Spending more than 20,000 hours building and ranking websites, running SEO, and SEM campaigns has equipped me with a wealth of digital marketing knowledge. Yet, a recent challenge tested every ounce of my expertise. I discovered a significant traffic drop for a financial advisory website I’ve been nurturing. This wasn’t just any site; it was a beacon for financial advice, with a 15-year legacy and a dramatic fall from grace, plummeting from 500,000 unique keywords to barely 20.
The root of the problem? A new website build that overlooked the essence of what made the old site successful. The previous site, albeit outdated, was rich with dedicated service pages, each optimised for SEO. These weren’t just pages; they were gateways to the services offered, from retirement planning to superannuation and beyond. The new site, however, condensed these into a single page, a move that proved catastrophic from an SEO perspective.
My Response to the Crisis
Faced with this digital catastrophe, I embarked on a meticulous mission to reclaim the site’s lost glory. Leveraging the Wayback Machine, I reconstructed the old pages, preserving their original URL structure to salvage any residual SEO value. But I didn’t stop there; I saw an opportunity for expansion and seized it. I developed additional service pages and a series of comprehensive blogs, each designed to address specific queries within the financial planning domain. These weren’t just articles; they were guides, rich with FAQs, internal links, and connections to external authoritative sources, all meticulously crafted to boost our SEO footprint and provide genuine value to our readers.
Integrating Industry Wisdom
In my quest for a solution, I absorbed the collective wisdom of the digital marketing and financial advisory fields. I learned the importance of optimising content for search engines, not just through keywords but by creating a cohesive, user-friendly experience that reflects the depth and breadth of our services. I recognized the power of internal linking, not merely for SEO benefits but as a strategy to keep readers engaged and informed.
Building relationships with our clients became more than a service goal; it was a marketing strategy. Happy clients are the most authentic brand ambassadors, and their referrals are worth their weight in gold. I also discovered the delicate balance of pricing our services. It’s not just about the cost but the value we provide, making our clients’ investment in our services not just worthwhile but essential.
The Path Forward
This journey through digital adversity has been enlightening. It underscored the importance of a robust online presence that transcends mere visibility. It’s about establishing a platform that educates, engages, and empowers our clients. As I continue to refine our digital strategy, my commitment to providing value, building trust, and showcasing our expertise remains unwavering.
This experience has taught me that in the digital realm, as in financial planning, foresight, adaptability, and a commitment to quality are paramount. We’re not just recovering lost traffic; we’re building a stronger, more resilient online presence that mirrors the reliability and depth of the financial advice we offer.
