Understanding SEO’s role in marketing strategy
A component break down of the SEO factors and how to use them to build marketing strategy.
This blog provides a comprehensive guide and insights into how the different Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) factors play their part from a strategic marketing consultant’s perspective to ensure SEO plans and SEO activities contribute to your business goals and marketing objectives.
Whether you’re leveraging in-house marketing talent, partnering with a specialised agency, small business digital marketing consultants, or consulting with an independent SEO expert, it is important that everyone is understanding SEO’s role when building the overall marketing strategy and marketing plan.
This guide is designed to identify the major SEO factors and present them in a way that clarifies what they are and how they can contribute to improved SEO. By understanding these factors, you can see how they align with your strategic marketing objectives once defined. Ultimately, this can drive tangible value for a company and enhance an organisation’s overall marketing effectiveness.
In this blog, I have used Google Bard just before it became Gemini, as the source to provide data, numbers, insights, definitions, and recommendations to substantiate the approach.
SEO strategy introduction
For many years, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) has been viewed as a specialist area, a role for digital marketers, SEO specialists, SEO consultants, website agencies, and SEO content writers.
With so many awesome AI tools available today, just to mention a few—ChatGPT, Jasper, Copy.ai, Kajabi, and Byword.ai—writing and producing content has become accessible and easy for everyone. The dynamics of the SEO area are changing and expanding quickly, inviting a broader audience and new participants to contribute daily. This raises strategic brand and marketing implications. It means content choices and decisions have wider-reaching consequences and significantly impact your brand and business.
Churning out content is not necessarily always the solution, even with accessible tools, even though it may look impressive at first glance. Firstly, what matters to Google when it comes to SEO factors is the EEAT principle, which ensures your content resonates with both search engines and users.
EEAT principle
So why does the EEAT principle matter and what is? Well, it matters because search engines prioritise quality over quantity, users want to trust and expertise, and building long-term success requires delivering consistently high-quality content that resonates with your target audience.
This is EEAT
- Experience: Emphasise the author’s years of experience or accumulated knowledge in the specific field, adding further credibility to the content.
- Expertise: Content should come from knowledgeable and skilled individuals or resources with demonstrable experience in the subject matter.
- Authoritativeness: Backlinks from high-authority websites, recognised industry awards, and established reputation all contribute to the website’s overall authority, boosting trust and ranking potential.
- Trustworthiness: Content accuracy, transparency, ethical practices, and prompt issue resolution build trust with both users and search engines, strengthening your online presence.
From improving search ranking positions to driving website traffic and a lead generator motor to closing sales, it is no doubt that SEO is an essential lever for business and marketing strategy.
How SEO strategy ladders up to marketing strategy
But SEO is about so much more. It’s about developing and controlling how you build a strong brand over time, managing marketing resources for example reducing investments in paid advertising and ensuring a company creates a competitive advantage, etc.
Most marketers know that building effective SEO takes time and is an ongoing and long-term process.
And looking at it in that way, SEO is a strategic investment in a company’s marketing assets that builds market value over time. Working with a strategic marketing consultant can help put SEO in the context of positioning a brand for long-term growth, nurturing existing and prospective customer relationships, growing the company’s distribution channels, and an opportunity to showcase innovative product and service solutions that may disrupt the market.
SEO as long-term business strategy
As a crucial driver of both short-term performance marketing and long-term brand building, SEO deserves detailed attention as a long-term business strategy. By understanding its core components and building collaboration across teams and functions with a clear and shared strategy, there is a lot of potential for sustainable growth.
Does your SEO intend to build, influence, or enhance the factors?
That means before writing or developing a piece of content, building, or enhancing a website, or engaging on social media; everyone has a clear understanding of the strategic intent of why and how – whether it’s to “influence” factors such as user experience signals and brand mentioning, or “build” factors such as backlinks or internal linking structure or “enhance” factors like keyword optimisation and social media optimisation.
