Top 10 SEO Onboarding Questions

November 16, 2023

Ben Ben Townsend

An SEO strategy meeting

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is a digital marketing strategy aimed at improving the visibility and ranking of a website or web page in search engine results pages (SERPs). It involves optimizing various elements of a website—including its content, structure, and on-page elements like titles and meta tags—as well as external factors such as backlinks and social signals, to make the site more attractive to search engines like Google.

The goal of SEO is to increase organic (non-paid) traffic to a website by making it more discoverable and relevant to users’ search queries. Effective SEO involves understanding how search engines work, what people are searching for, and how to create and structure content that meets these needs. It’s a continuous process, adapting to changes in search engine algorithms, user behaviour, and technological advancements.

Here’s a Top 10 list of questions that should be answered to ensure that an SEO campaign is structured and managed for optimal results.

  1. Business and Website Overview:
    • Can you describe your business, products, and services?
    • What are your main goals for SEO (e.g., increase traffic, improve conversions, brand awareness)?
    • Who are your main competitors, both online and offline?
  2. Target Audience:
    • Who is your target audience or ideal customer?
    • Are there specific geographic locations you are targeting?
    • What are the main pain points or needs of your target audience?
  3. Current Online Presence:
    • Do you currently have a website? If yes, what is the URL?
    • What content management system (CMS) does your website use?
    • Are you currently tracking website traffic with tools like Google Analytics?
  4. SEO History and Efforts:
    • Have you undertaken any SEO efforts in the past?
    • Have you ever worked with an SEO agency or consultant before?
    • Have you faced any Google penalties or significant drops in traffic?
  5. Content and Keywords:
    • What keywords or phrases do you believe your potential customers use to find your products/services?
    • Do you have an existing content strategy or blog?
    • Are you willing to create new content or modify existing content based on SEO recommendations?
  6. Social Media and Other Marketing Efforts:
    • Are you active on social media? Which platforms?
    • What other marketing channels are you currently using (e.g., email marketing, PPC, offline advertising)?
    • How do you integrate your online and offline marketing efforts?
  7. Budget and Resources:
    • What is your budget for SEO services?
    • Do you have an in-house team to support SEO initiatives (e.g., content creation, web development)?
    • Are you open to recommendations that may require additional budget or resources (like new website features)?
  8. Performance Measurement:
    • How do you currently measure marketing success?
    • What are your key performance indicators (KPIs) for SEO?
    • How often would you like to receive reports and updates on SEO progress?
  9. Expectations and Communication:
    • What are your short-term and long-term expectations from SEO?
    • How frequently would you like to communicate about the project?
    • What is your preferred mode of communication (e.g., email, phone, face-to-face meetings)?
  10. Technical Aspects:
    • Are you aware of any technical issues with your website (e.g., slow loading, mobile-unfriendliness)?
    • Do you have access to your website’s backend and hosting environment?
    • Are you open to making technical changes to your website if recommended for SEO improvement?

Let’s get to work!