Search Engine Optimization is like a magic key that opens up the full potential of your website in the search engines. When you optimize every nook and cranny of your website, you unlock its true power and let it sparkle in the highly sought-after top positions of search engine results pages (SERPs). Whether you’re running an e-commerce store, a sizzling blog, or a formidable corporate website, mastering the art of SEO is a game-changer that can transform your online presence from ordinary to extraordinary.
As we start 2024, it’s a good opportunity to reassess our SEO plan. Instead of starting from scratch, analyzing what’s effective and what requires improvement can assist in adjusting priorities.
This guide covers important strategic points to assess, from overall business strategies to the nitty-gritty details like data, tools, content, and technical aspects that impact outcomes.
Gain clarity on business priorities for 2024 and beyond
Before evaluating your SEO strategy, it is crucial to have a clear vision of the business’s direction for 2024 and beyond. Familiarize yourself with possible strategic shifts, upcoming products, target markets, audience segments, and adjustments.
It’s crucial to incorporate the business strategy into the core of your plan. The more you grasp this concept and ensure your objectives are in sync, the greater the outcome will be.
Economic or industry trends: Do you have the right awareness?
Macro trends might have been addressed in the broader business strategy, but it’s always a smart move to conduct your own research.
- What is happening in the industry, thinking bigger than SEO?
- Have any big competitors made big moves in 2023?
- Are there annual reports you can download and read? What is the industry press saying?
It’s that time of year when all the predictions content comes out, be sure to have your eyes on this. Think of how this information might affect the business’ trajectory in 2024, particularly search.
Audience insights: Has anything changed about how customers search or buy your product or service?
Are you familiar with your audience’s preferences? And to what extent does this understanding shape your search approach?
Your strategy should be built upon a solid understanding of your audience. Have you recently mapped out the customer journey?
Are your target audience still relying on search engines during the important milestones of your journey, or are they primarily using social media platforms for their searches? Are they more interested in written content or are they seeking audio or video formats?
Furthermore, have you taken into account the appropriate target demographic, or is there a potential untapped audience you could explore? With upcoming business strategies and product launches in mind, does this alter your approach?
Competitors: Are you still monitoring the right competitors?
Ensure that you have thoroughly analyzed your competitors and have not overlooked any emerging players in the market. It is possible that there are major competitors out there who are not your everyday search competitors.
When was the last time you extensively examined your key search competitors? Resetting your strategy presents an ideal opportunity to do so.
Take a close look at their areas of focus, identify any actions they are taking that you may not have considered, and assess the potential risks involved.
Analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
With all the research you have done considering the bigger picture, note down what you think your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) are from an SEO perspective.
This might be something that you use just for yourself, but it can also be helpful to include in your strategy documentation if you need to share this with a manager, the board or your client. It shows you have really understood where you are currently and what is likely to happen over the coming 12 months.
So with the business strategy fully considered, you can now dive into your SEO strategy, starting with a performance review and a check-in on your processes, tools and people.
Best and worst performance from last year
Reviewing the performance of the previous year is always beneficial. Depending on your with strategic focus, you can provide unique insights.
Analyze the top-performing and worst-performing content from a search perspective, taking into account factors like content format. By comparing this with content from all channels, you can gain a better understanding of what type of content is favored by your users and in what format.
If you have a well-defined customer journey, you will undoubtedly understand what role SEO is aiming to play in converting customers, as you’ll know where your focus has been.
Tools: When did you last review what you are using?
It is essential to thoroughly assess your tools, as neglecting a vital resource could potentially provide your rivals with an upper hand. We tend to develop routines, even when it comes to our tools.
We rely on the same reports without considering if there are additional features or benefits we are missing out on. Perhaps it is worth considering if additional training from the provider could enhance your utilization of these tools.
Have you considered exploring any new tools that could enhance your capabilities, streamline processes, or revolutionize your approach to SEO?
