It's early days, and I'm cautious about celebrating too soon, especially in the SEO world, where things can change overnight. We call it the "Algaroo," where Google's algorithm can quickly shift your rankings. But I'm here to share a recent project with a renovation builder in Melbourne, focusing on home, bathroom, and kitchen renovations. It's been an intense, data-driven campaign, but we already see signs of success. Let me walk you through the steps to get this client closer to the top and drive real results.
Mapping Out the Campaign and Establishing a Local Presence
We began the campaign by analysing local search patterns and Google's map data across Melbourne. Using local SEO strategies, I mapped out how potential customers in various suburbs searched for terms like "home renovation builder" and "bathroom renovation." Initially, the client's business location needed to be ranked at the top. Now, just a few months later, we're seeing significant improvements, with top positions across a 5-10 km radius from their office. This focus on local SEO has been vital, ensuring the business appears prominently on Google's local listings and map results.
Building Authority with Strategic Content and Targeted Keywords
Content has been a game-changer in this campaign. We took a deep dive into creating dedicated service pages for high-value terms like "home renovations" and "kitchen renovations." It's about strategically structuring these pages to capture broad, niche search terms that generate leads. The more targeted our content is, the better it's performing. I also optimised the client's Google Business Profile by updating local images, refining categories, and ensuring every element aligned with their core services.
Since Google values sites with depth and authority, we also worked to develop content that showcases the client's expertise in the industry. This included long-form blog guides, client case studies, and in-depth articles about renovation tips. Building credibility is more than just backlinks; it's about proving the depth of knowledge behind the brand. Additionally, I encouraged the client to establish a personal brand site linked to their main business, which enhances their online authority and provides a real face behind the company. These elements help build trust with Google and, more importantly, potential customers.
Competitor Analysis and Learning from Leaders
Every strong SEO campaign starts with competitor analysis. I spent time dissecting the top competitors in the Melbourne renovation space, including some websites I've monitored over the years. We looked at what made their pages rank, how they structured their sites, the type of content they prioritised, and their backlink profiles. From this, I mapped out the critical service pages we'd need to create for our client and the specific keywords each page should target.
This analysis helped us spot gaps in the market where our client could stand out. While competitors were focused mainly on general renovations, we targeted specific services like bathroom and kitchen renovations to reach a more precise audience. It's one thing to rank on Google, but ranking for high-converting, intent-driven terms can make all the difference.
Technical Overhaul: Rebuilding the Site for Performance
Although the client's site was already on WordPress, I knew a technical overhaul was essential for long-term SEO health. We restructured the entire backend, optimising it for speed, mobile responsiveness, and clean code. Load times were trimmed down, internal links were carefully mapped out, and essential SEO plugins were configured to streamline our efforts.
We lifted the site, so to speak, tearing out outdated elements and integrating better tools. It's technically sound and primed for Google's search crawlers to recognise its value. This technical SEO is foundational; if a site isn't optimised under the hood, even the best content won't perform.
Tracking Results and Celebrating the Wins
The real results started showing up in our keyword tracking. Out of the 257 terms we're tracking, about 40 of them landed in the top 30. More importantly, though, we're now seeing 23 keywords ranking in the top three positions and 32 in the top 10. It's always a win when we start gaining first-page rankings, as that's where real visibility and business happen.
For example, keywords like "Home Renovation Melbourne" moved from the eighth position to the first. Other terms that weren't even visible in the top 200 are now climbing steadily. I can see inquiries and phone calls picking up as Google has begun sending a steady stream of organic visitors our way.
Creating Geographically Targeted Pages to Capture Local Traffic
One of our next steps has been building out geo-specific pages to capture search traffic from various Melbourne suburbs. For instance, terms like "home renovation builder + [suburb]" or "kitchen renovation + Melbourne" are highly relevant and show consistent demand in local searches. These pages allow us to target specific suburbs within Melbourne and rank higher in local searches, especially given the client's physical location. The goal is to establish a presence in these areas, driving foot traffic and inquiries from people nearby.
Leaning on Organic Traffic Over Paid: SEO as a Long-Term Investment
While we initially considered launching Google Ads to get leads faster, the organic results have started to reduce our need for paid campaigns. Organic traffic is the ultimate goal because it's sustainable and doesn't rely on ongoing ad spend. In the renovation industry, organic rankings tend to convert better than paid ads since clients researching big projects are often already in the consideration stage of the buying cycle. They're not making an impulse decision here; they want a trustworthy contractor. A strong organic presence reflects that reliability.
Staying the Course and Constantly Adapting
This journey with the Melbourne renovation builder perfectly exemplifies how SEO is about steady, informed progress. Every piece of content, each backlink, and every technical improvement has been intentionally chosen to support long-term goals. Rankings can fluctuate, and there's always a chance of temporary dips, but that's part of the process. We'll keep monitoring, tweaking, and growing this campaign to keep our client at the top.
I'll continue sharing updates on this campaign's progress every couple of months. This journey to the top of Google is just beginning, but it's rewarding to see early wins. I'm staying focused, watching the data, and helping this client secure their spot as one of Melbourne's top renovation builders. Stay tuned – I'm excited to see where this goes.
