEO success and how to get started with a backlink strategy this Summer

26/07/2024

Simple & Savvy SEO Tip - How to tell Google Search Console about new or updated website content👇👇

I've just updated an old blog on a client's website. The content was last updated in 2021 so I wanted to tell Google about this improved blog. Now, I could wait for it to crawl the site but that can take anything from a few days to a few weeks. I like to notify Google so that it can get a wiggle on and come and have a look at the new content ASAP.

It only takes 2 minutes to do if you already have a Google Search Console set up. Here's how...

1. Go to Google Search Console

2. Click on URL inspection

3. Add the URL to the search box at the top of the screen and search

4. Google will tell you if the page is indexed or not. It will show the date of the last crawl of that page

5. If Google doesn't have the latest version of the page indexed, click on 'Request Indexing'

6. Google will check whether the page can be indexed. If it can, that's it. Job done!

Give this tip a go if you want to be sure Google knows about your website content.

If you don't have a GSC account and need help to set one up, get in touch.

11/07/2024

Thrilled to be part of the Green Opal Digital Consultancy team working on the Lee Filters project.

I'm thrilled to announce that I've started working with the incredible team at LEE Filters, a Panavision Company. A leader in the camera and lighting filters industry.

LEE Filters, has a stellar reputation for excellence and innovation. We're at the beginning of an exciting journey, currently focusing on aligning their SEO strategy across 4 websites, 3 countries.

I am genuinely happy to have this opportunity to collaborate with these guys and can't wait to see the incredible things we'll achieve together!

29/01/2024

Your Words Are Magic, But Do They Reach the Right Eyes? ‍

Are you a website copywriter who weaves magic with words but feels something's missing? You know that your client's websites are engaging visitors once they find them. But they aren't ranking well on Google so are hard to find organically.

Have you considered teaming up with an SEO consultant? I can help you realise the full SEO potential of your content so that your client's website gets found on Google. Happy customers mean more referrals, so incorporating SEO will have many benefits for your copywriting business.

✅Improved Search Engine Rankings: Get help with keyword research so you can target your copy more precisely, without compromising on style.

✅Improved User Experience: Ensure websites are optimised for both human readers and search engine spiders.

✅Greater ROI: Your clients will see a higher return on investment as your copy is more discoverable and converts better.

✅Long-Term Success: Staying up-to-date with SEO trends ensures
your content remains relevant and successful in the long run.

Learn more about specific tasks and jobs I can help with here https://virtuallyoptimized.co.uk/website-copywriter-balancing-creativity-targeted-copy/

12/01/2024

❓Does Google even know your website exists? It's really not a good look when a potential customer types your business name in the search box and can't see your website listed on the page 1 results.

Get your SEO strategy for 2024 off to a cracking start by claiming your Google My Business (GMB) account. It takes less than 10 minutes to do and can make a big difference to your search results.

❓Why GMB?

📌It's 100% free to use. The only investment required is time.

📌 Put your business on Google Maps to attract local traffic. Without a GMB profile, your business won't feature.

📌Showcase key info like address, hours, and services. You can also add images, business news and updates to make your profile stand out even more.

📌 Request and manage customer reviews.

📌 It tells Google your website is ready to be found and visited - upping your SEO game instantly.

Add this quick task to your 'To Do' list now. It's a small job that can make a big difference!

(And if you already have a functioning GMB account, spend 10 minutes checking and updating the data and adding new content so that it's ready for 2024.)