Quite often, I get the honor of explaining what \u201cdoing SEO\u201d means. Usually, the general concept is understood, but there\u2019s no understanding of what actually needs to be done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are generally two different preconceptions about what \u201cdoing SEO\u201d means. The more obvious one is the idea that SEO is something you can set up once and then forget about. On the other side, there is the idea that SEO needs constant fixing, tuning, and babysitting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
There is no secret code either: SEO is simply the process of making your website the most helpful, trustworthy answer to a user\u2019s question<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It may come as a surprise that SEO is a relatively slow process, and that not every day needs to be filled with SEO tasks. That depends on the case, but sometimes, with a larger site, more work is needed just because of the sheer volume of pages and articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s set the base first, so we understand what SEO is. There are four areas that are generally considered \u201cthe four pillars of modern SEO\u201d:<\/p>\n\n\n\n What these really mean may not be so easy to understand. That\u2019s why I will provide some examples of what these pillars cover and why they matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What it covers:<\/em> <\/strong>Site speed, mobile-friendliness, indexing, and site maps. What it covers:<\/em> <\/strong>Keywords, blog posts, images, page titles, and UX. What it covers:<\/em> <\/strong>Backlinks, PR, guest posts, and local citations. What it covers:<\/em> <\/strong>Google Search Console, Analytics, rank tracking, reporting, and various analyses. Most things in SEO are related to one of these four pillars in some way or another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that we have a baseline, let’s break down what \u201cdoing SEO\u201d can look like in real life. The tasks mentioned here serve mostly as examples, but each has its place. It\u2019s just that many more tasks need to be performed as well. These are not very complicated tasks in themselves, but sometimes a combined effort can become quite unwieldy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n From a technical perspective<\/mark>, the work sometimes relates to coding, but that\u2019s just a part of it. Of course, a website needs to be maintained and updated, sometimes code changes are needed. But it also includes things like fixing broken links or ensuring images aren\u2019t too large.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Content work<\/mark> is probably better understood. Obviously, writing the content is an important part, but content strategy planning can\u2019t be omitted either. Doing research into the questions customers are actually asking and bringing the best answers to the table are critical parts of SEO. Of course, keeping old articles up to date is important as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Authority<\/mark> can be described as digital networking (like in a convention). Basically, you try to get as many other services and websites as possible to include a link to your website. The more complex part is that those other websites should have as good an authority as possible, preferably in their respective field. The more modern version of this is to partner with a brand to get mentions of your services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Analysis<\/mark> is too often overlooked. We have seen some really bad, low-effort reporting from all kinds of SEO companies. Sometimes it’s a list of keywords sorted by impressions or clicks, which is fine, kind of, but it\u2019s really not enough. To get a good grasp of how a website is doing organically, multiple data platforms need to be included in the analysis. Google Search Console is an obvious choice, but a website analytics tool is needed as well. Otherwise, it\u2019s impossible to tell how the users are navigating or spending their time on the website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another important part of the analysis is to create reports as easy to understand as possible, so the situation can be clearly seen. There\u2019s no point in including everything for everyone in the reports. And the most important parts of the report are always the conclusions and recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of this being said, not everything needs to be done every day. Most of the time, some improvements are made, but then it\u2019s just a waiting game to collect data and see how things improved. Meanwhile, the next steps can already be planned and researched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When the four pillars don\u2019t talk to each other, things get messy. You may have absolutely amazing content, but if your website takes 10 seconds to load, none of that really matters. That\u2019s because very few users want to spend their time with a bad user experience. Instead, they go back to search results and click the next link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also very common that small teams try to do too much. There\u2019s no need to cover every base at once; that\u2019s just a recipe for low-effort content and poor organic performance. A consistent rhythm for content publishing is key to SEO. Don\u2019t try to publish a new article every week if you don\u2019t have the time. Instead, spend some more time on them and publish every two weeks or once per month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Something to consider: don\u2019t try to tackle every problem at once if resources are limited. Maybe try fixing the website first, then improve the content, and lastly start working on off-page SEO. Remember that SEO is a process, and it can be improved as you go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I stated, SEO is a process. But moreover, it is a slow process. A process that can, and should, be improved over time. To make meaningful improvements, a clear plan is needed. There\u2019s usually little need to rush things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n SEO is not magic, it\u2019s maintenance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What SEO actually is really depends on the case. Sometimes there\u2019s lots to do, and the work is really hectic. Or things can be slow, and the tasks can be approached a bit more laid-back. The takeaway here is that while there may be lots of tasks related to an SEO project, there\u2019s no one thing that means \u201cdoing SEO\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What Does the Future of SEO Look Like<\/a>The four pillars of modern SEO<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Technical SEO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why it matters:<\/em> <\/strong>If Google can’t “read” your site, nothing else matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Content<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why it matters:<\/em><\/strong> This is how you tell Google (and users) what you actually do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n3. Authority<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why it matters:<\/strong> <\/em>This builds “trust” and helps you outrank competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Analysis<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Why it matters:<\/em><\/strong> This tells you what is working, so you don’t waste money.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat “doing the work” actually looks like<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why some companies struggle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
SEO is a marathon, not a sprint<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Also read:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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