5 Easy Ways to Quickly Improve Your Search Engine Rankings
16 Jul
SEO Case Study: How I Increased My Organic Traffic from 20 visits per day to 200 in 7 Days
January 24, 2023
We’ve all been there.Paid for an Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) audit and update, or even done it ourselves, making a silent promise to ourselves that we’ll keep on top of it.Alas, months and even years may pass without a thought for SEO improvements.It’s only when the traffic and conversions drop that we kick into gear.My first six months as an SEO specialist taught me a lot about how these campaigns work, and just how fundamental they are to the success of a website. Now, I have all kinds of case studies demonstrating the importance of SEO.For example, I recently made some on-page SEO changes to a website that hasn’t really been touched from an SEO perspective in over three years.The result of the changes I made was the daily visits surged from 20 to over 200—in just seven days.
While these results are not completely normal, I thought I would share with you the on-page SEO strategies I used to get these results.Now, keep in mind: this website is over six years old, had a good foundation of backlinks and already had over 80 pages of already written content to work with.In summary, here are the steps I conducted:
- Step #1 - Run a complete technical audit using Screaming Frog and Implement Fixes
- Step #2 - Add interesting media
- Step #3 - Update design of long-form content to resemble a landing page
- Step #4 - Fix Grammar and Spelling
- Step #5 - Update content with new data or additional paragraph
Step #1: Run a Complete Technical Audit Using Screaming Frog and Implement Fixes
Screaming Frog is a free crawling tool that helps you quickly identify SEO errors on your website.You can download a copy of Screaming Frog here - https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/Once you’ve downloaded and installed your copy of Screaming Frog, enter your website “URL” and click “Start”. This will begin to crawl your website and produce a tonne of data for you to review.
When doing a basic SEO review we looked in the data for:
- Broken Links “Client Error (4xx)”;
- Excessive Redirect “Redirection (3xx)”;
- Missing or Duplicate:
- Page Titles;
- Meta Descriptions:
- H1 or H2; and
- Alt Text on Images.
Broken Links
When you have an older website, you’re bound to have some broken links. There’s a lot of debate around whether broken links effect your website’s ranking in Google. Google states that having a couple of broken links won’t effect your ranking, but the impact can be felt by visitors leaving your website. So for this reason, we think it is better to have no broken links on your website.Our review showed this website had: 8 broken links
Excessive Redirects
Redirects are “URL forwards” that webmasters put in place when the old URL of a web page is changed. It is pretty normal for your website to collect a few redirects overtime. Excessive redirects can cause your website to start loading slowly due to loading the redirect and the eventual target URL page.Our review showed this website had: 97 internal links point to redirects.
Missing or Duplicate: Page Titles, Meta Descriptions, H1 or H2 and Alt Text on Images
A common on-page SEO problem that websites experience is missing or duplicated page titles, meta descriptions, header tags or alt text.Our review showed this website was missing: 20 page titles, 37 meta descriptions, 12 H1, 3 H2 and 27 Alt Text.Note: our review also highlighted that there were not many images within our content.
Implement Fixes
With all of the errors we found above, we went ahead and corrected all of them.
Step #2: Add interesting media
Images can really help improve website ranking.But, images on your website must be interesting and informative to both website browsers and search engines.You should add at least three photos to every page and optimise the following elements to incorporate your target keywords:
- Alt Text;
- File Name; and
- Title Text.
For this website, we found some pages didn’t include any photos and others only had one image. So we went ahead and used a mix of unique photos we took and stock photos we bought. We optimised the filename, alt text and title text to the target keyword of each page.
Step #3: Update design of long-form content to resemble a landing page
The most popular page by website clicks is a mammoth 2,547-word guide to one of the products this business sells. However, the design was your typical inner page design with the generic header and then the black text on a white background.Example Generic Page Layout
Example: Well Designed Interesting Layout
Source: Elegant ThemesTo make the content much more interesting, easier to read and more similar to a home landing page we added:
- Different background colours for each block of content;
- Distinct headings and body text;
- Clear call to action buttons prompting the browser to make a phone call;
- Table of contents to make it easier to navigate to the newly formed sections;
- Well designed pricing tables; and
- An interactive FAQ section.
Overall, the page is now more visually appealing and has seen a spike in time spent on the page.
Step #4: Fix Grammar and Spelling
Whilst grammar and spelling are not exact ranking factors within Google, spelling mistakes and poor grammar can have a large impact on browser experience.As most of the content for this website had been tweaked and adjusted quite often over a 6 year period, some of the content had lost its ‘flow’ and ease of reading.So we went through and edited every single page to ensure that the key message of the content was clear, that it was easier for the browser to read and free from spelling and grammar errors.
Step 5#: Update Content with New Data or Additional Paragraphs
I went through each page to determine which were less than 600 words. Keep in mind, ‘600 words’ isn’t some sort of magical SEO content number, but I used this as a benchmark to help determine which web pages need a little more content.Once I had a list of pages that need more content, I did some quick keyword research for the topic of each article using the Chrome addon Keywords Everywhere.Keywords Everywhere (Chrome addon) - https://keywordseverywhere.com/.For example, if I had a page I wanted to rank for “SEO marketing Melbourne” I would type that into my Google search bar (when Keywords Everywhere is activated).
I would then check if any of the “Related Keywords” make sense as another paragraph (header and body text) within my content.From the “Related Keywords” I can see that Google relates my main keyword with:
- “Digital Marketing Agency Melbourne”
- “SEO Consult Melbourne”
- “SEO Experts Melbourne”
- “Local SEO Melbourne”
- “SEO Company Melbourne Australia”
Therefore, I might add a paragraph to my “SEO marketing Melbourne” page with the headline “How do I find a local SEO in Melbourne”. Add write 8-10 sentences on what local SEO is and how that can help businesses in Melbourne gain traffic.
