Wherever in England, your new freelance Digital Marketing consultant the SEO Lady is here to help. From eCommerce Google Ranking, to local geographic SEO and website services promotion, when you hire me, you’ll only ever speak to me.
Let’s chat – book a free 20-minute Discovery Call at no charge. Yes, I offer fixed fee Search Engine Optimisation services for Bing, Google and Yahoo, my blog content is researched for accuracy using AI and Search, then human optimised for that personal voice to match the flow of your website words.
Freelance SEO vs Digital Agency in Bristol, England, UK Scotland NI and Wales
There are many sneaky Digital Agencies representing themselves as a freelancer, when instead they subcontract overseas marketing staff to work on your website. Indeed, I also work on behalf of several Digital Agencies UK Nationwide, but that’s part of a team including developers, design artists and paid traffic/social media specialists.
Based in sunny Weston-super-Mare, close to Bristol, I have many clients close to some of the city’s most famous attractions, including Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge, the central City location and major commuting benefits for myself on the rail network to Temple Meads. I particularly enjoy the history of St Nicholas Market and the Carabbean jerk chicken, rice and peas, to the popular retail place Cabot Circus with high street stores, five popular music venues, and annual harbourside events around the water taxi areas, and Castle Green – once a tight housing community before the WWII blitz – now a popular picnic spot or for artisan eateries on your lunch break.
Yes, there are many benefits to hiring a freelance SEO expert over a digital agency, namely the lower cost and increased flexibility. The flexibility that I always offer means that I can work around your schedule, and my personal attention that you receive ensures that your needs are always met. Additionally, freelance Google consultants often provide a more cost-effective solution, and my decades of expertise in the industry means that you can be confident in the services that you receive. I also offer in-house SEO Training days in my home office or around the UK Nationwide.
Sole Trader Flexibility Advantage: How Hiring a Freelancer Can Benefit Your Business
As a sole trader, my availability varies throughout each year, with 20+ years online marketing experience my quietest month has always been August when everyone in England are holidaying abroad in warmer climes. Usually I’m on a 4 or 5 week lead time for new SEO Booster bookings, smaller ad-hoc projects for sole traders and small business can be slotted in around 5 working days. Out of hours SEO Zoom consultations are a popular choice, hiring a freelance SEO expert means that you are working with someone who is an expert in their field. Unlike an agency that may offer a range of services, an independent contractor will typically have a specific area of expertise. This means that you can benefit from their years of experience and knowledge, and you can be sure that you are getting the best possible service.
Do you agree that in today’s fast-paced digital world, businesses need to ensure that they are visible online. The pandemic has forced many businesses to adapt to a new way of working, with many employees now working remotely. As a result, the demand for remote freelancers has increased, including for SEO Google Certified experts. Hiring a fully remote freelance SEO expert can provide significant advantages for small businesses that are looking to maximise their budget. With the trend towards remote working set to continue, hiring a remote freelancer can also provide access to a wider pool of talent, regardless that I’m based in Weston-super-Mare, near Bristol in Somerset. My client base has always reached every city in the United Kingdom, from Glasgow to Portsmouth. Dublin to Cardiff. This is where search engine optimisation (SEO) comes into play. Hiring an SEO expert is essential for businesses that want to improve their search engine rankings, but the decision between hiring a freelancer or an agency can be a confusing one.
One of the main benefits of hiring a freelance SEO expert is the flexibility that they offer. Unlike a digital agency that operates on rigid business hours, a freelance SEO like myself can work evenings and weekends with prior agreement. This means that we can both be available when we need to collaborate remotely, regardless of whether it is during traditional business hours or not.
For businesses that operate outside of traditional business hours, having an SEO expert who can work flexibly can be a significant advantage. Freelancers can adjust their working hours to fit in with the needs of their clients, which means that they can be available when businesses need them the most. This flexibility also means that they can often complete work more quickly, as they are not constrained by traditional working hours.
