Search engine optimisation
Unconventional SEO specialists
You learn search engine optimisation in practice, not from a book, a blog or a webinar. After more than ten years in this business we can say with confidence that we know how it works.
We have seen and done just about everything. That makes us self-made SEO specialists with a mountain of experience. Experience that is the basis of our own unconventional formula, one that departs from the standard SEO laws and agencies.
Don't optimise for search engines. Create findability. Hatless does it!
Optimise for people, not for algorithms. That is the core of the entirely logical and unconventional Hatless philosophy. It sets us apart from other providers. It is the basis of our success. We look at every SEO question from the user's perspective. That produces a fast site with the right content that matches search intent. If your content is good, other sites link to you. Think of it as online 'word of mouth', the ultimate confirmation. This way you shift the focus from a high ranking to offering real value to your visitor. No algorithm can beat that!
Findability rests on three pillars: a technically flawless website, content that matches search intent, and links from valuable websites that you earn with good content. Only together do they make the difference.
Technology
Everyone wants a website that loads fast, displays content well and is easy to navigate. Whatever the device. So we make sure it does. Easy.
Technical SEO
Content
Useful content, where a visitor also finds what they are looking for, makes every visit worthwhile. That makes the connection genuine. So we create it.
Content marketing
Links
A link is the ultimate confirmation of the value of your content. Real links, mind you. From websites with a reason to exist. So you get them.
Link marketingOutsource SEO to an agency that does the work itself
Outsourcing SEO to Hatless does not mean a senior sells the strategy and a junior then does the work. The two seasoned specialists you speak to do the work. Themselves. Nobody else. We start with an audit of technology, content and links. We translate the outcome into a clear SEO plan. Then we carry out that plan ourselves. No handovers, no middlemen, no noise.
That makes us an SEO agency, but not the kind that grows by putting more and more people between you and the result. We deliberately choose a limited number of partnerships and usually work with a retainer. You do not pay for middlemen, overhead or a junior still learning the trade. You pay for actual work on your site, content and campaign. The work of two SEO specialists who know the ins and outs of the craft.
That suits you if you want to tackle SEO structurally and are willing to get the foundation right first. Looking for a single hour or guaranteed position one next week? Then it does not. Take a look at our cases and results. Recognise yourself in our approach? Then put your project to us.
Prefer an SEO consultant over an SEO agency?
An SEO consultant often focuses on analysis and advice, and then leaves the execution to you. A large SEO agency will pick up that execution, but regularly puts an account manager and juniors in between. Hatless sits, in its own way, right in the middle.
At Hatless you spar directly with the two specialists who also audit, plan and execute themselves. No relay. No lost context.
Only need a sharp analysis, strategic advice or a second opinion? That works. For full campaigns we deliberately choose a select number of long-term partnerships. That way we keep our focus and you get the attention of the people you sit across from. SEO consultant when it must be. SEO agency when it needs to be. SEO partner when it may be.
How we approach SEO
Just changing a few pages and arranging some links? Not our style. That is why we work with a fixed SEO step plan: first analyse, then make the plan and then execute. Three steps. Fixed order. Aimed at tangible results. That way every choice is grounded and every campaign gets a solid foundation.
Every new project starts with a thorough analysis of technology, content and links. Such an audit is valuable because it gives crystal-clear insight into points for improvement and growth opportunities. It is a practical baseline and the starting point for the rest of the campaign.
The result of the audit is the input for an SEO plan. The SEO plan. Only when every point from the audit has been dealt with to satisfaction is the site fully optimised and futureproof. That also means: no standard packages, but a solution tailored to your market, your audience and your goals.
We put the plan to work: we carry out technical improvements, produce content and start a targeted link marketing campaign. We do it the Hatless way: we build genuine connections. The focus is on quality, involvement and creativity. In service of your brand, goals and core values, of course.
Frequently asked SEO questions
Good SEO raises questions. Understandable. About our approach, the costs, linkbuilding and what sets us apart from other SEO agencies. Below we answer the SEO questions we get most often. Short, and without making it complicated.
What do you do all day?
Good question. We make content valuable. By making it accessible and findable, we create genuine connections. We create growth in freedom, not in service of the big search engines. That way you stay at the wheel of your own content. Makes sense, but in our world it is far from a given. And: we don't just create content, we also arrange quality links from real websites with real visitors. That makes for fairly busy days. Our unconventional SEO specialists don't mind.
Where does the name Hatless come from?
Our name doesn't just come out of a hat, it says exactly what we do. In our world, companies that use tactics built around manipulating search engine algorithms and ranking artificially high are called Black hat companies. We deliberately don't do that. In the long run it doesn't deliver the right results. Then there are White hat companies. They optimise within search engine guidelines. They play by the rules, but in service of the algorithm. That's not how we're built. Hatless has its own formula for visibility, findability and results. Our clients don't make their content for search engines. Search engines actually benefit from showing that content. Hence Hatless: we wear no black or white hat, but choose our own approach where value for the visitor always comes first.
Can you handle my SEO stuff?
In short: absolutely. We just feel the term SEO doesn't quite cover it. We don't optimise content for search engines. We optimise content for visitors, so that genuine connections arise. An earned link is the confirmation of that. Do you mean making sure your site is found better? Then you're in the right place. Do you mean adapting your whole website to the daily whims of search engines? Then no.
Do you do linkbuilding?
Linkbuilding no. We do link earning. For that we build genuine connections. They add real value to your site. So we don't get involved in manipulation, linkbuilding schemes, link exchanges, private blog networks (PBNs) or other tactics. We make valuable content that others are happy to link to. Not because they have to, but because the content earns that link.
What does SEO with Hatless cost?
That depends on what you want. Normally we work with a retainer. Within that retainer we work flexibly on your site, content and campaign. The smallest retainer is €2,500 per month. Before we start, we run an audit and make a custom SEO plan. Your investment goes to senior work in any case: not to juniors or account layers, but to two experienced specialists who work on your findability themselves.
What makes you different from other SEO agencies?
A few things. Our vision, our experience and our dedication. We are independent thinkers with an unconventional approach, so we don't just do anything. We have developed a solid strategy, based on years of experience with many of our own projects. We believe in focus, which is why we offer a select number of services that all share one goal: making valuable content findable.
Can I outsource my SEO to Hatless?
Absolutely. Just not by throwing your SEO over the fence and then waiting, hoping our unconventional SEO specialists do something with it. We much prefer to think along with you. We start with an audit, make a plan and execute that plan. You know your market, we know SEO. We bring that knowledge together. No standard package. A partnership instead.
What is the difference between an SEO agency and an SEO consultant?
An SEO consultant usually sticks to analysis and advice. An SEO agency also has people for execution, but in practice there are often several layers in between. So you talk to seniors, but in the end it's juniors doing the work behind the scenes. Hatless does it differently: you spar directly with two experienced specialists, and those same specialists execute the plan. Only need advice? That works too. That way you get the sharpness of an SEO consultant without having to bring in an extra SEO agency for the execution.