Objective
Transform a general-purpose personal portfolio into a discoverable content hub that demonstrates SEO strategy execution — not just writing skill. The goal was to improve search visibility for content-writing and SEO-related queries, add structured data for answer-engine readability, and establish a baseline for organic performance reporting via Google Search Console.
Starting point (before)
- Homepage title focused on "Speaker · Leader · Student · Builder" — strong for general branding, weak for content/SEO search intent.
- Meta description emphasised Toastmasters and volunteering, not content writing or SEO services.
- No dedicated writing samples or B2B content assets linked from the site.
- No schema markup (Person, Article, WebSite).
- No internal linking structure between content pages.
- No Google Search Console property connected.
Keyword strategy
I mapped target queries by search intent using topic research (search suggestions, competitor SERP review, and Semrush/Ahrefs-style keyword analysis):
| Page | Primary keyword target | Intent |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage | content writer SEO strategist Colombo | Commercial / personal brand |
| B2B guide | SME organic content strategy B2B | Informational / commercial |
| Founder voice sample | B2B thought leadership content search strategy | Informational |
| SEO case study | portfolio SEO case study on-page optimization | Informational / proof |
On-page changes implemented
| Element | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Homepage title | Speaker · Leader · Student · Builder | Content Writer & SEO Strategist · Mohamed Hisshan |
| Meta description | General portfolio summary | Content writer, SEO, GEO/AEO, B2B samples, Robert Gordon University |
| Content architecture | Projects only | Writing hub + 3 linked content pages (guide, founder sample, case study) |
| Internal links | Minimal cross-linking | Nav + footer links between writing cluster and homepage |
| Schema markup | None | Person, WebSite, Article, CollectionPage JSON-LD |
| Canonical URLs | Not set on subpages | Canonical tags on all writing pages |
GEO / AEO considerations applied
- Question-style H2 headings on the B2B guide ("Why organic content still matters," "What to measure").
- Direct answers in opening paragraphs of each section for extractability by AI summaries.
- Structured lists and step-by-step frameworks (90-day plan) that answer engines can cite.
- Article schema with headline, description, author, and keywords on each content page.
CMS publishing workflow
Content was authored in HTML, version-controlled via Git, and deployed to Vercel — mirroring a real CMS publishing workflow: draft → on-page SEO check → internal link review → schema validation → publish → monitor in GSC.
Organic performance reporting (setup)
Google Search Console — property verification pending (see setup checklist below). Once verified, I will track:
- Total impressions and clicks (weekly)
- Queries driving impressions to writing pages
- Average position for target keywords
- Click-through rate by page
- Indexing status of new URLs
Baseline metrics (record after GSC verification + 7–14 days of data):
- Indexed pages: ___ / ___
- Total impressions (28 days): ___
- Total clicks (28 days): ___
- Top query: ___
- Best-performing page: ___
Update this section with screenshots from GSC Performance report once data is available.
Next optimisation steps
- Complete GSC verification and submit sitemap.
- Run Semrush or Ahrefs site audit; fix any flagged on-page issues.
- Add FAQ schema to the B2B guide if expanding with an FAQ section.
- Republish founder-voice sample on LinkedIn to build backlinks and social proof.
- Review GSC after 30 days; update titles/meta on pages with high impressions but low CTR.
Tools used
- Google Search Console (monitoring setup)
- Keyword / SERP research (Semrush or Ahrefs trial recommended)
- JSON-LD schema (Article, Person, WebSite)
- Git + Vercel (publish workflow)
- Google Rich Results Test (schema validation)
This case study documents real optimization work on my own portfolio — the same process I apply to client and campaign content: research, structure, on-page SEO, schema, internal linking, and performance tracking.