When you’re ready to start your website optimization journey, the first thing you need to do is to get a comprehensive SEO audit. It includes analyzing your site’s performance and how it compares to competitors on search engines. It guarantees you that your website is up-to-date, which will also improve your website ranking. You get actionable insights that will help you reach your internet marketing goals.
The best website audits focus on three key aspects of SEO: On-page, Off-page, and Technical. So what’s next?
Gather Insights
Before everything else, you need to be clear about your goals. Why did you do the SEO audit in the first place? Besides improving your rankings, perhaps you’re planning to revamp your brand or redesign your website. This sets the plan for the whole campaign.
Next, specify your strengths and weaknesses based on your audit report. Collect all the data you can get for the campaign to determine the features you need to improve.
Prioritize Action Items
According to the list in the report, or the insights you got, it’s time to start the planning phase.
Not all corrections will have the same priority. Although SEOs need to avoid promises having in mind the uncertain nature of the industry, there should be an objective way to prioritize the list in the report based on how big each issue is.
Plan a Timeline
Website optimization is a long-term commitment that consists of short-term tasks and strategic planning. You’ll need to make an action plan for the first 30, 60, or 90 days, with the most important tasks on top of your list. Depending on your budget and your commitment to the project, you can roughly estimate the time you need to accomplish your goals.
Make an Action Plan
Next, you’ll need to find a system to ensure collaboration, assignment, and scheduling of tasks and taking accountability for each action. Making a plan that would be completed on budget and on time is crucial.
Keep in mind that not all roles and stakeholders will understand the importance of improving SEO. Without the necessary education and a clear assignment with a due date, it might be considered low priority and never get actually done.
Continue to Track and Succeed From Your Plan
Once you’ve achieved all your plans, and reached the deadlines and milestones, it’s time to succeed and continue to track your progress. Check the goals you set at the beginning to see if you achieved them successfully. Start tracking your website’s performance and have regular reporting cycles.
Wrap It Up
SEO audits can be very beneficial, but if not performed properly or taken action from, they could be a waste of time. That’s why you need to know what to do immediately after completing an SEO audit on your site, which will help you identify what is right or wrong with existing strategies and how you can do even better.
If you need help with internet marketing and website ranking, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to discuss your marketing strategy and help in any way I can.
Rob Dunford is a Marketing Consultant in the Great Toronto Area with over 25 years of experience in implementing marketing plans for small businesses.