SEO & AI Search (GEO) Expert

Improve your Google ranking with Peter Mahoney, 20+ years SEO & Wordpress experience

(Small) Pricing changes for 2025

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When COVID first hit, like a lot of people around the world I wanted to help my clients as much as possible – so I lowered my prices.

In fact I dropped most of my fees by 25%.

I never put them back up. So not only haven’t I changed my pricing in five years – despite inflation – I’m still offering a half decade-old lockdown discount.

That was never going to be tenable permanently, so in 2025 I’m returning my fees for ongoing work to their pre-COVID levels. Not higher, just what they were five-years ago.

Realistically for most of my clients this will only mean an 8-10% increase. For a few, it might mean a GBP15 increase. (Basically, it’s not a lot.)

If you’d like to know specifically if you’re affected, and by how much, please drop me a line.

But I promise this isn’t going to be painful for anyone. 🙂

My site has errors – timeouts – and my host isn’t helping me

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Hi Peter,

My site has been reporting errors (timeouts) which have become more regular the past week or so. I am having it looked at but nothing conclusive atm. The host guy mentioned Cron Jobs (TBH I’m not even sure what that is) as being a possible suspect, and have done as much through the host (I believe including increasing the timeout parameters), but the errors keep coming – once or twice a day I would say. Would you be able to look at WP to see if anything jumps out at you? I’m asking everyone about this Peter, and coming to you also as I do not want SEO to suffer due to frequent site down statuses.

Best regards.

Thanks.

Just over the past several days Google has started seeing your site offline a number of times–which is definitely not what we want.

I’ve had a good 20 minute look through your site and there’s nothing I see that would be a smoking gun here.

I do know all about cron jobs. Every now and then WordPress will run processes to see if it needs to do anything in the background. A simple example is, say, you’ve scheduled a post to go live at a certain time. The cronjob would publish that. That’s a really simple example–there are many of them.

All perfectly normal WordPress stuff, and not usually anything that causes an issue.

One thing going against you with a lesser-quality host like yours is they don’t run cronjobs the way they’re meant to be run. So on my servers they’re a proper server process. Every minute the server checks if there’s scheduled tasks, and triggers them from the server itself. Those cheaper hosts don’t do that – they instead wait until someone loads a page on a website, which then triggers the check. So it’s not strictly server-time based – it’s when someone loads a page. What that can lead to is that when someone wants to see content on the site, that’s when it starts working on everything else too, which can mean it’s doing too many things at once and the page won’t load.

However your site doesn’t actually do a lot of processes on cronjobs anyway–so I’d be very surprised if that was to blame. And it certainly doesn’t do more now than it did, say, a month ago.

I suspect the real fault is just the usual – your host have overloaded a server with sites and it’s causing problems because you all share the same resources. With these cheaper hosts I see that more often than not.

Just a thought – I know you don’t want to pay more for hosting – and mine is more expensive. But what if I made a ‘hidden from search engines and the general public’ copy of your site on one of my machine, just so you can see how much faster and fool-proof it is? It’ll take me a couple of hours but I’m happy to do that gratis, just to show you what hosting can be like.

It will be affecting your SEO at this stage–and I know from experience your web hosting support team aren’t that fantastic.

Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO Expert

 

 

How do we fix 404 errors after a site move or migration?

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Hi Peter,
We migrated from Visualsoft to Woocommerce approx. 10 days ago and are experiencing 404 errors. Please see a couple of examples below –

https://furnituredirect.co.uk/contact-us-i3

https://furnituredirect.co.uk/hollywood-station-pro-white-p578

How do we quickly resolve this?

Many thanks.

Thanks for contacting me.

I assume what happened was in the move, the structure of your old URLs wasn’t duplicated on the new site.

When I look at those URLs you’ve sent through, and compare them to the new examples – there doesn’t seem to be some simple rule that could be written to resolve that.

