Melbourne’s Leading SEO Agency
Safari Digital is a specialist SEO Agency partnering with small, medium, and enterprise level businesses to deliver ethical and transparent SEO services that drive business growth.
Unlike other digital marketing agencies in Melbourne, we don’t offer claim to be experts in every online marketing channel. Instead, we stay in our lane and dedicate 100% of our time, energy, and resources to search engine optimisation.
Our single-channel focus means that our clients stay up to date with the latest developments and algorithm changes. With so much development, it takes a full-time team of experts to deliver results.
Our team of SEO consultants builds customised strategies that consider your business, your unique challenges, and your most important outcomes (KPIs for success).
With hundreds of successful campaigns under our collective belts, we’ve made mistakes, learned what works (and what doesn’t) so that you don’t have to go through the same process. When you partner with Melbourne’s best SEO company, you’ll get a dedicated team in your corner to make sure you have everything you need to be an industry leader.
Expert SEO Services Melbourne
Understanding the Value & Process for SEO Melbourne
The Value of SEO
The Process for SEO
Benefits of SEO Partnerships
What’s included
SEO Company Melbourne
Why Choose Safari Digital?
There are hundreds of digital marketing companies in Melbourne all claiming to have the secret to SEO success. So, why should you choose Safari Digital your SEO? Well, here’s just a few of the reasons why we have been Australia’s highest ranking (In Google, not a vanity metric) agency for the last three years:
Our Mission Statement
What We Value
There’s no shortage of digital agencies in Melbourne, so it’s important to partner with a company that aligns with your values and your business goals.
We don’t have dozens of account managers and we can’t provide that ‘big agency feel’ – and we know that might disqualify us from working with some of Australia’s biggest companies, but that’s ok with us. Here’s what we stand for as an agency and what you can expect when you work with us.
Local SEO Specialists & Experts
What Makes A Website Rank
When done correctly, SEO is a repeatable and consistent process that can lead to serious, long-term business growth. By understanding what makes a website rank and the factors that really deserve our attention, we can cut out the B/S and dedicate our time to the ranking signals that matter most.
After more than five years and hundreds of successful campaigns, here are the five factors that matter the most.
Step 1: Helpful Content
In the context of SEO, helpful content refers to content that provides real value to readers by answering their questions and providing insights – without all of the fluff. Sometimes referred to as “high-quality” content, but more recently known under the guise of helpful content thanks to some recent algorithm updates, this is a key ranking factor for any website.
If you can provide a centralised knowledge hub that effectively answers user queries and provides insights based on real-world experience (Google E-E-A-T), then you will invariably rank very well. Steer clear of fake “gurus” who claim that they can expedite the process or cheat the system with the aid of AI technology.
Step 2: Relevant Landing Pages
The purpose of any page on your website is to provide visitors with relevant information that closely matches their search query. To maximise visibility, your website must have relevant web pages that are closely related to target keywords (these are grouped together in keyword sets). The purpose of these pages is to provide visitors with all of the relevant information that they need, and nothing that they do not.
By creating keyword-targeted or local SEO landing pages landing pages that closely match user intent, websites help Google to match users with high-quality search results. The more specific that you can be (without causing issues with keyword cannibalisation) the more likely you are to rank at the top of the organic search results and drive conversions.
Step 3: Technical SEO
Technical SEO is a buzz term that you will come across on every agency website. There is a lot of misinformation out there and (in our humble opinion) the weighting of many technical factors is slightly overblown. Why? Well, simply put, technical SEO is the ‘unseeable’ dark art, which means that digital agencies can get away with saying that they are doing endless, invisible ‘technical updates’ which amount to negligible improvements in performance.
Here are the technical factors that we focus on for our Melbourne SEO clients:
• Mobile friendliness
• Page speed – mobile and desktop
• Secure and safe website
• Sitemaps (XML and HTML – where required)
• Internal links
• Information architecture
• Duplicate content
• Keyword cannibalisation
• Image optimisation and compression
• URL structure
For websites on Shopify, Webflow, Squarespace or any other closed source CMS, the number of technical enhancements will be limited. For WordPress and custom sites – the room for improvement (and error) is much greater.
