Problems I Solve

SEO is vital to the success of your online business. I’m here to help you get it right. It’s only natural that you’ll have a few questions, so I’ve provided answers to the most common queries I get below.

If you have a question that’s not addressed here, get in touch!

Traffic

My website is generating a lot of traffic, but my conversion rate is very low.

Traffic is great. If you get a lot of it, then you’re doing something right. But traffic is only half the equation.
There are many reasons why your traffic may not be converting. Maybe you’re targeting the wrong keywords. Maybe your offer isn’t compelling. Or maybe your site just isn’t user-friendly. I can help you analyze your traffic, and streamline your online sales process to ensure you’re converting that traffic into cold hard cash.

Our website was doing fine, then one day we saw our traffic drop dramatically and we can’t get it back to where it was.

Sudden drops in traffic can baffle even the most learned Google Analytics guru, and lead to days or weeks of panicked detective work as you try and uncover the source of the problem. Even if you figure it out, getting back to where you were can be an uphill battle.
From a loss in organic rankings to problems with referral partners, there are too many potential causes to list here, but I can tell you that I’ve been around long enough to see—and fix—pretty much all of them.

When I look at my analytics, most of the traffic is coming from spam sites.

We all get excited when we see a spike in website traffic. But that excitement can quickly sour when we find out that the bump came from a spam site like “buttons-for-my-website.com.”
Unfortunately, these spam sites are far from harmless. Many of them refer traffic to your site for nefarious reasons. Fixing the problem is simple. More importantly, I can also ensure that you maximize qualified organic traffic to your site.

We keep getting sudden dips in traffic and we can’t figure out what’s causing it.

Like on-off drops in traffic, recurring dips can be baffling. Things like seasonality of searches, a drop in the frequency of content updates, or more competitors entering the market are common causes, but tracking down the real culprit can be time consuming.
SEO is long-term investment that needs constant maintenance. I can help you develop a strategy that will give you year-on-year gains in traffic that are less prone to variation. I can also help you pinpoint the cause of dips in traffic, and build in strategies to mitigate them.

Rankings

I rank for all the key terms in Google, but my website doesn’t make any money.

First of all, if you were ranking in Google for the right terms, you’d probably be making money! If your site really is ranking for all the key terms in your niche, and you’re still not seeing any benefit, then it’s time to rethink your strategy.
After I conduct an audit of your site, I will provide a list of recommendations, including ways that you can tweak your offers and improve your sales funnel for maximum results.

I know I need to improve the SEO of my website, but I’m confused about where to start.

That’s okay! Despite the many “how to” guides on the web, SEO is a complex discipline that takes years to master. There are many factors that could be affecting the performance of your site.
When I take on a new client, I do a comprehensive website audit. Then, I give you a set of concrete recommendations. As we implement them, you’ll come to understand more about SEO. With a little guidance, you’ll soon become an expert yourself!

I want to rank in Google’s featured snippets, but I’m not sure how.

Google Featured Snippets is a great way to leap frog your competitors to get into “position zero” – above the number one listing. I’m one of the few people who has successfully followed this product from the beginning. I’ve already helped many clients get an edge over their competitors using my effective Featured Snippets strategy.

An SEO consultant optimized my site and it was going fine for a while, but now we’ve stopped ranking in Google.

When it comes to SEO, many people go for cheaper consultants who make big promises. This is understandable. We all want the maximum return for a minimal outlay. But sometimes this means your consultant is not spending the time to create long-term strategies, and instead resorting to “quick fixes” that lead to temporary results.
I’m always looking to develop long-term relationships with my clients. I’m always honest about what we can achieve, how long it will take, and how much it will cost.

I’ve got a lot of images on my site, yet most of them aren’t showing up in Google Image Search.

If your images aren’t properly optimized, then you’re missing out on a lot of traffic. Don’t worry, you just need to follow a few simple rules in terms of naming conventions, file size, and formatting. If you’ve got thousands of images already up on your site, that’s great. It can be big task to optimize them all, but I’ve got your back!

I know my site shows up in Google, but no one clicks on the links for some reason.

Most of the time, an increase in Google rankings results in an increase in traffic—but there are exceptions. If this is happening to you, there could be a few reasons why. Are you targeting the wrong keywords? Are your listings compelling enough to attract clicks? Have you considered the searcher’s intent?
Fixing the problem involves an analysis of your current rankings and your content, including your meta-data. I can help you increase clicks from your current rankings, while also targeting more effective keywords to boost traffic.

