Creating an SEO Strategy

When it comes to boosting your website rankings and bringing more traffic to your page, there is only one thing to do: come up with a proper SEO strategy. The right strategy can change the game for your website and your business as a whole, pulling new customers from across the web and retaining your current shoppers. 

What is an SEO Plan?

Before we jump into the world of SEO strategy, it is important to first understand what this kind of plan actually is. A solid strategy for SEO is a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that incorporates SEO for content, off-page factors, technical details, and more. It is all about making sure your entire website is optimized to improve your rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). The best strategy should appeal to both search engine algorithms and your visitors.

In the digital age that we live in, there are a lot of new ways that websites and companies try to stay relevant to the general public. This can include using AI and other search generative experiences to stand out. But despite these efforts, nothing compares to having a high-quality, strategic SEO plan. 

How To Create a Strategy for Your SEO

Creating an effective SEO strategy is not as difficult as it sounds, mainly because there are already plenty of tested and proven steps you can follow to achieve success. There are a total of seven essential components to an SEO plan that we will highlight here and then go through in more detail. Here is a quick breakdown of the key steps to an effective plan: 

• Thorough Researching
  1. Auditing your website’s shortcomings
  2. Increasing your information connectivity 
  3. Writing straightforward content
  4. Identifying relevant keywords
• Setting Specific, Detail-Oriented Goals
  1. Setting realistic timelines for achieving these goals
• On-Page SEO Optimization
  1. Website layout and navigation 
  2. Website speed and response time
  3. Meta tags, URLs, and headings
  4. Quality content with relevant keywords
• Off-Page SEO Optimization 
  1. Backlinks from reliable sources
  2. Social media marketing and other forms of promotion 
  3. Online status and reputation management
• Technical SEO 
  1. Website crawl and indexing
  2. Structured data for search visibility 
  3. Voice search optimization 
  4. Clear publishing and content schedule
• Monitoring and Reporting 
• Continuing Routine Optimization
  1. Keeping up with trends and algorithm changes
  2. Regular reviews and website audits
  3. Constantly assessing data and making adjustments accordingly  

The Seven Strategic SEO Steps

Here are the seven steps listed above, with a bit more detail and specificity. 

Thorough Researching

Make sure you know what works for your website; this is important in determining which parts of your website you should change, add to, or leave alone. You can do this in three different ways: 

• Auditing: Identify your website’s weaknesses, like slow speeds and 404 errors. 

• Site Connectivity: Use backlinks to create a superhighway of information, with a variety of routes to and from your website to other credible web sources.

• Content: Find the best keywords for your content and incorporate them on your site. 

Setting Detail-Oriented Goals

A successful plan for SEO includes measurable and specific goals. This includes making sure to set realistic timelines for your goals to track your progress effectively and make headway toward your end goal. 

On-Page SEO

On-page SEO optimization involves optimizing different elements of your website to improve your visibility on SERPs. This includes creating an easy-to-navigate website, improving site speed, optimizing meta tags, URLs, and headings, and adding alt text to your images. 

Off-Page SEO

Off-page optimization involves optimizing elements outside of your website, like high-quality backlinks and social media usage, and maintaining your brand’s credibility through online reviews and other channels. 

Technical SEO

Technical SEO is what goes on under the surface of your website. This includes proper site indexing and improving crawlability, using data markup to increase visibility in web searches, optimizing for voice and mobile searches, and publishing content on a regular schedule. 

Monitoring and Reporting

Track your keywords, analytics, user behavior, and more to learn about your site’s performance. By analyzing these details, you can learn what you can continue to update or edit to get more user engagement. 

Routine Optimization

Maintaining your SEO optimization is the last essential step. Always look for new ways to improve your SEO and boost your site through monitoring algorithm updates, checking for any bugs or site concerns, and updating based on new keywords and data. 

Benefits of a Plan for SEO

So, why go to the trouble of creating an SEO strategy with all of these steps? There are a variety of incredible benefits to formulating a plan like this. Here are just some of the reasons why you want to create a strong strategy for your SEO efforts: 

• Targeted Traffic: A proper plan will improve your website’s visibility, making it more likely for relevant visitors within your target demographics to visit your site. 

• Brand Awareness: Higher rankings on the SERPs, combined with other marketing tools like social media, can increase brand awareness and trust, leading to greater credibility and more clicks. 

• Long-Term Results: Targeted keywords and regular content publishing can help you achieve long-term success without incurring high advertising costs. 

• Better User Experience: SEO plans involve optimizing various aspects of your website, including its speed, mobile compatibility, and user interface. This can lead to increased customer satisfaction. 

• Competitive Edge: SEO can help you stay ahead of your competitors with the best keywords and outrank them in search results. You can establish yourself as an industry leader. 

• Higher Conversion Rates: You can increase conversion rates through SEO, making people who visit your website more likely to make a purchase or fill out a contact form. 

Common Mistakes In SEO Plans

One of the most valuable parts of any SEO strategy is having an understanding of SEO best practices and knowing how to incorporate them into your plan. If you don’t have a proper understanding, this can lead to a variety of issues, such as: 

• Unrealistic goalposts
• A lack of research time 
• Not incorporating SEO from the beginning of your process
• A lack of flexibility and willingness to adjust plans 

Every business is different, and every SEO plan will have to be different, as well. Make sure you follow the seven necessary steps but do not get caught up in the fine details of doing it exactly like another business. Find what works for you and use that to your advantage. 

