Must-Haves Before You Tackle SEO
Nearly every website project I’ve worked on has at one point had the client ask, “Oh, can you do the SEO real quick, too?” If only SEO was just a quick set-it-and-forget-it process!
I truly think most people just have no idea what SEO really is or how one would undertake it, which I totally understand! So today I want to give you a little background on where to start with this beast.
First, what is SEO?
SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a strategy for helping search engines (like Google) understand what content you have on your website so that internet users can more easily find what you have to offer. To do it right, this is an ongoing task, as search engines are constantly evolving and looking for new content. Telling Google “Hey, I sell candles!” once will never get you high on search results page.
Before you can ever try to get on that coveted first page of search results, there are some key things you need to be able to clearly articulate about your business. If you don’t, you’ll just be running in circles with no measurable goal.
01. Understand Who Your Ideal Customers Are
It’s so tempting to go with the strategy of casting a wide net. Nearly every client I’ve had has told me about their target market, quickly followed with the caveat that they are truly “for anyone, though!” The trouble with this widely-appealing method is that you quickly become generic. You want to find raving fans who feel like your product or service is just for them—not someone who thinks you seem generally nice. In trying to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no one.
What are some examples of narrowing in on an audience, you may ask?
Generic: Dog Lovers
Specific: Pet owners who want clean ingredients in their dog’s food and products
Generic: Busy Moms
Specific: Overscheduled moms who shop online and have a gluten-free household member
Generic: Workout Lovers
Specific: People who attend group fitness classes and are trying to eat more whole foods
You get the idea. Think about these people’s interests and passions, rather than just demographic stats.
02. Articulate What Problem You Solve
Showing your customer that you’ve been in their shoes or that you truly understand what it is they need makes marketing a breeze. This problem you solve doesn’t have to be global food scarcity or world peace; the problem is something that your person could feasibly google.
Let’s think about those moms with gluten-free family members above. What problems might she have?
Need help finding store-bought snacks for her kids that her daughter with Celiac can also eat
Need help knowing what brands to have her Instacart shopper look for when sourcing dinner ingredients
Need help with apps or tools for meal planning around dietary restrictions
When you know these nuances about your customers, then you know how to speak exactly to them!
03. Speak to Those Needs on Your Website
Now that you know who and what you’re talking about, you can reflect those things on your website. The first statement on your website should tell what you do, who it’s for, and what problem you can solve. When customers connect with that and know you have potential to be for them, they’ll keep scrolling along.
You can incorporate keywords relevant to the specific who and what of your customers onto your homepage, your product descriptions or service pages, and your about pages.
If you sell products, you can also set up new collections that speak to different segments of that articulated audience. Rather than only having a “Gluten-Free Snack” collection, you could have:
Kid-Friendly Gluten-Free Snacks
Grab and Go Organic Gluten-Free Snacks
Gluten and Dairy Free Snacks for the Family
Low Sugar Gluten-Free Snacks
Get the idea? If you’re stuck, think about what a potential customer might type into a search engine, and build from there!
What’s Next?
Now that you have your strategic pieces into place, you can start to build an actual SEO task list. Stay tuned for more nitty gritty in future post! ;)