My competitor is dominating Google for all the key search terms I need to be ranking for, and I want to beat them.

If your competitor is dominating the Google results and it’s costing you business, you certainly should fight back. This doesn’t always mean taking them on directly.
A little research can reveal gaps and weak points in your competitor’s strategy that you can take advantage of, including lucrative keywords they may have overlooked. If your competitor is well established in a niche, it may take some time to knock them out of the number one spot, but over the years I’ve helped many businesses achieve this.

We employed an SEO consultant, but we’re having trouble reaching our Google ranking goals.

Unfortunately, not all SEO consultants are created equal. This is especially true if you decided to go with the cheapest option. Cheaper SEO firms will often do the bare minimum to get you ranking, with no thought to long-term strategies.
There is no “quick fix” for SEO, and if you’re willing to invest the time and the resources, I can help you achieve mind-blowing results.

Technical Issues

I don’t understand what SEO people mean when they talk about meta-data.

I’m going to be honest here and say that meta-data is a pretty boring topic. It’s basically “data about data,” or the information on your website that tells Google what your site’s about.
When optimizing your site, you’ll need to make sure you have the correct meta-data on every page. This can be a painstaking process, especially for larger sites, but it’s a very important part of SEO. I’ve optimized hundreds of sites for companies of all shapes and sizes, and I can guide you on the most efficient way to update your meta-data.

The back end of my site is a mess with duplicate content, broken links, and many other issues. I’m not sure how to fix it.

When you have a large site, perhaps one that’s managed by a team with many contributors, it’s common to have these sorts of issues. Often times, they can be remedied by implementing strong editorial processes, or assigning an employee to ensure that everything is neat and tidy on the back end.
I’ve helped many clients transform large and unwieldy sites into a well-oiled conversion machines!

Our site seems to load fast, but it fails the page speed load test and we don’t know what to do about it.

When it comes to improving your rankings, page speed is vitally important. In fact, Google has explicitly said that it’s one of the “signals” it uses to decide which sites should rank for a given term.
While your site might seem to load quickly, there are many technical issues to consider that may not be apparent to the untrained eye. I can work with your developers or web provider to ensure that your site’s load time isn’t affecting your Google rankings.

I’m not sure how to set up Google Search Console for my website.

Setting up Google Search Console (previously Google Webmaster Tools) is pretty simple. However, there are a few tips and tricks that have a big impact on how Google views your website. With my expert guidance, you can really take advantage of this powerful tool.

I’m not sure what SEO plugin I should use for my WordPress website.

SEO plugins are nice to have and can reduce your manual workload. But without a well thought out SEO strategy to back them up, they are mostly useless. Not sure if your plugins are having an effect? I can provide a manual audit to help you pinpoint any issues, and ensure that your site is up to scratch.

I optimized my website myself, but it doesn’t seem to be working.

Most website owners don’t take the time and effort to learn about SEO, which is a shame. Congratulations for putting in the hard work! If you’re having trouble, get in touch.
Not only can I provide a detailed analysis of where you’re going wrong, but if you’re seriously interested in learning more about SEO, I can provide coaching to assist you in honing your skills. You’ll be an SEO expert in no time!

I know my website is terrible, but I’m not sure how to fix it.

I’ve been in the online marketing game since the 90s, so I’ve seen a lot of bad websites! I’ve also seen some of the worst sites transformed into online money making machines.
No matter how badly your website is performing, there is always something you can do to fix it—even if that means a redevelopment. My in depth audit will uncover the real reasons your website is failing, and then give you concrete recommendations on how to fix it.

My website got hit with a Google penalty. I don’t know what to do.

Google has many logical reasons to penalize websites. Unfortunately, it’s not always clear to website owners why they’re being penalized. This can be incredibly frustrating.
The good news is, there’s no reason to feel stressed! I’ve removed hundreds, if not thousands, of Google penalties during my career. Many times, there’s a simple fix to get you back on Google’s good side again.

Content

I know I have a lot of good content, but people can’t seem to find it.

It’s easy to build a website, and that’s great. However, many people still don’t understand how to organize their content in a way that makes things simple for their users. Your site might look great, but what’s the point if customers can’t find the information they need?
Ranking in Google is vital if you want people to find you. But it’s also important to simplify the purchase process. I’ve helped many clients improve their site’s usability to maximize engagement and sales, and I can do the same for you.

