Manchester Theatres, Manchester
A full SEO audit that recovered rankings after a Google update
Executive summary
Client overview
Manchester Theatres is the go-to guide for live events in Manchester and the surrounding area, offering event listings across theatres, comedy clubs and more, plus exclusive ticket deals and regular show reviews.
Main challenge
Manchester Theatres experienced a sharp decline in organic keyword rankings following a Google algorithm update. This led to a noticeable drop in website traffic and a reduction in online bookings.
Services provided
We carried out a full SEO audit covering technical performance, on-page optimisation, content quality, site structure and off-page factors, giving clear, actionable insights to fix visibility issues and strengthen overall SEO health.
Key results
By addressing technical issues, improving content quality and refining on-page optimisation, the site saw a significant uplift in organic performance. Higher rankings and traffic led to greater audience engagement, more bookings and stronger brand recognition.
About the client
Manchester Theatres is a comprehensive online guide to the city's performing arts scene, showcasing theatre productions, concerts, comedy shows and live events across Manchester and surrounding areas, with venue details, reviews, ticket offers and news.
In April 2024 they approached us for a full SEO audit to strengthen their organic presence. Following the audit, we met with their team to walk through our findings and outline the key opportunities for improvement.
Website: manchestertheatres.com
Objectives
Identify the technical, on-page and content issues affecting visibility, recover lost keyword rankings, and develop a strategy to boost organic traffic and conversions.
Challenges
A major drop in organic keyword rankings, reduced website traffic and a decline in bookings, all following a Google algorithm update that hit the site's search visibility.
Strategy
We worked closely with the Manchester Theatres team, holding regular meetings to discuss updates and progress throughout the project.
Initial briefing meeting
An in-depth briefing to understand the goals, challenges and recent performance drops, so the audit would directly address their specific needs.
Full SEO audit
A detailed audit of technical elements, on-page optimisation, content quality, keyword performance, backlinks and site structure, with practical, data-driven recommendations.
Findings and implementation plan
A meeting to present the findings, explain each issue, share recommendations and agree a clear implementation plan to restore rankings.
Our solution
The audit delivered a detailed analysis of the website and a 12-month roadmap for long-term organic growth, including:
- Resolving technical, structural and content issues
- Improving page speed
- Reducing duplicate content
- Rewriting event descriptions for originality
- Fixing broken links
- Creating an SEO focused content strategy
The result
Three months after the audit was completed, Manchester Theatres had recovered and grown well beyond its previous visibility.
Conclusion
With a clear roadmap and data-led actions in place, Manchester Theatres achieved a 300% increase in organic traffic and a 124% rise in top-ranking keywords. It shows the impact of a structured SEO strategy built on technical excellence, high quality content and ongoing optimisation.
More Manchester case studies
Want results like these for your Manchester business?
Start with a free SEO audit. We will show you what is holding your site back and what we would fix first.