SEO isn’t all that popular outside of marketing, so whenever I’m forced to explain my occupation to the old lady at the grocery store, the follow-up is almost always:
“I just started a side business selling homemade baby clothes. Can you rank me #1 on Google?”
No.
“But can’t you just add the right keywords and get me to show up?”
Despite what the internet tells you, there is no secret sauce or magical treasure trove of strategy to rank #1.
Here’s the reality.
Google, ChatGPT, Bing, and other search engines are in the business of doing two things:
- Making money
- Giving users the best experience possible, which makes them money
Why would Google rank a brand #1 for “homemade baby clothes” when it’s only been around for 30 days and barely has a functional website?
They won’t.
They’ll rank the brand that’s been doing it for 20 years. The one with Reddit buzz, customer feedback, repeat buyers, strong reviews, fast shipping, easy returns, and a reputation people trust.
That’s what users are looking for = that’s what search engines are looking for.
I’ve turned down numerous profitable engagements because I knew the business didn’t need to pay me to do the SEO only they could do themselves.
Google would never pay attention to them until they spent more time laying a noticeable foundation—something only the key stakeholders could do.
Search Engines Behave Like People
Search engines are a bit smarter than we are, but they still care about much the same things we do.
- Strong content → gets shown
- Connected pages → get discovered
- Real community buzz → gets prioritized
- Clear intent → gets understood
SEO is intuitive.
Have the Right Expectations
Many businesses treat SEO like a switch.
Turn it on when you want results. Turn it off when you don’t like the timeline.
It doesn’t work that way.
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, but I prefer calling it:
Organic Equity Building (OEB)
Think about your house. Renovations don’t happen overnight, but they last for a long time.
- Renovate the kitchen → equity increases
- Fix the roof → equity increases
- Improve landscaping → equity increases
Your home was worth $400k. Now it’s worth $450k.
That’s how SEO works.
- Publish meaningful content → brand equity increases
- Fix broken pages → equity increases
- Earn reviews and buzz → equity increases
You don’t rent these gains. You own them. And they’ll benefit your brand for a lifetime.
But the inverse is also true. If inventory isn’t stocked. If reviews are negative. If differentiation doesn’t exist. If the business is brand new.
SEO will struggle because brand equity is either nonexistent or leaking.
No SEO team can fix that, but you can.
Business owners are the brand’s most valuable SEO expert
If you obsess over product quality.
If you build real customer relationships.
If you earn honest feedback.
If you refine your niche.
You’re already doing the most impactful SEO possible.
You’re building equity. You’re forcing people to talk about you. You’re forcing Google to notice you.
This doesn’t mean you never hire SEO professionals.
There comes a noticeable point where the brand has momentum. That’s when an SEO team becomes powerful. You teach them how your business actually works. Why customers choose you. What makes you profitable. Where your edge exists.
And they scale it.
And if you want to call their tactics “secret sauce to ranking #1,” go ahead.
Just remember who had to grow the ingredients. SEO starts with you.
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