I was recently asked to “update the seo” on an existing web site. The concern was that we had, perhaps, been using “old keywords and phrases.” In a nutshell: The SEO had reached its sell-by date and stakeholders were eyeing the pitchforks and torches. Could I please use best practices to overhaul the site’s metadata, and could I do it by Wednesday?
Well, the timing didn’t bother me as much as the emphasis on “best practices.” I’m no stranger to the term and I’ve been known to toss it out for effect on occasion. But this stopped me. I was curious about an established to-do list and went in search of just such a thing.
It was a short trip.
Not counting the “experts” who blatantly borrowed from each other (without sources or credits, typical) and the bloggers who recounted results that, no doubt, could not be replicated, I came up with nothing definitive on this. Try as I might — and with years of sourcing SEO and SEM — I was disappointed. I was also (self-inflicted) now tasked with putting down in writing what I would consider my version of SEO Best Practices™.
Some of these are no-brainers; if you’re doing SEO now you’re putting these into practice at each juncture. Others might not be so obvious or you might have another way of getting to the same result. If you’re reading this and inclined to comment and/or add to the list, please do. I’d like to think that the next person who has to extinguish a colleague’s flaming hair will do so with a bit more confidence and clarity having found this post.
ML’s SEO Best Practices (v1.01)
Keywords: How are your keywords holding up and what kind of traffic are they bringing into your site? Notice I said “kind of traffic” because while traffic volume is a nice trend to watch, it’s the quality of that traffic that’s really having any effect on your site. Did you start out too broad, is the net you’re casting just too wide — bringing in visitors that “just aren’t that into you?” Also consider the alignment between those keywords and your content, which brings me to…
Content: Are your keywords in sync with the content on the targeted page? Will visitors find what they’re searching for or will they be disappointed to find that your page (your site, your brand) is not what they need to complete the task at hand. Don’t be fooled — the metadata on your page can no longer do the heavy lifting. Content is king and optimized content that makes good on the promise of search results makes all the difference.
Customers: Get to know them. Get to know them well. It’s not until you understand what they’re searching for — what task are they looking to accomplish — and why that you’ll truly know if your keywords and content are on point. Talk with customers (you may call them users or visitors, but if they’re “buying” what you’re “selling” they’re customers). What are they saying about your category, your competition, their desires and experiences? How can you better your site and pages to ensure that they have, consistently, the best experience on your site.
Conversation: Paying attention to what your customers are saying is one thing. Really hearing how they talk is another. By listening to the words and phrases that are being used you can boost the effectiveness of the keywords that you choose. Get out of your head. Stop using “insider” language. Get to know the words that your customers are using when speaking — and searching — in your category and you’ll be ahead of the “conversation curve.”
Nuts and bolts: Be aware of these “rules” — use 2-3 keyphrases per page; craft pages at approximately 250 words, adjusted as necessary; place keyphrases in headlines, subheadlines and hyperlinks within copy. Then ditch the “rules” and read the content you’ve created. Try again if you’re sounding robotic or nonsensical. Remember that while your visitors are looking for answers they’re also looking for reasons to care about your brand, your product or service.
Helpful links: Here are a few resouces that I’ve found handy. Comment and add to the list.
SEOmoz – Beginner’s Guide to Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Guide – Unleashed: Keywords and Content
David Mihm – Mihmorandum