What I mean by that is sometimes if a company changes systems, it’s as simple as the old URL looking like:
https://furnituredirect.co.uk/shop/hollywood-station-pro-white/

and the new one:
https://furnituredirect.co.uk/product/hollywood-station-pro-white/

in which case it’s easy enough to write a rules that says:
/shop/

has changed to:
/product/

But your site looks much more complex – every old URL has seemingly random characters and numbers at the end of it (which is probably some internal Visualsoft ID).

The correct approach is to make sure all the old URLs have proper 301 redirects in place to forward them to the new URL. In your case I think that would be a matter of manually mapping each one. Creating a spreadsheet of all the old URLs (which you’d need to either glean from an old sitemap file, or perhaps searching for your domain in Google and copying/pasting all the old URLs they’re showing) in one column, with the equivalent new URL next to it.

Then that could be used to create the forwarding rules.

The quick way is to install a plugin to forward all 404s to the homepage. The downside is you’d lose much of the SEO authority the site had previously I’m afraid.

With any site move, ideally this would be a major part of the migration plan ahead of time. Doing it after the fact is always a bit stressful, and less than ideal from an SEO standpoint too.

I hope that helps – and sorry there’s no perfect quick fix!

 

Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO Expert

Why does SEMRush show my ranking change so much?

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Hello Peter, I have noticed on SEMrush that keywords do yoyo quite a bit. Any thoughts? Why do my search engine results rankings seem to jump around so much?

SEMrush is an ok system – but far from perfect.

Those 3rd party systems will show you a variety of different results – but it’s down to how they’re able to work from a technical perspective rather than anything really indicative of your own ranking position.

Think about how search engines personalise results. Different people see different results based on their search history, location, all kinds of variables.

One big issue was if you searched for the same thing a lot from the same IP address you might end up seeing your own site totally skewed. I would see mine too low (because I would often search for myself and never then click on the link) but some people see theirs too high too high (think about people that work in organisations who search for their own company site to find it).

These third party systems like SEMrush fell foul of that too. They had a few servers they used for all their searching, and ended up with very personalised results. Which were inaccurate.

Their attempt to resolve that issue is only mildly better – they now have lots of servers with lots of IP addresses, but in different locations, countries, and with a really varied search history.

So they are still wildly affected by personalisation.

I get all my data directly from Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools – which are the official stats packages those search engines offer. They give me an average ranking; so if 500 people found you in different positions through the month, it cuts through personalisation to show the most useful stat representing your rank.

Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO Expert

Feedback on another SEO company’s proposal

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I’m looking at a local firm for my digital marketing and would like your feedback on their proposal.

The company we met proposed £900 per month for a full package including paid advertising on google/ socials and SEO.

SEO Analysis

The current domain authority score of your website stands at 9 out of 100. Given the fact that your site has only secured 7 backlinks, this is a respectable figure. It’s clear that no prior search engine optimization efforts have been made on the site, presenting us with a blank canvas to start our work. This means there’s no need to undo any previous SEO mishaps. At present, your site is listed for 27 distinct keywords within the UK market, the specifics of which are included in the attachment to this email. Currently, the keyword foundation is quite minimal.

Our strategy should encompass a dual approach of link building and content generation. These foundational SEO practices do not require extraordinary measures. Your website exudes a high-end, luxurious appeal, though it lacks substantial textual content. Enhancing the blog and integrating more content throughout the site will significantly contribute to improving your D/A rating and achieving organic rankings for your chosen keywords.

Paid Advertising Insights

Google Ads allows for precision in selecting search terms to appear on the first page, leveraging our existing data on effective terms, optimal times, and target demographics.

Social Media Advertising requires more targeted efforts, focusing on individuals who have expressed interest in similar products, even if they have not specifically searched for yours. We advise directing users to a Meta-generated form upon ad click, facilitating direct communication.

Advertising Budgets

We suggest a minimum budget of £500 for Google Ads and £300 for social media to begin.

Our Agency Services

We offer a comprehensive package that includes SEO efforts, such as content and blog creation and link building, alongside management of Google Ads and Social Media Ads, for a monthly fee of £900 plus VAT.

There’s a couple of red flags in that proposal.

