How SelfMade Achieved 562 Positions Gained and 7% Conversion Rate in SMSF

The Challenge

SMSF is a specialized but competitive category in Australian financial services. High-value customers (superannuation assets) attract sophisticated competitors. Keywords like 'SMSF setup' and 'SMSF costs' see aggressive bidding from established players.

SelfMade's starting position in October 2020 showed potential but not dominance. Organic traffic represented 34% of total traffic. Paid search conversion rate was 5.3%—respectable, but room to improve. Core keywords ranked on page 1, but not in the top 3 positions that capture the majority of clicks.

The challenge was twofold: improve organic visibility to reduce paid channel dependency, and simultaneously improve paid conversion to maximize the traffic they were already paying for. Most strategies treat these as separate problems. We treated them as one.

Complicating matters: Google algorithm changes in 2021 favored competitors using schema markup and review signals. Some competitors were exploiting fake reviews and schema manipulation—tactics we wouldn't use. SelfMade needed to win on quality, not tricks.

• Competitive SMSF category with sophisticated competitors
• Organic at 34% of traffic—room to grow
• Paid conversion at 5.3%—good but not great
• Algorithm changes favoring competitors with schema/reviews
• Needed to win on quality, not manipulation

The Solution

We implemented a coordinated organic + paid strategy where improvements in one channel amplified the other.

For organic, the foundation work came first. Technical SEO audit and remediation. Site structure optimization for SMSF keyword clusters. Content expansion from core 'setup' keywords to related terms: 'SMSF accountant,' 'SMSF administration,' 'SMSF investment strategy,' 'SMSF tax return.'

For paid, we optimized campaign structure. The 'Transfer' campaign was paused—CPC had climbed to $15+, making it unprofitable. Focus shifted to 'Setup' campaign where unit economics worked. Landing page optimization improved conversion from click to goal completion.

The synergy: organic rankings for informational queries ('how to set up SMSF') built trust and brand awareness that improved paid conversion rates. Users who saw SelfMade in organic results were more likely to convert when they later clicked a paid ad. Rising organic visibility reduced pressure on paid budget.

We also recommended legitimate Schema.org implementation—product reviews, aggregate ratings—to compete with competitors' schema presence. This was identified but implementation depended on client action.

Our Approach

Technical SEO Foundation

Audit, remediation, site structure for keyword clusters

Content Expansion

Beyond 'setup' to full SMSF keyword universe

Paid Campaign Optimization

Pause unprofitable campaigns, focus on efficient ones

Organic + Paid Synergy

Organic visibility improving paid conversion

Legitimate Schema Strategy

Product reviews and ratings without manipulation