What Should Be Included In A SEO proposal?

As I have been providing prospective clients with proposals, I kept getting the same question. What does each of these terms mean.?

Sure I have my statement of who we are as a company and what result can be reasonably expected, but what I found was I had my talking points, but what I didn’t do was clearly define what each of these things do in writing for the boss that may or not meet me.

From the perspective of a blog post, it struck me that these things should be included in every SEO proposal, regardless of the company.  Furthermore, if you receive a proposal, and these things are not included, the proposal probably belongs in the trash.

Yes, I know it sounds harsh, but one thing I do a lot of is clean up after bad SEO agencies.

So here is a handy list of  definitions and a road map for anyone looking to hire an seo agency.

• Keyword Development: provide the client with a list of recommended Keywords that we feel will help them rank on terms that will help their business grow as well as rank organically.
• Content Creation: We create multiple pages each month to demonstrate your expertise to Google. Well developed content serves multiple purposes, but if done correctly, the term should be awarded top placement.
• Blog Creation and Management: Blog are handled differently because of there more current nature and there more colloquial feel. A blog is an important signal to send from a site because it shows active participation.
• Link Development- Creating a strong link profile to send signals to Google regarding the usefulness of the website. Links can also be called endorsements of the website.
• Citations – Citations demonstrate a strong commitment to local community. Additionally reputable companies, have a strong presence in professional directories and trade organizations. This includes places like the BBB and Yelp.
• Local Development – Google has a special classification for businesses that allows a stronger local footprint. This has to be developed differently than a more traditional SEO strategy.
• Social Media – This new channel helps create a strong community for you to interact with your users or people who are interested in your information. Additionally it allow for signals to be sent to Google regarding the information on your site. Better information spreads faster.
• Branding and Public Relations – This is extremely important because its sets business apart. A strong brand demonstrates confidence to clients. Google sees that strong brands are present in serious companies and they view them as more trustworthy in their recommendations.

As I’ve previously posted, SEO isn’t just about words on a page anymore.