Scaling search performance through a seamless WordPress design, build and migration
If you’re local to Leeds, you’ve seen the vans or the signs. The Waste Team are local legends – a team with hearts of gold and a passion to keep our streets clean.
We’ve worked with The Waste Team for over 8 years, supporting them across SEO, Google Ads, paid social, web hosting and ongoing maintenance. As their marketing partner, we recognised room for growth, but to achieve this, they needed a website that worked just as hard as their team does.
So, we migrated their legacy HTML5 setup to a WordPress website ready to perform. Since launch, The Waste Team has seen a huge spike in organic reach and ranking for their most valuable commercial keywords.
How it all started
We built the original HTML5 site years ago, but in search, standing still is moving backwards. As digital standards evolved and their marketing strategy shifted, it was time to build for the future.
With the client’s full trust, we rebuilt the site from the ground up to our highest standards. We aimed to:
- Improve mobile performance
- Simplify content management to support their SEO content strategy
- Protect SEO performance during migration
- Increase conversion rates from organic and paid traffic
What we did
Website design
The existing website design was dated, so we modernised the look and feel to incorporate the brand’s identity. We updated their typography, brand graphics and colour palette so we could use these elements more effectively across the design.
The typography now features a new typeface with a more approachable feel, aligning with the company’s values. We incorporated bullet-hole graphics as an effective brand asset that plays on their A-Team-inspired logo.
For flexibility, we used a component-based design approach, which helps us to build pages with reusable blocks. These components could be easily combined and interchanged depending on the content, allowing for a smoother build from start to finish.
To improve accessibility, we designed the new site in line with updated WCAG 2.2 standards, making it more inclusive, intuitive and easier to navigate for all users.
Website development & migration
We rebuilt the website in WordPress to provide greater flexibility and scalability for adding and managing content. First, we migrated from HTML5 to WordPress, which involved recreating pages in WordPress, setting up URL redirects to maintain SEO equity, and ensuring that all other content, such as blogs, was transferred.
During development, we also restructured the content to better reflect The Waste Team’s growing service offering and simplified the contact form to help streamline the user journey. These improvements were designed with mobile users in mind, improving the experience across devices, particularly as mobile make sup over over 80% of their traffic.
Other plugins, such as Trustpilot and live social feeds, were integrated into the build to support social proof and credibility.
Copywriting
Along with updating the website, we optimised all web copy to align with their SEO strategy and promote their market position. The Waste Team already had an established reputation, but they wanted to expand into the commercial space, so we ensured the copy reflected their intended growth.
Our team also established a clearer content hierarchy, allowing users to browse content without getting lost in the details.
The results
The Waste Team now has a website that doesn’t just look the part – it delivers, too. Six months post-launch, we’ve seen a total improvement in search visibility and organic performance.
The year-on-year impact:
- 65% increase in organic traffic
- 123% surge in total impressions
- 70% increase in clicks
- 33% uplift in organic and direct conversions
- 28% improvement in average search position
Beyond organic growth, we continue to support The Waste Team across Google Ads and paid socials. By aligning their paid and organic strategies, we’ve ensured the brand captures high-intent demand from every angle.
Want to protect your ranking after a migration?
We combine web design, development and technical SEO expertise to take the risk out of your next website. Interested? Speak to our team to find out your next steps.
