Not another SEO company randomly spouting tips?
Right. We hear you loud and clear. That's why before we proceed, let's set things straight.
First, are you interested in SEO? If you are, then read on.
How much SEO knowledge have you racked up? If you are expert levels, then skip this article by all means. Heaven knows how saturated the industry is so thank you for your time.
But if Google's ignoring your website or you believe SEO is something you must do, then this one's for you.
Below is a list of practical SEO hacks that make more sense than your complicated love life:
1. Begin with the end in mind
You enjoy learning the ins and outs of SEO. After some time, your understanding of keyword research, content marketing and pay-per-click advertising widens. Your social media accounts are ready for your full blown SMM campaign. Your own knowledge overwhelms you so you're thinking of adding “Digital Marketing Guru” to your resume.
You've learned the basics, some jargon, what have you. So what's next?
Ever read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey? In his famous book, he warned us to at least have an idea of where we want to go. You might argue that life is unpredictable and some things are not set in stone. Regardless of your undertaking, if your goal is to see clear results, shouldn't your intentions be clear as well?
It's okay to trek the Amazon with no proper itinerary if your purpose is to get lost in the first place. But it's another story when you're building a business and looking to increase your profits. It's also a different story when you want your website to show up on Google, Bing and other search engines.
Covey's book was originally written for effective people. Meaning, people who have a vision, are goal-driven and know what they're getting themselves into. You want an effective SEO campaign? First thing's first. Know your direction.
Ask yourself the following:
Why am I running this SEO campaign?
How long will I run this campaign?
Who are my target markets?
What do I want to see in the next 6 months, 12 months or 3 years?
What is my campaign focus – increasing brand recognition or converting web visitors into actual customers?
How much budget should I pour into this campaign?
Should I outsource SEO services or hire in-house?
Do I need web design, copywriting or social media marketing?
What kind of image do I want to project to my target markets?
It sounds corny when you're just a startup business or SEO company in Australia but do set your campaign mission-vision. Clear objectives will make learning and doing SEO less of a burden for you.
Okay. So that still makes you scratch your head. How about you go over to the next tip and see if you're doing it SMART?
2. Work SMART
Bill Gates says he'd rather hire a lazy person to do a difficult job at his company. This is because lazy people will always find an easier way to do things. The Microsoft founder isn't really advocating laziness. He simply prefers people who can deliver quality work without taking too much time.
There is an easy way of doing SEO and a difficult one. Everything's laid out before you. Just choose which side you're on.
If you're on the “lazy” side and don't want technicalities getting in your way, the trick is to work SMART. Now that sounds contradictory. SMART is an acronym for a renowned management criteria. A SMART SEO strategy essentially means:
3. Socialise
Specific – Zoom in on the issues at hand. Web design? Content? Google search appearance? Identify your website's problems, list down the urgency of each and, for your convenience, tackle them one by one.
Measurable – Conduct regular SEO audits and compare the results each time. This is not to pressure you but tracking your progress helps you understand your own strengths and weaknesses. Formulate your own SEO performance metrics to know how far you should step up.
Assignable – Will an SEO company handle your online marketing problems or will you do it yourself? Either way, there must be a role and proper division of labour for everyone involved in the project.
Realistic – What do you hope to achieve given your firm's available resources? So you want to be on page 1 for all search engine results. That's possible indeed but don't think you'll get there in a matter of six months. Other factors must also be considered such as niche, website age, social media presence and availability of paid advertising.
Time-related – Even though SEO results tend to fluctuate, you must set a clear timeline for your campaign. Having a timeline prevents you from getting stuck in an SEO project for a long time. The point is to move on to another SEO issue and create a campaign from there. Once you get to a comfortable position for each target keyword, your only worry is maintaining your rank.
You have more reasons to socialise other than the fact that no man is an island. For one, your website needs it. Secondly, your online reputation depends on it. Thirdly, what are you going to do with the 3 billion users? That's a big pool of potential markets.
By socialisation, we mean try to take advantage of social media. Your resources are limited. You're either a startup digital marketing company or a small business wondering whether hiring an SEO company is better.
Whatever industry you belong to, social media marketing will give your business a head start. Here are the reasons why:
It's free. You don't need to worry about spending money because you have the option not to.
Sharing content is easy and hassle-free.
If you use trending hashtags and join the most talked about conversations, your page or site can get traction.
Actively posting on social media lets you gather information about your target customers (i.e. engagement hours, preferred topics).
You can run ads at a budget, pace and schedule of your choosing – and results are real-time.
Social media links are considered good backlinks. No need to panic if your email outreach to .edu and .gov sites isn't working. No need to use automated but spammy online backlink tools.
There is more room for expression. You can do away with the stiffness websites are often prone to. Just tell others about your products and services as honestly as possible.
It's easier to build relationships with customers and other businesses.
Work with an SEO Company Australia
When all else fails or if you have too much work on your hands, reach out to a leading SEO company. We can always run a campaign exactly the way you want to. We also have a list of affordable SEO services. Rates are reasonable and you have the option to choose a complete package or a customised one.
At the end of the day, you call the shots. All that matters is that your SEO campaign is on the right track.