I’m creating content for my website. I know I need to do keyword research, but I’m not sure how.

Keyword research is one of the first steps in optimizing your website. Despite the fact that there are many “how-to” guides online, it’s still a tricky task to master, especially if you’re not sure what you’re trying to achieve.
As someone who has optimized innumerable websites and achieved rankings for many powerful high-traffic keywords, I can guide you with insider tips and tricks that will turn you into an expert keyword researcher in no time!

I need more Google-friendly content for my site, but I’m not sure where to start.

If you’ve hired an SEO consultant in the past, they may have told you to produce hundreds of pages of clunky, keyword-stuffed content in order to get your site ranking in Google. Not only is this wrong, but it may actually have a harmful effect on your site.
The cornerstone of your content strategy should be engaging content that people actually want to read. If Google thinks you’re trying to game the system, they’ll move to punish you swiftly. Whether you need someone to provide advice to your marketing team, or someone to produce the content for you, I can help.

We have great content, but we can’t figure out how to structure it in a way that makes sense.

It’s essential to have great content on your site, but badly organized content can lead to a high bounce rate and ultimately hurt online sales and Google rankings.
Learning how to structure information to make it usable and useful to your customers is a long process, and requires deep research into customer habits and visitor trends. I can provide guidance to ensure that your content is structured for maximum sales and engagement.

My site aggregates content from other sites, and we don’t get a lot of organic traffic.

People aggregate content for all sorts of reasons, some of them legitimate, and some not so legitimate. If you choose to aggregate someone else’s content, then unfortunately you are always going to run into issues. This is due to the fact that search engines do not like duplicate content.
Why would they serve up your page when they can get original content somewhere else?
The bad news is, if you want to improve your organic traffic, you’re probably going to have to start from scratch and create original content. If this seems like a daunting task, don’t worry—I can guide you to do it in the most efficient and effective way possible, including sourcing content from professional SEO writers.

Our CEO has a personal blog, but it doesn’t get any traffic.

Blogs are a great place for key personnel to strategically express their views, and they can add warmth and personality to your brand. The problem is, many blogs are just too boring! Unless you do something different, you’re unlikely to attract a large audience.
If your CEO is running a blog, it should fit into your overall content strategy, blending in seamlessly with marketing campaigns, branded content, and other collateral. You should also attempt to make each post as engaging as possible. Sorry—no stories about the weekend fishing trip!
I’ve advised the CEOs of major companies on the direction of their blogs, successfully increasing engagement and traffic, and often raising their public profile in the process.

We want to try content marketing, but we’re not sure where to start.

If you want to rank in Google, the fact is, you need content. But not just any old content—you need fresh, exciting, engaging content that people actually want to read. With so much competition in this day and age, that isn’t as easy as it sounds.
Your content marketing strategy needs to stick out from the crowd to attract attention and generate links. That means creative ideas that cut through the noise and bring you qualified traffic. I will work with your team to develop a content strategy that’s true to your brand but that also helps you stand head and shoulders above your competitors.

We need a content plan for our business, but we’re not sure where to start.

We all know content is king, but developing entertaining and engaging content to meet your customer’s needs can be a challenge—especially if you don’t have a lot of online marketing experience.
I’ve advised dozens of businesses on creating a coherent content ecosystem that attracts qualified customers, and guides traffic seamlessly to the products and services they’re searching for.

We need content, but we don’t have anyone to produce it.

Producing quality content is key to a successful SEO strategy. Unfortunately, it can be challenging without the right resources. If you have an internal team to do the work, great. If not, I’m able to provide the support of a full-service agency, or help you find skilled creatives to get the job done.

Online Marketing

I’m not sure how to integrate an SEO strategy into my overall marketing strategy.

If your SEO strategy is simply to rank for a few key terms, then it will probably fail. An effective strategy will consider your online presence holistically, and can influence the type of content you produce for websites and social media. It can even affect offline advertising and other aspects of your business.
I’ve assisted many companies to rethink their marketing strategies in creative ways, resulting in increased attention, traffic, and links to their websites.

I’m not sure how much of my budget I should allocate to SEO, as opposed to PPC.

