THE OBJECTIVE:
Improving site performance in key commercial areas by applying a strategic SEO approach and delivering high-quality, actionable insights to content and leadership teams.
Which? is the UK’s consumer champion, trusted for independent advice and expert reviews that help people make informed choices. Alongside their core subscription model, they operate several high-impact content areas that generate revenue through strategic partnerships.
THE OBJECTIVE
Improving site performance in key commercial areas by applying a strategic SEO approach and delivering high-quality, actionable insights to content and leadership teams.
THE CHALLENGE
Which? approached the better web co. to help unlock greater value from content areas outside the paywall, including money, cars, and health. These sections play a critical role in partnership-driven revenue, where performance is closely tied to visibility in SERPs.
While the team already had solid tactical SEO knowledge, there was a need to elevate the strategy:
“My sense was that some of the tactical SEO in my area was okay, but we needed more of a strategic approach… Bringing in the better web co. helped us start to see what that could look like.”
Nick Merritt, Head of Content, Which?
The initial project focused on pensions, a key area of growth. Still, the project quickly expanded to include audits in car insurance, health, and deeper technical elements like paywall visibility and site hygiene.
What stood out to the team was the added value beyond the scope of each brief:
“You actually went further than we asked. You looked at the technical setup, our paywall and helped us think differently.”
THE SOLUTION
We started by working closely with Nick Merritt, Head of Content for Money, Travel and Consumer Rights, to understand the business model and pressures on his team. Which?’s content strategy had to do more than drive traffic; it had to deliver high-quality, converting users in competitive sectors like finance and insurance.
With that understanding, we were then able to extend into other areas.
That clarity shaped a two-part approach:
Strategic SEO Audits
We carried out in-depth SEO reviews across priority verticals – pensions, motoring, and health. We then tailored our approach to each vertical’s needs.
- In pensions, the biggest benefit was identifying new content opportunities.
- In motoring, optimising the structure and overall presentation of the content was the biggest opportunity to win.
- In health, with it being a YMYL subject where E-E-A-T is vital, the focus was on establishing the credentials of the brilliant experts that Which? employs to generate the content.
When conducting each of these audits, we assessed several hundred SEO factors. It’s our experience and expertise that allowed us to prioritise actions while reassuring the stakeholders at Which? that we had covered all bases.
Our recommendations balanced data and practicality, going beyond typical audits to include content structure, technical setup, and internal SEO education. Crucially, our work was crafted to be accessible and actionable for both content creators and leadership. This was not a case of just telling people what needed fixing
“With consultants, there’s always a risk they’ll just tell you what you already know. That wasn’t the case here. Your work didn’t get eye rolls; it got implemented. People believed in it.
The audits were written in ways that content people could understand and take action. That made a big difference.”
Embedded Support & Hiring Partnership
Rather than a one-off engagement, we built a flexible framework for ongoing collaboration, combining deep analysis, strategic advice, and responsive support.
This included presenting insights to other stakeholders and ensuring buy-in across teams. Our insights and experience were also used to shape the hiring process and support the team long term.
We interviewed the Which? content team at every level in the organisation, from content research through creation and on to digital amplification. By understanding the team’s processes and expertise, we were able to make a recommendation to optimise the existing team with a strategic hire. We then supported senior stakeholders during the interview process for that hire.
“You made time to meet our senior stakeholders… and helped us hire a new Head of SEO.“
THE RESULTS
Supported measurable performance improvements in key commercial areas like car insurance and core pensions
Strengthened site hygiene and strategic thinking across content teams
Recommendat-ions were consistently referenced and actioned by content and product teams
While the search landscape remained volatile, Which? saw stability and growth in the areas where our work was focused. We helped build confidence and credibility for internal champions of SEO and played a role in Which? hiring a Head of SEO to continue the strategic shift.
“We’ve had wider traffic challenges, but not in the areas we’ve spent time on with you. Pensions, car insurance – they’ve performed really well this year.”
More importantly, the audits sparked internal momentum.
“In follow-up meetings, I kept hearing things like ‘We’re here in the recommendations now’ – people were engaged, referencing your work, taking action.”
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