The SEO Process
How do you ensure that all the fundamental SEO steps are undetaken and in the right order? The simple answer is to undertake this in a systematic and methodical discrete step by step manner. If you're going to do this then why not use an SEO who not only does it this way, but also charges this way too.
Every client is different, so the below process only outlines many of the steps that many of my clients have chosen, with my guidance, as packages to improve their ranking. The process is never prescriptive since all clients, and their websites and marketing, are unique. They all have their own strengths and weaknesses so part of the initial consultation process is to determine which packages will deliver the most ROI, and in which order this should be done.
Step 1: Keyword Research
This should always be the foundation of any SEO campaign. Without knowing what people are searching for what's the point of ranking for anything else?
Step 2: Local SEO
Whether the organisation is a single or multi-site location business, the impact for most companies can be immense. However. the right search terms need determining before populating the directories!
Step 3: On-Page Optimisation
Identifying the best web pages for the deploying of specific key search terms. Each identified page is then closely optimised for that term. A review of the structure of the website may also determine the creation or moving of pages.
Step 4: Technical SEO
Step 4: Many sites can have a poor sitespeed which is a key ranking factor, so work is undertaken to optimise for as fast a load time as possible both for desktop and mobile visits. In addition, there can be a host of other issues that can affect both the user experience including broken links, duplicate content, large image files and out of date themes and plugins.
Step 5: Competitor Backlink Research
Your competitors, as well as your own backlinks, are determined earlier on. The next step is to categorise and determine the strategies needed to engage these valuable contacts.
Step 6: Backlink Building
From the insights gained from the backlink research, new backlinks can be added to improve the client's overall Domain Authority which should improve the site's overall ranking.
Step 7: Content Management
Developing new content or ensuring existing content is being fully leveraged and repurposed is now critical to engage all the audiences now identified. What's next? That very much depends on the findings of these steps.
What's in a name? Why Ready Steady Go SEO?
Affordable SEO services aren't a silver bullet. Like any marketing activity, if your own organisation isn't set up for SEO then it may prove ineffective or at least hard to measure effectiveness. Hence my company name. It's a process to determine if, when or how your company can benefit from pay as you go SEO at this stage in your organisation's development. Ultimately, as with all business initiatives, a third party's involvement without your own organisation's commitment is likely to provide less than you'd hoped
Are you ready?
- Do you monitor all sales enquires, particularly phone enquiries, to determine the source of the enquiries?
- Do you currently have a good online reputation eg Facebook or GoogleMyBusiness reviews?
- Are you dealing with your current enquiries and orders? Would an influx of either be accommodated?
- Are you prepared to spend the time analysing the motivations, language and profiles of your clients?
Are you steady?
- Do you have access to your online assets like Google Analytics, Search Console, GoogleMyBusiness?
- Do you regularly create content or are looking to have content created for ongoing content development?
- Are you active or looking to be actively promoting your site through other channels eg social media?
- Do you have KPIs in place to measure SEO success throughout the buying cycle?
Is it time to commit to SEO?
- From an initial SEO audit, have you determined possible keywords that show justifiable search volumes and/or a high level of intent?
- Are you ready to support SEO with a commitment to understanding what's involved and to regularly meet for updates?
- Will you be setting up ways to formally monitor where all business enquiries are generated from?
- Have you got realistic timescales and budgets in place for the effectiveness of different SEO services to have their impact?
From this checklist, you should be able to determine where you are in a good position to get the most from an SEO service and know whether to proceed at this point or maybe review what might need to change in your organisation.