Step 4: Off-Site Signals (Backlinks)
When it comes to off-site SEO – backlinks are the biggest factor. And when it comes to backlinks, it is the #1 thing that can help or hinder your website. Do it well and you can expect to see improved rankings and long-term visibility. On the other hand, if you try to cut corners with offshore freelancers, then you can completely ruin the credibility of your website.
From our research, we estimate that backlinks account for somewhere between 40-50% of how your website will rank in the organic search results. Backlinks are an indispensable element in 95% of the SEO campaigns that we complete. To achieve long-term success with SEO, it is essential to follow Google’s webmaster guidelines and avoid using “link schemes”, which they are aggressively targeting through its RankBrain AI technology.
Step 5: Build Topical Authority
Topical authority refers to the perceived authority of a website on a particular topic or niche. Google uses their E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) algorithm to determine how authoritative a website is on a particular topic.
Algorithms are smart enough to detect the difference between a website that is covering a topic using surface level information. In order to rank well and become a topical powerhouse, websites must demonstrate applied knowledge that provides unique insights so that readers view your website as a subject matter expert.
Things are constantly evolving, however, the search engines’ insatiable desire for high-quality content (particularly in the day and age of AI content) has never been greater.
Search Engine Optimisation Melbourne
Our Proven Process for SEO Success
When done correctly, SEO should never be a guessing game. We use a proven and transferrable approach that prioritises the four pillars of organic search (On-site, off-site, content, technical) to deliver predictable and consistent results across countless different industries.
On Site SEO Strategy
On-site SEO, on-page SEO, or whatever else you want to call it – here’s a breakdown of those on-site factors that we look at when working with a client.
In broad terms, the things that happen on your website account for around 50-60% of how your website is ranked by search engines. That means that half (or just over) of how you rank is determined by what is happening on your web pages – which is why it is crucial that we get it right. But here’s what you need to remember, before you can even think about off-site factors, you need to get your on-site on track first. We like to think of the on-page elements as the foundations of every successful SEO campaign.
Off Site SEO Strategy
Off-site or off-page SEO as it is also known refers to all of the factors that happen off the website that impact the way that your site ranks. Often the part of SEO that is associated with Blackhat or grey hat methods, off-page SEO has changed dramatically over the last few years.
Today, only the strong will survive as search engines continue to clamp down on unscrupulous SEO providers that attempt to game the system with short-sighted tactics. At Safari Digital, we take a considered long-term approach to off-site SEO to ensure that our client’s operate within Google’s webmaster guideline framework.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SEO and why is it important?
SEO or search engine optimisation is a digital marketing strategy that is designed to improve organic search rankings and increase the quantity and quality of traffic that websites receive through organic search.
When done correctly, SEO effectively uncovers how your target market uses organic search, and reverse engineers a strategy that ensures that your business appears in front of those customers when they are seeking information and (later) ready to transact.
The guiding principles are simple, however, achieving the right mix and deciphering the hundreds of different ranking factors that actually matter is an entirely different story.
As your business grows, your strategy continues to evolve to keep up with new demands and ensure that you’re playing by Google’s rules and keeping in their good books.
If you are a business that is paying Google, Facebook, or any other online digital marketing platform to market your business, then SEO can help to effectively reduce your paid marketing spend. When done correctly, search engine optimisation is the most effective and scalable way to market your business online.
Should I invest in SEO or Google ads?
Both organic marketing and Ads have their place in an online marketing strategy. The type of advertising that you choose to invest in will come down to your business, your goals, and how your target audience searches for your goods or services online.
SEO marketing is different from conventional advertising models. Rather than reaching out to clients at a time when they’re not interested in your product or service, search marketing reaches buyers at the time when they are looking to read more about your goods or service. As a result, the conversion rate from organic search engine results pages is significantly higher and considerably more lucrative than website traffic that comes from outreach marketing strategies.
