An In-Depth SEO Strategy Guide for DIY Optimisation

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Last updated: October 2024

What Is an SEO Strategy?

So, what can you do to turn the tide in your favour and cut through the competition, reaching the top of search engine results pages (SERP) and capturing your deserved market share? The answer lies in your SEO strategy.

It is no secret that consumers first port of call is to turn to the internet to search for the businesses, products, and services they need. For businesses, this presents a great opportunity to position what they have to offer directly where potential customers and clients are looking for it, however, with that comes a challenge: competition. In the online space, you will sit alongside your competition, all vying for the coveted number one spot on the SERPs (search engine result pages).

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO, plays a pivotal role in ensuring your website can both obtain the traffic you need to succeed, and attract new users and turn them into leads or converted customers.

By aligning your strategy with your business goals, SEO enhances your website’s chance of ranking higher and attracting more business.

In this article, we will explore the three core components required to form a comprehensive SEO strategy: Onsite SEO, Technical SEO, and Offsite SEO, and how you can incorporate them into your plans to gain a boost to your site traffic and online visibility.

 
 

Our guide to SEO strategy includes the following: 

  • Onsite SEO
  • Content Optimisation
  • Meta Title and Descriptions
  • Internal Linking
  • Mobile Optimisation
  • Technical SEO
  • Crawlability and Indexability
  • User Experience
  • Security
  • Offsite SEO
  • Local SEO
  • Social Media
  • Integrating SEO Strategies
  • Recommendations for Businesses

Onsite SEO

Onsite SEO, also known as on-page SEO, refers to the practice of optimising individual web pages to enhance their search engine rankings and attract more relevant organic traffic. Unlike off-page SEO, which involves external factors like backlinks and social signals, onsite optimisation focuses on the content, structure, and elements within your website itself.

Onsite SEO is often the first port of call when formulating an SEO strategy, and encompasses such techniques as listed below.

Content Optimisation

Most search engine algorithms are designed to promote helpful content relevant to the search terms inputted by the user, particularly when the content seems to engage with the audience. Google, for example, describes their systems for ranking “helpful, reliable, people-first” content. It is not enough to simply put together a blog post that ticks all your keyword boxes. Instead, you need to carefully consider the quality of your content, and how useful it will be to those you intend to read it.

To get started, you should begin with thorough keyword research. This will not only help you target your content towards the search terms you are trying to compete for, but will allow you to understand the language your audience is using when searching, what the user intent is behind each search query and what kind of content is already ranking for those terms. Be thoughtful with your keywords – remember that integrating them into your content will need to be more strategic than simply listing them out.

Once you’ve got your keyword shortlist in hand, it may be a good idea to look to your competitors for inspiration – perform an in-depth competitor analysis, think about what they are doing well, or where they may have left a gap for you to capitalise on. Analysing your competitors can be a source of inspiration that can help you gain a competitive edge.

Meta Titles and Descriptions

Meta titles and descriptions play a pivotal role in helping both search engines and users understand what your page is about. This is particularly true of the meta title – which should contain your primary keyword with prominance to signal to bots and users alike what to expect from your page. Whilst the meta description is not a direct ranking factor, it does play a part in shaping the user’s first impression of your content, and a well-written meta description can entice users to increase your click-through rates and boost web traffic.

Both meta titles and meta descriptions are limited in length within the search results. To prevent truncation, always ensure your intended meta-element content falls below the guidelines. Currently, this is 600 pixels for meta titles, which generally comes out at about 50 to 55 characters (consider that some characters are longer than others – for example, the letter M contains more pixels than the letter I). Meta descriptions can be slightly longer, at 920 pixels, or 150 to 160 characters.

Internal Linking

Internal linking is an SEO practice that helps you connect different, but related, pages on your website. This not only helps you flow traffic through key pages on your site, but creates a good navigational experience for the user, who can more easily find important pages and helpful content, and helps search engines crawl your website to find and rank your pages.

By utilising internal linking, you can create an effective content hierarchy that will not only provide structure and organisation to your site but also give you a boost in the SERPs.

Additionally, internal linking allows you to distribute page authority throughout your site by linking from high-authority pages. When using internal links, a little of the authority gets passed from page to page, strengthening the overall performance of the site.

You must link to contextually relevant pages, however. Random links are more likely to harm your SEO efforts than provide any benefit, as they will confuse users and search engines will soon pick up on the lack of cohesivity.

A good internal link makes sense, crafting a story when navigating from one page to the next. The anchor text should provide a clear idea of the information that can be found on the next page, and incorporate relevant keywords for the target page.

