Set SMART Goals for a Website’s SEO Strategy
How do you create and implement an SEO strategy that actually gets results?
You need to plan well and set clear, achievable goals. This is why it is important to set SMART goals for a Website SEO strategy to be successful.
Smart Goal Setting for SEO
You’ve most likely heard about SMART Goals before. The SMART method sets out criteria for setting effective goals. The goals must be:
Specific
Your goals need to clearly and specifically state what you want to achieve. “More traffic” or “more leads” are too general. Instead, make sure the goals include numbers and percentages, stating explicitly what you want to accomplish.
Measurable
Your goals need to include specific criteria to measure your progress so you know whether you’re achieving them or not.
Achievable
Your goals should be realistic and attainable. Each goal should be something you can accomplish in the time you set out to do it.
Relevant
Your goals must contribute to your broader, overall business goals.
Time-Based
Your goal should have a defined start and end to keep you on track. Create a manageable deadline.
Use SEO SMART Goals to Go Beyond just getting Traffic
Taking time to think deeply about your SEO goals is important because it’s not only about getting traffic and visitors to your site. Your SEO goals are about wider business objectives. Its a mistake to focus on driving traffic to the site and not have a plan beyond that. Having a steady flow of visitors is great, yet if you don’t move them on to the next step (sign-up, trial, download, comment, purchase), then you’re missing out on a valuable opportunity.
Beyond traffic, other goals might include increasing revenue, growing brand awareness, building your email list, building relationships, and creating an online community of engaged brand advocates.
Another example of a focused goal would be to get your site to the top of Google’s search results for your chosen keywords. These are all things traffic will help you do.
How to Set SMART Goals for SEO
To set goals that are SMART for your search engine optimization strategy
- Start by clarifying your long-term business goals. Why do you want to grow traffic? What do you want to do with it?
- Next, look at historical performance. What have you been able to do in the past?
- Then set a date (weekly, monthly, quarterly) to review numbers and become familiar with all the areas you are watching. You will then know what needs to remain the same, change or revise to reach the overall goals you’ve set.
This will help you assess, reevaluate, and set realistic goals.
Once you get started working toward your goal, you will refine and adjust.
For example, you may find that traffic is growing more slowly than expected. You might then move back a benchmark. Or you may find that you didn’t need as much traffic as expected to start seeing your email list grow.
Keep SMART goals in mind as you revise.
Whatever your business goals, it’s essential to have a solid SEO strategy and plan in place to drive traffic to your website.
SEO isn’t hard to do. It just takes some planning and strategic thinking. Doing it randomly will not bring the results you want to see.
When you set SMART Goals for your website SEO strategy, not only will it be easier to be consistent, you will be rewarded with more robust business results.
Want to learn more about how you can choose the right keywords for your content?
You can have enthusiastic support and motivation as well as find accountability partners as you implement your SEO Strategy with a free challenge to get you started.
The challenge, delivered by email, is done on your own time. There is a Facebook Group for support and accountability.
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