5 steps to the perfect SEO strategy

Achieving a perfect SEO strategy may seem daunting, but with the right approach, you can transform your website into a magnet for organic traffic.

Whether you’re aiming to attract new customers, boost your brand’s visibility, or improve conversions, these five steps will help you build a strategy that delivers measurable results.

Step 1 – Define your goals and understand your audience

The first step in crafting an SEO strategy is to define your goals clearly. Without a solid understanding of what you hope to achieve, your efforts may lack direction.

Are you trying to:

Increase website traffic?
Improve your website’s rankings for specific keywords?
Boost sales or conversions?
Strengthen brand awareness?

Each of these objectives requires a slightly different approach, so clarity is key.

Once you’ve established your goals, shift your focus to understanding your audience.

A successful SEO strategy revolves around satisfying user intent – the ‘why’ behind their search queries.

To do this, ask yourself:

Who is my audience? Create detailed buyer personas that reflect their demographics, preferences and online habits.
What problems are they trying to solve? Think about the pain points they’re experiencing and how your products or services can help.
How do they search for solutions? Research the types of queries they’re entering into search engines and the language they use.
Use tools like Google Analytics and social media insights to gather data about your audience’s behaviours.

By combining this data with your goals, you can create an SEO strategy that meets your audience’s needs while driving business results.

Step 2 – Conduct comprehensive keyword research

Keywords are the foundation of any SEO strategy, connecting your content with your audience’s search queries.

Effective keyword research ensures that your efforts focus on terms that your target audience actually uses – not just what you think they might search for.

The three types of keywords

Understanding the intent behind keywords is crucial.

Broadly, keywords can be divided into three categories:

Informational keywords – used by users seeking knowledge. For example, ‘“how to improve website speed.’
Navigational keywords – queries aimed at finding a specific site or page, such as ‘YouTube login’ or ‘Submerge Digital SEO services.’
Transactional keywords – phrases indicating a desire to take action, such as “buy running shoes online” or ‘SEO software pricing.’

For a balanced SEO strategy, target keywords across all three categories. Informational keywords help attract users at the top of the sales funnel, while transactional keywords appeal to those ready to convert.

Finding high-value keywords

Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush or Ahrefs to identify keywords relevant to your business.

Look for:

Search volume – the number of searches a keyword receives monthly.
Competition – how difficult it is to rank for that keyword.
Relevance – How closely the keyword aligns with your audience’s needs and your offerings.

Don’t overlook long-tail keywords – these are longer, more specific phrases.

While they typically have lower search volumes, they often convert better because they reflect specific intent. For example, ‘best running shoes for flat feet’ is more likely to result in a sale than simply ‘running shoes.’

Step 3 – Optimise your website as part of the SEO strategy

Once you’ve pinpointed your target keywords, it’s time to optimise your website.

A well-optimised site not only ranks higher in search results but also provides a seamless experience for users, reducing bounce rates and improving engagement.

Read our guide to SEO web page design.

Building a solid foundation with technical SEO

Start with the technical SEO aspects of your website.

These often-overlooked elements are critical for search engine crawlers to understand and index your site effectively:

Site speed – Slow-loading pages frustrate users and hurt your rankings. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify and fix performance issues.
Mobile responsiveness – More searches now occur on mobile devices than desktops, making mobile optimisation essential.
Structured data markup – Schema markup helps search engines understand your content and display it in rich results (eg, reviews, recipes, FAQs).
Crawlability and indexability – Use tools like Screaming Frog to identify issues preventing search engines from accessing your site.

On-Page SEO – the devil’s in the details

Optimising individual pages is equally important – known as on-page SEO.

Focus on:

Meta titles and descriptions – These appear in search results and should include your target keyword while enticing users to click.
Headers – Use header tags (H1, H2, H3) to structure your content and incorporate keywords naturally.
Alt text for images – Add descriptive text to images so search engines can understand them, and compress files to improve load times.
Internal linking – Link to other pages on your site to help users navigate and distribute link equity.

Step 4 – Create high-quality, engaging content

Content is often described as the backbone of SEO, and for good reason.

Without valuable, engaging content, even the best optimisation efforts will fall flat.

Search engines reward content that satisfies user intent, so focus on delivering value to your audience.

Types of content to consider

Diversify your content to appeal to different audience preferences. Options include:

Blog posts – Share tips, insights, and industry updates.
How-to guides – Offer step-by-step solutions to common problems.
Videos – Engage users with dynamic, visual content.
Infographics – Simplify complex information with visuals.

Find out more about Submerge’s blog writing services.

Content best practices

When creating content, keep the following in mind:

Target specific keywords – Include your chosen keywords naturally within the content, especially in headings and the first 100 words.
Focus on quality – Prioritise depth and originality over quantity. Aim to answer questions thoroughly, leaving users no reason to look elsewhere.
Include calls to action – Guide users toward the next step, whether it’s subscribing to your newsletter or purchasing a product.

Consistency is key – regularly publish fresh content to signal to search engines that your site is active and relevant.

Read our guide to creating effective SEO articles.

Step 5 – Monitor, analyse and adjust

SEO is an ongoing process, not a one-time effort.

After implementing your strategy, monitor its performance closely and make adjustments based on your findings.

Key metrics to track

Use tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console to track:

Organic traffic – How many users arrive at your site via search engines?
Keyword Rankings – Are your target keywords climbing in the search results?
Bounce rate and dwell time – Indicators of user engagement and satisfaction.
Conversion rates – The percentage of visitors completing desired actions, such as making a purchase or filling out a form.

Refining your strategy

Analyse this data to identify what’s working and where improvements are needed. For example:

If certain pages aren’t ranking well, revisit their content and optimisation.
If traffic is high but conversions are low, consider refining your calls to action or user experience.

Stay updated on algorithm changes and industry trends to ensure your strategy remains effective.

SEO strategy – bringing it to life

Developing the perfect SEO strategy is both an art and a science.

By setting clear goals, conducting thorough research, optimising your website, creating valuable content, and continually refining your efforts, you can build a strategy that not only boosts your search engine rankings but also delivers meaningful results for your business.

SEO success doesn’t happen overnight, but with patience and consistency, the rewards can be transformative.

Remember, the journey to perfect SEO is ongoing – and every tweak brings you one step closer to your goals.

Learn more about Submerge’s SEO services.