In South Africa, the market is a bit more tame for SEO. When we talk about SEO, we are referring to many processes and tools that work together to create your website’s identity. There are simple, uncomplicated approaches, such as providing rich content and engaging with your audience through your website, sourcing backlinks by ensuring your website URL is appearing on credible websites. And then there are the more complex sides of SEO, the stuff that really matters. This is where we focus on schema.org compliance, which allows us to tell Google the exact who, what, where and when of our web pages, keyword analysis with related keyword comparisons, key word to content associations to prove credibility to Google, and more.
To put this into a simple example, let’s pretend we are going to write a review on a car, we need to tell Google that your web page represents a car. But that’s not enough, are you selling a car, advertising a car brand, reviewing a car? We would need to tell Google that this is a “Review Article”. This level of optimisation is key in achieving the number one spot on Google.
Often, a business will invest into SEO one-time and leave it to run. This may not be incorrect if your competitors are doing the same thing, but there’s one aspect of SEO that is overlooked: the SEO audit. As business owners, we get comfortable. Much like a health check-up, if I was healthy last year then why wouldn’t I be healthy this year, nothing has changed? Comfort is what gives your competitors the chance to leap ahead of you.
An SEO audit assesses the current state of a website and how effectively it’s reaching its target audience, while also taking competitors into account. In this article, we’ll unravel how an SEO audit works and why it is indispensable for understanding your audience and how metrics, the tangible representation of our efforts, can significantly elevate a business.
Gaining a clear picture
An SEO audit provides a comprehensive snapshot of where a website stands in terms of SEO. This encompasses examining on-page factors (like content quality and keyword optimization), off-page factors (such as backlinks), technical elements (like website speed and mobile optimization), and much more.
Why is this comprehensive view essential? Imagine navigating unfamiliar terrain without a map. Without knowing where you currently stand, charting a path forward becomes an almost impossible task. In the context of SEO, understanding your present position means knowing how visible you are to your audience, what you’re doing right, and which areas require attention.
Understanding your audience
Every business’s main goal is to cater to its audience’s needs, solve their problems, and in turn, generate revenue. But to do this efficiently, understanding that audience is paramount. An SEO audit can offer insights into:
Search Queries: What terms are users typing into search engines when they find your website? This can inform content strategy, ensuring you’re answering the questions your audience is asking.
Behavioral Metrics: By assessing metrics like bounce rate and average session duration, you can gauge the level of engagement and interest from your audience. High bounce rates, for instance, might indicate that your content isn’t resonating with visitors or that your site is not user-friendly.
Demographics and Interests: Modern SEO tools can also provide insights into the age, gender, and interests of website visitors, helping tailor content and offerings even further.
The Power of Measurables & Metrics
Metrics, the measurable values that represent data, are the lifeblood of any digital strategy. They transform vague perceptions into clear, actionable data. Here’s why they’re so pivotal:
Accountability and Strategy Refinement: Metrics offer a transparent view of what’s working and what’s not. By regularly monitoring metrics, businesses can tweak their strategies in real-time, ensuring that resources are used effectively.
Set Clear Benchmarks: Metrics allow businesses to set clear benchmarks. Whether it’s a specific number of monthly website visitors, conversion rates, or average session duration, having these benchmarks allows for goal-setting, motivating teams, and measuring success.
Investment Justification: For business leaders, justifying investment in any initiative requires proof of return. Metrics provide this proof. By showcasing the direct results of SEO efforts (e.g., increased organic traffic or improved conversion rates), it becomes easier to secure budgets and support for further optimization efforts.
Boosting Visibility
While increased visibility is a significant advantage of effective SEO, its impact on business growth is multi-fold:
Enhanced User Experience: A well-optimized website, which is a result of a thorough SEO audit, often translates to a better user experience. This can lead to increased trust, brand loyalty, and, ultimately, conversions.
Cost-Effective Marketing: Unlike paid advertising which stops when the money does, the effects of SEO are long-lasting. Once you rank high on search engine results, you receive consistent, organic traffic without continuous investment.
Building Credibility: Ranking high on search engine results pages is often perceived by users as a mark of legitimacy and authority. This can significantly boost brand credibility and trustworthiness.
Now that you’ve gone over the value and different metrics, why don’t you start with a free SEO Audit from Seraflux! Just put in your website, let our experts look at your current website, and offer you our expert insight with a breakdown of technical facts. We know the South African SEO market well, and we want to see you succeed.