Some people think that SEO is too risky, and stick with paid advertising. Others believe that they can save money by focusing on organic traffic alone. The truth is, there are pros and cons to both. PPC and SEO can work hand in hand to get you results. Finding the right mix is about knowing what you want to achieve.
While SEO can be cheaper in the long run, it’s not a “set and forget” strategy as many people believe. In order to ensure results, you need to allocate budget and resources. I can not only assist you in achieving organic rankings, but also help you reduce your CPC and run more targeted and effective PPC campaigns.

I’m spending a lot of money on PPC, and not seeing the results I’d like to.

A lot of people frame SEO and PPC as an either/or proposition. The truth is, it all depends on what you’re trying to achieve. SEO is a long-term project that requires a significant investment of time and money, and most people opt for a mix of SEO and PPC.
While SEO is essential for a successful website, it should blend in with your overall marketing mix. I can work with you or your marketing team to ensure you get that mix right the first time, achieving the best possible conversion rates with the lowest possible CPC.

I’ve invested in Hubspot, but it doesn’t seem to be making a difference.

Hubspot offers a lot of great tools that can help you improve the SEO of your website. But for those who don’t have SEO experience or technical knowledge, it can be a challenge to figure out how to used them effectively.
If you’re struggling to get everything working, I can assist you in finding the right tools to achieve your goals, whether that be Hubspot or another platform.

My marketing team is good, but they don’t really understand online marketing—they need training.

While there are some key differences between traditional marketing and online marketing, there’s no reason why your team can’t get up to speed. If you’re having trouble coming up with an online marketing strategy, I’m happy to provide guidance and training, or even assist with new hires where necessary.

I’m knowledgeable in online marketing, but I’m looking to take my expertise to the next level.

That’s great news. I provide specialist training to people looking to expand their knowledge of online marketing. However, some of these services are exclusive and do assume a certain amount of prerequisite knowledge, so contact me before you apply.

Design and Development

I’m redesigning my website. This time I want to make sure it’s Google-friendly.

Redesigning your website is a great opportunity to ensure that everything is in place from the very beginning. It can also be risky. You’ll want to make sure that you maintain as many of your current Google rankings as possible.
I’ve helped many companies—from small startups to multi-national corporations—take full advantage of a website redevelopment, and I’d love to do the same for you.

I spent a lot of time/money building my website, but Google doesn’t seem to notice it.

Unfortunately, a lot of web and design professionals don’t see SEO as a vital component of website development, and treat it as an after thought. This is a big mistake.
If you’ve paid for a site with a slick look and feel, but have no traffic to show for it, don’t worry. A comprehensive site audit will reveal where your developers went wrong. And, most issues can be easily fixed. I’ll provide you with a detailed list of recommendations, and a roadmap to get you to your traffic goals.

I need to redesign my website, and I want to make sure we do it properly this time.

Great news! Many people approach me after a redevelopment when their traffic is flagging. Starting from scratch with your SEO strategy gives you a major advantage. I can work with you from concept to completion to ensure your redevelopment is geared towards maximum traffic, sales, and engagement.

Business Problems

I know we have the potential to be an industry leader, but our online reputation needs a lot of work.

Many business owners get to the point where they are making a healthy profit, and have their internal systems and processes humming. At that point, they suddenly realize there’s much more they can achieve.
There are many things that can work against your company’s public profile, from negative sentiment online to outdated branding. I’ve worked with many companies to overhaul their online reputation, and helped them become respected industry leaders.

I have a great idea for an online business, but I need someone with expertise to help me get it up and running.

Whatever stage your business is at, I’m happy to provide guidance to make sure a roadmap for online success is in place. If you’re looking to improve your skills in online marketing, get in touch. You might be a good candidate for one of my workshops or online courses.

I’m doing well, but I really need something to help me break through and become a thought leader in my industry.

I’ve helped many business owners stage a holistic transformation of their lives, and I can help you do the same. Whether you’re looking to become a public figure, contribute to key discussions in your industry, or simply improve your work/life balance, I can help you achieve your goals.
I’ve guided many entrepreneurs and business owners on taking things to the next level, whether that means raising their profile and developing a personal brand, or becoming a highly sought after thought leader in their industry. If you set your mind to it, there’s no reason why you can’t do the same!

My business is successful and I’m doing well online, but I really want to become more active in public life.

There are many things to consider before making the move into public life. Get in touch, and we can sit down and chat about your goals.