{"id":144249,"date":"2022-10-31T16:57:34","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T16:57:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.searchenginewatch.com\/?p=144249"},"modified":"2022-10-31T16:57:34","modified_gmt":"2022-10-31T16:57:34","slug":"seo-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2022\/10\/31\/seo-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy\/","title":{"rendered":"SEO doesn&#8217;t have to be scary: shift from a reactive to proactive strategy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"well\">\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-large wp-image-144251\" src=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/SEO-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy-1-1024x273.png\" alt=\"SEO doesn't have to be scary shift from a reactive to proactive strategy\" width=\"640\" height=\"171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/SEO-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy-1-1024x273.png 1024w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/SEO-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy-1-300x80.png 300w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/SEO-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy-1-768x205.png 768w, https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/SEO-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy-1.png 728w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3>30-second summary:<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>SEO is a reality that all marketers face and many try to steer clear of as they devise an all-encompassing digital marketing strategy that is reactive in nature<\/li>\n<li>Begin by familiarizing yourself with Google\u2019s Page Quality Rating Guidelines<\/li>\n<li>Create a sound SEO strategy to use every time you start the content creation process, include &#8211; researching audience needs, keyword considerations, and internal linking<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Make sure to clean up and update your existing content so that it doesn\u2019t drag down new, SEO-optimized content<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO can be vague. It is nuanced. It is always in a state of evolution. But that doesn\u2019t change the fact that it is a very real factor that impacts your marketing, whether you plan for it or not.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many marketers discover the powerful effects of SEO when it\u2019s too late. Their content is already underperforming. It isn\u2019t ranking for the right keywords. It isn\u2019t retaining readers and has a low dwell time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fixing the issue of bad SEO wastes time and resources. It\u2019s also completely unavoidable.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key to utilizing SEO to your advantage is to approach it in a proactive rather than a reactive manner. If you\u2019re in a pattern of noticing the <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2022\/10\/11\/bounce-and-exit-rate-analytics-measure-assess-and-audit-to-increase-conversions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">effects of SEO on your online content<\/a> and trying to make adjustments after the fact, here are some suggestions to help you seize the reins and regain a sense of control over your organic search traffic.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>1. Associate yourself with Google\u2019s Page Quality Rating Guidelines<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to dominate with your SEO, you need to start by understanding it as much as possible. This is much easier said than done. SEO often feels more like an art form than a science. Algorithms can be difficult to follow. Results can be conflicting. But there are ways to bring some clarity to the chaos.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google provides a number of pointers for how its search engine works via its <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/static.googleusercontent.com\/media\/guidelines.raterhub.com\/en\/\/searchqualityevaluatorguidelines.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Page Quality Rating Guidelines<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is a massive document that used to be privy to Google employees only. Now that it\u2019s public, it enables marketers and SEO experts to better inform their proactive SEO strategies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several key areas of the document that shed light on <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.marketmuse.com\/google-search-quality-rater-guidelines-how-google-evaluates-your-site\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">how Google evaluates your website<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For instance, it\u2019s important to understand key concepts, like YMYL pages. These are &#8216;<a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2022\/09\/08\/the-new-ymyl-guidelines-and-what-this-means-for-marketers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Your Money or Your Life<\/a>&#8216; pages, which contain important information to help readers make critical decisions. Due to their higher degree of importance, Google grades these pages with a more stringent, high-quality standard. That means you need to keep them impeccably informed and up-to-date (more on that further down).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">E-A-T is another essential element of Google ranking. The acronym stands for expertise, authority, and trust \u2014 a trio of elements that help define how high to rank a web page.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google\u2019s Page Quality Rating Guidelines may be extensive, comprehensive, and a bit overwhelming. But you don\u2019t need to read it cover to cover every quarter. Instead, familiarize yourself with many of the basic concepts. And, of course, keep it bookmarked for easy reference so that it can continue to inform your SEO strategy in the future.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>2. Build each piece of content thoughtfully from the get-go<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone and their mother knows about the importance of keywords and linking in SEO. The problem is when you fail to address these critical content components in the planning phase \u2014 i.e. <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">before<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> you actually make your content.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, this is where things can get tricky. If you focus entirely on things like keywords, it\u2019s easy to over-prioritize SEO at the expense of the reader \u2014 and that is always a bad strategy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good SEO comes from putting the reader first and the search engines second. That naturally creates content that better satisfies the searcher&#8217;s intent. This has the effect of boosting critical SEO criteria, like dwell time \u2026which ends up boosting your SEO in the long run anyway.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even so, it\u2019s important to factor things like keywords and linking into your initial content creation strategy. A good way to do this while still prioritizing your audience is by using the following steps:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Search for important keywords and phrases related to your audience<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: What is your target demographic searching for? What answers or advice do they need? One easy way to see this is by looking up generic keywords from your audience and checking the \u201cRelated searches\u201d section at the bottom of the SERPs. Use this to guide what content you create.