Another advantage of working with a freelance SEO expert is the level of personal attention that you will receive. Unlike a digital agency, where you may be passed around various team members, when you work with a freelancer, you will be working directly with the expert themselves. This means that you can expect a higher level of communication and a greater understanding of your specific needs.
A freelance SEO expert can also provide a more cost-effective solution for businesses. As they do not have the overheads that come with running an agency, freelancers can often offer their services at a lower rate. This means that businesses can get the same level of expertise at a more affordable price, which is especially important for smaller businesses that may have a fixed budget.
Search Engine Optimisation – Website Developer, Wizard or Logo Designer?
It’s a common misconception that all tech professionals possess the same skill set. In reality, each tech professional has a unique set of skills and knowledge that they bring to the table. For example, an SEO specialist may not know how to fix an iPhone or design a logo, and that’s perfectly fine.
To understand why an SEO specialist may not have the skills of a logo designer or a website developer, it’s important to understand the different skill sets required for each role.
Let’s start with a logo designer. Logo design is a highly specialised skill that requires creativity, an eye for detail, and a deep understanding of branding. A good logo designer will be able to create a logo that is not only visually appealing but also conveys the right message to the target audience. They will also have a deep understanding of typography, colour theory, and graphic design principles.
On the other hand, website development requires a completely different skill set. A website developer will be proficient in programming languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. They will also have experience with website builders like WordPress and knowledge of web hosting and server management. Website development also requires an understanding of user experience (UX) design and search engine optimisation (SEO).
Speaking of SEO, it’s a specialised skill set that requires a deep understanding of search engine algorithms and how they work. An SEO specialist will be proficient in keyword research, content creation, and on-page optimisation. They will also have experience with off-page optimisation techniques like link building and social media marketing. An SEO specialist will have a keen eye for data analysis and the ability to create strategies that will improve a website’s ranking in search engines like Google.
So, while there may be some overlap in skill sets between these three roles, each role requires a different set of specialised skills and knowledge. It’s important to understand that just because someone is a tech professional, it doesn’t mean they know how to do everything. It’s always best to hire a professional with the right skill set for the job you need to be done.
Google Featured Snippet, AI Technology and Traditional SEO Expertise with Domain Names
Exact Match Domain (EMD) refers to a domain name that matches precisely a popular search query, whilst SEO Lady is almost an exact match, you can see it’s a close fit. In other words, an EMD will have a domain name that matches the exact keyword phrase that users would use to find a website. For example, if a website sells sports shoes, the domain name might be sports-shoes.com or best-sportsshoes.co.uk.
The idea behind using an EMD is to increase a website’s search engine visibility and attract more traffic. Search engines like Google have historically given some weight to EMDs because they assumed that the website with an EMD was more relevant to the search query. However, search engines have now evolved to look beyond domain names when ranking websites.
While an EMD can still be helpful in getting a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), it’s no longer a guarantee of success. Search engines now use complex algorithms that take into account many factors when ranking websites, including the relevance and quality of the content, backlinks, and social media presence.
Using an EMD can also be risky as it can lead to penalties from search engines if the website doesn’t provide relevant and quality content. Search engines have become smarter in detecting websites that use EMDs to manipulate search engine rankings without providing valuable content.
Nevertheless, there are still some situations where using an EMD can be effective. For example, if a website is focused on a specific niche, an EMD can help establish the website’s authority and relevance to the niche. In this case, the EMD might be the name of the niche followed by the .uk or .co.uk domain extension.
When scrolling online, seeing an Exact Match Domain (EMD) as a domain name that matches a popular search is quite prominent. While using an EMD can still be helpful in improving a website’s search engine visibility, it’s no longer a guarantee of success. Search engines now look at a range of factors to determine a website’s relevance and quality. Therefore, when considering an EMD, it’s important to focus on providing relevant and quality content to avoid search engine penalties.
Domain Exact Match and Keywords in Domain for SEO Google Ranking – Does It Work?
