How to Be Found on the Web (Without Feeling Like You’re Yelling Into the Void)

Let me guess.

You’ve got a solid business. You know you do good work. People who find you usually turn into customers.

But actually getting found online? That part feels frustrating. Maybe even a little mysterious.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not behind—and you’re definitely not alone. Search optimization trips up a lot of smart business owners, not because they’re bad at marketing, but because no one ever explained it in plain English.

So let’s talk about it like friends. No jargon. No scare tactics. Just how search really works—and what you can do starting today to improve your chances of being found.

Think of Search Like a Conversation

Every Google search is someone raising their hand and saying:

“Hey, I have a problem. Who can help me?”

Search optimization is simply making sure your business is part of that conversation.

Not louder. Not flashier.

Just clearer.

Before anyone clicks your website, they’ve already made snap judgments based on:

• Your headline

• Your description

• Where you show up in the results

If Google doesn’t understand what you do—or if your message feels vague—people scroll right past. And once they’re gone, you don’t get that moment back.

SEO: Helping Google (and Humans) Understand You

SEO sounds technical, but at heart it’s about being understood.

Ask yourself this:

If someone landed on my site for the first time, would they instantly know who I help and what problem I solve?

That’s the core of SEO.

At That Guy Sketch, we see a lot of websites that look good but don’t explain themselves well. They’re beautifully designed… and quietly invisible.

Good SEO connects the dots between:

• What people are searching for

• The words you use on your site

• And the actual services you offer

Try This Right Now:

Open Google and type in a phrase your ideal customer might search (for example: “web designer near me” or “IT support for small business”).

Now ask:

• Do I show up anywhere?

• If I did, would my listing sound helpful—or generic?

That quick check alone tells you a lot.

SEO is the slow-burn strategy. It takes consistency, but when it works, it keeps working—bringing the right people to your site even while you sleep.

PPC: When You Don’t Want to Wait

SEO is patience. PPC is urgency.

Pay-per-click ads put you in front of people who are actively looking right now. No waiting for rankings. No hoping you get noticed.

But here’s the part most people don’t tell you: throwing money at ads without a plan gets expensive fast.

PPC works best when:

• You know exactly who you’re targeting

• Your ad speaks directly to their problem

• Your landing page makes the next step obvious

At That Guy Sketch, we treat PPC like a controlled experiment—not a gamble. Every click should have a purpose, and every dollar should tell a story.

Try This Right Now:

Think about one service you’d love to sell more of this month.

Now write a single sentence answering:

“Why should someone choose me for this instead of anyone else?”

That sentence is the foundation of a strong search ad and a strong website message.

Being Found Is Only Step One

Here’s the hard truth:

You can rank well. You can run ads. And you can still lose people if your website doesn’t feel clear or trustworthy.

Search gets people to your door.

Your message is what invites them in.

That’s why search optimization isn’t just about keywords—it’s about:

• Clear language

• Friendly explanations

• Obvious next steps

This is where That Guy Sketch really shines. We don’t just chase traffic—we help businesses sound like themselves on purpose.

Use This Today (No Tools Required)

Here are a few small things you can do immediately:

• Look at your homepage headline. Does it say what you do, or just something clever?

• Check your page titles in Google. Would you click them?

• Pick one FAQ your customers always ask—and answer it on your site in plain language.

Small clarity improvements add up faster than you think.

When You’re Ready for Help

If reading this made you think, “Okay… I get it now, but I don’t want to figure this all out alone,” that’s exactly why That Guy Sketch exists.

We help businesses:

• Get found through smart SEO

• Show up fast with intentional PPC

• And turn search traffic into real conversations

No pressure. No buzzwords. Just honest strategy and clear execution.

Because being found online isn’t about tricking Google.

It’s about making it easy for the right people to say yes.