Process of Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

THE SEO PROCESS STEP-BY-STEP

Before embarking on a search engine optimization (SEO) project, it is critical to comprehend the steps required in a successful SEO campaign. To that purpose, we divide the process into six parts and define the activities involved in each of these processes. Even if you decide to outsource the SEO process to a professional, understanding the components will make you a more informed buyer of those services.

But first, a word about search engine optimization in general. The SEO procedure does not begin and end with these phases and the preliminary work that we perform. It is critical to analyze results and provide meaningful material on a regular basis in order to achieve long-term success. I once read an excellent summary of the SEO process:

It is fundamentally iterative [search engine optimization]. In a nutshell, it is a procedure, not a project.

1. Research
2. Reporting & Goal Setting
3. Content Building
4. Page Optimization
5. Social & Link Building
6. Follow Up Reporting & Analysis

RESEARCH

Keyword Research

The process of identifying a group of keyword phrases that will be used in optimization is known as keyword phrase research. This is a key first step that takes a significant amount of time to identify a decent group of phrases that give a balanced combination of two important factors: high usage by searchers and relatively low competition inside the search engines.

It is quite simple to identify the most frequently used phrase that contains your chosen keyword(s). Online tools allow you to enter a specific keyword or word, and they will return all of the ways that word(s) was used by searchers in the previous month, as well as the volume. However, the most popular phrase(s) is also likely to have the most competitive in the search results and, as a result, may not be where you want to focus your optimization efforts. A more successful method is to identify a selection of phrases (10 is a good round number) that are frequently used by searchers but are less competitive in terms of overall search results.

Assume you run a company that leases apartments in a specific metropolitan region, “Big City.” Because your apartments are only in one metro area, you won’t use broad phrases like “apartments” because you’re only interested in people looking for apartments in your city. The logical place to begin is with the name of your city and the word “apartments.” You may discover that the most commonly used phrase is “large city apartments,” but when you conduct sample searches in Google and Yahoo for that phrase, you will discover that competition for that phrase is fierce. Returning to your keyword tool results, you may discover that a phrase like “apartments in big city” is still regularly utilized by searchers but is significantly less competitive. Those terms will subsequently be targeted in the site optimization component of the SEO effort.

Competitive Research

We do a complete competitive analysis of the topic site against its 7 – 10 biggest competitors once we get the target keyword phrases (using both offline and online competitors). We employ a variety of SEO criteria, such as indexed content, Alexa rating, inbound links, domain age, and social media following. Using this method, we may assess the client site’s beginning position in relation to its competitors and suggest areas that need to be prioritized in the upcoming development. For example, if we discover that the client’s site has 50% less indexed material than the competition, we will prioritize content creation in the next phase’s goal setting.

REPORTING & GOAL SETTING

Following the establishment of your chosen keyword phrases and starting position relative to the site’s competitive set, it is critical to determine the topic site’s starting position in search engines. This ensures that you are aware of the exact areas that require attention and gives a baseline against which to measure the effectiveness of the upcoming campaign.

It is critical to have access to site traffic information (analytics). These data reveal how searchers reach and engage with the subject site, such as which search engines are utilized, what keyword phrases are used, bounce rates, most popular content, and so on. Understanding the site’s traffic and the sources of its referrals can also be useful in making other online marketing decisions.

Goals for the SEO plan are created after developing a thorough understanding of the site’s beginning position. These objectives are measurable (a significant advantage of SEO over other advertising methods) and linked to the site’s specific business objectives. Progress toward the plan’s goals is assessed and reported in the continuing reporting and follow-up process. The findings of these progress reports can be used to make changes to the SEO strategy.

CONTENT BUILDING

In search engine optimization, content is king. The search engines like text; creating a large volume of high-quality content linked to your business will benefit you in a number of ways.

For starters, a site chock-full of high-quality information of interest to site visitors will give them a reason to remain and return. After all, they come to your website to find information. Second, you will have the added benefit of providing exactly what search engines are looking for — content. Search engines will have more information about your company and items to store, which will directly transfer into the rating they give your site for connected keyword phrases. Read our article, Content Is Still King, for additional information on content development and specific strategies for expanding your site’s content.

During the Competitive Research phase, we frequently discover that the client’s site is lagging behind its competitors in terms of indexed content. In such instances, this stage of the procedure becomes even more critical.

PAGE OPTIMIZATION

After we’ve added new, high-quality material, we’ll work on on-page SEO. More information on this issue can be found in our article on Page Optimization Fundamentals.

