Wordpress SEO Expert

Improve your Google ranking with Peter Mahoney, 20+ years SEO & Wordpress experience

The Power of Specialization: Why a Dedicated SEO Professional Trumps All-in-One Digital Agencies

by

In the ever-expanding digital landscape, businesses recognize the significance of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for online success.

When it comes to optimizing your website and enhancing its visibility, the decision between hiring a dedicated SEO professional or an all-in-one digital agency offering a range of services is crucial. In this article, we explore the compelling reasons why entrusting your SEO efforts to a specialized professional can yield superior results.

Expertise in the SEO Domain

SEO is a dynamic and intricate field that demands expertise and continuous adaptation to ever-evolving algorithms. A dedicated SEO professional focuses solely on mastering the intricacies of SEO, staying up-to-date with the latest trends, techniques, and best practices. By dedicating their time and effort to the nuances of SEO, these specialists possess in-depth knowledge and insights that an all-in-one agency, divided among various services, may not possess. Their expertise enables them to develop tailored strategies that align with your specific business goals, resulting in more effective and targeted SEO campaigns.

Personalized Attention and Accountability

By engaging a dedicated SEO professional, you benefit from the advantage of personalized attention and accountability. With an all-in-one digital agency, your SEO efforts may be one of many services they provide, dividing their focus and resources. In contrast, a dedicated SEO professional focuses solely on your SEO objectives, providing personalized attention and a customized approach tailored to your unique business needs. This level of dedication ensures greater accountability, as they are solely responsible for delivering optimal results and achieving your SEO goals.

Agile and Adaptability

SEO is a rapidly changing landscape that demands agility and adaptability. Dedicated SEO professionals are well-versed in navigating these changes and adjusting strategies accordingly. As algorithms and search engine guidelines evolve, they stay abreast of industry developments and emerging trends, allowing them to make proactive adjustments to your SEO campaigns. The ability to adapt swiftly to the ever-changing SEO landscape enables dedicated professionals to keep your website optimized and maintain a competitive edge in search rankings.

Access to Specialized Tools and Resources

Dedicated SEO professionals often possess access to specialized tools, resources, and industry connections that enhance their ability to deliver optimal results. From keyword research and competitor analysis tools to advanced analytics platforms, these professionals invest in the resources that drive success in SEO. By leveraging these specialized tools and staying at the forefront of industry advancements, dedicated SEO professionals can employ data-driven strategies, identify opportunities, and implement effective optimization techniques to propel your website’s visibility and organic traffic.

While all-in-one digital agencies offer a broad range of services, the power of specialization cannot be understated in the realm of SEO. Engaging a dedicated SEO professional grants you access to expertise, personalized attention, agility, and specialized tools that yield superior results. By entrusting your SEO efforts to a specialist, you position your business for success in the competitive online landscape.

 

Unleashing the Power of SEO: Elevating Your Online Presence

by

In this digital age, where online visibility is paramount, harnessing the power of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has become crucial for businesses and individuals alike.

By strategically optimizing your website and content, you can secure a prominent position in search engine rankings, drive organic traffic, and propel your online success to new heights.

The Foundation of SEO

To embark on an SEO journey, it’s essential to lay a strong foundation. Start by conducting comprehensive keyword research, identifying the search terms and phrases relevant to your niche. Integrate these keywords organically throughout your website’s content, ensuring it resonates with both search engines and your target audience. From compelling meta tags to well-structured URLs, optimizing the technical aspects of your website is equally important. This includes optimizing page load speed, creating an intuitive site structure, and implementing schema markup to enhance search engine understanding.

Content is King

High-quality content lies at the heart of any successful SEO strategy. By crafting engaging and informative content that aligns with your audience’s interests, you can increase your website’s visibility and attract valuable organic traffic. Whether it’s through informative blog posts, captivating product descriptions, or engaging videos, prioritize creating content that educates, entertains, and provides value. Remember to optimize your content with relevant keywords, headers, and meta descriptions, allowing search engines to crawl, index, and rank your pages effectively.

Link Building for Authority

Building a network of high-quality backlinks remains a cornerstone of SEO. Earn links from reputable websites within your industry to demonstrate authority and credibility. Engage in guest blogging, create valuable resources that others want to link to, and leverage social media platforms to amplify your content and reach. A strong backlink profile signals to search engines that your website is a trusted source of information, resulting in improved rankings and increased organic traffic.

Keeping Up with SEO Trends

SEO is an ever-evolving landscape, and staying informed about the latest trends and algorithm updates is vital. Regularly monitor changes in search engine algorithms, adapt your strategies accordingly, and embrace emerging SEO techniques. Stay on top of mobile optimization, voice search optimization, and local SEO to ensure your website remains relevant and accessible to a wide range of users.

In the vast digital realm, mastering the art of SEO opens doors to immense opportunities. By implementing a well-rounded SEO strategy, focusing on keyword research, content creation, link building, and staying up-to-date with the latest trends, you can enhance your online visibility, connect with your target audience, and unlock the true potential of your online presence.

 

Pages listed as Discovered – currently not indexed

by

Looking at buying this offer. Quick question, just looking at Google search console and I have a bunch of pages listed as ‘Discovered – currently not indexed’. Not sure how to resolve this. Will the things you do in this package help or do I need something else?

Looking at that sort of issue is something that’s more suited to a bespoke job, or at the very least taking me up on the free month of my ongoing service I offer as part of this fixed price service – in that month I can have a good look through those things.

Notice I used the word issue in italics. Normally there’s very good reasons Google chooses not to index pages. Have a look at the list of pages it’s giving you in that report. Sometimes it’s ‘feed’ pages or or pages you won’t want scanned anyway. Ideally those would be marked as noindex (which prevents Google and other search engines from scanning them) just to clean up those reports. But actually what Search Console is telling you there is that Google has caught those pages you won’t want in search results pages anyway.

