Organizing An SEO Campaign

February 20, 2008

Organization is one of the biggest challenges with SEO; at least for me it is. For years I would start optimizing my site, submitting my site and researching keywords with no real system in place to get the job done effectively. After a month or two I couldn’t even remember if I completed the most obvious steps in the process like submitting my site to DMOZ.org. So I would either cross my fingers in the hope that I actually did do it or I would submit again.

The same thing would hold true for the keywords that I used, the articles that I wrote, or the links that I received from other sites. I simply had no sane system in place to manage my SEO work.

Let me say from experience that you need a system in place. It doesn’t have to be complicated; in fact I’m a big fan of the word “simple”: Simple systems, simple checklists, simple reminders, a simple life. So, planning ahead, developing a system and relying on a few best practices will take you far.

To keep with this theme, I’ve provided a simple list of best practices that you can utilize to help you stay organized and conduct a more thorough and successful SEO campaign.

Make your system easy to use

Whenever you develop a system for getting things done, it needs to be simple. If it can’t be simple, it at least has to be easy to use. If you’re a fan of David Allen you might have some experience with GTD systems. In my opinion the David Allen system is a little bit too complex for me but I’ve found ways to make it work for me by removing or modifying things that stood as roadblocks. Your system should be easy for you and come naturally. If there are ANY steps in the process that take extra effort then you won’t stick with it.

All info in one place

Decide on a system where you keep all your info in one place. This might be an Excel document for each project, a file folder or even an an online software solution for managing SEO. Whatever it is, make sure that you decide on one central place to get it all done.

Create lists

I love lists and I’m not sure there’s a better way to go through a routine project–or any project for that matter–that shouldn’t have a list attached to it. We’ll continue to provide checklists here at QuickStartSEO.com for your ongoing use. As a general best practice you should develop a list for managing a SEO campaign from start to finish and then manage various sub-lists as needed as you go through the steps in your campaign.

Create routines

As you do more and more SEO work you’ll start to build a system that you go through each time. What do you do first, what comes next and what can do you while you’re waiting for something else.

Document as you go

As you go thorugh your lists and routines, make sure to document everything in your trusted system. Continue to update and refine your lists and your routines. Making sure you know exactly what you’ve done so far and what you need to do next is a very important part of SEO.

A simple system for pending items

Make sure you know at a glance what you need to do to complete your work on the campaign, what you should be doing ongoing and what your next actions are. This one goes along with the concept of managing lists and documenting as you go through your campaign. The most important thing to do is to make sure you have a clear system so you know what you need to do next at a glance.

Delegate

As you go through your lists and processes, define items that you can delegate out at the start or when the time arrives. Copywriting, manipulation of code, linking, research and submission to relevant sites and directories can all be delegated or outsourced as needed. Make sure that you provide specific instructions and don’t let just anyone handle items like linking and submission of your site. It will be very hard to undo low quality work.

Follow through

If you have a trusted system you’ll be much better at follow through. Make sure you know who you’ve requested links from, who you need to follow up with to confirm a link, where you made comments on sites and forums, who is currently linking to you, which pages on your site are currently optimized, etc.

Keep your goals in mind

SEO is all about reaching goals. If your goal is to be positioned in the top 10 for your top 20 keywords then spend all your time on these keywords and do what’s specifically necessary to reach these positions. Depending on the target market that might mean a different approach for each SEO campaign. Don’t get distracted with all the new sites, gadgets, plugins, strategies, theories, and voodoo concepts if your goal is to just get listed in the top 10 for local grocery stores. In other word, keep it simple. SEO is not hard but you do need to stay orgainized and plan out a reliable process that works for you.

For those who need a robust online system for managing SEO that’s accessible from anywhere, please check out Solo SEO. We’ll be reviewing this application here soon.