The perfect SEO serve to build marketing strategy
So, let’s start with an analogy. In tennis, a perfect serve is one that is hit with the perfect combination of power, accuracy, and placement. It is a serve that gives the server a significant advantage. In business, a perfect website represents the one that is designed with the perfect blend of search engine optimisation (SEO), content marketing, and user experience (UX). It’s a website that attracts visitors, converts leads, and ultimately leads to sales, and makes customers come back for more.
Just like a perfect serve, a well-designed website can be the difference between winning and losing in the competitive landscape for a business. A website is your online storefront, and the foundation which you build your brand’s presence.
But beyond being merely a platform for engagement, it acts as a mirror reflecting the needs, desires, and journey of your customer. Understanding your customer is essential to mastering the art of the perfect serve in tennis— it requires customer insights and the ability to anticipate and meet the needs of the audience at every touchpoint.
The critical role of SEO in website design
In marketing, SEO is a cornerstone of your website’s success. You can say it’s design, data and science combined with the knowledge and experience to know how to optimise your website to rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). Ensuring that when potential customers search for keywords related to your products or services, your website appears among the top results.
If your website is not structured correctly, its content is not optimised, and your backlink profile is lacking, you’ll be lost among millions of websites competing for attention. Google crawls and evaluates millions of websites daily, using complex algorithms to determine which are most relevant to user queries. Your website needs to stand out from the crowd, and SEO is the key to ensuring your online visibility is on top.
The power of content marketing
SEO is the engine that drives traffic to your website, but content marketing is what keeps visitors engaged and coming back for more. High-quality, informative, and engaging content is the lifeblood of any successful website. It’s what attracts visitors, keeps them on your site longer, and ultimately encourages them to take action, whether it’s signing up for your newsletter, making a purchase, or simply following you on social media.
Content marketing goes beyond the traditional blog post. It encompasses a wide range of formats, including videos, infographics, interactive elements, and interactive stories. The goal is to create valuable content that is not only informative but also visually appealing and shareable, ensuring that your message spreads beyond your website’s borders. As mentioned before, when creating content, don’t lose sight of the EEAT principles.
The importance of user experience (UX)
While SEO and content marketing are essential for attracting visitors and keeping them engaged, user experience (UX) determines whether they’ll stay on your site long enough to take action. UX encompasses everything from your website’s overall design and layout to the ease of navigation and the speed at which pages load.
A poorly designed website with a cluttered interface and slow loading times will frustrate visitors, leading to high bounce rates and lost opportunities. On the other hand, a well-designed website with a user-friendly interface and fast loading speeds will encourage visitors to explore further, learn more about your offerings, and ultimately take action. All of it combined, is a reflection on your brand.
Understanding the buyer’s journey in SEO content strategy
To truly resonate with your audience and guide them through the path to purchase, it’s crucial to understand the buyer’s journey and reflect this understanding in your SEO content strategy.
The buyer’s journey primary consists of three main stages: Awareness, Consideration, and Decision. As potential customers progress from becoming aware of their problems to considering various solutions and finally making a decision, your content should reflect to their evolving needs.
Awareness stage
At this point, your content should focus on informational content optimised for keywords related to the problems your product or service solves. This is where your existing strategy of creating informative, engaging content shines, providing value, and establishing your brand as a thought leader.
Consideration stage
As buyers move into the consideration stage, they consider different options to solve their problem. Here, your content should differentiate your offerings from competitors. Comparative articles, detailed guides on your product or service features, and content that highlights the uniqueness of your solution are critical.
Use SEO to target keywords that potential customers might use when comparing options, such as “best [product/service]” or “[your product/service] vs. [competitor’s product/service].
Decision stage
In the journey’s final stretch, your potential customers are ready to make a purchase decision. This is where content needs to be more conversion-focused, addressing pricing, testimonials, case studies, and detailed product information.
Target keywords that buyers use when they are ready to purchase, such as “buy [product]”, “[product] pricing”, or “[product] reviews”. Ensure this content is informative and reassures the buyer of the value and support they will receive post-purchase.
The importance of cohesive brand narrative across the buyer’s journey
Throughout all stages, it’s imperative to maintain the brand tone and personality that connects with your audience, as established in your brand and SEO-friendly content section. This approach ensures a cohesive brand narrative that guides your audience through their entire journey with content that’s not just optimised for search engines but is also deeply aligned with their buying process.
