FAQs
Frequently Asked SEO Questions
Tired of acronyms? Techy jargon? The feeling that the wool’s being pulled over your eyes?
At Targeted SEO, we believe that all ambitious business owners should have a grasp of the basics of SEO and an understanding of how it can benefit them. We’re always transparent about our work and keen to share our knowledge.
Yes, it’s complex. Yes, the landscape is ever-changing. And yes, it does require technical expertise. But SEO is not a dark art. When you work with us, we’ll always be upfront and guide you in as much (or as little!) detail as you want.
If you would like to discuss your website and SEO with our friendly and approachable team, please contact us to start a conversation. In the meantime, here are some commonly asked questions which we hope will help shed some light and spark your interest in SEO.
SEO FAQ Insights
Introduction to GEO – optimising for AI systems:
How long does it take to see results from SEO?
Why blogging is still important for SEO:
Why invest in a professional SEO audit at the start:
Does content length really matter for visibility?
Has AI made SEO harder for weak websites?
What happens when you try to do SEO on a weak website?
Why you should invest in an SEO-led website:
Which type of clients see the best results from SEO?
What happens when you pause SEO?
According to 2022 research, only 0.63% of Google users click past page one of search results. The number 1 result gets over 25% of clicks, which diminishes to less than 3% by result 10. So, if you ignore SEO, your site will struggle to compete with those on page 1 and will likely go unnoticed.
Source: Backlinko, October 2022
SEO agencies use various techniques in order to make their clients’ websites more visible in search engine results pages (SERPs). Among the desired results are higher rankings for keywords and in local searches, improved click-through rates (CTR), increased conversion rates and more sales.
SEO agencies have the skills and technology to make your website more visible and generate more click-throughs. A professional agency will have a broad talent base, including web designers, technical web specialists, copywriters and SEO consultants, which are all vital to a successful SEO campaign.
The best SEO agencies:
- can demonstrate past successes
- have lots of reviews and testimonials
- are honest and transparent about what they do
- have a good mix of talent
- are realistic about results and timescales and do not over-promise
Beware SEO agencies that promise you the top spot. Google uses constantly-changing algorithms to deliver search results, so nothing is guaranteed. Organic SEO has the power to increase your website’s visibility in search results, but it takes time and depends on the size of your market.
Paid ads can be effective alongside an organic SEO strategy, but the moment you stop paying, your website traffic will likely decline. Organic SEO offers a much better return on investment and can transform your website into a valuable business asset that delivers sustainable results.
At Targeted SEO we focus on organic SEO, and our agency services and processes are designed to deliver results in organic search. If you are interested in running a PPC campaign alongside an organic SEO strategy, then we have a trusted strategic partner who specialises in paid advertising. We can collaborate closely with them to optimise any web design, on-page elements, conversion rate optimisation and lead generation, ensuring a comprehensive approach to your online presence.
Yes, at Targeted SEO we can design and develop conversion focused landing pages, which can be used for paid advertising campaigns. Typically, when you sign up to a monthly SEO package with us then we manage the design and development of all pages that your website requires.
SEO takes time and is contingent on the size of your market. An organic SEO campaign can take 4-6 months to deliver results, and it’s wise to budget for at least 12-24 months to get the best return on your investment. The payoff is worth the wait, and once your website matures, it will produce results that last.
SEO success is tracked with software such as Google Search Console, Semrush and Ahrefs, which measure website traffic, search engine rankings and domain authority, among other analytics. Your SEO agency should be happy to share these results with you and provide commentary on the results.
You don’t always need a new website for SEO to work, but it depends on how well your current site is built. If a website has poor technical foundations, such as crawl errors, slow performance, mobile usability issues, or structural limitations, SEO improvements will be restricted. In these cases, rebuilding the site with SEO-led design and development is often the most effective long-term solution.
WordPress is one of the most SEO-friendly platforms when developed correctly. A well-built WordPress website allows for clean code, strong technical SEO, flexible content optimisation, and scalable site structure. This makes it easier to improve visibility across Google search results and AI-powered search systems. At Targeted SEO, we specialise in WordPress SEO, combining SEO strategy with search-optimised web design and development to ensure websites are built on solid foundations from day one.