SEO is effective because:
- Users have a greater level of trust and organic receives 70% of all clicks in search
- Rankings lead to higher trust and credibility
- More cost effective than PPC for most industries
- Establish your business as an industry leader for all things in your niche
PPC is effective because:
- It is fast
- It can lead to overnight traffic
- You can target users in specific areas
- You can set a daily budget
If you are a new business with no previous framework, then it is almost always a good idea to invest in PPC marketing while SEO is building up in the background. It takes time to see results from SEO, so PPC is a great (albeit expensive) way to win leads in the interim.
Is SEO still popular?
SEO is still one of the most popular online marketing methods for businesses. A recent study found businesses allocate (on average) 43% of their online marketing budget to SEO.
At the start of each year we observe a new wave of click-bait articles that claim that ‘SEO is dead’. Here’s what you need to know. The black hat tactics tactics that were effective four or five years ago are no longer effective. Developing and implementing effective SEO has never been more complex. We pride ourselves on adapting and forecasting trends to ensure that our clients are ready for the latest changes and developments.
Paid advertising costs have gone up by more than 200% over the last three years. If you are a new or existing business looking to increase your website traffic, there has never been a better time to consider SEO services for your business.
Is SEO competitive in Melbourne?
In a word,yes.
Melbourne is home to one of the most competitive SEO markets in the world.
With a population of 5-million and more than 700,000 small to large sized businesses operating in the state of Victoria, finding your way to the top of search engines for relevant, valuable keywords is no small feat
At Safari Digital, we help small, medium, and enterprise level clients in Melbourne to rank at the top of Google in just about every industry you can think of. If you’re tired of getting the run around from Melbourne SEO agencies with more ping pong tables and account managers than actual SEO professionals – we’re the agency for you.
Will SEO work for my business?
SEO is effective for businesses that have services or products that they offer to customers who are actively using search engines to find them. All things equal, SEO is much more effective for businesses that offer services or products that have a high monthly search volume.
There are certain industries where SEO can be especially impactful, and other industries where it might not be the right fit. Whichever side of the spectrum you sit on, our team will provide you with frank and honest insights.
Can I do SEO myself?
In the same way that anyone (in theory) can build a house or write a book (with the right materials), anyone can do SEO – but the results are going to vary depending on your knowledge and expertise.
The principles of search engine optimisation (in theory) are straight forward. The primary role of a website is to provide valuable relevant information for users and deliver a positive on-site experience. Websites that are able to fulfil this criteria better than anyone else will appear at the top of the search results – it really is that simple.
Where SEO becomes more complicated is when we consider the 200+ ranking factors that impact where a website will rank. When it comes to SEO, you get out exactly what you put in. If you are willing to go to the effort of creating thousands of well researched, optimised content on each page of your website and then build high-quality links, you will see good results.
SEO is a time investment. We spend countless hours each week researching, interpreting, and implementing actions that we anticipate will yield a positive result. In some cases they work, and in some cases they do not. What we learn from experiments will inform the decisions that we make as a business and ensure that we can make the best possible decision for our clients.
How can SEO help my business to grow?
As of 2023, the top 3 organic search results account for more than 70% of all organic clicks.
It’s simple – SEO can help your business to grow by putting your website in front of motivated, buy-ready customers for relevant industry search terms.
Unlike outreach marketing channels like Facebook or Instagram which aim to persuade users to invest in a product or service, our job as SEO specialists is to help you appear when customers are already searching for your products or services online.
Our goal is to put you in front of your customers for transactional search terms that boost your sales, and informational search terms that boost your topical authority. We aim to position your business as a leader so that any time someone searches for information related to your product offering, they are greeted by a relevant page on your website.
What types of businesses do you work with?
We work with clients across most industries and niches. If we believe that we can add value to your business and help you to achieve your marketing goals, then we will work with you.
There are only three prerequisites for us to work together:
- We believe that we can add value to your business and help you to meet your goals for SEO in Melbourne.
People are using search engines to find the product or service that you sell. Sometimes, particularly with new products or niche services, the search volume does not necessitate a campaign and your marketing budget is better spent on awareness marketing channels. - We are not already working with one of your competitors. Unlike other agencies, we won’t work with multiple companies in the same niche and same area. If we are already working with one of your competitors, we will politely let you know.
