how do I make my website successful? 

well where to start?  Let's take a topic at a time.  Suppose the first thing to state is it won't happen by magic, there are things you need to do.  Let's start with one - fresh content.  Google (we'll talk about Google as it pretty much represents the SEO / search market in the UK) changes it's criteria at intervals but without doubt places massive value on new, fresh content.  I.E. a webite that never changes will be ignored and a website that chanes and updates regularly has value to them.

What does this mean?
Update your website!

All our websites have a blog or news feature - use it.  Post something new at least once week; ok you may be on holiday for a few weeks but generally get in the habit (or get someone in the habit) or posting something every week on average.  Every day or so even better!  Blog at least!  There's always something to write about, comment on a national issue or mention something local or personal ie. someone came in my pharmacy today and asked if they could take nurofn when preganant with paracetamol............ for instance.  Local stuff is great..... support our local diabetes awareness day or sponsor me in the 5k fun run on Sunday.

Just get in the habit of making sure a little time is spent on this.  Google will crawl your website, if it sees things changing it will come back, if it sees nothing changing it won't bother!  

Special offers etc. all help too.

We have pharmacies who just by blogging every week are seeing big ecommerce sales, almost always from customers miles away, at the other end of the country!

And many, many others who can't be bothered or say they just don't have the time!!!!!  It's up to you.