How I'm approaching SEO in 2024

Hi friends,

I’m writing this newsletter from Bangkok International Airport, on the way home from a 2-week break in Thailand. It’s been a much needed holiday and an amazing trip. I’m feeling re-energised to begin work on a new project when I’m home; which is always the sign of a good holiday for me.

My plan over the next few months is to build a local business directory website using Webflow, Airtable and Nobull. Then connect this all to an automated newsletter with Make. I’ll be documenting the process and providing some more insights here and on X over the coming weeks.

Which leads me onto the point of this email:

Before kicking off this project, I’ve been thinking about my approach to Search Engine Optimisation and how I will set the website up for the best possible chance of being found on Google. The success of this project largely hinges on how well I’ll be able to execute a good SEO strategy.

I can break my approach to SEO down into 3 main buckets. I’ve shared these below in the hope that it might help you if you think your website should be ranking higher in search engines.

Architecture

Before anything I make a mental model about how all the content on a website will be structured and depending on its complexity, I’ll map this out to some degree in Figma. This is mostly to visualise how I will structure the CMS and what Collection Lists, database connections and item fields are required. By taking time to map this structure out first, even if only roughly, I can start with a robust CMS structure that can scale over time. It also allows me to plan for how category pages will be rendered and how users will find the information they are looking for, which is crucial for good SEO and one that will be particularly relevant on this project.

Code

I define the ‘code’ as how the html of a website is written and structured. This is relevant even when using a no-code tool such as Webflow. Making sure div blocks are properly tagged, ensuring every page has one H1 heading and that other headings aren’t skipped is all important. Populating all meta fields, adding dynamic CMS page names where appropriate, including OG Images and schema markup is all foundationally important for good SEO. It’s the fundamental base work that should be part of every project, and dare I say is a given in 2024. One of the reasons I love building with Webflow so much is that it makes this aspect of SEO a breeze. There’s no excuse for missing any of these html best practices in a modern build.

It’s the next category is where the real battles are won.

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Content

Content is where you win or lose at SEO. If I had to quantify it, good content makes up at least 75% of a good SEO strategy.

How do I define good content? I always keep these questions front of mind:

• What will the audience get value from on this website?
• What will keep them engaged with the website for longer per visit?
• What will encourage them to share a piece of content with others?

Ultimately, good content is that which users will find the most value from on your website. It’s the topics and problems they are searching for on Google which could lead them to your website. Good content is the biggest driver for ranking on Google.

My 2 tips here:

1. Always challenge yourself to think about what content your business can publish that will provide more value to your ideal customers.
2. Always be authentic

In conclusion, I like to use this simple 3-step model when approaching SEO in my work. To sum it up, get the basics right with your architecture and code, then spend all of your time producing good content!

Good SEO is simple, but that doesn’t make it easy. We all know how to lose weight (eat less and exercise more) - the challenge is in the execution and consistency.

Hope you found that useful, drop me a reply if you have any questions about your website SEO.

Catch up soon.

Sam

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