It’s always beneficial to assess the market and determine how to make the most out of your tool budget, especially when your annual budget renews.
AI: Have you embraced it?
2023 was the year when AI dominated the headlines, podcasts, and conferences. Have you explored the potential of AI for your business yet? If not, I strongly suggest setting aside some time in 2024 to do so.
In my opinion, AI can be a powerful asset for your strategy, acting as a data analyzer, researcher, or idea generator. Although it may not be suitable for tasks like content publishing or making final decisions, it can greatly improve your processes and speed up your operations.
Team and partners: Are you set up for success in 2024?
As you embark on crafting your 2024 strategy, it’s crucial to assess whether you have the right team members in the right roles and ensure they are well aware of their responsibilities.
With the multifaceted nature of executing an SEO strategy, it’s essential to have the support of colleagues, freelancers, or an agency. Ideally, they should also be actively involved in implementing the items outlined in this checklist. This collaborative effort should ideally take place on a quarterly basis for most agency relationships.
Keywords: Are they still relevant? What are you missing?
To create a successful SEO strategy, it is essential to comprehend how your audience searches. It’s not enough to optimize based on your assumptions; you must ensure it matches the user’s intent.
Without this understanding, you run the risk of either having irrelevant content despite a high ranking or having both content and ranking but failing to lead the user to take action.
Knowing what your audience is looking for, what they expect to discover, and what actions they intend to take are all crucial elements to consider alongside your keyword research.
Content: Are your plans prioritized accordingly?
Having a content plan that is organized based on its potential impact is crucial for achieving greater success. Collaborate closely with your CX and data teams to gain insights on how you can effectively convert more users through your content strategy.
You also need to ask yourself:
- Is the format right?
- How does my audience wish to digest this content?
- Am I serving them in the right way to help aid a conversion?
Having a roadmap that clearly outlines the next quarter and an overall plan for the entire year is beneficial. This is particularly useful for aligning teams and facilitating collaboration.
Technical SEO: How healthy is the website? What plans are there for 2024?
A well-structured content plan, organized according to its potential impact, plays a vital role in attaining remarkable success. Work hand in hand with your CX and data teams to uncover valuable insights that will empower you to effectively convert a larger number of users through your content strategy.
When it’s time for a strategy refresh, it’s the perfect opportunity to assess the overall SEO technical health. Take a closer look at the areas that present themselves as potential opportunities to tackle this year. To establish a starting point, compare your performance against some of the key competitors in your industry. This will provide you with a baseline to measure your progress against. Additionally, you can leverage this information to advocate for any technical work that may necessitate the involvement of the development team.
Digital PR: Why will your target publications want to talk about your business in 2024?
After analyzing your performance in 2023, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of what was successful, what fell short, and where potential opportunities were missed. As you prepare for the upcoming year, it is essential to avoid encountering the same obstacles that hindered your strategy in the past.
It is crucial to synchronize your digital PR plan with your content strategy, particularly when relying on external sources for content creation. Take a moment to ponder why your target publications would find your content valuable and discover unique angles to make a lasting impression in 2024.
Collaboration: What is everyone else doing?
Don’t forget, the key to successful SEO lies in its integration with your overall strategy. Although some businesses already have this down pat, there are still many operating in isolated teams with poor communication.
Be the champion of breaking down these silos, share your strategy reset process, and inspire other teams to follow suit.
By mimicking customer behavior and aligning your priorities and work with their journey, you’ll witness the magic that happens when you adopt a customer-first mentality.
Refining your 2024 SEO game plan
Approach 2024 with confidence by ensuring your SEO foundations are strong. Carefully evaluating what has worked, where there are gaps, changes in the market, and alignment with business goals will set you up for success.
Utilize the checklist provided by Hue Digital as a foundation, adjusting sections to align with your business goals. By having a clear strategy and being transparent in your reporting, you can consistently improve year-round by working together with different teams.