A Client Assessment by Signal & Strategies | SEO & AI Search Department
Search engine optimisation has evolved significantly. Businesses can no longer rely exclusively on inserting keywords into website pages and hoping to appear at the top of Google.
Today, discoverability involves several connected factors, including technical website performance, content relevance, search intent, website structure, authority and the growing influence of AI-powered search experiences.
At Signal & Strategies, our SEO & AI Search department focuses on understanding how businesses can improve their online visibility while creating useful, relevant experiences for their audiences.
As part of our client consultation process, we met with Adrian to discuss his business’s online presence, search visibility and potential opportunities for improvement.
This assessment outlines the areas we investigate, the strategic considerations involved and the information required to develop an effective SEO roadmap.
1. Understanding the Client and Their Objectives
Before recommending SEO changes, we believe it is important to understand the business behind the website.
SEO shouldn’t operate independently of a company’s wider objectives.
A business looking to generate more enquiries may require a different strategy from one trying to increase online purchases, attract local customers or establish industry authority.
During a client discovery process, we consider:
- What products or services does the business provide?
- Who is its intended audience?
- Which geographical markets does it serve?
- What does the business want to achieve through organic search?
- Which products or services are most important commercially?
- What challenges does the business currently experience online?
These questions help establish the direction of the SEO strategy.
Client-specific findings: Adrian’s business objectives and responses require confirmation from his consultation notes.
2. Understanding Existing Search Visibility
Search visibility refers to how easily potential customers can discover a business through search engines.
A website can contain valuable information and still struggle to attract organic visitors if its pages aren’t appropriately structured, relevant or discoverable.
We would investigate:
- Which pages are currently indexed?
- What search terms generate impressions?
- Which keywords generate organic clicks?
- Are important pages appearing in relevant search results?
- Are there opportunities to improve existing rankings?
- Is the website attracting the right audience?
Google Search Console can help businesses understand impressions, clicks, click-through rates and average search positions.
Google Analytics 4 can provide additional information about website visitors and their behaviour.
These tools help move SEO decisions away from guesswork and towards measurable observations.
3. Technical SEO: Building a Strong Website Foundation
Technical SEO concerns the elements that help search engines access, crawl, understand and index a website.
Even well-written content can struggle to perform if important technical issues prevent search engines from accessing or interpreting it correctly.
Our technical assessment considers several areas.
Website crawling and indexing
Search engines need to discover and understand website pages.
We would examine:
- XML sitemap availability.
- Robots.txt configuration.
- Indexing issues.
- Canonical tags.
- Redirect behaviour.
- Broken internal and external links.
Not every page needs to be indexed. The objective is to ensure that valuable, relevant pages can be discovered and indexed appropriately.
Website speed and Core Web Vitals
Website performance influences the browsing experience.
Google’s Core Web Vitals focus on three important measurements:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): Measures how quickly the main content becomes visible.
Interaction to Next Paint (INP): Measures responsiveness to user interactions.
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): Measures unexpected layout movement during loading.
Improving these areas can contribute to a more comfortable browsing experience.
Mobile responsiveness
Many users access websites through mobile devices.
A website should provide a consistent experience across different screen sizes.
We would examine:
- Text readability.
- Navigation accessibility.
- Button placement.
- Image responsiveness.
- Mobile page performance.
- Form usability.
A website that works beautifully on desktop but becomes difficult to navigate on mobile risks frustrating potential customers.
4. Keyword Research and Search Intent
Keyword research is about understanding what people are searching for and why.
A business might want to rank for a particular phrase, but that doesn’t automatically mean the phrase will attract the right visitors.
We categorise search intent into four broad areas.
Informational intent
Users are looking for information or answers.
Example: How does website SEO work?
Navigational intent
Users are trying to locate a particular business, website or platform.
Example: Searching for a specific company’s website.
Commercial investigation
Users are comparing products, providers or available solutions.
Example: Best SEO services for small businesses.
Transactional intent
Users are closer to completing an action.
Example: Hiring an SEO agency.
Understanding these differences helps businesses create pages that match what their audiences actually need.
Developing a keyword strategy
We would organise relevant search terms according to:
- Search intent.
- Relevance to the business.
- Commercial value.
- Competition.
- Search demand.
- Existing content opportunities.
We would also investigate long-tail keywords.
These are more specific search phrases that can reveal clearer user needs.
For example, a broad phrase such as SEO services may be less descriptive than a search for affordable SEO services for small businesses.
The right keyword strategy should prioritise relevance rather than simply collecting large volumes of search terms.
5. On-Page SEO and Content Optimisation
Once relevant search opportunities have been identified, the next step is examining how website pages communicate their information.
On-page SEO involves optimising individual pages to help search engines and visitors understand their purpose.
Our assessment considers:
Page titles
Titles should accurately describe page content and communicate its relevance.
Meta descriptions
These provide a concise summary of a page and can influence whether someone chooses to click through from search results.
Heading structure
Organised headings help readers navigate information and provide structure for search engines.
Internal linking
Relevant internal links help visitors discover related information and allow search engines to understand connections between pages.
Image optimisation
Descriptive filenames, appropriate image formats and useful alternative text can improve accessibility and image discoverability.
Content relevance
Pages should provide meaningful information that addresses the intended audience’s needs.
We don’t recommend adding keywords simply for the sake of increasing keyword density.
Content should read naturally and provide genuine value.
6. Competitor Analysis and Search Opportunities
Understanding competitors can help businesses identify opportunities that may otherwise go unnoticed.
Competitor analysis isn’t about copying another company’s website or content strategy.
It’s about understanding the competitive landscape.
We would examine:
- Which competitors appear for relevant search terms?
- What topics are they covering?
- Which pages appear to attract organic visibility?
