Search Engine Optimisation

Equivalent Exchange is primarily a web design business – but as outlined in my SEO Audit Template blog post, I am well versed with the broad spectrum of factors that encompasses white-hat Search Engine Optimisation, commonly referred to as SEO.

I have been working with Melinda for over 10 years in the development and ongoing maintenance of our web site and the integration of SEO strategies. The SEO work was not only in relation to the web content but also on our peripheral activity that makes the Google engine work for us. To this end we are on page one of a google search for our major keyword searches. All this is done organically and not through paid ads, which saves us heaps in AdWords dollars.
I would be more than happy to recommend her and her company in any web development work you might have.
— Captain Mike JarvisPilot & long-term client

Search engine optimisation – proper, white-hat, organic SEO –  is not a task to enter into lightly, so forgive me for being frank about it on this page.

Generally speaking, I don’t perform SEO tasks on websites that I didn’t build. This is because a lot of the time a client wanting SEO will come to me with a – to put it frankly – mess of a site to begin with. As Google is putting an increasing level of importance on code quality and speed of a site, if you approach me wanting SEO with a site that is a coding disaster, my first recommendation will be that we redevelop it.

If your site is meeting its speed and quality checks, we can get to work on optimising it for users. That’s right – users. Because the key factor in performing white hat search engine optimisation on a site is ensuring that both the background code, and the front end display, deliver the highest quality message to your customers. There’s no point in hitting #1 in Google if the page the users click through to is full of rubbish!

Ok, Got it. Give me my SEO.

Well, if you are serious about search engine optimising your website:

1. I will start by conducting a site audit, using this template. It costs $60AUD to perform, given the time involved, and it will give everybody a decent understanding of how your site is currently performing, and what improvements need to be made.
2. I’ll determine three lists and an action plan. The first list will be the changes that I recommend we complete immediately on the site. These will generally be small, quick and simple changes, so they will be billed at my hourly rate. The second list will be changes that will take time to execute, for which I will provide a flat-rate quote. The third list will be changes that you need to make, because a) you know your business better than I do, and b) SEO pretty much embodies the term ‘equivalent exchange’; you will only get out as much as you put in.
3. Whether we proceed is your call, as it will require a running commitment from you.

I can take care of the code and ensure that your site is doing its best, but the long-term factors that separate websites that soar in the SERPs permanently to those lurking on page 386 are client-driven; ensuring that quality content is published on your website regularly, and ensuring that all wording on every page is structured in a way that makes it users easy to find you.

If you simply don’t have time to constantly update your website, I have been known to manage that portion on occasion – if I feel that I know enough about the industry your business exists in to be of any use. I can set up a blog posting schedule that will ensure that a minimum of 2 new blog posts are published every week, and will write them for you myself.

Wait, you offer writing? Aren’t you a coder?

Yes, and yes. Read all about how this works on this page:

Let’s talk SEO

If you’re interested in having me take a look at how we can maximise the visibility of your website, send me a wave, or fill out the quote form. Pricing varies depending on – well, all the factors outlined above.