The most common reason Google doesn’t scan legitimate pages is simply how much text you have on there. If a page is fewer than 300 words of paragraph text* it’s very unlikely to get picked up by Google.

When they first brought that report in to Google Search Console I made a spreadsheet of all the posts I have that were listed there and they ALL had that in common. So as time permitted I went through each one and just fleshed it out to get to the 300 word mark – and then on resubmitting those specific URLs to Google they were all indexed without fail.

* – by paragraph text I mean the actual useful, article (body) content of the page. You shouldn’t count words in the menu, footer, that sort of thing.

I hope that helps! Cheers,

Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO Expert

Should I start SEO? The phone isn’t ringing and business is really slow.

by

This is from a regular series I post here, which are replies I send to commonly asked SEO questions. I get a lot of them!

I’m thinking of starting Search Engine Optimisation but I’m just a bit stressed at the moment and the phone isn’t ringing and business is really slow.

It’s no secret that economic downturns can have a significant impact on businesses across all industries. When times are tough, many companies tend to cut back on spending, including investments in digital marketing and SEO. However, it’s worth noting that in times of crisis, SEO can actually be more critical than ever.

During the 2008 global financial crisis and the Covid pandemic, there were three types of clients: those who paused SEO, those who stayed throughout, and those who quit entirely. The clients who stayed throughout and continued to invest in their SEO efforts were the ones who ultimately reaped the greatest rewards.

By maintaining a strong SEO presence during challenging times, companies can position themselves for greater success in the long run. This is because SEO is a long-term strategy that requires ongoing effort and investment. By continuing to optimize their website and build high-quality backlinks, companies can improve their search ranking and visibility over time. When the economy picks up again and people start looking to spend, those companies will be in a much better position to capitalize on the increased demand.

It’s also worth mentioning that during tough times, some companies may not be able to afford to invest in SEO at the same level as they did before. This is where discounts and other cost-saving measures can be helpful. By offering discounts or flexible payment plans, SEO experts like you can help clients weather the storm and stay competitive, even when times are tough.

While economic downturns can be challenging, they can also be an opportunity for companies to invest in their long-term success through SEO. By staying the course and continuing to optimize their website, companies can set themselves up for greater success when the economy rebounds. And with options like discounts and other cost-saving measures, SEO experts can help their clients navigate the ups and downs of the business cycle with confidence.

Cheers,

Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO Expert

New Page indexing issues detected in submitted URLs

by

This is from a regular series I post here, which are replies I send to commonly asked SEO questions. I get a lot of them!

I have received an email from Google about my website after you did the Search Engine Optimisation work. It says New Page indexing issues detected in submitted URLs – what does this mean please Peter – you’re the WordPress SEO Expert!

Of course! Let me explain the concept of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and provide more information on the concept of “noindex” pages first. 🙂

SEO is the process of optimizing a website’s content and structure to increase its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). This can be achieved through various techniques, such as optimizing on-page elements, building high-quality backlinks, and improving the user experience of a website.

One aspect of SEO involves ensuring that search engine crawlers can easily access and understand a website’s content. This is where the concept of “indexing” comes in. Search engines like Google use automated programs, also known as crawlers or spiders, to scan and index the content of web pages. This allows them to quickly and accurately retrieve relevant search results for user queries.

However, not all pages on a website need to be indexed by search engines. As mentioned in the original document, pages like privacy policies or terms of use pages may contain duplicate content that doesn’t add value to the website’s search ranking. Additionally, some pages may not be relevant to the website’s overall content or business goals.

In these cases, website owners can use the “noindex” directive to tell search engines not to index specific pages. This is achieved through a meta tag placed in the HTML code of the page, which instructs search engines to exclude the page from their index.

By marking these pages as “noindex”, website owners can avoid potential issues with duplicate content, improve their website’s overall SEO, and ensure that search engines focus on the most relevant and valuable content on their site.

In conclusion, receiving a notification about “New Page indexing issues detected in submitted URLs” after SEO work has been carried out is a common occurrence, and usually, it’s not something to worry about. It simply means that some pages on the website have been marked as “noindex”, which is a recommended best practice for optimizing a website’s search ranking and visibility.

Cheers,

Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO Expert

Don’t just search for yourself!

by

This is actually a stock answer I send people pretty often. I’m regularly asked about the difference between where a client sees themselves in rankings, or their friend, kid’s football coach, etc.

You shouldn’t search for yourself as a way to measure your ranking

Google does all kinds of personalisation on your search results (based on your network’s IP address, if you’re logged into any Google accounts, even your location) and the more often you look for your own site, the more skewed those results will be.

To give an example, most people searching for “seo expert peter” see my site on the first page. But I see myself on the fourth. Essentially because I’ve searched for myself so often, but then not spent much time on my site or even bothered to click it, Google has “learnt” that I don’t like it and therefore ranks it down for me, uniquely.

The right place to get Google’s official rank for your site is their Search Console system., which is where I get my stats.

Their stats are actually an ‘average’ of your rank which is the statistically most useful approach. Because of personalisation, not everyone sees your site in the same position. Where someone is searching from geographically for example has an impact. So the average rank is the best indicator of where you rank.

There’s a commonly held belief that if you use a private browsing window somehow you’ll see the proper rankings in the search results. But all that does is prevent Google from knowing your account – they still know where you live, your IP address, in some cases the unique code for your network card – there’s plenty for them to skew your results with.

Prices are quoted exclusive of VAT unless expressly stated.

RSS

Peter Mahoney, WordPress SEO expert blog