Different marketing agencies have their own approaches to SEO. Where some offer SEO work on an hourly basis, others carry out SEO as a project or ongoing service. The key thing to remember is that there is far more to SEO than simply adding keywords to website copy. Effective, sustainable SEO should be carried out as part of a strategy that encompasses a range of elements. Our blog article offers an insight into how SEO work is done at our Hampshire digital marketing agency, VIP IT.
We Start With A Free SEO Consultation
Before we commence any work, we will put together a no-obligation proposal. To do this, we will arrange a free consultation with the client to discuss their business and marketing objectives and provide suggestions for how we would approach their SEO. This consultation allows us to understand our clients’ requirements, opportunities, and challenges. We will seek to understand the client’s products or services, audience, and competitors, as well as where they plan to take their business. You can book your free, no-obligation consultation with our SEO experts here: https://vipit.com/freeconsultation/
At VIP IT, we tend to provide SEO services on a project or contract basis. As a rule of thumb, it takes at least six months to create and implement an SEO strategy and for it to begin showing results. Businesses that take a long-term approach to SEO, with an emphasis on strategy, tend to benefit from the best results.
SEO Keyword Research
Carrying out keyword research is a cornerstone of any successful SEO campaign. It is used to form the basis for the strategy and allows us to lay the foundations for future optimisation. We use specialist SEO applications to help us find and select the focus keywords for the project.
Selecting appropriate focus keywords is not just about looking for the most obvious keywords or those with the highest search volume. Depending on the size of the website, the competition and keyword volume / difficulty, we will select a list of focus keywords to target. Usually, the first phase of SEO work (i.e., the first six-twelve months) will focus on a small number of core keywords, many of which are likely to have a lower search volume and are less competitive. However, we will usually include a handful of broader, more ambitious keywords, with a view to optimising for these keywords over a longer period.
Creating An SEO Strategy
Once the keyword research is completed, we will work on developing your SEO strategy. This involves the following steps:
- Allocating keywords to pages
- Writing SEO Titles and Descriptions (also known as meta titles and meta descriptions)
- Writing H1 titles
Note that the specifics of SEO strategy will vary depending on the requirements. Factors such as overall health and age of the website, type of CMS and type of business will all have an impact on how we choose to proceed.
Allocating Keywords To Pages
Each page on your website should have a focus keyword. Furthermore, the focus keyword should be different for each page. We will usually allocate secondary and reserve keywords to most website pages, but this depends on the size of the website and number of keywords.
Allocating keywords to pages allows us to shape your SEO strategy and website copy with the aim of targeting the focus keywords with the most relevant pages. This means your website pages should begin to climb the organic search rankings faster, because each page has a clear focus.
Keyword allocation sometimes requires us to compromise on which keywords are best suited to each page. Some keywords can only really work for certain pages, whilst others are more general and can be allocated to various pages. Allocating the right keywords to the right pages forms a foundation for the on-page optimisation.
SEO Titles And Descriptions
SEO titles and descriptions are sometimes referred to as meta titles and meta descriptions. They form a basic summary of the website page, and they tell search engine algorithms and users what they can expect to find on the page. Your SEO titles and descriptions should include the focus keyword for the website page.
H1 Titles
Each page should have an H1 title. This is the page title that will be visible on the website page itself. As with the SEO title and description, the H1 title should briefly describe the subject of the page. The H1 title and SEO title should be different from one another.
Optimising Page Copy For Search Engines
Once the fundamentals have been implemented, it is time to optimise the website page copy. This includes ensuring keywords are mentioned enough times in the main body of the text and in the sub-headings.
Readability and user engagement are two increasingly important aspects of SEO, so your website copy also needs to be easy to follow and engaging. It should include relevant calls-to-action (CTAs) and be written in the right tone and voice for the business and audience.
A website page needs to have at least 300 words of copy for it to start ranking in Google Search. However, we tend to aim for a minimum of 500 words and will often reach 1,000-2,000 words when writing copy for our clients. The word count for each page depends on its purpose, the type of business and website.
Blog Strategy
Another key element of SEO is blogging. A blog strategy focused on driving relevant traffic to your website can help improve your website’s organic search rankings for your focus keywords and allow it to rank for a broader range of keywords. Your blog articles could answer questions or provide guidance and advice. You can also use your blog articles to introduce your products or services, encourage email sign ups, bookings, or other conversions.
Now You Know How SEO Work Is Done, SEO Does Not Stop There
As well as the fundamentals outlined above, we include other elements in our SEO service. Image optimisation, technical SEO, backlinks, and testimonials are all part of SEO. Once the foundations have been laid and the fundamentals implemented, we get to work on the more advanced elements of search engine optimisation. Over time, these elements will all contribute to improved website rankings and higher organic search traffic.
Now that you have found out more about how SEO work is done, it’s time to take action. Could you start optimising your website in-house or do you require some help and support from a digital marketing agency? Whichever category your business falls into, start making a plan to make a difference to your SEO and website visibility.
Digital Marketing Agency Hampshire, VIP IT
We are a digital marketing agency based in Hampshire, UK and specialising in SEO. Our team of search engine marketers are experienced in providing SEO services to businesses in a range of sectors, including tech, legal, communications and more. Whilst many of our clients are B2B-focused, we also take on B2C-focused clients, including e-commerce brands. Book your free digital marketing consultation with us today.