What has the impact of the increased traffic been to the business?
The business has told me that they are now averaging over one new paying client (actual paying client not lead) per day which is helping them utilise their staff for more hours in the day.Read more about our Case Studies from past clients.If you think your business could benefit from an increase in organic traffic from search engines, feel free to give me a call and we can discuss an SEO strategy for your business.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Your Provide Case Studies Or Examples Of Previous Work?
Yes, we can provide case studies and examples of our previous work. Potential clients frequently request these to see concrete evidence of our past successes. They want to understand how we’ve helped similar businesses achieve their goals through SEO and website development. Our case studies typically highlight our clients’ challenges, the strategies we implemented, and the measurable results we achieved, such as increased traffic and higher conversion rates. This builds trust and demonstrates our ability to deliver on our promises.
Do You Offer Ongoing Maintenance And Support After The Website Is Launched?
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
What is SEO, And Why Is It Important For My Business?
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is a digital marketing approach focused on boosting your website’s presence on search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. By refining different elements of your site—such as content, meta descriptions, and backlinks—SEO works to improve your website’s position in search engine results. This increased visibility is vital as it attracts more organic traffic, potentially leading to a rise in leads, sales, and overall business success. Businesses frequently discuss the basics of SEO, its importance in attracting targeted visitors, and how it supports wider business goals.
How Long Does It Take To See Results From SEO?
SEO is a strategy that requires a long-term commitment, and it's essential to have realistic expectations from the outset. Typically, businesses may notice significant improvements within 3 to 6 months. However, this can differ depending on factors such as the level of competition, the industry, and the website's current condition. While addressing technical issues can result in some early successes, meaningful increases in rankings and traffic usually develop over time. Clients often ask for a clear timeline to gauge when they might start seeing a return on their investment (ROI).
What Does Your SEO Process Involve?
Website Audit and Analysis: Conduct a thorough evaluation of the site to pinpoint strengths, weaknesses, and areas that can be enhanced.
Keyword Research: Identify relevant keywords that your potential customers actively search.
On-Page Optimisation: Improving various on-page elements such as meta tags, headers, content, and internal linking to increase site effectiveness.
Content Development: Crafting high-quality, engaging content tailored to the needs of your target audience.
Link Building: Securing backlinks from credible websites to enhance the site's domain authority.
Technical SEO:Ensuring the website is technically robust, with fast loading speeds, mobile responsiveness, and secure connections.
Ongoing Monitoring and Adjustment: Regularly track performance and make necessary adjustments based on data and trends. Clients ask about these steps to ensure they are investing in a thorough and effective SEO strategy.
How Do You Measure The Success Of An SEO Campaign?
Success in SEO is measured through a variety of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including:
Organic Traffic: The number of visitors coming to the website from search engines.
Keyword Rankings: The position of targeted keywords in search engine results pages (SERPs).
Conversion Rates: The percentage of visitors who take desired actions (e.g., filling out a form, making a purchase)
.Bounce Rate: The percentage of visitors who leave the site after viewing only one page.
Domain Authority: A score that predicts how well a website will rank in SERPs based on factors like link quality.
ROI (Return on Investment): Evaluating the financial return from SEO activities in comparison to the cost. Clients want to understand these metrics to gauge the effectiveness and profitability of their SEO investments.
How Do You Stay Updated With The Latest SEO Trends And Best Practives?
SEO is an ever-evolving field, with search engines like Google regularly updating their algorithms. We make it a priority to stay ahead of these changes.This might involve:
Continuous Learning: Attending industry conferences, webinars, and training sessions.
Membership in Professional Organisations: Being part of SEO communities or organisations that provide the latest insights.
Regular Testing and Experimentation: Consistently testing new strategies and adapting to changes in algorithms.Industry Research: Staying informed with the latest studies, white papers, and expert opinions in the digital marketing sector.We are confident that our SEO strategies are current and that we are proactive in adopting best practices.
Do You Offer Ongoing Maintenance And Support After The Website Is Launched?
Post-launch support is crucial for maintaining website performance and security. Clients want to know if the company provides:
Regular Updates: Ensuring the website remains up-to-date with the latest software versions and security patches.
Technical Support: Assisting with any issues that arise, such as bugs or downtime.
Content Updates: Offering services to update or add new content as the business evolves.
Performance Monitoring: We regularly check the site’s speed, uptime, and other critical metrics to ensure optimal performance. This ongoing support provides peace of mind, ensuring that the client’s website remains effective and secure over time.
How Do You Ensure That My Website Is User Friendly And Optimised For Conversions?
Yes, we ensure that your website is both user-friendly and optimised for conversions. We understand that clients want a website that attracts visitors and encourages them to take action. To achieve this, we focus on several key areas:
User Experience (UX) Design: We create an intuitive and engaging interface that makes navigation easy and enjoyable for users.Responsive Design: We ensure your website is mobile-friendly and looks great on all devices.
Call to Action (CTA): We strategically place buttons and forms to prompt users to take the desired actions.
Speed Optimisation: We ensure fast load times to reduce bounce rates and keep users engaged.
Conversion Rate Optimisation (CRO): We analyse user behaviour and make data-driven adjustments to increase the percentage of visitors who convert.By incorporating these principles, we maximise the chances of turning your website visitors into customers.
