How to Win at Organic Search: Best Practices for Long-Term SEO Success

For ethical organisations and nonprofits, organic search is one of the most powerful (and cost-effective) ways to grow awareness, reach the right people, and drive action. But with so much competition and ever-changing algorithms, how do you make sure your content actually gets seen?

Let’s break down the best practices that will help you climb the rankings - ethically, sustainably, and with long-term results in mind.

1. Start with strategy, not keywords

Before you start cramming keywords into content, take a step back. SEO works best when it’s aligned with your organisational goals and audience needs. Ask:

• Who are we trying to reach?
• What questions are they asking?
• How can we provide value?

From there, build your content strategy around the real needs and journeys of your users, not just what you think Google wants.

2. Prioritise quality over quantity

Search engines are clever. They know the difference between fluff and content that’s genuinely useful. Focus on creating content that informs, solves problems, and speaks directly to your audience.

Top tip: Content that performs well tends to do one (or more) of the following:

• Answers a question clearly
• Offers a step-by-step guide
• Breaks down complex topics
• Helps people take action

3. Make it easy to read (and easy to scan)

Accessibility and clarity go hand in hand with good SEO. Keep sentences short, break up text with headings, use bullet points, and don’t be afraid of white space.

Remember, you're not just writing for search engines - you’re writing for humans.

4. Get your technical house in order

Technical SEO might not be the most exciting part, but it’s the foundation. If your site is slow, disorganised, or difficult to navigate, no amount of content will help.

Make sure:

• Your site loads quickly
• Pages are mobile-friendly
• URLs are clean and logical
• You’re using proper title tags, meta descriptions, and alt text

Tools like Google Search Console or Lighthouse can help you spot and fix issues.

5. Use keywords intelligently (not excessively)

Yes, keywords still matter, but they’re not everything. Instead of stuffing them everywhere, aim to:

• Use natural language and variations
• Include keywords in titles, headings, and early on in relevant sections of the copy
• Focus each page on one clear topic

If it feels awkward or forced, it probably is.

6. Link it up

Internal links help users and search engines navigate your site. They also help spread ranking power across your pages. Wherever it makes sense, link to related content.

Don’t forget about external links too - citing trusted sources shows credibility and improves UX.

7. Refresh and reuse

Old content doesn’t have to gather dust. Revisit it periodically, especially your top-performing pages. Can you update stats, improve clarity, or add new insights?

This keeps your site fresh in the eyes of search engines and your audience.

8. Measure, learn, improve

Set clear SEO and user experience goals (e.g., increase traffic, reduce bounce rates, improve conversions) and track performance with tools like Google Search Console, GA4 or Looker Studio.

SEO isn’t a one-and-done task. It’s an ongoing process of learning and optimising.

Final thoughts: focus on connection, not just clicks

SEO isn't about gaming the system, it’s about showing up in the right moments, with the right message, for the people who matter most to your organisation.

When done well, SEO becomes a natural extension of your digital mission - bringing in supporters, sparking action, and building trust over time.

So take a long-term view. Build with care. Write with heart. And remember: being discoverable is just the beginning.

There’s no magic trick or shortcut to SEO success (and anyone who tells you otherwise is probably trying to sell snake oil). But with a clear strategy, great content, and consistent effort, you can build an organic presence that grows over time and supports your mission every step of the way.

Want to boost your visibility the right way?

We help ethical organisations create impactful SEO strategies that deliver long-term results.

Get in touch to see how we can help