The process of SEO is daunting to newcomers, and sometimes it can feel like you're just spinning your wheels. If you are struggling to get going on improving your site's SEO, this post will help guide the way. This article will talk about the steps you should take, and the steps you should avoid, to start making an impact.

Step 1: Start With An Audit

If your site isn't as SEO content-friendly as it should be, or if it's been a while and you're feeling a bit behind the times, you first need to start with an audit. This is a simple step but one that is often overlooked by people new to SEO. Yes. It's true. These folks do not want to take the time to learn about SEO because they think it's hard and complicated. Surprise, surprise. SEO is not difficult, and it's not complicated.

Just because you don't know how to do something doesn't mean it's complicated. If you have a basic understanding of search engines and the structure of your target keyword, then you can audit your site's SEO-friendliness on Google Webmaster Tools.

Step 2: Analyze Your Competitors

Once you're aware of what's wrong with your site, step two is to research and analyze your competitors. This can be done by using a handful of free tools to get a handle on their SEO strategy. First, you should use the Alexa website traffic tool to find which are your top ten competitors. This information can be exported and imported into Excel for organizing purposes.

Next, you'll want to use the MozBar Chrome extension to view your competitors' meta-data and backlinks in Google. This will help you determine exactly what sort of backlinks they're getting and where they are coming from. Once you have this information, it's time to analyze it so that you can conclude how others in your niche have been able to achieve success.

Step 3: Make A Plan

Once you've learned what's been working for your competitors, it's time to make a plan of action. This process is more of an outline than anything else. The idea is to figure out specifically what you need to do to create an SEO strategy that fits your niche. This can be based on Google's best practices or other successful strategies that you may have drawn from your research in step two.

Step 4: Implement Your Plan

Once you've finished your outline, it's time to implement it. This part is easy. You just need to start doing the things that you wrote down in step three. The ideas here can be as simple as using a new keyword research tool or as complicated as hiring a writing company to handle your content and backlinks for you. In any case, once you've started running your SEO strategy, you'll have to keep an eye on it to make sure that it's effective.

Step 5: Monitor And Evaluate

Step five is to monitor and evaluate your content writing efforts. If you haven't already done so, you should start monitoring your site's performance with Google Webmaster Tools. This will help you to keep track of the progress that your SEO strategy is making. Once this is up and running, it's time to evaluate how effective your improved SEO has been by using a handful of free tools. The first is to use the Google Keyword Planner to see how your keywords are ranking.

The second is to use the KeywordSpy tool to find out what your click-through rate and ranking position are. This will allow you to compare your website's performance against that of your competitors. If you notice any positive changes, you should continue with the same SEO strategy. If you don't see any changes, it's time to tweak your strategy.

Once you've completed this process a few times, you'll be able to determine how exactly your site is performing and whether or not you need to make changes. These steps are a great way for SEO novices to get started on improving their website's SEO, so there's no need to be daunted by the process. Just start with the audit and move forward from there to take advantage of expert advice and guidance.

Conclusion

SEO is difficult to do well. It's important to focus on what makes your site effective and utilize this knowledge effectively. Keep in mind that these steps are a great way for SEO novices to get started on improving their website's SEO, and there is no need to feel overwhelmed by the process. Just start with the audit and move forward from there.