- At this time, we do not work with websites in the Adult or Crypto space. There are too many nuances that are beyond our area of experience that we do not feel like we are the best fit. If you operate in either of these niches, we recommend seeking out an agency that specialises in these areas.
Is SEO a long term or short term strategy?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a long-term digital marketing strategy. With the right strategy in place and the right team in your corner, SEO marketing is a scalable, long-term online marketing solution that can transform your business
From the latest data, we know that there are more than 4.9-billion internet users worldwide. With more than 97% of those users relying on search engines to find products, services, or simply to locate a local business – search engine visibility is essential for long-term success
Each search engine has a slightly different search algorithm and given that Google accounts for more than 91% of total search engine traffic – that’s where we focus our attention
Investing in SEO services in Melbourne means more website traffic, more potential leads, higher conversion rates, and (ultimately) more business revenue.
How much does SEO cost?
The cost of SEO Melbourne packages starts at approximately $1,500 per month for small to medium sized businesses, all the way up to $10,000 per month for large e-commerce businesses operating in national and international markets.
The cost of SEO will be dictated by a number of important factors including:
• Competitiveness of your industry
• The location of your business and target market
• The level of service you are looking to get
• The experience of the digital agency
• The size of your website
• The number of search terms you want to target
• The complexity of your website
We do not claim to be the cheapest SEO in Melbourne and we would never pretend to be. The cheapest service providers will be the ones that you find on page 3 or 4 of the search results. There is a good reason that you found us on organic search – because we know what we are doing.
Our team will never sell you unnecessary digital marketing services. If we believe that your company is the right fit for search engine optimisation, and we are the right company to help you reach your goals – then we will put together a proposal. Our pricing reflects the amount of work that is required to help your business achieve long-term organic marketing success.
How long does it take to see results from SEO services?
In the words of Google’s John Mueller – it depends.
Generally speaking, the timeframe to see results from SEO comes down to three things:
1. Website age – older websites are generally easier to rank
2. The competition in your industry
3. Previous SEO work – websites with a solid SEO foundation (backlinks, topical authority, and strong content) are generally easier and faster to rank
In general, we provide the following timeframes for SEO results:
Timeframe for new websites (0-12 months)
Month 1-3: This period involves keyword research, strategy, and implementing foundational on-site SEO work. Don’t expect to see much progress.
Month 3-6: Expect to see some movement on low to mid competition keywords.
Month 6-9: Momentum ramps up – movement on low competition and some mid-competition keywords.
Month 9-12: Expect to see movement on mid-competition keywords.
12+ Month: Expect to see strong results on mid-competition keywords and steady progress on high-competition keywords.
Timeframe for established websites (2+ years old)
Month 1-3: Some improvement on low competition keywords.
Month 3-6: Movement on low to mid competition keywords.
Month 6-9: SEO starts to ramp up – strong movement on mid-level keywords.
Month 9 onwards: SEO is now up and running and things are now moving faster.
Again, these are guides and will depend on your industry, your previous SEO work, and other factors that are unique to your website.
Can you guarantee SEO results?
No – no one can or should be guaranteeing SEO results.
In fact, if you search; “Guaranteed SEO results” we rank #1 for an article warning why you should steer clear of any company that offers guaranteed SEO services in Melbourne or Australia. The fact that we rank #1 and still won’t guarantee our SEO services, but the people ranking on page 3 for this search term claim to offer guaranteed SEO should tell you everything that you need to know.
We do not offer guaranteed services because, in simple terms, anyone that does is sprouting utter B/S. Google explicitly warns against companies that offer these types of services and says:
“Your prospective SEO should be able to give you realistic estimates of improvement, and an estimate of the work involved. If they guarantee you that their changes will give you first place in search results, find someone else.”
It is completely reasonable to set goals, however, putting a time stamp on anything isn’t just a bad omen – it’s irresponsible.
What is more important, on-page and off-page SEO?
You can’t have one without the other.