Keywords In Domain (KID) refers to the practice of including relevant keywords in a domain name to improve a website’s search engine ranking potential.
The idea behind using KID is to signal to search engines that the website is relevant to the search query. Search engines have historically given some weight to KID because they assumed that the website with a domain name containing relevant keywords was more relevant to the search query. However, like EMD, search engines have evolved to look beyond domain names when ranking websites.
Using KID can be effective in getting a website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) for specific keywords. However, it’s important to note that search engines now look at a range of factors to determine a website’s relevance and quality. Therefore, while KID might help, it’s not a guarantee of success.
In addition, there are some risks associated with using KID. First, if the domain name is too long or contains too many keywords, it can come across as spammy and negatively affect the website’s credibility. Search engines are getting better at detecting such practices and penalising websites for them in some historical cases.
Secondly, using KID can limit the website’s potential for growth and diversification. For example, if a website’s domain name is focused on a specific keyword, it might be challenging to expand into other related areas without rebranding the website. This can be costly and time-consuming.
Google and other search engines do not treat KID in the same way they used to. In the a decade ago (maybe more) websites with KID might have been given a higher ranking based solely on their domain name. However, search engines are now more focused on the quality and relevance of the content on the website. Therefore, a website with a relevant domain name but poor content will not necessarily rank highly in search engine results pages. What about old domains?
Aged Domains, Trust, DA, Backlinks and Search Ranking Potential Advantage
Whilst the age of a domain is not a guaranteed Google ranking signal, it can affect other factors that search engines use to rank websites. In particular, the history of a domain can affect the quality and relevance of backlinks, which is a key factor in search engine rankings. A domain with a good reputation and history of high-quality backlinks is likely to rank higher in search engine results pages, while a domain with a history of spammy or low-quality backlinks is likely to be penalised. Therefore, it’s important to focus on building a strong and trustworthy reputation over time, rather than relying on the age of a domain alone.
Domain age is only one of the hundreds of factors that search engines use to determine the trustworthiness and relevance of a website. In general, a website that has been around for a longer time is likely to be more authoritative and trustworthy than a new website.
However, the age of a domain is not a direct ranking signal. Instead, it’s an indirect signal that can affect other factors that search engines use to rank websites, such as backlinks.
One of the key factors that search engines consider when ranking websites is the quality and relevance of backlinks. Backlinks are links from other websites to the target website, and they are seen as a vote of confidence in the target website’s content. Did you know? When it comes to backlinks, the history of a domain can be an important factor. If a website has been around for a long time, it’s likely to have accumulated a larger number of backlinks over the years. However, the number of backlinks alone is not enough.
Search engines consider both the quality and relevance of the backlinks – What methods work for SEO?
Guest blogging: How to use guest blogging to build quality backlinks – Guest blogging involves creating a piece of content for another website or blog in your niche, with the aim of gaining exposure, traffic, and backlinks to your own site. To get started, you need to identify potential guest blogging opportunities, pitch your ideas to the site owner, and create high-quality content that adds value to their audience. It’s easier to get a backlink from a low DA website than it is from the BBC, but in Amazon, if you are an eCommerce seller, you can add your domain to your profile and company listing to get a very high DA backlink.
Like Google owning YouTube, by adding your domain or internal URL to your YouTube video descriptions, you are effectively getting a link back from Google.
Common errors when guest blogging include creating low-quality content, choosing the wrong sites to pitch to, or failing to follow the site owner’s guidelines. A common misconception is that guest blogging is only useful for link building, but it can also help to establish your authority in your niche and gain valuable exposure to new audiences.
The benefits of guest blogging include building backlinks, establishing authority, and increasing brand awareness. It’s a beginner-friendly tactic that can be easily executed with some research and writing skills.
Broken link building: How to find and fix broken links for link building opportunities
Broken link building involves finding broken links on other websites and offering your own content as a replacement. This is a great way to build high-quality backlinks to your site, as you’re providing a valuable solution to a problem for the site owner.