Uniting the elements of a perfect website
Creating a perfect website demands a holistic approach, intertwining SEO, content marketing, and UX into a cohesive strategy. This involves a deep understanding of the relationship between these elements and how they collectively enhance the user’s journey from awareness to decision. It’s not only about reflecting your brand narrative and tone of voice but also engaging with communities across your distribution channels in a manner that resonates with them as they seek valuable information. Here are some critical considerations for achieving this balance:
Brand and SEO-friendly content
This aspect is about crafting informative, engaging content optimised for relevant keywords. The starting point is to utilise keyword research tools to pinpoint the terms your target audience is searching for and embed them naturally into your content.
The key here is to align your content with the terms your audience seeks, weaving them seamlessly into your business, product, and brand narrative. Ensuring that your content provide generic information is essential, enriching your brand story.
Maintaining your brand’s tone and personality within the content brings a connection with your audience, guiding them through their buyer’s journey with content tailored to each stage—awareness, consideration, and decision.
User-centric Design
Designing your website with the user in mind is paramount. Prioritise readability, straightforward navigation, and swift loading times across all devices. Utilising heatmaps and analytics tools to grasp user behaviour allows for data-driven design decisions. Your website should mirror your brand ethos, with elements that resonate with your target audience to cultivate a sense of familiarity and trust. This user-centric approach is pivotal for enhancing the user experience and guiding them through their purchasing journey in a manner that aligns with their evolving needs.
Mobile optimisation
For mobile devices optimisation is critical. Ensure your website’s layout is responsive, its text is legible on smaller screens, and its buttons are easily navigable. Understanding customer behaviour is essential, extending beyond search engine preferences to accommodate your customers’ mobile usage habits.
Content promotion
Beyond crafting exemplary content, actively promoting it across social media, industry forums, and relevant online communities is vital. Engaging with your audience, responding to comments, and participating in discussions elevate your brand’s thought leadership. This promotion goes hand in hand with aligning your content with your brand values and engaging with your audience to disseminate information, thus building a community around your brand.
As you promote your content, consider how it serves the buyer’s journey, offering valuable insights and solutions at every stage, from initial awareness to the final decision.
On-page and off-page SEO factors
The impact of a perfect website
A perfect website is a powerful tool that can transform a business, and the SEO factors that contributes to your website’s success can be divided into on-page factors and off-page factors. The one-page factors accounts for around 53% of your websites ranking while the off-page factors accounts for 47%.
On-Page SEO factors (53%)
Here is the breakdown of the on-page SEO factors.
Keyword optimisation (15%)
Keyword optimisation is the process of using relevant keywords throughout your website’s content and metadata to help search engines understand what your website is about. This includes using keywords in your title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and body content.
Adding relevant keywords seamlessly throughout your content and metadata to communicate your website’s essence to search engines. Choose keywords that align with search intent and resonate with your brand messaging. Consider the language your customers use and incorporate it strategically across the pages.
Content quality (25%)
Content quality is one of the most critical factors in SEO. Search engines want to provide their users with the most relevant and informative results, so they prioritise websites with high-quality content. This means creating content that is well-written, informative, and engaging. Make sure to elevate your content beyond mere information and incorporate insights that showcase your brand as a thought leader in your industry.
Page structure (15%)
Page structure refers to how your website’s pages are organised and interconnected. Search engines need to be able to crawl and index your website quickly, so it’s essential to have a clear and logical page structure. This includes using descriptive titles for your pages, internal links to connect related pages, and creating a sitemap. Consider your website’s structure to ensure a logical flow that guides visitors seamlessly, mirroring an effective distribution strategy.
Internal linking (10%)
Internal linking is the practice of linking to other pages on your website from within your content. This helps search engines understand the structure of your website and the relationships between different pages. It also allows users to navigate your website easily. Internal links can be viewed as the crossroads strategically guiding users through your content, offering them a journey that aligns with your brand narrative.
