Website Audits and Lao Tzu’s Art of War

I recently returned from a rewarding visit to London, where I secured an in-depth website audit for a major financial client planning a large-scale website migration early next year. This project marks a significant milestone, not only due to the size and influence of the client but also because it reflects a best-practice approach to any large migration: first, thoroughly examine the current site’s visibility landscape and understand the competitive environment. So many companies make the mistake of going straight to a web design company when they want a new look website. They may have great organic rankings already and think it’s a simple thing to just change the look of the website and forget about the technical aspects. Big mistake. Re-designing a website can have catastrophic results if you put the cart before the horse and neglect to ensure all the SEO goodness isn’t lost. Not least, it also gives you an opportunity to re-evaluate the industry sector and your competitor landscape. 

My goal is to make this client’s transition seamless and strategically effective, with every detail mapped out before any code is touched. This audit will take a multifaceted approach, encompassing a deep dive into the current website’s performance and a strategic competitor analysis of multiple rivals within the industry. The primary focus will be on pinpointing their competitor’s weaknesses so that we gain a valuable insight into market gaps and opportunities the client can leverage.

A quote from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War springs to mind here: “The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.” In SEO and digital strategy, understanding the landscape before acting is crucial. The website migration will have a firm foundation to ensure not only stability but significant future growth.