By Art Allen

When developing content optimized for search, the basic advice to write helpful content is a good place to start. But holistic SEO involves much more than simply writing. Any B2B marketer looking to rank for competitive keywords should invest the necessary time in developing an SEO process that starts well before any words are written and extends far beyond the moment of publication.

In fact, there are seven steps involved in developing an SEO process that will help your content rank consistently. Let’s explore each of those steps and how they each contribute to effective search optimization.

7 Steps of the B2B SEO Process

#1: SEO research

Developing your SEO process starts with research. But it doesn’t start with keyword research — it starts by looking inward, with an SEO audit. After all, before you can plot a course of action for your SEO process, you have to understand the current state of affairs.

Once the SEO audit is complete, it’s time to assess the overall competitive landscape. You can do this with a search engine results page (SERP) analysis, a competitive analysis, and a gap analysis — looking at the best ranking content, what your competitors are up to, where your own website stands and what needs to be improved.

The findings from these research initiatives can then be used to inform your keyword research. Tools like SEMRush, Answer The Public, or Google’s Keyword Planner will help you understand the best keywords to target. To get the most value from your target keywords, you should also perform a search intent analysis to ensure you are providing content that is relevant to users searching those terms.

“To get the most value from your target keywords, you should also perform a search intent analysis to ensure you are providing content that is relevant to users searching those terms.” — Art Allen @punsultant
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#2: Create an SEO strategy

Your SEO strategy plan should be detailed, action-oriented, and made up of every element that impacts how your website ranks: content creation, technical optimization, and link-building. This document will clearly outline your SEO objectives, whether it’s improving organic traffic, increasing lead generation, or boosting online visibility. These goals should be measurable and aligned with your business objectives.

With your goals set and your keyword research and search intent analysis in hand, you can start to document your SEO plan. This document will serve as a roadmap, guiding you and your team through each step of your SEO strategy. To ensure you can achieve your goals, create clear priorities for each task and set realistic timelines for implementation.

#3: Address technical SEO

Getting the technical aspects of your website in good working order will be the first phase of implementing your SEO strategy. Technical SEO focuses on the behind-the-scenes aspects of your website that impact its performance.

The first step in addressing technical SEO issues is to conduct a technical audit. This will help you identify and resolve issues related to site speed, mobile-friendliness, crawlability, and overall user …read more

Source:: Top Rank Blog

Author: Aaron