SEO strategies have five important elements. The first is using a mind map to help you determine your final strategies. This tool allows you to envision your ideas so you can create an effective strategy. You can store your ideas within your mind or write them down as the thoughts occur. This promotes nonlinear thinking so you see all the elements at the same time. This is a representation of the way your mind works and an excellent strategy for SEO.
Once you have your strategy you need to create something more in-depth. You need a plan with goals and a specific way to achieve them. You will have tasks, recurring tasks, and subtasks. You must understand your goals so they can be presented to your team and your clients. Use an easily understandable format you can edit and make sure it is understood who is responsible for each task, the order the tasks must be completed, and whether the tasks are recurrent, being planned, in progress, or completed.
In order to plan a successful SEO, you must understand the company. You have to be aware of the strengths, tactics, brand identity, and any roadblocks. When developing your strategy consider the what makes the product unique and which keywords and tracking will best reach your audience. Understand the goals and strategies of your industry and find the ideas that will be their guide. This is your vision statement and must serve the purpose of the business. Make certain you know what accommodations the company is able to make to avoid annihilation.
You have to understand your target audience and not simply their keyword searches. Be aware of their acceptance regarding upsells and marketing. Although many longtime gurus are comfortable with upsells it can be disastrous for the wrong audience. Many audiences are incredibly sensitive to all forms of marketing and you must use caution. Understand the knowledge level of your audience within your industry. Take the time to find out what they do and do not care about before devising your strategy.
Your goals are important and they must be useful, focused, and precise. Use deliberation on dollar amounts, metrics, and KPIs. When determining your financial goals remember you want to see revenue growth prior to a rise in costs. A financial goal with a time limit is useful in this situation. Your strategy should involve goals that specifically impact the company including the way the business functions, the direction of the company, and the future. Your metrics should align with the working pieces of the company. This can mean a variety of components including rankings, links, authority, and organic search traffic. Everyone should be in agreements regarding the metrics of the company.
Task-oriented goals have more value than KPI goals because when concerned with SEO and inbound marketing the impact achieved with KPI’s is always indirect. This means your project must have goals that are measured, impacted, and adjusted in the course of your strategy. Your response must be measured. This approach is much more likely to bring actual optimization and knowledge than trying to manipulate KPIs and possibly losing sight of any impacts over the long term. Almost every SEO strategy can benefit from using the elements described. They must be built directly into your framework and integrated into the way you operate your business.
Wendell Townsend 