A guide to SEO for charities, clubs and societies
Read time: 8 mins Added: 03/02/26
For organisations and non-profits, a strong online presence is key to raising awareness and finding supporters. Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, is a crucial part of this. This guide will explore SEO basics, tactics, and tools to get your organisation noticed.
What is SEO?
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimisation. It’s the practice of making your website more visible on search engines like Google.
SEO best practices involve:
- optimising content that matches what people are searching for online
- improving the technical aspects of your website for better discovery
- making sure your website is accessible and user-friendly.
The aim is to rank high on the search engine results page (SERP) for specific searches. A higher ranking could bring more users to your website.
SERPs include both paid and organic search results, with paid ads typically ranking higher. SEO principles can influence organic search results and drive traffic to your website without paid ads.
Understanding SEO basics can help organisations:
- compete with larger groups that rely on paid ads
- attract more donors, supporters, and volunteers organically
- build trust and authority by appearing at the top of the SERP.
How does SEO work?
SEO works by matching the content on your website to specific searches and queries. Search engines have complex algorithms that rank pages based on relevance and quality. SEO principles allow you to optimise your website to meet these criteria.
Common SEO principles include:
Content and relevance
- Keyword research: Using relevant keywords in content according to search terms.
- Content: Creating high-quality and valuable content that answers common user queries.
- Internal linking: Adding links to related pages on your website to improve navigation.
User experience
- Site speed: Ensuring web pages load fast for higher user satisfaction.
- Site navigation: Organising your site with URLs to help users and search engines.
- Mobile-friendliness: Designing your website for easy navigation across mobile devices.
Technical optimisations
- Metadata: Optimising title tags and meta descriptions with relevant keywords
- Images: Optimising images with alt text and descriptive file names
- Technical SEO: Addressing behind-the-scenes areas like website crawlability, indexability, and site architecture.
5 easy beginner SEO tips
1. Optimise your content with keywords
Keywords influence the content on your website. Consider the words or phrases your target audience might use. Free SEO tools can show keywords that are already driving traffic. You can use these to optimise your content, meta description, title, headings, alt text, and more.
2. Consider the user experience
A well-structured website with SEO-friendly content could turn visitors into supporters. Focus on making your website as clear and user-friendly as possible. Your website should also be responsive, fast-loading, and easy to use on desktop and mobile devices. That way, users can easily find information about your mission, how to get involved, and success stories.
3. Secure your website
Your website’s security is a key part of technical SEO. Enable Hyper Transfer Protocol Secure (HTTPS) to protect users and their data. This extension is a sign of quality and trustworthiness, and acts as a ranking factor in Google’s algorithm.
4. Make your site accessible
Everyone, including those with disabilities and impairments, should be able to use your website. Use an accessible website design with clear menus, easy-to-read fonts and multimedia captions. An accessible website can build trust and show your commitment to inclusion and social responsibility.
5. Improve page speed
A fast-loading website could improve the user experience and expand your reach. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can provide performance scores and tips to improve site speed. Other considerations include fixing broken links, checking for crawl errors (this is when a search engine flags that it can’t check your website), and removing unused pages.
Free SEO tools everyone should know
There are lots of free SEO tools for everything from keyword research to checking your website rankings, and more.
Keyword research
- Google Keyword Planner: Shows search volume data to help you find new keywords.
- Google Trends: Shows popular search queries over time across different regions.
Performance and site health
- Google Search Console: Checks site performance and which keywords drive traffic.
- Google Analytics: Tracks how visitors find your website and how they interact with your content.
- Google PageSpeed Insights: Tests your site’s loading speed and suggests improvements.
Technical SEO tools
- Yoast SEO: A plugin that focuses on technical SEO and content analysis.
- Ahrefs: An all-in-one SEO platform for site audits, rank tracking, and more.
- Semrush: A digital marketing platform that offers keyword research, site audits, and more.
How to write SEO optimised content
Your content should combine SEO basics and storytelling that draw supporters to your mission. Here are the essentials of content creation for SEO.
Find relevant keywords
Use keyword research to find terms your audience is searching for. Look at search volume and user intent to identify content gaps. You may be able to plan unique content related to your cause.
Create SEO-friendly content
Write informative, engaging and unique content that offers value to your audience. Ensure keywords are included naturally. Use bullet points, numbered lists, and short sentences to make your content easy to scan.
Optimise on-page SEO content
Well-structured content could make it easier for users and search engines to understand. Use clear headings (H1, H2, H3) and keywords. Optimise images with alt text and include internal links for easier navigation and link equity.
Don’t forget EEAT principles
Experience, expertise, authority, and trust (EEAT) is a framework Google uses to assess a website’s credibility. It’s also a fundamental way for your organisation to build trust. Share real-life stories, credit expert authors, cite sources and data, and more.
Write with featured snippets in mind
Google often pulls AI Overview and featured snippet content from top-ranking pages. Check that your content is clear and concise, with relevant keywords for a chance to appear in these sections.
How to track and measure SEO performance
SEO performance tracking can ensure your online presence supports your organisation’s mission. It’s also an effective way to measure your impact and make data-driven decisions.
The main SEO metrics are:
- SERP impressions
- keyword rankings
- organic traffic
- conversion rate
- click-through rate (CTR)
You can use Google Search Console and Google Analytics to track these key metrics. Set specific, measurable goals, use benchmarks to measure progress, and analyse the data. This can uncover how users find and interact with your site. You can also determine which search terms drive traffic.
Use these insights to optimise your pages, adjust your SEO content strategy, and improve your site’s performance. For example, if visitors spend 10 seconds on your page, they’re likely not reading your content, and you may need to revaluate your strategy.
Top 10 SEO mistakes you should avoid
SEO best practices can boost visibility and engage audiences. But poor SEO could come at a high cost. Here are some common SEO pitfalls to be aware of.
1. Poor or unhelpful content
Irrelevant or unhelpful content can create a poor user experience, weaken brand authority, and lower search engine rankings.
2. Slow site speed
Failure to improve your website speed can deter users and lead to low SERP rankings.
3. Poor mobile optimisation
Websites that aren’t optimised for mobile devices may result in lower SERP rankings and a poor user experience.
4. Targeting the wrong keywords
The wrong keywords fail to match user intent, which can lead to low-quality traffic and low search engine rankings.
5. Keyword stuffing
Overloading on-page content with keywords can harm readability and result in a Google penalty.
6. Overlooking local SEO
If you’re operating in specific communities, neglecting local SEO means missing out on potential local search terms.
7. Inconsistent URL formatting
Inconsistent URLs can damage link equity and confuse search engines, making it harder to rank for relevant keywords.
8. Having duplicate content
Duplicated content across different pages can cause keyword cannibalisation and confuse search engines.
9. Ignoring meta titles and tags
A lack of meta titles and tags can cause search engines to create inaccurate titles and descriptions. This could result in poor visibility.
10. Poor linking practices
Failing to link related pages on your website can make it harder for search engines to crawl and understand your site’s structure.
Summary
Your SEO strategy is an ongoing process that can drive measurable results. Try these SEO tips for beginners and get your organisation the online recognition and reach it deserves.
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While all reasonable care has been taken to ensure that the information provided is correct, no liability is accepted by Bank of Scotland for any loss or damage caused to any person relying on any statement or omission. This is for information only and should not be relied upon as offering advice for any set of circumstances. Specific advice should always be sought in each instance.