As an SEO Melbourne provider, we always start an SEO campaign with on-page SEO. On-page actions are like the foundations of a home – it’s the part of an SEO strategy that works overtime to ensure that you can build and grow. We need to ensure that your on-page SEO is in order with the following elements:
• Helpful, insightful content
• Relevant landing pages
• Optimised meta data
• Sound site structure
• URL structure
• Comprehensive keyword planning
Once we have all of the pages and on-page elements in place, then we can look to the offsite elements such as backlinks and citations which are going to boost your authority and send those valuable trust signals to search engines.
How do you track progress?
We track results and measure progress by examining SEO KPIs such as organic traffic, organic impressions, average ranking positions, and comparing your overall search visibility to your competitors.
Tracking website performance and growth starts (and finishes) with reporting. Before we can execute the results driven SEO strategies set to increase your organic visibility in Melbourne, we first need to gauge what success looks like for your business. We rely on the Google Search Console and GA4 data from your website to understand your baseline traffic figures.
Most SEO companies in Melbourne will send you a generic monthly report that provides little to no explanatory data. There’s nothing worse than a general template, leaving you to your own devices to work out which data actually applies to your business.
Not every month is going to be ground-breaking. While some Melbourne SEO companies will manipulate their monthly data and reports to make every month look exceptionally bigger than the last, We don’t hide behind big numbers and large graphs.
Each month of a campaign presents a unique set of challenges. If we come across a month that does not achieve the set goals. On those months, we will go the extra mile to understand why, before delivering a plan of attack.
My rankings fluctuate. Is that normal?
Rankings fluctuate every day based on updates to algorithm’s and how well your website stacks up against the competition.
The most important thing you need to understand about the search engine results pages (SERPs) is that they are entirely dynamic. They change by the hour (sometimes) and will be unique to the person conducting the search based on their location, search history data, and device type.
There are hundreds of small factors that influence the results you get when you search on Google or Bing (or any other search engine, for that matter). The most important thing you need to understand is that nothing is guaranteed, and your rankings will change by the day.
As an SEO Melbourne Agency, one of the reasons that we do not get too caught up in day-to-day rankings is because rankings change so rapidly. Looking at individual keyword data does not accurately portray how a website is performing in the search results pages. We look at holistic, week by week data to understand how our optimisations impact traffic, user behaviour and overall search visibility.
Be wary of an SEO Consultant in Melbourne that promises results for individual keywords. While it is impossible to predict individual KW results, getting caught up in individual KW rankings is also misleading. It is important to look at overall monthly traffic and how many conversions you are receiving.
Can you provide case studies and examples?
Yes. We’ve worked with clients in just about any industry that you can think of. If you’d like to see a case study from a similar industry or campaign, then get in touch!
Do you offer other digital marketing services?
Unfortunately not, we are a specialist SEO agency.
In our opinion, there are too many digital marketing agencies that try to do it all. In the same way that you wouldn’t take your motorbike to a car mechanic to get repaired, we recommend sticking with someone who specialises exclusively in SEO.
How do I choose the best SEO company in Melbourne?
You can find the best SEO in Melbourne by looking at the Agencies that rank on the first page for SEO related search terms. Think about it like this, if a search engine optimisation company is using paid ads to sell their services, do you really expect them to be able to help you rank with SEO?
Here are a few tips that you should stick to when choosing an SEO company in Melbourne.
• Check their online reviews
• Check their rankings
• Find out who will be working on your campaign
• Find out who will be your point of contact
Just like any industry, there are good practitioners and bad practitioners. Do your homework and make sure that you go with a company that shares your values and your vision for success.
This all sounds good, what now?
Get in touch! Each Melbourne SEO partnership starts with a free consultation with one of our experts so that we can go through your current position in the market, your goals, and our insights and recommendations for achieving those. Based on your current position and goals, we will be able to provide you with a costings estimate and a campaign breakdown to help you achieve those goals.
SEO Services to Suit Diverse Business Goals
Search engine optimisation services to suit different industries and applications – we’ve got you coved.
Book A Consultation with an SEO Expert
What are you waiting for? Our team is ready to work with you to create a custom SEO strategy that will inundate your business with high-converting leads.
