Trusted by brands across multiple industries, locally and globally
The Only Agency That Does Both Shopify and SEO at Expert Level.
Specialists in Shopify, SEO, AEO, and Google Ads. Since 2018, for South African businesses that want results they can measure.
Honey Whale is a South African boutique agency with deep competencies: Shopify development, SEO, Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), and Google Ads. That's what we do. Nothing else.
Our SEO specialises further into three lanes: SEO for ecommerce stores, SEO for service businesses, and local SEO across South Africa. The technique is the same. The targeting is what changes.
On AEO, we're South Africa's first-mover. SEO gets you found in Google. AEO gets you cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. We've spent the last 12 months building the SA AEO playbook so our clients are visible in AI search now, not in two years.
The expertise is deep. The team is one. There are no gaps.
75+
Shopify stores built
375+
Happy Clients Served
Four things. Done properly.
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Performance, not promises.
Numbers anybody can put on a website.
These ones have case studies behind them.
43.59
ROAS
Return on ad spend.Shopify build + Google Ads + SEO.
978% Keyword rankings growth
Shopify Build + SEO
1,015%
Top-5 Google rankings. SEO
33x ROAS
Return on ad spend. WooCommerce MIgration + Google Ads + Meta Ads.
Straight from the people we work with.
Google Reviews
5.0
Stars
28
Reviews
Honey Whale transformed our online business. Fresh ideas has been the key to their success with our online presence.
Google Review
The guys have knocked it out the park. Really impressed with how they've kept me informed and up to date with what's happening.
Google Review
Brandon and Alistair are super professional, and they really know their stuff. Our online sales are through the roof.
Google Review
Honey Whale transformed our online business. Fresh ideas has been the key to their success with our online presence.
Google Review
The guys have knocked it out the park. Really impressed with how they've kept me informed and up to date with what's happening.
Google Review
Brandon and Alistair are super professional, and they really know their stuff. Our online sales are through the roof.
Google Review
Common questions. Straight answers.
What does Honey Whale do?
Honey Whale is a South African digital agency specialising in Shopify store development and SEO. We also manage Google Ads, Meta Ads, and offer AEO - optimising for AI-generated search results across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews. We've been operating since 2018 and have served over 380 South African businesses.
Do you do both Shopify builds and SEO, or should I hire two agencies?
We do both. And that's the point - one team, one strategy, no gaps between your store build and your search visibility. Most businesses need both. It's faster and more effective when the team building your store is the same team ranking it.
Are you South Africa's best Shopify agency?
We don't make that claim ourselves - but we were one of the first Shopify Expert agencies in South Africa, we've built over 250 stores, and we built GoSimple, the only established Shopify subscription app on the African continent. We'll let the track record speak.
How long does it take to see SEO results?
Meaningful rankings typically appear within 3–6 months, depending on your industry and the current state of your site. Shopify builds are faster - usually 4–8 weeks. We're transparent about timelines from the first conversation.
What's the difference between regular SEO and what you do?
Most SEO agencies optimise for traditional search - Google rankings. We do that, and we also structure your content for AI search: ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews. Same foundational work, plus AI-specific content structure and brand entity building. Most agencies haven't caught up to this yet.
What industries have you worked in?
Across seven years we've worked in virtually every industry in South Africa - ecommerce, fashion, food and beverage, hospitality, healthcare, professional services, education, and automotive, among others. If it operates in South Africa, we've probably worked in that category.
Can I hire you just for Shopify, or just for SEO?
Yes. Many clients start with one and add the other. But we'll be straight with you: a beautiful Shopify store with no traffic is just expensive. Traffic without a store that converts is wasted ad spend. Both work better together - and that's why most clients end up doing both.