Mobile-friendliness (5%)
Mobile-friendliness is increasingly important for SEO as more people use their smartphones and tablets to access the internet. Google now uses a mobile-first index, which means that it prioritises mobile-friendly websites in its search results. Therefore, mobile-friendliness is a technical requirement and a strategic move to reach and engage a wider audience.
Page speed (5%)
Page speed is the time it takes for a web page to load. Search engines want to provide users with a fast and seamless experience, so they prioritise websites that load quickly. But speed is not just about technical efficiency; it’s a reflection of your brand’s commitment to providing a seamless and efficient experience.
Security (5%)
Security is essential for SEO because search engines want to protect their users from malware and other harmful online threats. Websites that use HTTPS encryption are given a slight ranking boost in Google search results. However, security is not just a technical measure; it promises your customers that their data is handled carefully, reinforcing their trust in your brand.
Metadata (5%)
Metadata is the information displayed on search engine results pages (SERPs). This includes the title tag, meta description, and header tags. Well-written metadata can help your website attract more clicks from SERPs. Use it as an opportunity to communicate your brand message succinctly and enticingly.
Alt text (5%)
Alt text is the descriptive text displayed when an image cannot be loaded. It is essential for SEO because it helps search engines understand the content of your images. Alt text is not just for SEO; it’s an opportunity to describe your visuals in a way that enhances the overall user experience, aligning with your brand voice.
Social media sharing (10%)
Social media engagement is a factor that Google considers when ranking websites. Websites shared and discussed on social media are seen as more relevant and authoritative. Social media engagement is not just about sharing content; it’s about creating a community around your brand. Actively participate in discussions to understand customer sentiments and refine your brand strategy accordingly.
On page SEO factors split by sub category
| % SPLIT | ON PAGE FACTORS | SUB CATEGORY |
| 15% | Keyword Optimisation | % weight |
| Title tag | 15% | |
| Meta description | 15% | |
| Body content | 30% | |
| URL structure | 15% | |
| Alt text | 25% | |
| 25% | Content Quality | |
| Originality | 20% | |
| Accuracy | 20% | |
| Clarity | 20% | |
| Engagement | 20% | |
| Usefulness | 20% | |
| 15% | Page Structure | |
| Navigation | 20% | |
| Hierarchy | 20% | |
| Flow | 20% | |
| Usability | 20% | |
| 10% | Internal Linking | |
| Relevance | 30% | |
| Density | 30% | |
| Placement | 40% | |
| 5% | Mobile-friendliness | |
| Responsive design | 50% | |
| Speed | 30% | |
| Accessibility | 20% | |
| 5% | Page Speed | |
| Load time | 40% | |
| First contentful paint (FCP) | 30% | |
| Time to interactive (TTI) | 30% | |
| 5% | Security | |
| SSL certificate | 50% | |
| Malware scanning | 30% | |
| Vulnerability scanning | 20% | |
| 5% | Metadata | |
| Title tag | 10% | |
| Meta description | 10% | |
| Robots.txt | 10% | |
| Sitemap.xml | 10% | |
| 5% | Alt Text | |
| Clarity | 40% | |
| Accuracy | 30% | |
| Relevance | 30% | |
| 10% | Social Media Sharing | |
| Title | 20% | |
| Description | 20% | |
| Image | 30% | |
| Link | 30% | |
| 100% |
Off-page SEO Factors (47%)
Here is the breakdown of the off-page SEO factors.
Backlinks (30%)
Backlinks are links from other websites to your website. Backlinks are the most important off-page SEO factor because they signal to search engines that your website is authoritative and trustworthy.
Domain authority is a score that measures the overall authority of a website. It is based on factors such as the number and quality of backlinks to a website.
Social media engagement (15%)
Social media engagement, such as likes, shares, and comments, is a factor that Google considers when ranking websites. Websites that are engaged with on social media are seen as more relevant and authoritative.
Brand mentions (10%)
Brand mentions, such as mentions of your brand name on social media, forums, and other websites, are a factor that Google considers when ranking websites. Brand mentions help to build brand awareness and trust, which can lead to higher rankings.