- How are their websites structured?
- Are there content gaps that remain underserved?
- How do competitors communicate their products and services?
We would then use these observations to identify opportunities for differentiation.
A business doesn’t necessarily need to publish more content than its competitors.
It needs to publish useful content that serves its audience and communicates its expertise.
Client-specific competitor findings: These require confirmation through the client’s industry, target market and actual competitor websites.
7. Preparing for AI-Powered Search
Search behaviour is changing.
Alongside traditional search engines, users are increasingly encountering AI-powered experiences that provide summaries, recommendations and answers.
Examples include Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT search experiences and other AI-assisted discovery tools.
This creates another consideration for businesses: how clearly can their information be understood and discovered across different search experiences?
Our AI search readiness assessment considers several areas.
Clear and useful information
Content should answer questions directly and provide sufficient context.
Avoid vague statements that leave readers uncertain about what a business actually offers.
Well-structured content
Logical headings, descriptive page titles and clearly organised information help communicate the subject of each page.
Demonstrable expertise
Businesses should communicate relevant experience, expertise and trustworthy information.
This can include author information, detailed service explanations, original research and useful supporting evidence.
Consistent business information
Business names, services, contact details and other important information should be accurate and consistent across relevant online platforms.
Structured data
Appropriate structured data can help search engines understand information about a website, its organisation, products and other entities.
However, structured data does not guarantee inclusion in AI-generated answers.
The objective is to make information accessible, understandable and useful rather than attempting to manipulate AI search systems.
8. Content Gaps and Organic Growth Opportunities
SEO and content marketing should work together.
Keyword research can reveal questions that potential customers are asking, while content analysis can identify areas where a business isn’t providing enough useful information.
We would explore opportunities such as:
- Educational articles.
- Frequently asked questions.
- Detailed service pages.
- Product or service comparisons.
- Industry insights.
- Practical guides.
- Customer-focused resources.
A strong content strategy should also consider the different stages of the customer journey.
Someone discovering a business for the first time may need educational information.
Someone comparing providers may want detailed service explanations.
Someone ready to purchase may need pricing information, testimonials or a straightforward enquiry process.
Content should support these different needs.
9. Measuring SEO Performance
SEO is an ongoing process.
Publishing an article or making technical improvements doesn’t automatically guarantee better rankings or increased revenue.
Businesses need to monitor performance and evaluate whether their strategy is producing meaningful results.
We recommend considering the following KPIs:
| Measurement | What it tells us |
|---|---|
| Organic clicks | Visitors arriving through organic search |
| Search impressions | How often pages appear in search results |
| Click-through rate | The percentage of impressions generating clicks |
| Keyword visibility | Performance for relevant search terms |
| Indexed pages | Pages included in a search engine’s index |
| Organic conversions | Valuable actions generated through organic traffic |
| Engagement | How visitors interact with website content |
| Enquiries or sales | Commercial outcomes associated with the strategy |
We would establish a baseline before setting specific performance targets.
This allows the business to measure progress against its actual starting position.
10. Our Recommended SEO Implementation Framework
Rather than attempting to change everything simultaneously, we recommend approaching SEO in stages.
Phase One: Discovery and Audit
- Gather website and business information.
- Review technical SEO.
- Examine existing search performance.
- Identify indexing and crawling concerns.
- Establish current performance benchmarks.
Phase Two: Keyword and Competitor Research
- Identify relevant search terms.
- Understand search intent.
- Review competitor visibility.
- Identify content gaps.
- Prioritise commercially relevant opportunities.
Phase Three: Website and Content Optimisation
- Improve important page titles and descriptions.
- Review heading structures.
- Strengthen internal linking.
- Optimise existing content.
- Address identified technical issues.
Phase Four: AI Search Readiness
- Improve content clarity.
- Strengthen information structure.
- Review relevant structured data.
- Communicate business expertise.
- Ensure important business information is consistent.
Phase Five: Monitoring and Refinement
- Monitor organic search performance.
- Review keyword visibility.
- Evaluate organic conversions.
- Identify new opportunities.
- Adjust the strategy according to results.
11. Working Alongside Content and Website Strategy
SEO doesn’t exist in isolation.
At Signal & Strategies, our departments work together to create a connected digital marketing approach.
Content & Storytelling
Zavian’s department focuses on creating meaningful content that communicates brand identity, answers audience questions and supports relevant search opportunities.
Website Strategy & UX
Alina’s department focuses on website navigation, accessibility, usability and conversion pathways.
SEO & AI Search
My department focuses on organic discoverability, search intent, technical optimisation and emerging AI search opportunities.
These areas complement one another.
A website may attract visitors through search, but if its content is confusing or its navigation is difficult, those visitors may not take the next step.
Likewise, a beautifully designed website may struggle to attract relevant visitors if its pages aren’t discoverable.
The wider objective is to connect visibility, communication and user experience.
12. Final Thoughts: SEO Is an Ongoing Investment
Search engine optimisation isn’t a one-time task.
Search behaviour changes, competitors develop new strategies, algorithms evolve and businesses grow.
An effective SEO strategy needs regular monitoring, thoughtful adjustments and a clear understanding of the audience.
At Signal & Strategies, our approach is centred on building sustainable discoverability rather than chasing rankings without considering the bigger picture.
We believe businesses should focus on being useful, relevant and trustworthy wherever their audiences search for information.
Because visibility is only the beginning.
The real opportunity lies in helping the right people discover a business, understand what it offers and feel confident taking the next step.
Prepared by: Zayden
Department: SEO & AI Search
Signal & Strategies
Editorial note: This article outlines our SEO assessment framework and proposed areas of investigation. Client-specific findings, keyword data, competitor observations and technical results should be added following verification of Adrian’s website and consultation records.