Plan Template

As you are putting together the strategies for your SEO work, here is a template you can use to help guide your business through the seven necessary steps: 

• Research: Perform the following audits and research projects to gain information on what may need improvement:  

1. 1. 1. Technical Audit
      2. Indexation Audit
      3. Competitor Audit
      4. Keyword Research 

• Presenting Research: Share your findings with your team. 

1. 1. 1. Discuss data-driven Insights from your different teams.
      2. Share your SEO findings with your team to start discussing SEO strategies.

• SEO Planning: 

1. 1. 1. Allow for flexibility, but allocate a year for planning.
      2. Organize tasks based on effort and impact.
      3. Complete at least one high-impact project every three months.

• Reporting: Track your SEO performance to continue improving. 

1. 1. 1. Generate quarterly or monthly reports to track your progress.
      2. Note your wins and losses to continue learning from them.

• Build Your Plan: Continue to improve your strategy and add to it as you become more comfortable. 

1. 1. Build on your SEO process throughout the year. 
   2. Stay flexible and always be open to new ideas. 

As always, be sure to stay flexible and customize this template based on your company’s specific needs and goals. 

Monthly SEO

When you have a dedicated monthly strategy for your SEO, you can complete a certain number of tasks each month to move towards your goal. Specifically, these small things can help you increase traffic every thirty days. 

Keyword Research

Keyword research is something you can do all the time to strengthen your SEO and your rankings on the SERPs. 

Record Article Ideas

Get inspired with new blog post topics for your website through your keyword research and page content. 

Update Content

Always make sure you are keeping your content relevant. This means updating your internal links, media, and sometimes even the topic of your content itself. 

Backlinks

Building backlinks to high-authority websites can enhance your credibility and rankings on SERPs. 

Monitor Your Progress

Keep track of your traffic, page positions, and more to make sure your current efforts remain successful. 

Strategize with SEO Design

A proper SEO strategy can seem like a lot of work. However, with the help of a professional SEO business like SEO Design Chicago, this process can be a breeze. Our team of professionals is here to help you create content, run analytics, and find the right data to create the best strategy to boost your business. Contact us today to get started. 

 

FAQ: Creating an SEO Strategy

1. How long does it take to see results from an SEO strategy?

SEO delivers long-term results rather than immediate gains. Most businesses start seeing measurable improvements within 3-6 months of implementing a comprehensive SEO strategy. However, the timeline varies based on your industry’s competitiveness, your current website status, and how consistently you execute your plan. Setting realistic timelines as part of your detail-oriented goals helps you track progress effectively and maintain momentum toward your objectives.

2. What’s the difference between on-page and off-page SEO?

On-page SEO focuses on elements you control directly on your website, including site navigation, page speed, meta tags, URLs, headings, and quality content with relevant keywords. Off-page SEO involves optimization outside your website, such as building high-quality backlinks from reliable sources, social media marketing, and managing your online reputation through reviews. Both components work together in a comprehensive SEO strategy to improve your search engine rankings.

3. How often should I update my SEO strategy?

You should conduct routine optimization continuously throughout the year. Generate quarterly or monthly reports to track your progress and identify wins and losses. Update your content regularly to keep it relevant, monitor algorithm changes, check for technical issues, and adjust based on new keyword data. Plan to complete at least one high-impact SEO project every three months while maintaining flexibility to adapt your strategy as needed.

4. Do I need technical SEO if my website looks good and loads quickly?

Yes, technical SEO goes beyond surface-level appearance and speed. It includes proper site indexing so search engines can find your content, improving crawlability, using structured data markup to increase visibility in search results, optimizing for voice and mobile searches, and maintaining a consistent publishing schedule. These behind-the-scenes elements directly impact how search engines understand and rank your website, making technical SEO essential for long-term success.

5. What are the most common mistakes businesses make with SEO strategies?

The most frequent SEO mistakes include setting unrealistic goals without proper timelines, rushing through or skipping the research phase, failing to incorporate SEO from the beginning of website development, and lacking flexibility to adjust plans based on performance data. Many businesses also try to copy competitors’ strategies exactly instead of customizing their approach. Every business differs, so your SEO plan should reflect your specific needs, target audience, and industry dynamics.

6. How much should I budget for implementing an SEO strategy?

Budget requirements vary widely based on whether you handle SEO in-house or hire professionals. Key cost factors include keyword research tools, content creation, technical audits, link building, and ongoing monitoring and reporting. While SEO requires upfront investment, it delivers long-term results without the high recurring costs of paid advertising. Professional SEO agencies like SEO Design Chicago can help you allocate resources effectively and achieve better ROI through targeted strategies and proven methodologies.

7. Can I do SEO myself, or do I need to hire professionals?

You can handle basic SEO tasks yourself using the seven strategic steps outlined above, including keyword research, content updates, and progress monitoring. However, professional SEO agencies bring expertise in technical audits, competitive analysis, advanced link building, and staying current with algorithm changes. They also have access to premium tools and can dedicate focused time to your strategy. Consider starting with monthly DIY tasks while consulting professionals for complex technical work, comprehensive audits, and strategic planning to maximize your results.