How to Create an SEO Strategy [Plus Free Tools & Templates]

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an important component of digital marketing. SEO strategy, or SEO plan, is a checklist of activities that can help a website to rank better in search engine results. It’s something that must be done regularly, and it takes careful research, planning, and execution to make sure the website is constantly improving its performance.

Research & Analysis

The first step in creating an SEO strategy is to conduct research and analysis of your industry, competitors, and website. This involves understanding the current landscape of SEO and gathering data to create an optimization plan. Here are some of the key steps to take:

• Understand your current website’s performance. Analyze key metrics such as organic traffic, indexing, backlinks, pagespeed, and conversions.
• Perform keyword research to understand what search terms are used by your target audience and how competitive those terms are.
• Do an SEO audit to identify areas that need to be fixed, such as technical and on-site issues.
• Conduct competitor research to understand their SEO strategies and how yours can be better than theirs.

Create An Optimization Plan

Once you’ve done your research and analysis, it’s time to create an optimization plan with specific activities that can help you to achieve your goals. Here are some key tactics to consider:

• Optimize content with targeted keywords. Use keyword research to determine what content should be targeted and how to optimize it for your desired search terms.
• Prioritize technical SEO. Make sure your website is properly indexed, it runs smoothly, and it has all the technical elements it needs.
• Develop a link building strategy. Quality backlinks are still an important factor in SEO, and a good link building strategy can help you to get them.
• Make sure your website is mobile-friendly. Responsive design is essential for delivering a good user experience, and it’s also important for SEO.
• Keep up with the latest SEO trends. The SEO landscape is constantly changing, so make sure you stay up-to-date with the latest trends.

Tools & Templates

Once you’ve created your strategy and plan, tools and templates can help you stay organized and on-track. Here are some of the best free tools and templates for SEO:

• Google Search Console & Analytics – Use GSC and GA to track your website’s performance and uncover indexing issues, keyword opportunities, and more.
• SEO Audit Template – Use this template to track your SEO activities and make sure you’re on the right track.
• Content Marketing Template – Use this template to plan out and track your content marketing activities.
• Link Building Template – Use this template to track your link building success and make sure you’re getting high-quality backlinks.

Conclusion

For any website to perform well in search engine results, an SEO strategy is essential. With the right research and analysis, a thoughtful optimization plan, and the right tools and templates, you can create an effective SEO strategy that can help your website to rank better in search engine results.