What is SEO - or Natural Search Optimisation?

One definition of SEO would be

improving the content of web pages and the way in which they are linked to other pages within the same site and to other sites on the Internet so that they appear higher in the SERPS (search engine rankings pages) for keywords relevant to the page content.

SEO as project management

But in many ways a more meaningful way of looking at SEO, and what it really boils down to, is in fact project management.  SEO consists of a never ending iteration of small changes to the site and its constituent pages and it is the management of these changes that to a large extent separates the good SEO from the not so good.

As SEO has developed, I have found that it is more and more sensible to include the client as much as possible – and this is why the Atracks model has increasingly been one of providing training in SEO strategies and then following this up with a mentoring service allowing clients to do as much in house as they are able and have the resources to do, leaving Atracks to provide only that specialist expertise that the client really needs.  This approach makes sense for both the client – he keeps his costs down – and for the SEO service provider – he gets paid a premium for his specialist knowledge. 

 

The role of web analytics

The modern view is that Analytics should drive natural search optimisation – as it should all forms of online marketing – but analytics can only be a driving force when it is integrated into a process that results in Action.  

This combination of a training/mentoring SEO model driven by web analytics means that project management is critical for the whole structure to fit together.  The web analyst (usually the SEO expert) must generate timely and well configured reports providing only information relevant to the SEO process.  The SEO expert must then interpret these analytics reports into meaningful actions to be implemented by a well structured combination of resources provided by the client and the SEO expert.

In short, this project management focussed approach works exceedingly well so long as the SEO manages the process well and the client is motivated, and has the resources available, to provide the necessary action.  It also has the advantage of providing momentum.  If a report is generated every month indicating results of previous work and how much progress has been made, together with a tactical plan for the next month, then the process is an ongoing one.  The result is a site that grows and develops both to the benefit of its search engine rankings and to that of its visitors – without which there is not much point in those lovely high rankings!

9th May 2008