If you’ve ever tried to get in shape—or watched someone else do it—you already know the truth about fitness. It’s not about doing something once. It’s about showing up consistently, making wise choices, and putting in steady effort.
SEO works the same way.
Some businesses dominate Google search results because they consistently work on every part of their website. Others barely show up at all.
This post will help you understand why SEO works like fitness, why some websites seem to pull far ahead, and what you can do to compete, whether you’re just starting or trying to catch up.
The Fitness Analogy That Explains SEO
Imagine two friends working on their fitness:
- Friend A goes to the gym five days a week. They lift weights with proper form, track their meals, sleep well, and even hire a coach to fine-tune their workouts.
- Friend B works out once a week. They skip warm-ups, ignore diet, and mostly do whatever feels easiest.
Who’s going to see better results?
It’s obvious—and the same is true with SEO.
There are only around 10 organic spots on Google’s first page (sometimes fewer when ads or special features appear). If your competitor is showing up there, it’s likely because they’re:
- Creating helpful, detailed content
- Optimizing every part of their site
- Building quality backlinks
- Improving user experience
- Answering customer questions
- Maintaining technical SEO
If you’re making half-hearted updates here and there, you won’t catch up. SEO rewards steady, long-term effort across multiple areas, just like fitness.
Why SEO Isn’t Just One Task
Many business owners ask, “What’s the one thing I need to do for SEO?”
That’s like asking, “What’s the one workout that’ll get me in shape fast?”
Here’s the truth: SEO success comes from doing several things together, consistently.
| SEO Focus Area | What It Covers |
|---|---|
| Technical SEO | Straightforward navigation, fast checkout, mobile-friendly design |
| Content Strategy | Fast loading times, mobile optimization, and clean structure |
| On-Page SEO | Page titles, meta descriptions, headings, internal links |
| User Experience | Outreach, PR, and social sharing that support SEO goals |
| External Links | Earning backlinks from credible websites |
| Promotion | Outreach, PR, and social sharing that supports SEO goals |
If you skip any of these areas, it’s like skipping cardio, strength training, or nutrition in your fitness routine. You can’t expect strong results if you’re not working across the board.
Why Consistency Wins Every Time
Some companies still hope for “quick wins” with SEO. They look for hacks or shortcuts.
But just like crash diets or “get ripped fast” plans, these don’t work long-term.
The businesses that succeed in SEO stick to consistent, steady improvements:
- Publishing useful content regularly
- Fixing technical site issues
- Building backlinks through relationships
- Improving page speed and usability
- Updating pages as customer needs evolve
Google rewards sites that continually improve, not ones that chase quick tricks.
The Harsh Truth About Competition
Here’s something most businesses don’t realize:
If your competitors are serious about SEO, they’re likely already ahead.
- They’ve built up their site’s authority over the years.
- They’ve invested in content, UX, and technical improvements.
- They’re likely seeing consistent returns from that effort.
Can you catch up? Yes—but only if you’re willing to outwork them.
You’ll need to:
- Publish better, more helpful content.
- Optimize your site’s speed and mobile experience.
- Improve internal linking and navigation.
- Fix technical issues they might be ignoring.
You may not need to spend more than they do, but you do need a smarter, more focused approach.
Common Business Owner Questions
“How long does SEO take to work?”
In most industries:
- Minor improvements can start showing results in 3 to 6 months.
- Major gains typically take 12 months or longer, especially in competitive spaces.
“How do I measure my website’s return on investment (ROI)?”
Track results like:
- Organic search traffic
- Leads or form submissions
- Phone calls or online bookings
- Product sales
Compare these numbers before and after SEO efforts begin. Google Analytics and Google Search Console are helpful tools for this.
“What if I don’t have a big budget right now?”
Start small but start right:
- Fix technical issues.
- Optimize your top service or product pages.
- Focus on local SEO if you serve a specific region.
- Create content that directly answers customer questions.
SEO takes time, but starting now gives you a huge advantage later.
Why Waiting Hurts Your Business
This part is simple: SEO rewards early action.
Here’s why:
- Google prefers sites with a history of quality content.
- Older, well-linked pages are harder to outrank.
- SEO “momentum” builds over time through links, traffic, and trust.
If you wait six months to start, your competitors aren’t standing still—they’re moving further ahead.
Yes, This Applies to E-Commerce Too
Shopify store owners often think SEO is handled automatically.
It’s not.
Even with Shopify’s SEO-friendly setup, you need to:
- Build robust category and subcategory pages.
- Optimize product names and descriptions.
- Use descriptive, customer-focused product titles.
- Add structured data for Google Shopping visibility.
- Improve internal links between related products.
SEO and user experience are now the same thing in e-commerce.
If your customers can’t find what they need easily, neither can Google.
Think of Your Website Like a Sales Team
Your website isn’t just a digital brochure.
It’s your best salesperson—or more accurately, your entire sales team.
A strong website:
- Answers customer questions at any hour.
- Brings in new leads from search.
- Helps people learn about your services or products.
- Converts visitors into buyers or clients.
It works nights, weekends, and holidays—without taking breaks.
The businesses that treat their website like an active salesperson, not just a cost, are the ones that see significant results.
Keep Improving After the Launch
Launching your site isn’t the finish line. Smart businesses know this.
Ongoing work should include:
- Regular SEO audits (technical and content-based)
- Performance checks (site speed, uptime, form testing)
- Content updates to keep pages current and competitive
- Analytics reviews to spot new opportunities
SEO isn’t something you do once and forget. It’s a long-term system.
The Real Takeaway: Success Goes to Those Who Commit
SEO works just like fitness because:
- It rewards people who show up consistently.
- It requires multiple strategies working together.
- Results build slowly, but compound over time.
- Quick fixes never last.
If you want your business to grow online, you need to treat your SEO like you’d treat getting in shape.
Steady effort. Focused strategy. No shortcuts.
Ready to Build a Website That Works Like Your Best Salesperson?
At Garrett Digital, we specialize in creating websites that work hard, just like you do.
We combine SEO, content strategy, UX, and technical expertise to build systems that grow traffic, leads, and revenue.
Whether you’re starting from scratch or improving an existing site, we can help you create a site that will perform for years to come.
