Here at Neptune Web, our SEO process starts with a strategic analysis of a website to determine areas that need improvement. After creating a strategy for enhancement, we make changes that range from superficial (such as changing a page title) to fundamental (such as changing the information architecture of an entire site).
During this process, one of the challenges we face is collecting and keeping track of the myriad of reports and integrity checks we perform - because the process involves more than just keyword positioning and page optimization. We validate a number of on-site and off-site metrics and even review the user interface to insure a complete optimization. Recently, we launched an SEO module to help our clients understand our SEO process and ensure that they can continue the success of their SEO campaigns after our changes have launched.
SEO Module for Neptune Web Edit™
The SEO Module is an easy add-on for Neptune Web Edit users. The module automatically scans and updates site metrics using a variety of algorithms and bots. If it cannot automatically update a specific metric or item, the module calculates the length of time since the last manual update and flags stale items for review. Items are grouped into similar categories, which helps users focus additional traffic-driving efforts on specific categories and areas of the site. Additionally, the module continually tracks and graphs keyword positions for the organization, as well as their competitors, making it simple to keep an eye on many keywords with a few clicks.
Checklists
The best way to keep things organized is with a checklist. Our SEO module offers a comprehensive checklist – first, tasks are organized into logical groupings and then a computer automatically scans these tasks for completeness, while simultaneously marking items that need attention. The checklists are laid out to help make the process less overwhelming and this enables the site adminstrator's work to be very focused and prioritized as they work within the module. By suggesting small pieces of work, the module allows users can chip away at the list of tasks piece by piece. Ultimately, they are able to invest time into a process that will continue to reap rewards as more items are marked complete.
Keyword Position and Competition Graphing
The keyword position tracker and competition monitoring is my favorite feature. Users can monitor positions of specific keywords and identify keywords for which improvements can be made. Best of all, if users find that a new competitor has suddenly pushed down their rankings, they can add the competitor and get a back-populated graph showing when this new site entered the rankings and how they have moved historically (back to the initial keyword addition date). Users can focus on specific keyword optimizations and see daily position movements, enabling them to make and monitor slight tweaks to the site. With this feedback it is easier than ever to fine-tune optimizations.
Document Organization
Over the course of the SEO consultation process, we generate several documents to compliment the SEO process. In the past, we would review these documents back and forth with our clients via email. The Documents section in our SEO module allows all reports to be uploaded to a single spot and downloaded whenever they are needed. No more sifting through emails or having multiple copies of spreadsheets saved all over your computer. The master copies of all reports are now kept in a single location that is easy to browse and access.
SEO Consultation
One of the sections in the checklist is an "Initial SEO Consultation". We help by kicking off the process and laying down a solid foundation. We review the site for current traffic, any crawling errors, and then we explore potential keywords with clients to help them focus their content and SEO plan. As we finish steps, we mark them as completed in the checklist so users can see where we are in the process and what's yet to come. Any reports created by Neptune Web are uploaded into the Documents section and can be retrieved at any time for review.
