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Keyword Research and List Building
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Save all lists as they map directly to folders in AccuRanker.
Tag and group keywords for easier collaboration and reporting.
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7-Month SEO Campaign Plan
Having a 7-month plan is invaluable for both the client and the SEO rep. It sets clear expectations, fosters transparency, and aligns efforts with marketing goals and consumer behavior.
Why a 7-Month Plan?
For Clients: Transparency is key. A well-documented plan lets clients know what to expect each month and ensures their goals align with the SEO strategy. This fosters trust and collaboration.
For SEO Reps: Predefined monthly focuses free up time for detailed research and execution, leading to more impactful campaigns.
Procedure for Building a 7-Month Plan
The first two months of a campaign focus on foundational elements like intake call notes, inventory assessment, and establishing a strong keyword list. For months 3–7, monthly focuses are built using:
Intake Call Notes: Insights from account managers about client goals and priorities.
Dealer Inventory: Prioritize high-stock items or categories.
Search Trends: Use tools like Google Trends and Keyword Planner to identify timely and valuable keywords.
Factors to Consider
Seasonality: Plan for what customers will be searching 3–6 months in advance to give Google time to rank the pages.
Industry Competition: Gauge the competitiveness of the client’s region and industry. More competition may require more in-depth content.
Demographics: Who is their target audience? Tailor content to their motivations.
Local Vernacular: Consider how people search in the client’s region (e.g., “ATV” vs. “Four-Wheeler”).
Potential Roadblocks: Be prepared to adjust if the client’s inventory or priorities change unexpectedly.
Website Structure: For new websites, build a structure that supports the dealer’s inventory and user navigation.
Tools and Strategies
Intake Notes & Dealer Inventory
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Find average search volume and competition for keywords relevant to the client’s area.
Select keywords that are aligned with seasonal trends and the client’s goals.
Focus Justification
Why It Matters
Justifying your choices ensures clients understand the reasoning behind your strategy. It also minimizes unnecessary communication and empowers account managers to speak confidently on reporting calls.
How to Justify Focus
Include data-backed insights for each focus:
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Factors | What Is It | Where to Get It | How to Use |
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Search Volume | The average monthly search volume for the keyword group. | AccuRanker - You can look at the tag group for page you’re working on and it will give you a localized and aggregated average monthly search volume for keywords in that group. | There isn’t much use in targeting keywords that no one is searching for and so, we want to make sure that our chosen focus has decent search volume. Ideally you want to start with pages that represent the most search volume first but you will also need to consider their inventory as well. |
Inventory Count | Total inventory units for the inventory page you’re working on. | Directly on the webpage you’re looking to optimize using inventory filters or the inventory feed from a website. | We want to make sure we are focused on optimizing pages where the dealer has inventory to sell. Ideally the page would included more than 10% of the total inventory count. This can be difficult with low inventory dealer so you may have to optimize showroom pages instead. |
Current Ranking | Current localized ranking for the main keyword(s). | AccuRanker - You can look at the tag group for page you’re working on and it will give you a localized and aggregated average ranking for keywords in that group. | The third factor to consider is the current rankings of tracked keywords. Some of the best keywords to target for new content are those that are already ranking on the first and second page since they already perform well and a little content can results is significant gains. |
**Bonus: CTR | Total number of times a keyword had a result clicked over the total number of times it was shown | AccuRanker - I would focus on the main keyword’s CTR as it should be included in the meta title for maximum effect. | The last main stat to consider for justification is the CTR for your tracked keywords. If you’re keywords have a lower relative CTR than the rest of the site you’re content could add value in two main areas the attractiveness of the link on the SERP and the relevancy of the content on the page to a larger percentage of searches. |
**Bonus: Competition Summary for the Main Keyword | Brief about the other competitors on the SERP for the main keyword | AccuRanker - You can see the organic competitors for each keyword by clicking the top competitor for the keyword in the table. | This summary can give an idea of our chance of beating the current top performers for a given keyword. If it’s all big box stores, directories, and large brands our chances may not be very good or we should consider alternative strategies to win there. However, if it’s all local results we might be able to close the gap much faster. |
**Bonus: Seasonality Summary | Brief about timing of work and relation to seasonal search trends. | AccuRanker - Search Trends graph on the dashboard once you’ve selected the keyword group | This should give the explanation of why you chose to work on something that will have it’s peak search season in the next 3-6 months and how content needs the time to cook. |
Fulfilling the Plan
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Formatting for FWD Record
Status: Mark as “Blank” (previous months), “Planned” (future work), or “Completed” (published work).
