So, you want to rise to the first page of Google? You’re determined about getting results from SEO?
For some SEO optimisers who only care about you signing the dotted line and walking with your cash on their hands, there’s no stopping of this enthusiasm from you.
But just before you embark on your SEO, consider this fair warning: starting SEO right away – without careful assessment and preparation — may undermine your SEO results and gobble up your marketing budget very fast.
Here are three things you should do before starting SEO:
#1. Determine Your Desired Search Engine Optimization Results
Why do you want to do SEO? What do you want to achieve? Is it just a high page rank? What for?
You might think that the answers are obvious: You want to be on the first page at the top positions so people can notice you and become your customers.
While that reasoning is valid, think deeper – is SEO the best route to take to achieve your goals? Is sitting on the top position helping you and giving you the result you desire to achieve for the price that you have been asked to pay? Are the visitors coming to your site finding what they are looking for?
Unless you have answered these questions, unless you have prepared your marketing plan and carefully evaluated where SEO comes in with respect to the over-all picture, then prudence dictates that you do not start SEO right away.
#2. Make Sure A Site Audit Is Done
We recommend doing a website audit before embarking on SEO. The web is constantly changing, and with that, business owners must keep their websites abreast with the change.
Before starting on SEO, ask yourself these questions:
- How’s the coding on your website?
- Is your site architecture solid?
- Is the website user-friendly? Is it easy to navigate and understand?
- Do you know what EXACTLY needs to be changed on your website to increase the likelihood of SEO success?
- How is the user experience on your website? Are they able to find the information they need easily?
If a site audit is not done, then there is no point applying SEO right away as it is akin to investing in SEO at a huge risk.
#3. Thoroughly Review Your Competitors And How You Stand In Their Midst
You cannot assume to succeed in your marketing strategy without ever inspecting what your competitors have done and why they are successful.
What keywords are they optimising for? How do these keywords match your prospects? How competitive are these keywords? Have they been successful in their offline and online marketing strategies? What direction are they taking for their social media engagement?
There is a war raging on out there – and it’s a fierce one. If you are determined to win it, then you should know your opponent and seek opportunities to quell him.
Researching about your competitors may require a lot of time, but if you are to do your SEO right, then this is a piece of the puzzle you cannot afford to miss.
