This document discusses integrating marketing and SEO for optimal results. It begins by contrasting reactive SEO, which lacks strategy and focuses only on optimizing existing content, with proactive SEO, which aligns SEO efforts with marketing initiatives through audience focus, a content development approach, and calls to action. It then covers using keyword research to identify terms to expand a site's reach and measuring progress. Key analytical tools like Google Search and Google Analytics are also discussed.
5. Current State of SEO
Most Accounting Marketers are in the
REACTIVE MODE of SEO & Content
Marketing. The Focus is on What the Firm is
Already Doing.
6. Reactive SEO
Elements of Reactive SEO:
Lacks a Comprehensive Strategy – Fails to
Integrate SEO with Wider Firm Marketing Initiatives
No Clear Audience Profile(s) – Unclear
Understanding Who the Firm is Targeting & Key
Motivations (Makes Keyword Planning Almost
Impossible)
No Content Development Approach – No Formal
Content Calendar + Content That Appeals Only to Top
and Bottom of the Funnel
Simply Maintaining a Process of
Keeping New/Old Content Optimized
7. Reactive SEO
Reactive SEO Playbook:
Title & Description Optimization
Keyword Optimization
Heading Tags (H1-H6)
ALT IMG Tags
Social Sharing
Keyword Contemplation
9. Shifting Gears
WHY CHANGE?
My firm gets $50K - $100K
in new business (not to
mention total opportunities)
from our website annually.
ANSWER
Proactive SEO can double
or triple that number. It’s the
next step in the process.
10. Proactive SEO
Elements of Proactive SEO:
Align SEO & Marketing – Integrates SEO Efforts to
Match the Natural Sales Cycle of the Firm’s Key Target
Audience Focus – Clear Understanding of Which
Audience the Firm is Targeting + Important Messaging
for the Group
Content Development Approach – Focused
Approach That Produces High Quality & Relevant
Content of Interest to Prospects – Mid-Funnel Content
Calls to Action – Multiple Types of Calls to Action,
Including Gated Content – (Think Hubspot)
11. Proactive SEO Playbook
Proactive SEO Playbook:
Marketing Focus Changes
Ongoing Keyword Research & Rotation
Production of Fresh + High Value Content
Firm-wide Involvement
Ongoing Keyword Research
Competitive Analysis
17. SEO + Sales Cycle
How Can SEO
Be Used to
Address
Prospects in
All Stages of
the Sales
Cycle?
18. SEO + Sales Cycle
Keywords Driven By Prospect Searches
Informational Searches – Designed to search on a
broad topic – Missouri Use Tax
Navigation Searches – Designed to find a
particular website – SAMPLE CPA FIRM
Transactional Searches – Designed to identify a
particular product that a user can purchase – Vacation
to Bahamas
Where Should/Does Your Firm Focus?
19. SEO + Sales Cycle
Effective Informational Search Targeting:
High Quality Content on Website
Detailed Blog Posts
Content Tone & Approach
Audience Focused
Whitepapers, Checklists
Establish Your Firm as a Subject Matter Expert
20. SEO + Sales Cycle
Two Types of Keywords:
Short Tail Keyword Terms
• CPA Firm
• Accounting Firm
• Pittsburgh Accounting Firm
• Accounting Services PA
• Bookkeeping Services PA
• Pittsburgh CPA Firm
• IRS Representation
Long Tail Keyword Terms
• CPA Firm Serving
Pittsburgh
• Bookkeeping Services For
Pittsburgh Businesses
• IRS Representation
Individuals Pittsburgh
• Pittsburgh Business
Valuations
• Pittsburgh Outsourced
Accounting
21. SEO + Sales Cycle
What Changes About the Keyword
Terms?
27. Keyword Research
The Process:
Define Your Target Audience – Identify Needs &
Common Challenges
Create a Keyword List – Short List of Terms
Prospects Might Search (Issues, Geography & Service)
Check Search Patterns – Discover Which Search
Terms Are Relevant to Your Site
Reevaluate Often
28. Know Your Target Audience
Define Your Target Audience:
Who Are Our Prospects? – Public
Company, International, Private
Company, Key Issues ?
What Terms Might They Search?
– Service Terms, Issue Terms or
Geographical?
What Subject Matter is Top of
Mind? – Compliance, New Legislation,
Common Issues Faced, Profitability,
etc.?
What’s Important
to Your Target?
29. Keyword List
Brainstorm an Initial Keyword List
Name of Service/Industry/Topic – 401k Audits,
ERISA Audits, Business Valuations
Common Issues Experienced – Question Format
Search Terms – Who Needs 401k Plan Audit?
Leverage Tools – Use Google Instant + Related
Keyword Terms for Additional Insights
30. Keyword List
Google Instant –
Suggests Related
Searches for the User
to Make
Related Keyword
Terms – Additional
Search Related to the
Initial Search
34. Implement New Terms
Leverage the Research
Modify Terms on Relevant Content – Service,
Industry & Thought Leadership
Rotate Terms Periodically – Rotate Terms
Periodically to Ensure Keyword Saturation
New Content Ideas – Use the Keyword Research to
Identify New Content Ideas – Thought Leadership,
Service or Industry Information
Commit to Saturating Keyword Terms with Content
39. Google Search
Key Information
Messages – How Google ‘Helps’ You
Links to Your Site – Not Internal Links
Search Analytics – Queries
Search Analytics – Impressions + Ranking
Mobile Usability – Uncover Issues with Your Mobile
Site
41. Google Search
Messages - This Section is Where Google Will Email
Information About Website Errors or Security Issues
42. Google Search
Links to Your Site - This Provides Insights Into Who
is Linking to Your Site and the Most Linked to Content on
Your Site
43. Google Search
Search Analytics - This Provides Insights Into How
the Site is Performing Related to Search Terms and Other
Essential Metrics
44. Google Search
Search Analytics - This Provides Insights Into How
Many Impressions and Clicks as well as Keyword
Position, Which is Valuable Information for Keyword +
Content Planning
46. Google Analytics
Key Information
Keyword Search – Most Searched Terms
Audience Overview – General Audience Information
Mobile Overview – Amount of Mobile Traffic
Page Analytics – Most Searched Site Content
Much More…