To get started with broken link building, you need to find broken links in your niche, create content that could be a suitable replacement, and pitch it to the site owner.
Common errors when broken link building include failing to properly research broken links, offering irrelevant content, or using automated tools to spam site owners. A common misconception is that broken link building is a quick fix for link building, but it requires effort and research to be effective.
The benefits of broken link building include building high-quality backlinks, establishing relationships with site owners, and improving the user experience for their audience. It’s an intermediate-level tactic that requires research and a good understanding of your niche.
Social media: How social media can help you build backlinks and increase visibility
Social media can be a powerful tool for building backlinks and increasing visibility, especially when combined with other tactics such as content marketing and influencer outreach. To get started, you need to identify the right social media platforms for your niche, create high-quality content, and engage with your audience.
Common errors when using social media for backlinks include over-promoting your content, ignoring engagement opportunities, or failing to properly research your audience. A common misconception is that social media can replace other link building tactics, but it’s most effective when used in combination with other strategies.
The benefits of social media for backlinks include building relationships with influencers and other site owners, increasing brand awareness and visibility, and driving traffic to your site. It’s a beginner-friendly tactic that requires some research and good communication skills.
Skyscraper technique: How to use the skyscraper technique to create shareable content and attract backlinks
The skyscraper technique involves creating high-quality content that’s better than anything else in your niche, and then reaching out to sites that have linked to similar content in the past to offer your improved version. This is a powerful way to attract backlinks and establish authority in your niche, I’ve been writing skyscraper content (like this page) for years before AI was mainstream, so whilst nowadays content generation of bare bones may be simple to generate, slapping 1,000 words on a page with no clear SEO target or purpose won’t help you at all.
To get started with the skyscraper technique, you need to identify the best-performing content in your niche, create something that’s even better, and reach out to the site owners who have linked to the original content.
Common errors with the skyscraper technique include failing to create truly exceptional content, using spammy outreach tactics, or failing to properly research your niche. A common misconception is that the skyscraper technique is a quick and easy way to build backlinks, but it requires significant effort and investment.
The history of a domain can affect the quality and relevance of backlinks in a few ways. First, if a domain has been around for a long time and has a good reputation, other websites are more likely to link to it. This means that the backlinks are likely to be higher quality and more relevant.
However if you don’t know the ownership history, the domain may have a history of spammy or low-quality backlinks, this can negatively affect its reputation and authority in the eyes of search engines, mainly because search engines view spammy backlinks as an attempt to manipulate search rankings, and they penalise or sandbox websites that engage in such practices.
Remember, the history of a domain can affect its trustworthiness in other ways. For example, if a domain has been involved in past legal or ethical issues, this can affect its reputation and authority in the eyes of search engines.
Online Reputation, Trust, Domain History and Whois Penalties
Whois is a publicly available database of domain name registration information. It is a system that allows individuals and organizations to look up information about the owner of a domain name, as well as other technical and administrative details related to the domain.
UK Popular Top Level Domains for New Websites
.co.uk – This is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for the United Kingdom. It is the most popular TLD for businesses and individuals based in the UK.
Yes, there is a search ranking benefit to having a .co.uk TLD in the United Kingdom, as it is seen as a clear indicator that the website is relevant to a UK audience. Here are a few reasons why:
Geotargeting: Search engines use a variety of signals to determine the location of a website’s audience, and one of these signals is the TLD of the website’s domain name. Having a .co.uk TLD signals to search engines that the website is intended for a UK audience, which can help it to rank higher in search results for UK-based queries.
Trust and Credibility: Using a .co.uk TLD can also help to establish trust and credibility with UK-based users. This is particularly important for businesses that are based in the UK, as users are more likely to trust a website with a domain name that clearly identifies it as being from the same country.
Local SEO: Having a .co.uk TLD can also help with local SEO efforts, as it can signal to search engines that the website is relevant to specific geographic locations in the UK. This can be particularly useful for businesses that have a physical presence in the UK, such as brick-and-mortar stores or service providers.
