Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Basics - Part 1

When a business owner expresses the interest to launch a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) plan, which is the most entry level form of online promotion, a lot of questions come to mind. A long time ago, I prepare this list of questions for business owners, not currently engaged in Search Marketing, before they come and see me for advices, prices and such. They are basic questions but they are quite important since they make an overview of the fundamental elements of online promotion. They also contribute to a good client assessment process so nobody is wasting any time. Too often I see sites that are broken, inappropriately hosted with poor domain names, no web analytics and so on. Therefore, before you get into any forms of online promotion, you need to be able to answer the following questions, so that we will be able to help you and your business go further on the e-commerce side. They are simple, but you must be able to answer most of them. Here it goes:

Do you have a reliable hosting plan? What is your uptime?

How much do you pay for it on a monthly basis?

Do you use all of the data transfer?

Do they (the hosting company) provide a comprehensive visitors stat report?

Do you have any other Web Analytics software (such as Google Analytics)

Are you satisfied with your actual website (graphic, content etc.)?

How much did you pay for it (your website)?

Who created it?

Are you proud of it?

Is your website up to date in terms of design and content?

How much do you invest in it every year in maintenance cost ?

Would you be proud to invite 40,000 targeted potential customers to take a look at it?

How many people visit your website, on a monthly basis?

How many people would you wish visit your website per week?

in 6 month? in a year?

Did you ever think of your website as an employee, a sales rep essentially, working for you 24 hours a day / 7 days a week (and never complain)? 

Do you agree to spend marketing dollars to attract more customers to your company’s website?

Do you have a marketing plan?

Does your plan include search marketing?

Are you willing to learn more about search marketing?

Do you want to do it yourself or you want to hire a pro?

Do you have a keyword-rich domain name?

Do you plan on registering more keyword-rich domain names?

Does investing $20,000 in search marketing per year overall sounds like a good idea?

What does it worth to you if you reach your sales objectives?

How is your life will change if you sell more?

These are eye opener questions that help build the foundation of a future Search Marketing plan. If you are not proud of your site to start put, do not put any value in this channel, there is obviously not much we can do for you. But, if you are willing to learn and see this initiative as a long term investment in your business, we should talk.

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Comments

1. Hi

   Thanks for these information.

   Posted by SEO consultant on 07/31 at 03:20 AM