Why would anyone want to create an in-house SEO strategy when there are millions of different agencies that do it for you? Because in-house SEO provides you with a quality, individualised approach and value no agency does! You obtain a holistic approach of, usually, one website, which allows you to focus on more details.
However, creating it isn’t simple. You need to consider numerous things at once.
To make things easier for you, we’ve created a list of 11 things to keep in mind when creating such a strategy. The path is challenging, but in the end, it will all be worth the effort! The structure of your strategy can make or break your business, so consider these aspects.
What is your goal
Each business, strategy, and step starts with a goal in mind. Without having set goals, you don’t know what you’re aiming for, nor you’ll have an idea how to achieve the wanted results! Even though the end result is your goal, you also need to make a plan for how to achieve that goal. A plan usually consists of steps you should take and the needed assets you should obtain to achieve that goal.
This means that your entire strategy should be based on a solid and well-thought-out plan. To make it happen, do thorough research of the market and the potential strategies. It would be ideal to have a hiring strategy as well, as you can plan your resources the best according to the talents you have in your team!
Budget and finances
Besides the goal you want to achieve, setting the budget is of utmost importance. Without adequate finances, you can’t do enough or anything at all! Therefore implementing budget planning into your strategy is vital for your business. Since your website isn’t usually the only source of expense, you need to plan your finances accordingly!
What is the right way to set a budget? There is no simple answer to that question. Your website should be original but should contain some of the main aspects, such as a solid foundation, well-optimised pages, blog posts, etc. Therefore, as long as you keep your entire SEO strategy in mind, there is no right or wrong way to set a budget. Be realistic!
How large is your company
Before you get on with the strategy, you need to answer honestly: how large is your company? The success of your strategy also depends on the size of your company. Many think that huge companies are at an advantage. However, that doesn’t always have to be the truth, as strategies almost always depend on the budget.
Larger companies require a bigger budget as managers, policies, and politics need to be involved when creating a successful SEO strategy. Smaller companies that decide to invest in SEO can keep up with updates and quick changes in the SEO world, and therefore, be one step ahead of large organizations.
Needed skills and assets
When creating a comprehensive SEO strategy, you need to think about the skills and assets your team needs to complete their tasks. Certain skills can make their job easier, so when selecting candidates for your team, think about their skills before their experience.
Firstly, they need to have the ability to think critically, speak and write clearly. They need to be data-oriented and have basic programming knowledge, such as the use of WordPress. Add analytics and social skills on top of that to complete the person. Lastly, don’t forget about the sense of humour. You can’t work in SEO without it!
Create an SEO team
For a successful SEO strategy, you need to form a successful SEO team! Which members should be included in it? There are 5 crucial positions you need to fill when creating an SEO team. Naturally, you need a manager or a person that is going to run the strategy, set goals, and make plans for the team. However, that manager needs a team of specialists that will follow an SEO checklist for a successful strategy.
Besides the SEO manager, to form a team you’ll need an SEO specialist, content writer, link builder, and social media manager. Together they can create the strategy that will bring your website to the top page. Each has a significant role in the team which makes them an inevitable part of the process.
Importance of freelancers
The process of creating an SEO strategy can be complicated and challenging. Your employees need to complete millions of sub-tasks to make the strategy work flawlessly. That sometimes means employing more people, which can be harmful to your organisation! So, consider hiring an SEO freelancer instead!
Freelancers can be extremely beneficial for your in-house SEO strategy. They can provide you with a different point of view and help you improve your rankings. Sometimes they are more experienced in the field than your employees, which will help you reach your true target audience and get the needed attention from the public.
Programs and tools you’ll use
Once you assemble your team of experts, you need to assign them tasks to keep everything in order. Also, each member will need certain programs and tools to complete their tasks. So, install a set of tools each role will use to create the perfect strategy for your business. What are some of the tool types you’ll need?
For instance, link builders will need tools that will help them improve the process of internal linking or any type of linking for that matter. Also, you’ll need tools to find powerful words that will boost your traffic and conversions. You may have the best team in the world, but without adequate tools and programs, their reach might not be as efficient.
Comprehensive intranet platform
When creating a strategy, you need to have well-developed communication within the team and between different teams. As SEO requires engagement from various specialists within and outside of your company, you need to have an adequate platform for information and resource sharing. Such a platform is called an intranet.
Intranet helps you build a comprehensive internal communication strategy by bonding your team members and allowing them to communicate about the ongoing projects. On top of that, an intranet can help you share important information and develop a stronger team bond, which will ease collaboration. So, even though this might seem unimportant for the strategy, it has an indirect correlation to the entire process and makes it easier and better for everyone involved.
Posting blogs
Each SEO strategy requires an audience for success. You need to bring certain value to your target group to stay relevant. That’s why many specialists decide to create blog posts and similar entertaining and informative content. How do you do so?
To rank higher, your blog posts need to be original, informative, and fun for your target group. Hiring freelance writers or a copywriting company is always a good idea if you want to have unique text. Also, you can search for some copywriting tips for writing plagiarism-free content for your blog. Ensure the topics are relevant to your industry and follow the latest trends from the niche. That’s how you’ll grow your audience and attract their attention.
Competition
Are you a small company? That may be your biggest struggle on the market, especially if you’re competing against larger companies with a bigger budget! You may not be able to compete on the content number. However, you can beat your competitors with your content’s value!
Besides that, you can use the process called scaling, which will help you achieve magnificent results without putting the equivalent effort into the strategy. Learn more about scaling and how it can help you manage your SEO strategy. Don’t forget to outsource talent via freelancing platforms to keep your strategy flowing smoothly.
Learn how to measure and track your performance
Last, but not least, you need to establish metrics that will help you track performance. SEO and content metrics can make or break your entire strategy. Therefore, having an analytics specialist who will keep track of your site and write reports with clear feedback information on how well your page is performing.
Such reports can help you assemble a strategy and aim it in the right direction. Having an educated and professional person on the team saves you from misinterpreting the results and ruining your strategy. Also, such a pro protects your business and helps you create weekly and monthly reports, which also highlights the importance of the SEO team in this concept.
Final thoughts
If you’ve been in the SEO waters for a while, these 11 tips will help you improve your strategy and conversion. On the other hand, if you’re a beginner, try out these tips and their variations. The more things you try, the sooner you’ll find the path that suits you and your business the most.
The SEO industry is still developing, so you need to keep up! Try new things and follow the trends to stay on top of the game. Also, consider training programs, books, and courses that will allow you to dig deeper into the topics you’re interested in the most.
