Business Goals Determine SEO Targets

Search engine optimization delivers predictable results.good SEO campaign is to increase the number of
Many people might argue with that, but it's absolutelyvisitors who are searching for your products and
true. I can't think of another advertising medium thatservices. Successful SEO creates enough impressions
provides the data you need to precisely determineon the search engine results pages (SERPS) to deliver
your requirements the way the web can.enough visitors to meet the revenue targets.
From a business viewpoint, every SEO campaignGetting on the first page of the SERPS generates an
should be run with the idea that there is a significantimpression, or a chance that the visitor will click on
return on investment. Very often in advertising, it isyour site. Since very few people advance beyond
somewhat of a guess relative to what you canthe first page of results, a conservative SEO
expect. Marketing on the internet is a much morespecialist considers the first page of the SERPS the
predictable process.ONLY place to be and of course number one is best
Setting up your Search Engine Optimizationif you can get it.
requirements begins with a simple question. "HowAOL published information showing that first place in
much revenue do you want your website tothe search results gets almost half of the organic
generate in the coming year?" Bear in mind that theclicks. Second gets 10-15%. Third gets 5-10%. The
more unreasonable the answer to this question is,rest get the scraps but at least they have a chance.
the more difficult it will be to reach your target. SetConservatively, you can estimate that with a well
achievable goals!executed SEO campaign, that you will get 5-10%
Once you've established your revenue target, you're(we'll use 7%) of the search volume. Predictably,
done. That's it. That's your goal! OK, so not exactly.you'll be somewhere on the first page of the SERPS.
The point is, your revenue targets are your goals.So, if you need 100 visitors, then you need 100/.07
Goals should not be expressed in terms of traffic,impressions(1,428). This is the search volume you
hits, or even how much the site shows up in theneed to optimize for.
search engines (but it sure helps : ). But let's say thatOnce you've established your total search volume to
our sights are set on meeting our revenue targetsoptimize for, you then move into keyword selection.
via search engine results. That's the purpose of anThe best approach is to select a variety of
SEO campaign.keywords rather than the most popular terms.
HOW MANY CLIENTS DO YOU NEED? You should beRemember this: Most of the time its easier to rank
able to state clearly your revenue targets and thefor many low volume keywords than a single high
average annual value a client brings to your business.volume one that equals the same number of
If you know that, then simple division will tell yousearches. Further, lower volume keywords are usually
how many new clients you need. You should alsomore relevant and more specific to the needs of the
have a "gut feel" for how many of a hundred peoplevisitor. Ultimately, they convert better. You'll also
on your website turn into clients. So with that, youdiscover that once you know your total search
should be able to determine how many visitors youvolume requirements, your keywords collectively will
need to generate to your site to develop thosemeet the search volume requirements without
clients.extending into a range that's impossible to optimize
The number of visitors required is equal to thefor. You can develop a much more practical approach
number of clicks that are required. The purpose of ato your SEO campaign.