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Choose additional keywords<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Use <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ads.google.com\/home\/tools\/keyword-planner\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a keyword planner<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to add other keywords to your initial topic. Don\u2019t be excessive. Just use a handful of additional terms to help your content stand out in search results.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Create complete content<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: When you go to create the content itself, try to make it as comprehensive as possible. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/how-to-create-complete-content\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Complete content<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> refers to something that doesn\u2019t just answer an initial inquiry but any follow-up questions, as well.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Add internal links<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: Finally, remember to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2020\/10\/26\/pagerank-sculpting-how-to-get-more-from-your-links\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">link to other areas of your site<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> throughout each piece. Consistently linking to important pages can tie your site together and help it perform better.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By planning keywords and links ahead of time, you can ensure that you optimize each piece of content right out of the gate.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>3. Cultivate existing content<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s tempting to dive right into creating fresh, new content that is SEO-friendly. But let\u2019s stop for a minute and think things through.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your current site is already performing poorly, creating better content is only going to solve part of the problem. Many chronic SEO issues are a site-wide affair. In fact, Google has clarified that thin content (that is, content without much value) doesn\u2019t apply to individual posts. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seroundtable.com\/google-thin-content-issues-33202.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">site-wide problem<\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That means if you start the proactive SEO process by creating new content, it\u2019s going to have to overcome the flaws of your past low-quality content before it can really start to lift your site out of the SEO gutter.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, as you study Google\u2019s search engine guidelines and gain a better grasp of how to improve your SEO, start the reformation process by assessing the state of your current content. Conduct a review of the existing content on your site by asking these questions:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it up to date?\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.wix.com\/blog\/2021\/06\/how-long-should-a-blog-post-be\/#:~:text=It's%20been%20proven%20that%20long,content%20shorter%20than%201%2C000%20words.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">long enough<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does it utilize keywords <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.relevance.com\/stop-targeting-keywords-and-start-targeting-customers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">without keyword stuffing<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are there internal links weaving each page together?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you go along, try to identify <a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/2022\/09\/08\/the-new-ymyl-guidelines-and-what-this-means-for-marketers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YMYL pages<\/a>. Remember, those are the pages that contain high value for readers \u2014 and which consequently tend to be graded on a higher curve. Make a list of these and check in on them from time to time to keep them at peak value.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Don\u2019t leave SEO to chance<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/category\/seo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SEO<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a powerful tool that can make or break your online content. It\u2019s not the kind of thing that you want to leave to chance. It\u2019s also hard to overcome by reacting to poor SEO after the fact.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instead, take control of your SEO by using the suggestions above. Start by familiarizing yourself with Google\u2019s guidelines. Then create a sound strategy to guide each new piece of content. Finally, review your existing site (especially any YMYL pages) to make sure you\u2019re offering value with both past and future content.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can stay proactive with your SEO, you can turn it into a key element of your marketing strategy.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/johnrampton\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>John Rampton<\/em><\/a><em> is a top marketing leader and founder of Calendar. Find John on Twitter <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/johnrampton\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">@johnrampton<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Subscribe to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/#newsletter-modal\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Search Engine Watch newsletter<\/a>\u00a0for insights on SEO, the search landscape, search marketing, digital marketing, leadership, podcasts, and more.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Join the conversation with us on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/groups\/61126\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">LinkedIn<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/sewatch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Twitter<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Top marketing leader, John Rampton on transforming your approach and taking the reins of your digital marketing strategy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1092,"featured_media":144251,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27893,5],"tags":[979,22],"content_type":[],"class_list":["post-144249","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-digital-marketing","category-seo","tag-digital-strategy","tag-seo"],"acf":{"tad_independentcommercial":"Independent","tad_content_format":"Infuencer commentary"},"post_info":{"name":"idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com idris.nagri@blenheimchalcot.com","title":"","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/SEO-doesnt-have-to-be-scary-shift-from-a-reactive-to-proactive-strategy-1.png","category":"Digital Marketing","timeago":"3y"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144249","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1092"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144249"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144249\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/144251"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144249"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144249"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144249"},{"taxonomy":"content_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/searchenginewatch.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/content_type?post=144249"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}