Mobile Optimisation

In the early days of SEO, most internet searches took place on desktop computers. However, as technology has advanced, things have rapidly changed. Now, far more searches take place on mobile devices. Therefore, it is important to ensure your website is optimised to perform well on mobile phones as well as desktops and tablet devices.

Search engines prioritise mobile-friendly websites, considering responsive site design as a key ranking factor. Therefore, skipping mobile optimisation is not advisable.

Your aim here should be to create a consistent experience across all devices, including mobile, desktop and tablets. You should also bear in mind that within these device categories, there are further variables, such as screen size. Neglecting to optimise your site for use on a range of different devices can mean cutting off a huge chunk of prospective clients, and therefore, you’ll want to ensure a responsive design with an adaptive layout is in place so that your website can adapt.

Additionally, page speed is an important factor to consider. Slow load times can often deter web users from engaging with your site further – particularly on mobile.

Technical SEO

Another key foundation of your SEO strategy is technical SEO. Whilst your on-page optimisation will handle the aspects of your site that your audience sees, your technical SEO takes a look under the hood, using website audits as a basis to address the technical aspects of your site that can help improve both website performance and your position in the search engine rankings.

Crawling and Indexing

Getting your pages to appear on the SERPs depends on search engines being able to locate, crawl, and index your content. As such, you’ll want to make it as simple as possible for search engine bots to do so.

Search engine crawlers will analyse your content, its structure and contextual relevance, to determine how well your page aligns with different search queries, and rank it accordingly.

Search engines continuously scan the web looking for fresh content to add to their index, but they can take a while to discover it, so don’t be surprised if it takes a while for your new page to appear. However, by sending the correct signals and optimising your site for search bots, you can help your content be discovered and indexed far more promptly.

The first step in doing so lies with your sitemap. This acts as a roadmap for search engine bots, guiding them through the most important pages in your site and ensuring no content is overlooked. If you haven’t already, be sure to submit your sitemap to search engines (You can do this for Google using Google Search Console). Some CMS automatically create and dynamically update sitemaps – make sure to check and ensure yours is current and up to date.

You should also check your robots.txt file. This serves as a set of instructions for crawlers, allowing them to understand which areas of your site should or shouldn’t be crawled.

Your URLs are also of vital importance when it comes to crawlability. Search engines prefer clean, descriptive URLs that align with your overall site hierarchy, whilst also conveying the purpose of the page. A URL that is short, descriptive, and easy to read will also perform better with users.

Finally, you can implement canonical tags to address any issues with duplicate content, so that search engines can understand which version of the page you’d prefer to be indexed and prevent the pages from competing with each other in the SERPs.

Utilise tools like Google Search Console to monitor crawl errors and address issues promptly. Identifying and resolving crawl errors ensures that crawlers can navigate your site without interruptions and users aren’t finding broken pages in the SERPS.

User Experience

You don’t want to neglect the user experience when optimising your site. Having fantastic content is one thing, but if your site isn’t performing well, providing an enjoyable experience for the user, or creating issues with accessibility or functionality, it is unlikely your hard-won website visitors will stick around long enough to pay attention and engage.

Take some time to browse your site as a visitor. Is your navigation intuitive? Can you find the information you want within a few clicks, or is it more of a challenge? Is your font easy to read, your calls to action visible and eye-catching, and your links and buttons big enough to click? All of this will come into play for your users, so it is important to test it out and make improvements where needed.

The speed of your website will also come into play here. Users aren’t likely to remain on pages that take too long to load, especially when browsing on a mobile device. To reduce load times, compress images, make use of browser caching, and minimise unnecessary code. If your server is taking too long to respond, you may need to make further changes to ensure faster loading times.

To identify performance issues, Google’s Core Web Vitals provide a good deal of insight into the technical aspects of your website. Regularly run a report on your site to help find and fix any concerns. Google’s Page Speed Insights is another good tool to utilise to figure out what might be causing your website to run sub-optimally.

Security

The security of your site should already be on your radar to protect the data of both you and your users, however, did you know that your site security also plays a pivotal role in your SEO strategy?

Search engines will prioritise the safety of the users, and websites with an SSL certificate in place will be rewarded with higher rankings. Having a valid SSL certificate will signal trust and give confidence to your users, giving them the reassurance that their data is encrypted, secure, and won’t fall into the wrong hands. This is essential, particularly if you are asking users to hand over their information (or their money) for conversions, such as if you run an ecommerce site.

Websites that don’t have an SSL certificate in place will often trigger browser warnings, deterring users from visiting your website and contributing to high bounce rates. All SSL certificates have an expiration date, so you will need to stay proactive to ensure it is consistently renewed to maintain a secure site with no disruption.

