SEO in Devon: the plain English checklist small businesses actually need

What to fix first

• Fix crawlability (robots, XML sitemaps, soft-404s)
• Stabilise Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS)
• Sort titles and H1 to H3 hierarchy
• Add entities & JSON-LD (Organization/LocalBusiness and FAQ where useful)
• Tighten internal links to key SEO service pages and locations
• Optimise Google Business Profile (categories, photos, reviews)
• Add local proof (service areas, case studies, on-site photos.
• Measure weekly (impressions & clicks in Search Console)

Fix crawlability

Search engines can't rank what they can't reliably find. Start by confirming that your robots.txt isn't blocking important sections, ship a clean XML sitemap so discovery is efficient, and reduce duplicate URLs and soft-404s so crawl budget goes to pages that matter. This lays the groundwork for every improvement that follows.

• Check robots.txt only manages crawling and don't use it to try to de-index pages
• Generate and submit an XML sitemap in Search Console
• Consolidate duplicates with canonicals/301s and remove soft 404s
• If you need help, book a quick review via SEO services in Devon

Outcome: Faster discovery of priority pages and fewer junk URLs in reports. Clearer crawling = clearer indexing = clearer results.

Stabilise Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS)

Real-world page experience influences whether visitors stay and act. Aim for a quick Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), responsive interactions (INP), and a stable layout (CLS). Fixing these on your most visited templates first tends to produce outsized gains in both user behaviour and visibility.

• LCP: optimise hero media; inline critical CSS
• INP: trim heavy JavaScript; defer non-critical scripts
• CLS: set width/height on images/embeds; reserve space for ads/widgets
• Roll fixes into your broader technical SEO plan

Outcome: Faster, smoother pages that convert better on mobile and desktop supporting stronger search performance.

Sort titles and on page hierarchy

Give each page one clear job. Use a single H1 that states the offer plainly, then break the content into H2/H3 sections that mirror what users scan for. Align title tags and meta descriptions with the searcher's intent so snippets earn the click.

• One precise H1 per page; supporting H2/H3 that match intent
• Write title tags users would choose over competitors
• Reflect the page honestly in your meta description to lift CTR
• Need examples? See how we structure headings on our Devon SEO services page

Outcome: Humans and search engines understand your content faster, improving clicks and engagement.

Add entities & JSON-LD

Help machines 'know' who you are and what you do. Mark up Organization/LocalBusiness with accurate NAP, opening hours and sameAs profiles; add FAQ Page where you genuinely answer common questions. Keep your service and location names consistent, this is how you become the entity that gets referenced in search and by answer engines.

• Add Organization/LocalBusiness schema to core pages; validate in Rich Results Test
• Use FAQ Page where it truly helps the reader (don't force it)
• For AI/answer-engine visibility, see AI Search Optimisation

Outcome: Clear machine-readable signals that support rich understanding (and eligible rich results), with better consistency across your site and profiles.

Tighten internal linking

Internal links tell users (and Google) which pages matter most and how topics connect. Link from posts and guides to one primary service page and one location page with short, descriptive anchors. Over time, this builds topic clusters that lift the pages that drive enquiries.

• From content, point to Devon SEO services and Exeter SEO services where relevant
• Use concise anchors (e.g., 'East Devon Plumber', 'Devon Bed and Breakfast')
• Add a small 'related services' block on key pages

Outcome: Stronger topical architecture ? better discovery, relevance, and rankings for your money pages.

Optimise your Google Business Profile

Local results weigh relevance, distance, and prominence. Keep categories, hours and services accurate, add quality photos, and encourage reviews that naturally mention your service and place. This improves map visibility and gives visitors social proof before they even land on your site.

• Confirm the right primary/secondary categories and up-to-date hours
• Post fresh photos and updates for seasonal offers
• Ask for honest reviews, ideally describing the service + town
• Learn the basics in my Local SEO article

Outcome: Better local pack visibility and trust signals that convert browsers into enquiries.

Add local proof

Show you're truly based here. Create an 'Areas we serve' page, publish short case studies that name the client's town and outcomes, and include on-site photos from real projects across Exeter, Exmouth, Sidmouth, Budleigh and beyond.

• Add a service area page with brief entries for each town
• Publish Devon named case studies with results
• Feature on site images and add them to GBP and your site

Outcome: Stronger local relevance and credibility for users and search engines.

Measure weekly: impressions = clicks

Improve what you can see. In Search Console, watch impressions, clicks, CTR and average position for your service/location queries. Identify pages with high impressions but low CTR and test tighter titles/descriptions. When a post wins visibility, add internal links to help it lift related pages.

• Filter by the queries that matter (service + location)
• Rewrite weak titles/descriptions; test one change at a time
• Add internal links from winners to priority service pages

Outcome: Small, regular lifts that compound into more enquiries over the quarter.

FAQs

How long before we see results?

Early impression lifts often appear within 2 to 6 weeks after technical and content structure fixes. Rankings and enquiries follow as pages stabilise and earn links and mentions.

Do Core Web Vitals really matter?

They're user-experience signals. Improving LCP/INP/CLS supports performance and can help visibility when overall quality is otherwise comparable.

Blog first or service pages first?

Service pages first. Then publish posts that answer how/why/cost and link them back to your services page and the right location pages.

What should internal links point to?

From informational posts, point to one primary service page and one location page. For example: Devon SEO services and Exeter SEO services. Keep anchor text short and descriptive.