The four elements listed can align with a general framework for an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) strategy, but they do not have to correspond to a universally defined SEO strategy, since SEO strategies are often iterative and vary depending on the approach.
Let us break them down and see how they fit into a typical SEO process, which usually includes stages like research, planning, implementation, and optimization.
Understand searcher persona workflow: This is typically an early step in an SEO strategy, part of the research phase. It involves identifying your target audience, their search intent, and how they move through their decision-making process. While critical, it’s not usually one of the "last" stages, since it’s foundational.
Determine company and website goals: This also tends to happen early, often in the planning phase. Defining goals (e.g., increase traffic, boost conversions, improve rankings) sets the direction for the entire strategy. Again, this isn’t typically a "late" stage but a starting point.
Audit your site to best reach your audience: This fits well as a later stage, often part of the implementation or analysis phase. A site audit which checks for technical SEO, content quality, and user experience helps identify gaps and opportunities to better connect with your audience. This could reasonably be considered one of the "last" steps before taking action.
Execute and make improvements:
This aligns perfectly with the final stages of an SEO strategy: implementation and ongoing optimization. Execution involves applying changes (e.g., optimizing content, fixing technical issues), while "making improvements" reflects the continuous monitoring and refinement that SEO requires.
In a standard SEO strategy, which might include stages like [1) Research, (2) Planning, (3) Implementation, and (4) Optimization]
additional stages may include other elements of a SEO process. Further stages can span the entire process:
Elements 1 and 2 (persona workflow and goals) are early steps (research/planning).
Element 3 (site audit) is a middle-to-late step (analysis/implementation).
Element 4 (execute and improve) is a late-to-ongoing step (implementation/optimization).
If you meant these as a custom four-stage SEO process, they could work in that order, but traditionally, SEO has more granular steps, and these would cover the full lifecycle rather than just the "last four." Does that clarify things, or did you have a specific SEO framework in mind?
Make improvements by refactoring your content, track metrics, and repeat this process.
Business Goals defined (as well as)
high level SEO goals
You should implement the following strategy:
Incorporate the language of searchers instead of the technical terms used by your company. As I execute ideas, I will continue to track metrics. Always keep in mind, "What is your company goal?" For example, increase the time on site so that you can sell advertisement space.
Monitor and optimize using the Google Search Console .
The Google Search Console can help us monitor our site for crawling by examing 1) Crawl Errors and 2) URL Errors.
Track every stage of the search-engine pipeline
Crawling
Indexing
Search results
Search, Rank, and Display
The diagram above represents a "Search Experience Model" that outlines the stages of how search engines rank and display content, leading to user engagement and conversion. Here's a breakdown of the four items:
Search
The process begins with users entering queries into a search engine.
Search engines analyze the query intent and retrieve relevant results based on indexed content.
Rank And Display
The search engine ranks results based on relevance, authority, and user experience factors (e.g., page speed, backlinks, structured data).
Results are displayed in the search engine results pages (SERPs) according to ranking algorithms.
Page Content (Audience Need)
Once users click on a result, they land on a webpage that should satisfy their query intent.
Content should align with user expectations, provide value, and be well-structured to encourage engagement.
Conversion and Motivation
A well-optimized page guides users toward conversion (e.g., signing up, making a purchase, or consuming more content).
Clear calls-to-action (CTAs) and persuasive elements help motivate users to take the desired action.
This model highlights the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in ensuring that a website ranks well, provides relevant content, and ultimately leads to conversions. Would you like to explore optimization strategies for each stage?
Search, Rank, and Display
Better marketing can lead to more searchers
Good content can upsell
Great experience and remarketing can bring repeat customers
Although it may be tempting to focus solely on rankings, we would be missing valuable opportunities if we disregarded the search and persona workflow. Rankings can remain as they are, but if we increase the volume through better marketing,
that could lead to a larger percentage of visitors to our website.