Offsite SEO

Offsite SEO involves optimising elements outside of your website to improve its visibility and authority on search engines. This includes activities like link building, content marketing, and social media engagement.

Content Marketing and Backlinks

We have already spoken about the importance of creating high-quality content when it comes to onsite SEO – however, this can also work in your favour when it comes to your off-site efforts.

Great content will not only attract users in the SERPs, but if you put out information that is genuinely helpful, nuanced, and demonstrates your expertise and authority, it is possible that your content will be quoted, shared and linked to from other places on the web. It may be another blog using you as a reference, or as simple as a share on social media. Either way, a strong content marketing strategy will help you to gain natural backlinks, and expand your reach as more web users find your content.

However, content marketing and natural backlinks shouldn’t be your only method for link building. Whilst gaining links that will help rather than hinder your SEO isn’t as easy as it used to be, you should still think about whether an outreach strategy that can deliver high-quality, valuable backlinks is worth it.

A well-placed backlink can signal to search engines that your site is an authority in your field, proving your trustworthiness to crawlers. However, the process of gaining backlinks via outreach can be costly and time-consuming, but worth it when it delivers. Consider if link outreach is the best use of your time or a job to be saved for further down the road.

Local SEO

Local SEO is a vital strategy for businesses aiming to target a specific geographical audience, such as in the city or county they are located in. This is particularly relevant for small businesses with a primarily local client base, or businesses with a physical storefront for potential clients to visit.

As well as on-site content relevant to the location you are looking to target, both Google and Bing provide their own platforms for businesses to reach local consumers – Google Business Profiles and Bing Places for Business.

Both operate similarly, allowing companies to claim and optimise their business listing with their details, including their name, address, phone number, operating hours, and other crucial information for customers.

By optimising your profiles, both search engines will allow you to feature in the local pack (or map pack), the set of business listings that appear blended within their search results and their maps, enhancing your visibility for users searching in your area.

You can also use your business profile listing to gain and respond to reviews from customers.

Social Media

Many businesses are already leveraging the power of social media to grow their customer base, but are you utilising yours to improve your site’s SEO? While the direct impact of social signals on search rankings is debated, there is a correlation between social engagement and improved SEO. Shares, likes, and comments on social media can indirectly contribute to increased visibility in search results.

Additionally, search engines will often display social media profiles in search results for branded queries. Having active and optimised social profiles reinforces your brand’s online presence and provides users with additional channels to engage with your content.

Integrating SEO Strategies

Developing an SEO plan that succeeds involves understanding the interconnected nature of Onsite, Technical, and Offsite SEO. Each of these components plays a significant role in improving your website’s visibility on search engines. For an SEO plan to be truly effective, these three elements need to work in harmony, while also fitting seamlessly into your broader marketing activities.

Moreover, SEO is not a one-size-fits-all solution. It’s vital to continually adapt your strategies based on industry trends and algorithm updates. Search engine algorithms evolve constantly, and staying ahead of the curve requires staying informed about the latest changes. Whether it’s a new focus on user experience or changes in how search engines interpret mobile-friendly websites, successful SEO strategies are those that remain flexible and adaptable.

Recommendations for Businesses

One of the key recommendations for businesses looking to enhance their SEO efforts is to conduct regular SEO audits. An audit helps identify areas where your website might be falling short, whether it’s slow loading times, broken links, or outdated content. Regular audits ensure that your website remains optimised and competitive, especially as algorithms and user behaviour evolve.

In addition to audits, implementing ongoing SEO maintenance is essential for sustaining long-term success. This involves regularly updating content, checking for technical issues, and monitoring performance metrics to ensure your SEO efforts are delivering results.

For businesses that lack the time or expertise to conduct thorough SEO assessments, seeking professional assistance is highly recommended. An SEO expert can provide in-depth analysis and optimisation strategies that go beyond basic tactics. They can help identify hidden opportunities, fix technical issues, and develop a tailored plan that aligns with your business goals. In a competitive digital space, professional SEO support can give your business the edge it needs to stand out.

A Holistic SEO Strategy

When considering your SEO strategy, it is important to consider the three pillars of SEO – onsite SEO, offsite SEO, and your technical optimisation. A strategic approach to SEO will incorporate all three, and have them working together to boost your site profile and improve your position in the rankings, as well as create a more streamlined, user-friendly experience.

For more support in creating your SEO strategy, our team of in-house SEO specialists would be happy to discuss your business’ unique needs and requirements and help you formulate a strategy that works to deliver the results you want to achieve.

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Magnus Linklater SEO Consultant

Author: Shanna Doherty

As a digital marketer, Shanna has a wealth of SEO and online marketing experience. A passionate content writer, she prides herself on keeping up to date with the latest news and updates in the marketing world.

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