Are you brand-new to SEO? Or have you been blogging for years without seeing any results? It’s time to set some SEO goals and get your blog on the map. Blogging is a great way to share your story with new people, but if no one can find it, what good does that do? There are many ways to increase traffic on your blog, from social media posts to guest posting articles.
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What are reasonable SEO Goals?
Most Search Engine Optimization professionals focus on keyword rankings in organic search. That is a dangerous game because digital marketing professionals can quickly get into a cycle of chasing the wrong metrics and KPIs (e.g., first-page rankings).
The fundamental goal of SEO is to boost website conversion rates from organic traffic. You want to increase your presence in relevant search engine results (SERPs) to earn more leads, sales, and revenue from searchers. In other words, the endgame of SEO is to grow your business online.
What are the strategic goals of SEO?
The goal of SEO is not just to drive website traffic; it is to drive targeted search traffic that takes action. When sales numbers go up, people tend to forget how they got there. These goals could look like domain authority, bounce rates, link-building, technical SEO audit scores, pagespeed scores, receiving featured snippets, and a number of website visitors.
How do I set SEO goals and objectives for my business?
First, start with OKRs; this stands for Objectives and critical results. Individuals, teams, and organizations use the goal-setting framework to define measurable goals and track their outcomes.
- Keep the SEO plan simple and set realistic SEO goals. Focus on objectives you know you can achieve in the given timeframe from Historical Data.
- Be Specific with your SEO efforts (search intent, target keywords, business goals, marketing goals). Expand on what works.
- Make it Measurable (set benchmarks in Google Analytics).
- Aim high enough that it is obtainable (e.g., ten new pages of new content a month, six new backlinks)
- Break Key Results into Smaller Goals (outline your SEO Strategy).
- Celebrate and Recognize Results (e.g., increase in Local SEO traffic vs. last year).
SEO Goals Examples
- Increase Organic Traffic by X%
- Add X Backlinks a Month
- Set up and use Smart Goals in Google Analytics
- Improve your Domain Authority
- Increase your Page Speed score to Green
- Identify and improve landing pages on page two of Google Search
- Win more Featured Snippets
- Decrease your Bounce Rate
- Optimize your On-Page SEO
- Create and use a Ranking Factor checklist (template)
- Convert more Organic Traffic
- Learn about Google Algorithms (Continual SEO education)
- Create your first SEO campaign
I have compiled an extensive list of resources to help you with your SEO goals. This list includes tips for beginners and more intermediate users and tools that will provide an in-depth analysis of your website’s performance.
| SETTING SEO GOALS | ||
|---|---|---|
| How Do You Set Smart SEO Goals for Your Team/Agency/Project? | Video | Rand Fishkin / Moz |
| How to Set SEO Goals for Your Team (That Drive Action) | Guide | Elise Dopson |
| The ROI of SEO – how-to predict traffic and revenue | Guide | Kevin Indig |
| How to Set & Achieve Realistic SEO Goals | Guide | Paul Schmidt / Search Engine Journal |
| OKRs for SEO: How to Set SEO Goals That Increase Your Value & Get You Greater Investment | Guide | Kameron Jenkins / Botify |
Published on: 2021-10-02
Updated on: 2023-11-06
