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Salford SEO - From Audit to Action: Maximising ...

Salford SEO - From Audit to Action: Maximising Results from Technical SEO

We've all been there where we've created an audit that we're proud of only to find it gathering digital dust, and it never gets actioned.

I can relate, and that's why this talk is designed to turn your audits into actionable steps that yield tangible results. My talk will help you remove the blockers and speak the language of developers and stakeholders to help your audit recommendations get implemented.

What will be covered:
• Strategies to bridge the communication gap between SEO professionals and developers/stakeholders.
• Practical insights to transform audits into actionable steps.
• Ensure your technical SEO recommendations get implemented and deliver measurable results.

Nikki Halliwell

May 02, 2024
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Transcript

  1. Sick of creating audits that go nowhere? This talk will

    help ensure your audits get actioned, and you can see tangible results on the back of them. 3
  2. Anyone can perform a tech audit Tools can even do

    it automatically The difference is in being human 8
  3. The difference is about going beyond a standard checklist ➔

    Consider commercial business prioritisation ➔ In-depth analysis ➔ Being human ◆ Understanding issues 9
  4. As SEOs, we need to: ➔ Set a roadmap ➔

    Understand that plans and priorities change ➔ Be adaptable ➔ Speak the language of developers and stakeholders Audits That Capture Attention 10
  5. 12 Website authority refers to the overall “strength” of a

    domain. Look at things like: ➔ URL structure ➔ Silo content ➔ Pagination ➔ Backlinks Authority
  6. Content that helps your web pages to rank in search

    results. Look at things like: ➔ Duplication ➔ UX ➔ Metadata ➔ Keywords ➔ On-page Optimisation ➔ E-E-A-T Content 13
  7. Crawling is how search engine bots discover content. Look at

    things like: ➔ Sitemap ➔ Redirects ➔ Internal links ➔ Robots.txt and robots meta tags ➔ Crawl budget ➔ Technical infrastructure Crawling 14
  8. 15 Indexing is how search engines organise the information they

    find. Look at things like: ➔ Status Codes ➔ Canonicalisation ➔ Structured data ➔ Accessibility ➔ Internationalisation Indexing
  9. Local SEO helps your business be more visible in local

    search results on Google. Look at things like: ➔ Google Business Profile ➔ Local citations ➔ Localised content Local 16
  10. 17 Refers to how quickly a browser loads pages from

    a site. Look at things like: ➔ Load time ➔ Page weight ➔ Core Web Vitals ➔ Image Optimisation Site Speed 17
  11. Roadblocks come in all shapes and sizes. Understanding them helps

    us overcome the challenges and propel your technical SEO audit toward success 19
  12. The issue we have: ➔ Developers are already busy. ➔

    Bring the outcome you want – not the path there. Lack of Developer Buy-In 20
  13. The issue we have: ➔ Developers are already busy. ➔

    Bring the outcome you want – not the path there. We can overcome this by: ➔ Tie changes back to commercial returns and ROI ➔ Find common ground and listen to devs ➔ Frame recommendations within the tech stack ➔ Provide enough detail - no more, no less ➔ Establish regular lines of communication Lack of Developer Buy-In 21
  14. 22 The issue we have: It can be common for

    businesses to have limited budget and resources for implementing technical SEO requests. Resource Constraints
  15. 23 The issue we have: It can be common for

    businesses to have limited budget and resources for implementing technical SEO requests. We can overcome this by: Taking a goal-first approach, using quantifiable metrics to rank fixes and features based on strategic value. Resource Constraints
  16. The issue we have: In large organisations, departments can be

    guilty of operating in silos, making communication between them difficult. The challenge is in breaking these down so we can foster better cross-department teamwork. Organisational Silos 24
  17. We can overcome this by: ➔ Creating shared accountabilities and

    purposes. ➔ Speak to team-leaders and managers ➔ Utilise communication tools or regular stand-ups. ➔ Align incentives and goals. Organisational Silos 25
  18. 26 The issue we have: Not all tech issues are

    created equal, and naturally, some are easier to implement than others. Complexity of Implementation
  19. 27 We can overcome this by: 1. Define the goal

    and the criteria 2. Identify the subtasks and dependencies 3. Estimate the effort and duration with dev involvement 4. Assign the roles and responsibilities Complexity of Implementation
  20. 28 The issue we have: If things have always been

    done a certain way, there may be some resistance to changing or adapting to new SEO practices. Resistance to Change 28
  21. 29 The issue we have: If things have always been

    done a certain way, there may be some resistance to changing or adapting to new SEO practices. Resistance to Change 29 We can overcome this by: 1. Understand the source of resistance 2. Address concerns 3. Communicate consistently and proactively 4. Offer support and resources
  22. 30 The issue we have: If teams or individuals don’t

