The Seotistics newsletter is written by Marco Giordano, a Data/Web Analyst with the goal of combining business and web data. Tired of the usual boring Analytics content without any business impact? Seotistics teaches you how to use Analytics, web data and even content in your workflow while helping you with Strategy.
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π‘ How To Get The Most Out Of Boring SEO
Published 10 months agoΒ β’Β 6 min read
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Use Data Or Be Used By Data!
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The July 8 issue of Seotistics is here for you!
Boring SEO works, in a world of hype, extreme focus and dedication are what get you results.
This doesn't exclude innovation or avoiding automation because you need a healthy dose of exploration.
This is referred to as Exploration vs Exploitation and is one of the key points in any organization.
P.S. Big changes are coming, I'll keep writing blog posts and some important announcements to follow π
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Most of the effective things we do in SEO are boring and repetitive.
Ecommerce is a prime example as most of what you can do is technical or involves organizing products.
Content websites are the most exciting of the bunch but require a high degree of standardization if you want to scale them.
Anyway, SEO requires standardization and can't be defined as very exciting if you have been doing it seriously.
Procedures and standards are what get you through
It works, you can't start questioning everything
Analytics is invaluable at this point and it doesn't limit itself to Google tools.
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It helps you simplify complex problems. And you are even luckier, most of our problems require the same solutions!
π Why Exploration Matters
Relying on old processes for 10 years is the key to losing traction.
It's recommended to spend 10% of your time exploring new topics. Mind you, not the majority of your time, only a small fraction.
If you explore too much, you don't move and start overthinking.
I had several discussions with "veteran" SEOs who claimed stuff from 10 years ago that doesn't even exist now.
In dynamic industries like SEO, no one cares about what happened 3-4 years ago, really.
You either win now or think about the good ol' past.
Staying up to date is a requirement to maintain your competitive advantage.
Exploration is the starting point for innovation. It requires you to think out of the box and explore new alternatives.
π Good VS πΏ Bad Exploration
Exploring automation, coding, Analytics and cool ideas is fine if properly done.
I myself am a big fan of this stuff as you know.
The problem is when the following happens:
You obsess over AI and Voice Search because you fall for scare tactics.
You think that Python/Coding = Insights. Unfortunately, you need much more...
You explore too much and forget about your goals...
This lack of focus is harmful to your business and we have seen a recent example with Google Analytics 4.
While I agree that GA4's launch was problematic, not every business needs to be super proficient in it.
But if you want a quick primer, check my 101 guide.
Search Console and other company data didn't get the same attention!
Exploration doesn't need to lead to perfect results, just don't abuse it!
My recommendation is to test some innovative ideas and see how they fit into what you already do.
π Exploitation
Exploiting your knowledge is how you get through and the ultimate proof of competence.
Most of your efforts should go on using your existing resources. If you aren't able to capitalize on the present, you will have a hard time in the future.
Even something like Keyword Research can be considered exploitation.
An example of knowing your craft is fending off competitors' attacks and eating their traffic.
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If your processes don't make you competitive, then what's the point?
You should aim to grab more and more rankings over time.
Most of my work involves using data more efficiently than what you see elsewhere... but the SEO ideas are the same.
You can learn the same with my ebook and with all the content I post for free.
SEO is always the boring same, you don't need any fancy patent for that.
Exploitation is productivity and efficiency. Your comfort zone, your ideal playing field.
π‘ My Very Personal Advice
The best way to learn SEO and improve is to have your own assets.
When you own something or have 90% control over it, you are able to figure out why excessive exploration is bad.
And yet, social media instilled in us the FOMO culture, that you need to learn everything and now!
And also, some of the most frequent misconceptions:
Follow every new trend (AI, Voice Search)
Study everything in SEO - absolute generalism is 99% of the time a bad choice
Thinking that 90% of the conferences actually teach you stuff
Google is always right so I wonβt test anything
Affiliate/any other activity is absolutely a scam!
The best solution is complex
Test, test and test once again, once you have some practical experience, you are ready to express your opinion with confidence.
Most of your time you should exploit.
But leave space to question your beliefs with exploration, and analyze different POVs.
Exploration/Exploitation is better understood once you lose money.
π Your Workflow
A new trend may not be useful for you because it simply doesn't fit your workflow.
For instance, let's take the workflow I use for Data Analysis:
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Adding something new in the middle can slow down my process because I'd need to reevaluate the feasibility of some ideas.
We are currently bombarded by new methodologies and ideas and we forget about the optimal solution.
For most of what I do, being lean and honing processes is perfect.
The Curse Of Complexity
Oh... how many pointless meetings I had in my life...
One of the most common obstacles to implementing anything is people.
Analytics strives for simplicity and simplification is the ultimate complexity.
Yet, some can't make things easier, they have to overcomplicate it.
While SEO or even Analytics aren't easy per se, they aren't impossible either.
If you have enough practice under your belt, trust your gut but don't overdo it!
And if you want some help in making your life easier, you can check out my course:
[Analytics For SEO Course - v1]
I am already working on v2 which will contain something like 40-50% more content and some stuff that I need to add.
Come join the Seotistics Academy!
You will:
β Use GSC and GA4 Data to their fullest potential
β Learn Python/R/SQL for your needs
β Get a complete blueprint for auditing websites
β Learn how to 10x your productivity
β Learn BigQuery to work on large websites
I teach you what's needed to go from 0 to a professional Data Analyst.
Even if you leave SEO, the foundations are the same for other jobs!
P.S. (Ab)use the referral system and get additional discounts π
The Seotistics newsletter is written by Marco Giordano, a Data/Web Analyst with the goal of combining business and web data. Tired of the usual boring Analytics content without any business impact? Seotistics teaches you how to use Analytics, web data and even content in your workflow while helping you with Strategy.
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