BY Kathy Crosett
SEO consultants agree. It’s harder now than it has ever been for marketers to reach their SEO potential. That doesn’t mean you should give up.
The World of SEO
Marketers have discovered the importance of online search. As a result, the ability to rise to the top of the results list is challenging. The increased complexity in the market has resulted in SEO consultants turning to specialization.
A recent industry survey reveals that search professionals identify with specific categories. They specialize in technical or content-focused SEO. They may also only do SEO management or link building.
Regardless of your specialty, your clients are counting on you for results. The SEOFOMOHUB survey indicates that most search specialists provide ongoing service to their clients. This business model makes sense.
Once you know your client’s scope of business, you can help them meet their SEO potential.
The Challenge of Search
We all know that the world of search is more challenging. In fact, only 55% of survey respondents indicate that they succeed in reaching their goals at least 70% of the time. This is not what clients expect.
Specialists say increased competition isn’t the only problem.
Google’s algorithm
Clients sometimes don’t reach their SEO potential because of changes to Google’s algorithm. Your job is to stay ahead of these changes. Reading about the changes and staying in touch with other industry expects can help you understand how to react.
Budget
Another problem comes down to what the client is willing to invest. Many of your clients have heard that SEO is an inexpensive way for them to generate leads. When you come to them with a proposal for monthly spending, they may resist.
In these cases, you’ll need to demonstrate, through case studies, why it is worth spending more on a solid SEO campaign.
SEO Gamechanger
As you and your clients prepare for the coming year, their SEO potential should be top of mind.
Content
One strategy includes great content. Quality content never goes out of style. To be sure your strategy is making its mark, consider the audience.
Keywords matter, for sure. But your client must understand the terminology that their target audience is using in their search process.
Digital Audit
You can give your clients a competitive advantage by running a Digital Audit in AdMall by SalesFuel. With this tool, you’ll see the kinds of terms the target audience prefers. You’ll also see how many times the search terms are used every month.
The typical consumer is quite comfortable with long-tail keywords. Employ these phrases in the content you create for your client.
Don’t Neglect E‑E-A‑T
Google has long emphasized search quality standards known as:
- Expertise
- Experience
- Authority
- Trust
Marketers that excel in these areas with their content enjoy higher ranking. Does that mean your client has to spend a fortune to reach their SEO potential? Not at all.
But you do need to help them avoid common pitfalls. For example, many marketers are rushing to use the same AI tools to generate content. All too often, that content sounds identical to what another business has posted.
The search algorithms recognize the trend and penalize the practitioners. Encourage your clients to conduct original research. When they reveal results on their site, they are demonstrating expertise.
They can also post real success stories. Detailed testimonials or case studies confirm your client’s experience in their field. And evidence of satisfied customers show that your client has been around for a while.
The state of search is not likely to get easier in the next year. Experts are already touting the importance of using visuals in search. While change is constant, you can help your client reach their SEO potential by focusing on the basics.
Photo by Ciao on Pexels.