On the contrary, SEO keeps evolving. The key to SEO success is to keep up:
- with search engine advancement
- with emerging technology such as AI (and Google’s response to it)
- with trends such as E-E-A-T and long-form content
- AI developments and AI SEO
A good SEO agency has its finger on the pulse and is agile in its response.
Yes, everything in SEO can be measured using a combination of metrics and software. This can include rankings, traffic, impressions, clicks and conversions. We use Google Analytics 4, Google Search Console and ahrefs (professional SEO software) to analyse website performance.
As part of a local SEO campaign, we focus on developing optimised pages for specific geographic areas in which your business operates. For service-based businesses, this will involve a combination of us creating tailored content for new local areas and designing and developing website pages dedicated to these areas. Additionally, we can also create relevant blog content that links back to these local pages. We will also work on optimising your Google Business Profile to make sure it’s relevant to your location and the services you provide.
Yes, we will provide you with a monthly report sharing insights into SEO performance and work completed. We can also schedule regular SEO consultations with you, or create a Loom video of performance. We find that talking to you regularly and screen sharing is a much more effective use of time. This also provides us with an opportunity to discuss ideas for new content and gain more insights into your requirements, which can change as your business grows.
The cost of our SEO varies from client to client and depends on what’s required to get results for your business. As a very minimum you should be budgeting £1,000 to £1,500 per month (plus VAT). This can increase depending on deliverables such as content creation and optimisation, strategy, consultations, design and development, account management and much more.
At Targeted SEO, our mission is to maintain a deep understanding of the advanced algorithms that search engines use to rank websites. Using this knowledge, our aim is to help our clients gain more visibility in search results.
However, we do not own or control these search engines. Algorithms change regularly and so we can’t guarantee specific #1 results.
What we can promise is that we will increase your organic search visibility and website traffic over a period of time, but only if you meet your obligations within this agreement.
SEO is complex, and it takes time for Google to recognise website changes and content. We can highlight SEO results within as little as 4 months, but for competitive searches, it can take much longer. You should always budget for 12-24 months of SEO work at the outset, but ideally, you should continue to invest in SEO for the lifespan of your website. Your time and investment in SEO will pay off, resulting in a website that is a valuable, long-term business asset.
If you’re working with us on a monthly retainer then we will be aiming to grow your website significantly. This means we will be adding more pages to your services menu to encompass everything that you offer. In some of the industries we work in over the course of a 12 month period we would expect to see anything from 20 – 50 pages being optimised and added.
Yes, if you would like to capture emails to be used in any emarketing campaigns then we can build sign up forms. These can also be integrated with popular software like Mailchimp and Hubspot, if you have an account with these platforms. Capturing leads usually works better when there is some kind of giveaway such as a free guide, to entice users to leave their details.
As part of our monthly service, we will be responsible for researching new content opportunities. This can include new service pages, blog content and local SEO.
Depending on the retainer you choose, you can expect to receive a specific amount of content, required to get you long-term results. As part of our content process, we will research and provide you with templates to facilitate the addition of your own content. This can include targeted questions for you to answer which are designed to capture your industry knowledge and expertise.
As an example, if your retainer includes 2 x pieces of content per month, over the 12 months you could have 24 new pages of highly optimised content on your new website. Additionally, we may also create pages for local SEO purposes and generate blog content to help establish your website as an industry authority.
Remember SEO compounds over time! By consistently investing in SEO over many years, your website could potentially end up with 100’s of search optimised pages. For local businesses this will give you the competitive edge.
If we are designing and developing a new website for you, then we will research the sitemap during the initial design phase. You can expect a new website to be launched with new pages such as: home / about / services (archive and subpages) / news / contact. As part of this process, we will also consider any existing pages and content, which can be repurposed and optimised to align with your new website.
Free Website SEO Audit report
Our comprehensive website SEO audit report covers various essential aspects to provide you with a complete overview of your website’s performance. With this report, you’ll gain valuable insights into areas that require improvement and discover opportunities to enhance your website’s visibility, user experience, and overall search engine rankings.
Let our report be your guide to optimising your website and achieving online success!
- On-page SEO Results
- Backlinks
- Usability Results
- Performance Results
- Social Results
- Local SEO
- Technology Results