Accountability…
Whether we’re talking about the SEO vendor you’ve hired, or your in-house team, what are the ways you can tell if they’re not hitting the nail on the head with your SEO? Well, let’s be honest; when it comes to SEO, there are often a lot of people saying words AT you, instead of communicating WITH you to help you gain a better understanding. The result is a lacking awareness of what’s fact or fiction (a problem all too prevalent in the world of SEO, and especially in that of automotive SEO). So, here a few things that can you to understand if something’s happening, what’s happening, when it’s happening, and if things are moving in the right direction,
Your Sitemap
The sitemap is going to show you all the pages on your website. If a good SEO company is at work, you should see that sitemap continuously expanding with the creation of new, relevant content in the form of pages being added to your site. (PS. If they can’t show you that content, that should be a red flag).
Free Tools
Last episode we talked about Google Analytics and Google Search Console. With these free tools you can actually see how things are performing, and if they’re moving in the right direction. If nothing else, they can help you to gut-check the numbers that you’re being told, by confirming if they’re aligned with the data being interpreted and presented by Google. Now, if they’re not aligned it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being lied to. It could be explained through any number of variables that you failed to consider, or the influence of an unseen filter, but it should (at least) engender an honest conversation. Either you gain the opportunity to learn something, or you gain a greater sense of control by holding your provider accountable.
Recap
Accountability is a rare commodity in the SEO world, so you need to hold your provider to task. Familiarity with your sitemap, awareness of new content, and use of both Google Analytics and Google Search Console to gauge efficacy, are all ways to spark honest conversation between you and your provider.
FAQ
Q1. How can you tell if your SEO vendor or in-house team is not delivering satisfactory results?
A1. You can monitor the expansion of your sitemap, which should show new, relevant content being added to your website. If you do not see any new content or cannot be shown any, it could be a red flag. Additionally, using free tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console can help you track the performance and movement of your website’s data to ensure that it is aligned with what your provider is telling you.
Q2. How can the use of free tools help with holding your SEO provider accountable?
A2. Free tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console can give you data and insights about your website’s performance, which can help you verify the accuracy of the data being presented to you by your provider. If the data doesn’t align, it can lead to an honest conversation between you and your provider, giving you greater control over the results of your SEO efforts.