Paid search (10%)
Paid search advertising, such as Google Ads, can help to improve your website’s visibility in SERPs. However, paid search is not a long-term ranking strategy, as your rankings will drop when you stop paying for ads.
Content marketing (5%)
Content marketing, such as guest blogging and creating infographics, can help to build backlinks and improve your website’s domain authority.
Reviews (5%)
Positive reviews from customers and clients can help to improve your website’s reputation and trust signals.
Citations (5%)
Citations are mentions of your website’s name, address, and phone number (NAP) in online directories and listings. Citations can help to improve your website’s local SEO rankings.
Off page SEO factors split by sub category
| % SPLIT | OFF PAGE FACTORS | SUB CATEGORY |
| 30% | Backlinks | % weight |
| Quality | 60% | |
| Quantity | 40% | |
| 20% | Domain Authority | |
| Trustworthiness | 50% | |
| Backlink profile | 30% | |
| Age | 20% | |
| 15% | Social Media Engagement | |
| Likes | 30% | |
| Shares | 30% | |
| Comments | 40% | |
| 10% | Brand Mentions | |
| Relevance | 50% | |
| Sentiment | 30% | |
| Reach | 20% | |
| 10% | Paid Search | |
| Click-through rate (CTR) | 50% | |
| Conversion rate | 30% | |
| Cost-per-acquisition (CPA) | 20% | |
| 5% | Content Marketing | |
| Quality | 60% | |
| Quantity | 20% | |
| Backlink generation | 20% | |
| 5% | Reviews | |
| Rating | 50% | |
| Quantity | 30% | |
| Recency | 20% | |
| 5% | Citations | |
| NAP consistency | 50% | |
| Directory quality | 30% | |
| Quantity | 20% | |
| 100% |
Local search vs national search
In addition to on-page SEO and off-page SEO, it is essential to have an understanding of the nuances of local search and national search when optimising your website’s visibility and attracting the right customers. While both search forms aim to connect users with relevant information, they differ in their intent and require distinct strategies.
Local Search: Reaching customers in your backyard
Local search focuses on connecting users with businesses and services in their immediate vicinity. When a user searches for “best restaurants near me” or “plumber in Adelaide,” they express an intent for local results. Local SEO is the process of optimising your website to rank well in these local search queries.
National Search: Casting a Wider Net
On the other hand, national search prioritises websites that cater to a broader audience, often spanning across the entire country or even globally. When a user searches for “top laptops” or “online fashion brands,” they indicate a national or global search intent. National SEO strategies focus on ranking well in these broader search results.
Local Ranking Factors: The Keys to Local Success
Several factors influence a website’s ranking in local search results. These factors can be broadly categorised into three groups:
Proximity
Search engines consider the physical distance between the user’s location and the business’s location when determining local rankings.
Relevance
The relevance of your website to the user’s search query is also a critical factor. This includes factors such as keyword usage, content quality, and website structure.
Prominence
Prominence refers to your business’s overall visibility and authority in the local community. This can be influenced by factors such as positive reviews, social media engagement, and backlinks from local websites.
Percentage Breakdown of Local Ranking Factors
While the exact percentage breakdown of local ranking factors varies depending on the search engine, here’s a general estimate:
- Proximity: 30%
- Relevance: 40%
- Prominence: 30%
Optimising for local search with practical strategies
To optimise your website for local search, consider implementing the following strategies:
Claim and verify your Google My Business listing
This ensures that your business appears in Google Maps and local search results. Claiming and verifying your listing isn’t just a technicality; it’s positioning your brand on the local map.
Optimise your website for local keywords
Include your city, state, and relevant neighbourhoods in your website’s content, meta descriptions, and title tags.
Build backlinks from local websites
Backlinks from relevant local businesses, news outlets, and community organisations can significantly boost your local SEO. Backlinks aren’t just links; they’re connections with local businesses, amplifying your local authority.
Encourage positive reviews from customer
Positive reviews on Google My Business, Yelp, and other review platforms enhance your local reputation and credibility. Positive reviews aren’t just testimonials; they’re endorsements that contribute to your local reputation and credibility.