Competition: Finally, using a .co.uk TLD can help businesses to stand out from competitors that use other TLDs. This is particularly true for businesses that are based in the UK and competing against international companies, as having a .co.uk TLD can help to establish a clear local identity and appeal to UK-based users.
Overall, there is definitely a search ranking benefit to having a .co.uk TLD in the United Kingdom.
While it’s not the only factor that search engines consider when determining search rankings, it can help to establish relevance, trust, and credibility with UK-based users, which can ultimately lead to higher rankings and more traffic for UK-based websites.
- .org.uk – This is another ccTLD for the UK, specifically intended for non-profit organizations.
- .com – While not specific to the UK, .com is a very popular TLD used globally, and is often used by UK-based businesses looking to expand their online presence outside of the UK.
- .net – Similar to .com, .net is a popular TLD used globally, and is often used by businesses and organizations involved in networking or internet-related services.
- .org – Again, not specific to the UK, .org is a popular TLD used globally, and is often used by non-profit organizations or community groups.
These TLDs have been popular in the UK for many years and continue to be widely used by businesses and individuals in the country. However, it’s important to note that the popularity of specific TLDs can change over time as new TLDs are introduced and online trends and preferences evolve.
Whist it’s extremely rare for Whois to penalise domains, over enthusiastic mass backlink purchases from cheap providers, or free SEO services which use your data in exchange for listing your business in a directory, plus more nefarious online actions, can take years to recover.
The Whois database is a public record of domain name registration information, including the contact details of the domain name registrant, administrative contact, and technical contact. The database is maintained by domain name registrars, and the information is used to ensure that the registrant is the rightful owner of the domain name and to provide contact information in case of any issues related to the domain name.
The legal use of Whois information is for legitimate purposes such as law enforcement investigations, intellectual property rights enforcement, and domain name disputes. However, using Whois information for illegal purposes such as spamming, phishing, or hacking is strictly prohibited and can result in severe penalties.
There are several actions that could result in penalties for using Whois information inappropriately. These include:
- Misusing personal information: Using personal information obtained from Whois for illegal purposes, such as identity theft or stalking, is illegal and can result in penalties such as fines or imprisonment.
- Spamming or phishing: Using email addresses obtained from Whois for spamming or phishing activities is illegal and can result in penalties such as fines, imprisonment, or loss of domain name.
- Cyber-squatting: Registering a domain name with the intention of selling it to the rightful owner or using it to infringe on their intellectual property rights is illegal and can result in penalties such as fines, imprisonment, or loss of domain name.
Violating ICANN policies: ICANN, the organization that oversees the management of domain names, has strict policies governing the use of Whois information. Violating these policies can result in penalties such as fines or suspension of domain name registration services. The legal use of Whois information is for legitimate purposes only, and any misuse of the information can result in severe penalties.
It is important to respect individuals’ privacy and use Whois information ethically and responsibly, having a penalty on Whois does not directly affect a domain’s ranking in search engines. Search engines, such as Google, do not use Whois information as a direct ranking factor. However, penalties related to Whois can indirectly affect a website’s search engine ranking in several ways.
First, if a penalty results in the suspension or cancellation of a domain name, the website associated with that domain will no longer be accessible, and its search engine rankings will drop as a result.
Second, if a website is penalised for illegal activities such as spamming or phishing, its search engine rankings may be affected indirectly through negative user feedback, such as increased bounce rates, decreased click-through rates, or negative reviews, which can all negatively impact a website’s search engine ranking.
Third, if a website is involved in cyber-squatting or intellectual property rights infringement, it may be subject to legal action, which can result in fines or other legal penalties that can affect the website’s ability to maintain its online presence.
Overall, while penalties related to Whois may not directly affect a website’s search engine ranking, they can indirectly impact a website’s online presence and reputation, which can have a negative impact on its search engine rankings.