Developing a search engine optimization (SEO) plan goes beyond simply concentrating on the current state. In order to be successful, we need to anticipate future developments and adjust accordingly.
In this piece, we will talk about:
- The SEO industry is undergoing significant developments.
- We need to understand the implications of these changes for our SEO strategies.
- It is important for us to adapt and evolve along with these changes.
Note: When developing an SEO strategy for long-term success, it's important to keep in mind that most businesses typically plan for 5-7 years, rather than 20-30 years. While it's important to have long-term goals, it's also crucial to focus on immediate relevance within shorter timeframes.
Assumptions for Creating a Strategy
In this article, I am presuming certain aspects of the process that led to the development of your strategy.
Best practices are sometimes disregarded due to various reasons, and therefore, I will outline these assumptions for you:
- The developed SEO plan has been aligned with the 1-3 year business plan and objectives.
- There is a measurement plan established for the tactical categories.
- The long-term goals for the company, such as dominating the video game industry in seven years, are known. (For example, if you are working at Netflix, you are aware of their goal to dominate the video game market in seven years.)
Before prioritizing future-proofing your strategy, it is important to first address any compromises that may need to be made in these elements. It is crucial to have a clear understanding of the desired future for your business and have a method in place to measure it before proceeding too far along the path.
In case you are sacrificing accuracy in your measurements and are uncertain about the right time and method to obtain the ideal measurement, seek out a resolution that allows you to effectively track progress and determine value.
My suggestion would be to start by consulting with your finance team as the initial step. Inquire about their methods for evaluating similar actions in platforms that are not usually as easily quantifiable, such as TV, radio, and other traditional forms of media.
In the absence of a metric that can be easily transferred, several alternative methods can be used to address this issue:
Obtaining a "faith-based" figure from finance: In the absence of a specific calculation, they may have assigned a value to that channel based on a calculation made by someone else 20 years ago, which is now considered the standard internally.
Consider relative value: Each action taken on the website has a relative value in comparison to others, such as signing up for a newsletter being less valuable than making a sale. Organize your metrics in this manner, discuss with a decision-maker, and inquire about the hierarchy of value for your goals.
Assign a default value of $1 for all: This is the worst-case scenario. The intention is to initiate a conversation when sharing this figure and being asked about its source.
If you are facing difficulties in implementing tracking for your goals, I recommend following a similar approach to begin assigning a numerical value to them.
One may use an assumed conversion rate from lead to sale or an estimated number of organic newsletter signups based on the current channel split to establish a quantifiable target that can initiate a discussion. This can then pave the way for a dialogue on how to accurately measure it.
To gain a deeper understanding of goal tracking, Avinash Kaushik discusses the topic in detail in his article titled Web Analytics Tips: How to Identify Website Goal Values. Although he focuses on measuring offline conversions, his insights also apply to situations where there is difficulty in determining the value or perceived value of a website.
In this ever-evolving world of measurement, it is crucial to document your sources and assumptions in a clear manner. As we will address later, measuring SEO will become increasingly complex. One particular aspect that remains elusive in measurement is the Search Generative Experience (SGE).
SEO, Surfaces, and the Power of Generative Search
When considering generative search, I have a few different perspectives.
As a representation of the "Experience" aspect discussed in Google's E-A-T guide.
An additional development of Knowledge Graphs and entities in SEO.
When aiming to improve, I consider it similar to managing one's online reputation (ORM).
This approach to conceptualizing generative search goes beyond traditional methods of optimizing websites and instead focuses on developing brand identity and working alongside other marketing avenues.
As an SEO professional, what implications does this have for you?
Utilize social media. If you haven't yet, the success of your job and strategy is now relying on more than just the development or engineering and content teams.
Fundamentally, Perspectives (currently known as Forums) on SGE can be classified as a form of social media. However, it is important to note that Google is not solely relying on this platform for information.
If you are interested in communicating with other teams, especially those focused on social media, it would be beneficial to begin familiarizing yourself with their methods for optimizing content on various platforms. Consider if there are any unique perspectives or skills you can offer in this area.
As a professional, it is important to shift our perspective and recognize that the focus is no longer solely on the website. The emphasis now lies on the content of our brand, regardless of where it is published.
Quantification
At present or in the future, I do not possess an ideal resolution for measurement. Nonetheless, I foresee that measurement will continue to become more ambiguous and projected.
It is widely acknowledged that the measurement of SGE and other Google platforms, such as News and Discover, through source/medium attribution in Google Analytics is inadequate and inaccurate by default. This often results in them being wrongly attributed as (direct).
With the continued fracturing of those surfaces and the development of SGE, it is highly probable that the accuracy of the measurement will decrease.
The focus will probably be on providing evidence of concepts, demonstrating the correlation between actions and results. This will be followed by more complex programs that are difficult to evaluate. Alternatively, there may be an emphasis on market comparisons to justify the work being performed, rather than simply relying on the assumption that placing keyword A at position B will generate an additional amount of revenue.
As an SEO expert, it will be crucial for you to align your suggestions with the overall business strategy instead of disregarding them. This is because it may be challenging to quantify the exact revenue generated from organic efforts and obtain approval solely through forceful means. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate your recommendations into the larger business plan.
Learning
Incorporating a continuous training or education program into your business is crucial, especially considering the significance of measurement in the future.
Don't underestimate the value of taking some time to learn from experts, even if you're running a small business by yourself. In addition to helpful resources like this website, there are also excellent newsletters (such as those found on http://eepurl.com/iMpAzQ) that gather all the latest SEO updates for you.
It is crucial for stakeholders to have a solid understanding of both the fundamentals of SEO and the constantly changing landscape, as well as the potential future developments and their significance.
Identify metaphors that are appropriate for your target audience. Provide illustrations and real-life scenarios from your own website if possible, or use examples from your industry or competitors. Convince your stakeholders that digital media is evolving and will soon resemble traditional media, rather than relying on the measurement methods used in the past decade.
In order to effectively understand the ins and outs of SEO and the business, it is important to continuously educate oneself. One must also be aware of where approvals are necessary and when an initiative can be deemed successful or impactful.
Procedures and authorized checkpoints
What is the point of having a strategy if you are unable to implement it?
In order to ensure the longevity of your strategic initiatives and as a probable component of your educational endeavors, it is imperative to incorporate SEO into all pertinent procedures. This could encompass:
Ensuring the quality of the codebase
Launching brand campaigns
Updating the brand
Migrating to a new platform
Introducing a new product
Preparing for peak sales periods such as Black Friday
The following is a guide on how to avoid plagiarism and properly paraphrase text without changing the meaning or context. It is important to preserve the formatting of the original text while rephrasing it.
Once more, this will require actively engaging with individuals, which may result in your days being a juggling act between completing tasks and establishing a foundation for future tasks.
This also implies that you may need to make compromises on certain minor best practices, which may not hold as much significance in your field. For instance, pursuing a flawless score on Core Web Vitals or revising your metadata may not be necessary.
Although it is impossible to predict the exact future of SEO in ten years, it is possible to create a solid foundation by implementing a well-developed strategy, supported by training, processes, and collaboration. This will increase the likelihood that your strategy will remain effective and adaptable as the market and technology landscape evolves. As noted by Michael King, a crystal ball may not be necessary for this, but a strong framework is key to withstanding changes in the industry.