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\nWhether you are an in-house SEO or an SEO consultant, creating a program that is competitive enough to help a website succeed is critical.<\/p>\n
\nWhether you are an in-house SEO or an SEO consultant, creating a program that is competitive enough to help a website succeed is critical.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s also important to manage the program well. When done right, you can keep stakeholders feeling confident and team members working together on progress.<\/p>\n
In this article, I\u2019ll cover:<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n It was Benjamin Franklin who said, \u201cIf you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.\u201d<\/p>\n The amount of work that goes into crafting a successful SEO program cannot be underestimated. The first and most important step is initial research. This is before you even create a plan.<\/p>\n Here are some steps to consider:<\/p>\n This is where you\u2019ll get a basic understanding of the business and their goals, where they are at in their SEO or marketing programs and uncover any specific requirements for their SEO campaigns.<\/p>\n Of course, you\u2019ll get all the logins and credentials you need to do additional research. This includes the website(s), social media accounts, analytics accounts, PPC accounts and any other relevant platforms.<\/p>\n Doing a bit of baseline research helps to inform the initial kick-off meetings for the project and the SEO plan.<\/p>\n There will be much more in-depth research to come. This is simply to get a bird\u2019s eye view so you can make recommendations on the program.<\/p>\n Some of the things you can do include:<\/p>\n Armed with initial data, you are ready to put together a custom strategy that addresses the client\u2019s weaknesses, supports their strengths and creates a roadmap for a thorough SEO program.<\/p>\n Outline overall recommendations for what to do and when including:<\/p>\n As for what<\/em> you include in your program, some elements of a good SEO program include:<\/p>\n A final note: It\u2019s helpful to share anecdotes of how your recommendations have helped in the past or present case studies from similar websites and support your recommendations with Google\u2019s advice<\/a>. If you\u2019re an in-house SEO, you can skip this section. SEO consultants: A quality onboarding process is the foundation of a good working relationship.<\/p>\n With it, there is clarity, and expectations are better established. This means better teamwork.<\/p>\n1. Creating a Plan<\/h2>\n
In-Depth Meeting<\/h3>\n
Access to Accounts<\/h3>\n
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Baseline Research<\/h3>\n
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Program Recommendations<\/h3>\n
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\n<\/a><\/p>\n2. Onboarding (for Consultants)<\/h2>\n