Have you ever wondered if there’s an easier way of being found on Google other than hiring an SEO specialist or Agency? Furthermore, you might even be asking if it’s possible to do SEO yourself.
So, the answer to the question is YES. We believe it is possible to do SEO yourself. However, there are some key factors to take into consideration. In this blog post, we will look at what is required for you to perform your own SEO.
Let’s get started!
SEO, what role does it play in the Digital Marketing Mix?
Search Engine Optimisation is the act of making sure that your website has to be optimised for your product or service to show up in searches.
SEO plays an integral part in the digital marketing mix because ultimately it helps with a website’s conversion rate. Furthermore, it works together in conjunction with other digital marketing strategies, like paid campaigns. We go into this in further detail in one of our blog posts, “What is SEO”.
You might ask, “but what if I am already running a paid campaign and I’m getting lots of traffic”? That’s a good question, and we cover this in the article “Paid vs Organic”.
However, what really matters is the retention of the traffic to your website. More importantly, the more organic (free) traffic you can generate, the better it is for your marketing budget.
By understanding SEO and how search engine optimisation works, you will be in a much better position to perform the necessary optimisation tasks yourself.
As entrepreneur Wendy Piersall says; “Google only loves you when everyone else loves you first.”
So how and where do you start to do SEO yourself?
If you choose to do SEO yourself, you’ll require some technical knowledge of the programming functions. However, you do not necessarily need to do a course in coding. Besides, many of the templated websites today provide instructions, guidance, and tools to optimise your website SEO.
There are four critical areas of SEO to understand. These are on-page, off-page, technical and local SEO.
Knowledge and educating yourself on these fundamental areas will put you in the right direction to perform the necessary tasks to optimise your sites.
What tools and steps are required?
Site Audit
- When working on an existing site, you will need to perform a Site Audit. Without a doubt, this is easier if you have taken time to build up knowledge of the SEO process. Upon completion of your site audit, you will be more aware of which strategy to follow.
SEO Tools
- The audit process can be automated using specially designed online software like SEMrush and Neil Patel.
- You can also generate reports daily to keep you on task and advise on any changes required.
Keyword Research
- To understand which keywords you need to rank for on Google and other search engines, you need to do keyword research. Google Keyword Planner & Ubersuggest are excellent tools to perform this search.
Research Target Audience
- If you are looking to convert traffic to your site into customers, knowing and understanding your ideal target audience is essential. Not only can this be achieved through surveys but also through the creation of buyer personas.
Content Creation
- By making sure you are using “targeted” language and keywords in your content copy, you will appeal to your ideal audience.
What to consider if you choose to DIY your SEO
The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and therefore it is essential to remember to be consistent and keep up to date with your SEO knowledge. We highly recommend gaining an overall understanding or education of best SEO practices. In particular, how to pull together all the elements required to bring more organic traffic to your website successfully.
Our recommendations are as follows :
- Complete a professional short course in SEO Strategy with NZIE.
- Be patient with yourself as learning new terminologies can be difficult
- Allow plenty of time for research, planning, and implementation
- Keep up to date with any algorithm changes and update your site regularly
- Follow a checklist when performing a site audit
- Use free tools for reporting and recommendations where you can
To summarise.
Search Engine Optimisation is a continuous process that requires constant updating and monitoring. It is possible to do it yourself if you learn as much as you can about SEO best practices. In addition, be prepared to dedicate the time and be patient in order to implement the changes to your website.
Whatever you decide to do, a good solid understanding of any digital marketing practice will always be advantageous for your business website. For this reason, you will be able to understand the process better to DIY your website SEO. What’s more, you will be in a far better position to oversee the work that any external contractors perform on your website.
Get in touch with one of our knowledgeable team today to discuss your options to study SEO today.
The NZIE digital marketing course is an extended diploma covering all the significant facets of digital marketing. You will develop skills and understanding to devise and implement the best marketing strategy for your business.
NZIE’s digital marketing school also includes professional short courses in Social Media and SEO strategy to round out your skillset. Tutors are professionals who have honed their skills in the real world. Therefore you can be sure you are gaining practical skills proven to work.
Upskilling yourself to have a broader understanding of digital marketing will be an investment for your growth. Plus, all courses are delivered online in evenings and lunchtimes, so you can do it in your own time without affecting your current work schedule.
Author: Jenni Harrison
External Links :
https://www.searchmetrics.com/glossary/search-engine/
https://neilpatel.com/ubersuggest
Google keyword planner: https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6323?hl=en
Bibliography
Mango Publishing Group. “https://www.mainstreetroi.com/10-quotes-to-guide-your-seo-strategy/.” 2021.
Sixth City Marketing. “What are the different types of SEO Marketing.” 29 July 2020, https://www.sixthcitymarketing.com/2020/07/29/types-of-seo/.
