Search Engine Optimization

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of improving your website and online presence so that your pages appear higher in search engine results (like Google) when people search for keywords related to your business, products, or services.

Local SEO

Focus: Getting found by people in a specific geographic area (e.g., “dentist near me” or “plumber in Vancouver”).

Key elements: Google Business Profile, local citations, local keywords, reviews, localized content,  link building.

Best for: Service businesses, brick-and-mortar shops, restaurants, healthcare providers anyone who serves a specific area.

National or “Traditional” SEO

Focus: Ranking for keywords regardless of location. Aims to reach a wider or country-wide audience.

Key elements: Website content optimization, link building, technical SEO, authority building.

Best for: Online stores, software companies, blogs, national brands anyone targeting a broad audience.

International SEO

Focus: Optimizing your site for different countries and languages.  

Includes everything in national SEO.

Key elements: Multilingual content, country-specific domains or subfolders, hreflang tags, local currency/pricing.

Best for: Companies selling globally or targeting different countries (e.g., an e-commerce brand shipping worldwide).

Goals of SEO

Increase website traffic
Attract more qualified visitors to your site through higher visibility in search engines.

Improve search rankings
Move your website higher up in search results for important keywords your audience is searching for.

Increase conversions
Turn more visitors into leads, calls, bookings, or sales by optimizing content and user experience.

Enhance website performance
Make your website faster, more mobile-friendly, and easier to navigate improving both user experience and SEO.

Major Factors that Affect Local SEO

These are factors that you can directly influence through SEO.

Backlinks

Importance: High

  • Links to your site from other reputable websites are one of the strongest ranking factors.
  • Quality and relevance matter more than quantity.
  • More high-quality backlinks improve your authority and help you rank higher.

Reviews

Importance: High

  • Positive Google reviews directly influence your credibility and local ranking.
  • The number of reviews, how often you get them, and the words people use all make a difference.
  • Responding to reviews also signals activity and engagement to Google.

Citations

Importance: Medium

  • Citations are mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on online directories and business listings.
  • Consistency across all listings helps Google trust your information.
  • Examples: Yelp, Yellow Pages, local business directories.

  Google Business Profile

Importance: High

  • Essential for local SEO.
  • Make sure your profile is complete, verified, and regularly updated.
  • Use correct categories, keywords in your description, and upload high-quality photos.

On-Page Signals (Site Health)

Importance: High

Your website itself is your foundation. Key aspects include:

Page speed & technical health: Check with tools like PageSpeed Insights and GT Metrix.

SEO technical issues: Fix errors like broken links, duplicate content, or missing metadata.

Content optimization: Use relevant keywords naturally, create quality content, and ensure easy readability.

Page titles & descriptions: Write clear, keyword-rich, and compelling titles and meta descriptions.

Content quality & structure: Maintain well-organized service pages, blog posts, and portfolio entries to support SEO and user experience.

SEO Campaigns

Any change to your website or online presence should be strategic and data-driven.

Always have a plan, based on:

  • A full site assessment
  • Keyword and competitor research
  • SEO best practices

Deliverables and outcomes must be clear. Every SEO project starts with an audit and/or research to decide exactly what needs to be done.

What an SEO assessment might include:

  • Keyword position tracking
  • Website traffic analysis
  • Conversion tracking
  • Website and page size analysis
  • Overall SEO health score
  • Blog and content review
  • On-page optimization opportunities
  • Google Business Profile performance
  • Reputation (reviews) management

Rationale for Changes

Changes must be information backed

No changes should be made without clear reasoning and evidence.

Example justifications:

“We found these keywords have good search volume and are easier to win. We will add a blog post on [specific keyword topic] to increase your relevance and improve rankings for these targeted keywords.”

“Your website needs more authoritative backlinks to improve your rankings, bring more traffic. We’ll start a backlink outreach campaign (guest posts, partnerships) to build authority and improve rankings over time.”

“We identified technical SEO issues (e.g., slow-loading pages or broken links) that we will fix to improve your site’s overall health and performance.”

Managing and Measuring Your SEO Campaign

Track Effectiveness

  • Keyword rankings: Monitor where your important keywords are positioned in Google.
  • Website traffic: Check how many visitors come to your site and which pages they visit most.
  • Conversions: Measure how many visitors turn into leads, calls, bookings, or sales.
  • Google Business Profile performance: Track views, actions (calls, website clicks), and map visibility.
  • SEO health score: Regularly review technical issues, site speed, and content quality.

Set Clear Deliverables

  • Define exactly what will be done (e.g., new blog posts, backlinks, page optimizations).
  • Include expected outcomes, such as “increase in local keyword rankings” or “improved site load speed”.
  • Agree on timelines and milestones so progress can be reviewed.

Use Data to Justify Changes

  • Every update should be explained with a clear reason and expected benefit.
  • Base decisions on audit results, keyword research, and competitor analysis.

Review and Adjust Regularly

  • SEO is ongoing — track monthly or quarterly reports.
  • Adjust strategies based on performance trends and new opportunities.

Summary

SEO is a long-term, evolving strategy. By tracking results, defining deliverables clearly, and making data-driven changes, you ensure your site continues to improve, attract more qualified traffic, and convert visitors into loyal customers.

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