    understand what is being asked of them, they are unlikely to do it or fix the issue being presented. Lack of Understanding 30
  23. 31 The issue we have: If teams or individuals don’t

    understand what is being asked of them, they are unlikely to do it or fix the issue being presented. Lack of Understanding 31 We can overcome this by: 1. Explain the fix without jargon 2. Talk about the website and business benefits 3. Offer support and resources
  24. The issue we have: Companies may not be technically capable

    of fixing some issues if they have older servers or unsupported technology. Legacy Systems and Technical Debt 32
  25. The issue we have: Companies may not be technically capable

    of fixing some issues if they have older servers or unsupported technology. 33 We can overcome this by: Not all website platforms have the capability to do things in the same way, we need to understand and adapt and overcome where possible. Legacy Systems and Technical Debt
  26. 34 The issue we have: Without the right methods and

    avenues for communication it can be very difficult to get things implemented or they can be done incorrectly due to misunderstandings. Inadequate Communication
  27. 35 The issue we have: Without the right methods and

    avenues for communication it can be very difficult to get things implemented or they can be done incorrectly due to misunderstandings. Inadequate Communication We can overcome this by: Where possible, encourage the use of communication channels and be open and transparent in what you are asking for.
  28. 37 Craft a concise executive summary highlighting key findings and

    recommendations for quick decision-making. If stakeholders were to only read one thing, they should be able to get what they need from the executive summary. Clear Executive Summary 37
  29. 38

  30. 39 Highlight the High Impact Changes ➔ Make sure they

    recognise your recommendations that offer the most significant impact on SEO performance with minimal effort. ➔ How will these changes impact their conversions and bottom line?
  31. 40

  32. 41 ➔ Look at the cost vs the benefits for

    each recommendation. ➔ Emphasise the changes that are likely to yield the highest return on investment. Cost vs Benefits 41
  33. 43 ➔ Outline a step-by-step plan for addressing recommendations over

    time. ➔ Address the high impact items alongside quick wins. ➔ Create with maximum impact in mind. Set a Roadmap
  34. Customise the Recommendations 44 ➔ Each audit should be bespoke.

    ➔ Tailor recommendations to the specific needs and goals of the business. ➔ Ensure your points are relevant and align closely with their overall objectives.
  35. 45 Customise the Recommendations There are a lot of ways

    an audit can look. ➔ Adapt it for your audience ➔ Who will you be presenting the audit to? ➔ What information do they need to know? ➔ What information do they care about? ➔ What will help them to achieve that outcome?
  36. ➔ Using PIE can help win hearts and minds of

    stakeholders. ➔ Gives them something understandable that they can share with the wider team. Showcase Value and Importance 46
  37. ➔ Using PIE can help win hearts and minds of

    stakeholders. ➔ Gives them something understandable that they can share with the wider team. Showcase Value and Importance 47 Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 9 3 6 Score 11 4 2 2 16 5 4 9 17 Potential Importance Ease PIE Prioritisation
  38. ➔ Using PIE can help win hearts and minds of

    stakeholders. ➔ Gives them something understandable that they can share with the wider team. Showcase Value and Importance 48 Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 9 3 6 Score 11 4 2 2 16 5 4 9 17 Potential Importance Ease PIE Prioritisation Helps to determine a priority order
  39. 49 Building a Business Case for SEO Pull it all

    together and present it in a way that clients and stakeholders understand. How we do this ➔ Audits & Opportunity Analysis Designed to produce real commercial results; opportunity analysis, audits and recommendations. ➔ PIE Prioritisation PIE is applied to prioritise activity that will impact bottom line. ➔ Build a Business Case Forecasted traffic uplift & type is calculated to forecast the revenue uplift & build the business case for SEO to feed into development. £ £1.2m £20k £980k P I E 9 9 9 Score 27 4 2 2 6 5 4 9 18 Issue 1 Issue 2 Issue 3 PIE Prioritisation First Party Data Build Business Case Audits & Opp Analysis Development & Delivery
  40. 52 Stop, Collaborate and Listen! ➔ Everything you do should

    be documented in your project management tools. ➔ Adds a crucial layer of transparency and promotes accountability among team members. ➔ Schedule regular huddles or stand-up meetings involving representatives from SEO, development, and stakeholders.
  41. 57 Establish Clear KPIs Set up Reporting Dashboards Review and

    Adjust as Needed Maximise results from your Technical SEO Audits
  42. Nikki Halliwell Technical SEO Lead Director - XPLR Digital Ltd

    Nikki Halliwell SEO: nikkihalliwell.com/ Tech SEO Audits: techseoaudits.com/ Tech SEO Tips Newsletter: techseotips.co.uk/ Journey Further Organic Search: journeyfurther.com/services/orga nic-search Journey Further Technical SEO: journeyfurther.com/services/tech nical-seo 58