Page Titles

Make sure your site’s page titles say something other than your company name or “welcome.” Ideally, they should start with your targeted keyword for that page and then end with your company name.

Prominence of Targeted Keyword Phrases

It is not enough to have your keyword phrase(s) someplace on the web page; the prominence and positioning provided to them also influence your search engine placement. For example, starting the opening paragraph of your site with your keyword phrase gives it more weight than burying it halfway down the page in the midst of a paragraph. Additionally, utilizing larger font sizes and bolding the text helps underline its significance and improve the page’s rating for that keyword.

Site Map

Creating a site map with a well-organized list of links to all of your site’s significant pages and including a text link to the site map on your home page is the best approach to ensure that all of the site’s pages are indexed by search engines when they visit the subject site. Google’s Search Console is perfect for this.

ALT and META data

These are tags that are not visible to site visitors; they are contained in the site’s code. ALT tags are the words that appear when you hover your mouse over an image and describe it. An ALT tag placed behind the image of your company’s logo is great for improving your company’s name. Meta tags are lines of code that are included in the top section of your website’s code. They inform search engines about the page’s subject matter and relevance. Furthermore, the short description of your site that appears in some search results is derived from the home page’s meta description element and should thus be utilized to the site’s advantage.

Technical SEO

There are a number of critical technological concerns affecting SEO operations that must be verified and, if necessary, fixed. Site speed, site security, URL structure, crawlability, and mobile responsiveness are examples of these.

SOCIAL & LINK BUILDING

Social Media

When it comes to marketing, you go where the fish are. And the fish are increasingly using social media. The power of online sharing via social media gives a huge opportunity for businesses willing to invest the effort in learning how to use it. We assist clients in establishing a social media presence and consult with them on how to effectively use those social media profiles to distribute site content and communicate with consumers and new customers during this phase of the process. We advise our clients on how to use Google My Business to boost exposure for local searches, which is especially important for small businesses. We provide Local SEO solutions designed specifically for local businesses; discover more about Local SEO here.

Building In-Bound Links

Each new, high-quality link to your site enhances the likelihood of both search engine spiders and searchers looking for services or goods similar to yours visiting your site. Google considers links to your site (provided they are from high-quality sites) to vote for your site and rewards it appropriately. A number of free internet tools are available to help you assess the popularity of your links. In addition, Google’s Search Console provides information regarding the incoming links to your site. A word of caution: free for all link sites and other low-quality sites of this type are useless and, in fact, subtract from your success with search engine penalties. With the release of Google’s Penguin algorithm upgrade, this became even more significant. We advise our clients on how to expand their internet reach and influence by acquiring new, high-quality inbound links.

FOLLOW UP REPORTING AND ANALYSIS

The same reporting that was done during the campaign’s initial phase is done again at regular intervals after optimization. Rankings, site traffic levels, social signals, and other critical indicators may then be compared to pre-optimization levels, resulting in measurable SEO strategy results. The particular metrics employed in an SEO plan will be determined by the site’s aims.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON THE SEO PROCESS

Time Frame

It may take some time for search engines to index a site and for its rankings to alter. Some search engines have a six-month lag period between doing an effort and obtaining results. Clients must be patient and have realistic expectations when it comes to organic (natural, non-paid results) search engine ranks. If your company’s requirement for enhanced search engine visibility is larger than what can be reached through optimization alone, I propose incorporating a pay-per-click (PPC) campaign into your marketing mix to bridge the gap. PPC programs, such as Google AdWords, maybe set up in a matter of days and produce rapid results.

Rankings Guarantees

We are unable to guarantee precise rankings for specific terms. There is no way to guarantee a specific position in any search engine’s organic search results. Using purely white hat approaches, stridec.com optimizes a website so that it is as appealing to search engines as possible. stridec.com recommendations would specifically ensure that the site is easily spiderable, loaded with keyword-rich content, enjoys quality inbound links, delivers a fantastic user experience, and is reviewed and refined depending on its performance against our stated goals. These are strategies that have shown to be beneficial SEO tactics for our clients over time.

Be wary of any SEO business that claims particular rankings.

Content Development

We execute SEO work by making tiny, non-substantive adjustments to the site’s existing content/text, emphasizing the selected keyword phrases. We give recommendations on fresh content; the client is responsible for writing any new meaningful information. If creating new material within your organization is difficult, we are pleased to connect you with excellent copywriters. We then take your remarks and make little tweaks to them in order to maximize their usefulness. Please let us know if you do not want us to make these minor adjustments to the site’s text.