900 quid a month is a lot. And I guarantee that almost all of that will go towards PPC, which has a very low ROI.

They also mentioned something about getting you first page listings through PPC. That’s a bit of a bait and switch – hearing ‘first page’ sounds exciting but of course they’re just buying that, there’s nothing clever or sustaining about it (like there is with proper SEO). Also all kinds of studies have demonstrated people are a lot less likely to click on ads they see in search compared to organic results–which is precisely why Google keeps experimenting with ad placement, style, etc.

In my experience (which is longstanding, it predates even Google and certainly their PPC system) people selling PPC and SEO are usually just focussing on PPC. It requires the lowest amount of work from them (and therefore easy income) and looks like it gives quick results (“Look! You’re on page one!”) even though that’s not really what’s going on, nor is it providing the most useful visitors.

Your crew here may be different. There are definitely exceptions, and also some really awesome people out there.

I would suggest this as a measure. SEO grows over time and builds upon itself, but PPC doesn’t – it’s just one click costs x – so in that regard any return you get should be immediate.  Ask them to give you access to the PPC account, so you can see the monthly spend. If you didn’t make more than that spend in that month from revenue sourced through ads–it’s not worth it.

I know they say they’ll do SEO too – and I do hope that’s the case. But a red flag there is that they seem to put a real focus on link building…again, ask to see the list of links they made in a month. Because most people focusing on link building as a primary strategy are just clicking a few buttons and auto-generating (through inexpensive software) low quality links that will hurt in the long term. And it takes them about 30 seconds a month to action that.

I guess all I’m saying is…be careful out there. 🙂

Investing in decent web hosting is a smart move for savvy businesses

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In the digital landscape, your website serves as your virtual storefront, greeting customers and presenting your brand around the clock.

Given its pivotal role, it’s surprising that the crucial decision of selecting a web hosting service often receives less attention than it should.

Let’s explore why investing in quality web hosting is not just a good idea but a fundamental aspect of your online success.

Consider this: you’ve dedicated time, creativity, and resources to develop a website that perfectly encapsulates your brand’s essence. To complement this investment, choosing a robust web hosting service is essential. It’s akin to selecting a prime location for a physical store; the right setting makes all the difference.

Drawing a parallel to traditional business expenses, think about the cost of maintaining a landline. Many businesses willingly incur monthly charges for their phone, recognizing its utility despite dwindling usage. Yet, when it comes to web hosting—a service that has a broader reach and a more significant impact on business growth—a lot of people don’t even want to pay 20% of the cost of the phone line. But a website, when optimally set up, SEO’d and hosted, acts as a tireless advocate for your business, accessible to a global audience 24/7.

The benefits of premium web hosting are huge. Speed, for instance, is a crucial factor. Websites that load quickly offer a better user experience, keeping visitors engaged and reducing bounce rates. In today’s fast-paced digital world, users expect instant access to information. A slow-loading site not only tests their patience but can also drive them directly to your competitors.

Security is another critical consideration. High-quality web hosting provides robust protection against cyber threats, safeguarding your site’s integrity and your customers’ sensitive data. This commitment to security builds trust with your audience, a vital component of customer loyalty and brand reputation.

Furthermore, reliability is a hallmark of premium hosting services. Ensuring your website is always available and performing optimally means you’re always ready to welcome visitors, answer queries, and conduct business. This reliability strengthens your brand’s presence online and supports continuous growth.

To put it simply, decent web hosting is an investment in your website’s performance, security, and reliability. It’s about giving your digital presence the foundation it needs to thrive. Like any wise investment, it costs, but the returns—in terms of site performance, customer satisfaction, and business growth—are substantial.

The decision to invest in quality web hosting should be viewed as an integral part of your business strategy. It’s not merely a technical necessity; it’s a strategic investment in creating a seamless, secure, and swift online experience for your customers. Just as you wouldn’t compromise on the quality of your products or services, the same should hold true for your website’s hosting.

In the grand scheme of your digital marketing efforts, premium web hosting is not a cost but a critical driver of success.

Prices are quoted exclusive of VAT unless expressly stated.

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