Engage in local community activities
Participating in local events, sponsoring local organisations, and contributing to the local community can increase your visibility and brand awareness.
National search: Standing out in the crowd
National SEO requires a more comprehensive approach, as you compete with a much larger pool of websites. Here are some key strategies to consider:
Conduct thorough keyword research
Identify relevant keywords that potential customers are using on a national level.
Create high-quality, informative content
Establish your website as an authority in your industry by producing valuable and engaging content that attracts a wider audience.
Backlinks from reputable websites with strong domain authority can significantly boost your rankings in national search results.
Build a strong social media presence to increase brand awareness, drive traffic to your website, and engage with potential customers on a national scale.\
Prioritising Your SEO Journey with a roadmap for success
Navigating and prioritising the different SEO factors can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with a laundry list of factors to optimise. While the “perfect” order is subjective, it’s important to establish a logical roadmap based on common best practices and that considers you marketing objectives.
Foundation first: The crucial on-page focus
Think of your website as a house. Before worrying about flashy decorations or landscaping, you need to build a solid foundation. In SEO, that foundation comprises crucial on-page factors
Keyword research
Identifying relevant keywords your target audience uses sets the stage for attracting the right visitors.
Content creation
High-quality, informative, and engaging content tailored to your keywords forms the core of your website’s value proposition.
Technical SEO
Ensuring your website is mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and crawlable by search engines lays the groundwork for efficient indexing and visibility.
Building upon the base: Expanding with off-page strategies
Once your on-page house is firmly established, you can start considering off-page elements:
Backlink building
Earning backlinks from high-quality websites acts like citations vouching for your credibility and expertise, boosting your authority in the eyes of search engines.
Social media engagement
Building an active social media presence increases brand awareness, drives traffic to your website, and generates valuable user-generated content.
Local SEO
If your business has a physical location, optimising your Google My Business listing and focusing on local keywords further attracts nearby customers.
Remember, SEO is a journey, not a sprint.
Consistency and continuous improvement are key. As you progress, revisit, and refine your strategy based on data-driven insights and marketing objectives.
Key Considerations for Determining Your Order
Website age and existing SEO foundation
If you’re starting from scratch, prioritising on-page optimisation is crucial. For established websites, a balanced approach might be suitable.
Marketing goals
If you need immediate traffic, social media engagement could be prioritised. For long-term authority building, backlinks are essential.
Resources and capabilities
Consider your team’s expertise and resource availability when allocating efforts towards different SEO tasks.
Strategizing for success: Local vs. national SEO in your marketing blueprint
The strategic decision between local and national SEO hinges on the specific business goals, marketing objectives, and the demographic you aim to engage. For businesses that thrive on local clientele—such as brick-and-mortar stores or regional services—local SEO emerges as an indispensable element of your marketing strategy.
It’s not just about being found; it’s about being found by the right people in your community. Here, the expertise of a strategic marketing consultant can be invaluable when building a local online presence that resonates with your community.
A strategic marketing consultant pivotal role
Conversely, if your offerings have a broader appeal or you operate on a national scale, national SEO strategies are crucial for casting a wider net. This approach involves competing on a larger stage, where the focus shifts to broader keywords, comprehensive content marketing, and a robust online presence that appeals to a national audience. Strategic marketing consultants play a pivotal role in navigating your brand for national SEO.
In both scenarios, the EEAT principle (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) remains your guiding star. By aligning your SEO efforts with these core values, you create a foundation for your online content that not only ranks well but also genuinely serves your audience’s needs. A strategic marketing consultant can help refine this alignment, ensuring that every aspect of your SEO strategy—from keyword selection to content creation considers intention and purpose.
Building your strategic marketing roadmap
The choice between local and national SEO is about building your strategic marketing roadmap informed by a deep understanding of your business’s unique landscape and the audiences you serve.
Whether through local optimisation that connects you directly with your community or national strategies that elevate your brand on the larger stage, the guidance of a strategic marketing consultant can be instrumental. Their expertise should ensure that your SEO not only aligns with your marketing objectives but also moves your business towards its goals and creating long-term value.