Report Date: Use ascending dates for deliverables within the same month.
Content Type: Select the content type from the dropdown.
Content Focus: Specify the topic.
Content Link: Add the URL once content is live.
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This version keeps the original tone but improves readability and structure. Let me know if you’d like to refine anything further!
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First Month SEO Checklist
The first month of SEO is crucial for laying the foundation of a client’s campaign. This guide outlines the tasks for SEO representatives, ensuring all work is properly completed and submitted to the QA team.
Brand-Specific Tasks:
Dealer Spike (DS Only): Tasks exclusive to Dealer Spike are labeled.
ARI-Specific (ARI Only): Tasks exclusive to ARI are labeled.
General Tasks: Apply to both brands unless otherwise noted.
Fulfillment Work Done URLs
Homepage Reporting:
Add the Homepage URL as the Work Done URL for the first month to cover the work included in this guide.
Even though multiple pages will be worked on, only the homepage is reported to keep the report clean and organized.
First Inventory Header:
In addition to the homepage URL, all new package’s inventory headers start in month one, meaning you should have at least one header included in the Work Done.
Dealer Spike-Specific Tasks
Showroom Links (DS Only)
By default, showroom pages include “New Inventory” (--xNewInventory) and “Used Inventory” (--xPreOwnedInventory) buttons.
Update these links to avoid duplicate URLs on the website. Follow the guide to ensure proper configuration.
Homepage Optimization Tasks
Homepage Paragraphs
Review and optimize the homepage content as follows:
Proofreading:
Correct spelling, grammar, and typos.
Verify dealer names and locations are accurate.
Trademarks:
Add or remove trademarks as necessary.
Inventory Lists:
Shorten long lists of brands or inventory types to four items or fewer.
Use phrasing like “and more” to indicate additional options.
Hyperlinks:
Limit hyperlinks to 3–4 total.
De-link any hyperlink if a button on the homepage serves the same purpose, unless justified by research.
Focus on relevant, conversion-oriented links like:
About Us
Contact
Maps & Hours
Finance
Top-Level Inventory Pages
Pages critical to the dealer’s SEO campaign (use research and judgment).
Pages to Optimize in the First Month
Focus on optimizing these pages (H1, Meta Title, Meta Description, unless otherwise noted):
Homepage:
Paragraphs, title, and description (see instructions above).
Top-Level Inventory Pages:
All, New, and Used inventory pages.
If these pages are linked on the homepage or dropdown menu, they must be optimized or hidden/removed.
ARI Note: To remove the “All” page from a dropdown without altering menu structure, rename the “New Inventory” option to “Inventory” but keep the New Inventory URL.
Showroom Pages:
Dealer Spike: Optimize New/Used inventory buttons on showroom pages.
ARI: Optimize the title and description of the All New Models showroom page.
Essential Business Pages:
About Us
Parts
Service
Maps & Hours
Reviews/Testimonial pages (titles and descriptions only).
Review Us page (if present; title and description only).
Trade-In page (title and description only).
Schedule a Test Ride/Demo page (if present; title and description only).
Pages Not Required for Optimization in Month 1
Unless explicitly requested by the client, the following pages can be deferred to later months:
Additional Services:
Rentals, motorcycle classes, winterization, RV storage, marine/boat docking, apparel, etc.
Manufacturer Promotions:
Temporary promotions or offers.
Secondary Inventory Pages:
Manufacturer-specific, vehicle-type-specific, or other subpages under inventory.
Other General Pages:
Financing, Contact Us, Newsletter, Staff, Events/Calendar, Photos, Careers/Employment.
Service Request and Parts Request forms.
Get a Quote.
Links/Resources.
ARI-Specific:
Old custom pages created by DigMs.
Additional Notes
Keep the campaign clean and focused on high-priority pages during the first month.
For any exceptions or unique dealer requests, consult your QA team to ensure proper implementation.