You have such a dazzling array of nifty little tools at your disposal when it comes to SEO marketing that it is easy to get bogged down in the tools rather than the end goals. However, all the neat programs in the world will not save a floundering web page if you do not focus on what really matters.
Setting the Right Goals for a Company
SEO works well when the right goals are set from the beginning. When they are not, it can be a very expensive mistake. Some companies actually end up worse off after hiring an SEO specialist because the person they hire does not really understand where the company is going, what its end results should be or even the company’s corporate climate.
There are five stages you should pass through as you work with an SEO marketer. This will help the marketer and you ensure that you are on the same page with respect to your company’s goals.
- First, set goals. This is not optional. It is not a “feel good” exercise based on some whacky urban psychology; it is common sense. If you do not know where you are headed, do not be surprised if no one gets there! Set realistic, recognizable goals that use hard data for support so that you can “prove” you reached your goal. In other words, “more traffic” is not a goal; “50 percent increase in website visitors” is a goal.
- Decide how you will measure your goals. We call these “key performance indicators” and they are particularly important with social media campaigns. KPIs need to be determined between the company’s owners or representatives and the SEO expert.
- Develop a creative strategy. This is where an SEO expert becomes valuable. Almost any good business person is capable of setting goals; however, most people who are successful in business realize that they cannot do everything themselves. A good SEO marketer can come up with a creative marketing strategy that includes the use of social media and other platforms.
- Select your tools. This is the time to pay attention to all those new developments in the computer world. Select tools that will help you accomplish your goals, always keeping those goals in the forefront. If the tool does not fit with your goal or will not move you closer to your goal, drop that tool, not the goal!
- Stay focused. Day by day, you will build a successful web presence through social media, SEO marketing and other campaigns you use to promote your business. The secret, however, is consistency. Nothing will work if it is not done consistently.
Stay on the path and communicate with your SEO company, and you will soon see results!