Audits & strategy
SEO strategy
During the kick-off I set out the goals, priorities and rules of cooperation, and establish the products/services, markets and languages within the scope of SEO. I collect access and starting data (traffic, conversions, tracking configuration, URL list, CMS/hosting, logs and change history), then carry out a technical audit and hand over a list of problems and changes to implement.
About the service
SEO project kick-off and a technical site audit with a task list for implementation
About the SEO strategy service
A few service details- Establishing the scope and site areas
- Collecting access and starting data
- Indexing and crawlability audit
- URL analysis: canonicals and parameters
- Assessment of performance and the mobile version
- List of problems and implementation recommendations
Work process
Analysis of content, queries and priorities for SEO growth
I start by reviewing the content and structure of the site to understand the role of its subpages and landing pages. I then organise the queries and user intent. I use the conclusions to choose topics and establish what to develop first.
- 01/ 03
Content inventory
I check the materials, page types and the quality of landing pages, pointing out the areas that need refining, merging or splitting.
- 02/ 03
Structure and linking
I check for duplication and keyword cannibalisation, assess the categories and analyse internal linking in terms of navigation and SEO support.
- 03/ 03
Queries and priorities
I collect keywords, cluster them, match them to intent and take the funnel and seasonality into account to set the order of topics and assign them to URLs.
Kick-off and defining the scope of the SEO project
The kick-off and defining the scope of the SEO project is the stage at which we set out the goals, priorities and rules of cooperation before the actual analysis begins. In a workshop or a conversation, I establish the products and services, markets and languages to be covered by the work.
We clarify the business priorities, e.g. whether leads or sales are key, and which page types and areas of the site fall within the scope. In parallel I identify the risks, and we agree on the way of working together and the approval flow, so that later implementation decisions are accountable.
At this stage I also collect the access and starting data needed for a reliable audit and for planning further work. This covers access to traffic and conversion data, information about the tracking configuration and the list of URLs to analyse. We also establish information about the CMS and hosting and, where possible, obtain server logs and the history of changes on the site. These elements determine which data the diagnosis is based on and how thoroughly technical barriers and user behaviour can be assessed.
Technical website audit
A technical website audit is a check of whether the site has barriers that hinder indexing and effective crawling. I verify, among other things, indexing, redirects, HTTP statuses and the correctness of canonical URLs. I also analyse sitemaps, robots files, pagination and URL parameters, which can affect how the search engine interprets the content. As part of the audit I additionally assess loading speed and stability, and how the mobile version works.
The audit also covers the basics of structured data, which I treat as an element to verify and as input for further requirements. I turn the conclusions from the review into a list of technical problems and changes described in a way that is ready to hand over to the implementation team. This produces recommendations covering areas such as indexing, redirects, URL parameters and performance. This material is the starting point for planning implementation tasks in the next stages of the strategy.
Analysis of content and information architecture
Analysing content and information architecture means checking how the current materials and site structure support visibility and guide the user to the right landing pages. I carry out an inventory of the content and page types to get a full picture of what already exists and what role it plays. In parallel I assess the quality of the landing pages in terms of how well they serve the queries and how thematically consistent they are. On that basis I identify the areas where content needs refining, merging or splitting.
At this stage I check for content duplication and keyword cannibalisation, and point out the topical gaps that limit coverage of important topics. I also check the structure of categories and topics to assess whether it organises the content in a way that is clear to the user and the search engine.
An important element is the analysis of internal linking in terms of navigation and SEO support, including whether it leads to the key sections and landing pages. The conclusions from this analysis are the starting point for the further choice of topics and for later assigning them to specific URLs.
Research into user queries and intent
Researching user queries and intent is the stage at which I collect and organise the topics and search keywords relevant to your website. I then carry out clustering, to group the queries into coherent topic areas that can be served by specific landing pages. I match each cluster to a search intent — informational, commercial or navigational — so that the planned work answers users’ real needs. This makes it easier to distinguish which topics need educational content and which need content geared towards a purchase decision or getting in touch.
The analysis also takes the stages of the funnel and seasonality into account, to better establish the order of topics and the scope of work on the site. The aim is to identify the topics with the highest potential for the site, which can be used in planning the development of content and landing pages. The results of this stage are prepared so that they can be used in the next steps, including the comparison with the requirements visible in the search results. This provides the basis for deciding what to develop first as part of further planning.
Search results analysis and benchmark
Search results analysis and benchmarking means checking which types of content and pages actually dominate in Google for the selected queries. I compare the result formats, e.g. whether lists, guides or category pages appear in a given segment, and then analyse the characteristics of the ranking pages. On that basis I identify the gaps compared with the competing pages that are visible for the same topic clusters. The outcome is a definition of which content formats and page elements are required to genuinely compete in a given area of queries.
The conclusions from the benchmark are used to refine the requirements for landing pages and to prioritise further work. As a result, it is clear where existing pages need corrections and where changes to the way content is presented are necessary. This stage also helps to assess which directions are critical fixes and which are development work that can be planned for later steps. The analysis remains consistent with the intents and funnel stages assigned to the topics.
Mapping topics and keywords to URLs
Mapping topics and keywords to URLs means assigning topic clusters to specific landing pages — existing or planned. At this stage I decide whether content should be merged, split or whether new landing pages need to be created. The mapping is carried out so as to limit the risk of keyword cannibalisation and to settle which page is meant to answer a given area of queries. The order of mapping may follow the agreed implementation priorities, so that the areas of greatest importance to the site are addressed first.
The result of the work is a map that organises the links between topics and target URLs and gives them a practical implementation context. The map contains the information needed for further on-page optimisation and for planning new and updated content. It is a working document that also makes it easier to reach agreement with the technical and content teams when the structure or scope of the pages changes.
Testimonials
What clients and the industry say
Feedback from clients and industry people I have worked with on SEO projects.
I had the chance to work with Kuba at Kulturalnie o SEO, an event I organise. Kuba did a great job as a speaker and received high marks from the audience. He showed professionalism and broad knowledge. In other projects at Vestigio, Kuba shows enormous commitment, a willingness to explore and implement new ideas, and excellent organisation of his work.
01 / 08
You talk to me, not a salesperson
Tell me what you want to achieve. I’ll reply personally
I work as a freelancer: the same person reads your message, prepares the quote and then runs the project. No sales team in between.