Did you know that less than 1% of online users click on the second page of Google results (Terra Team)? If you’re running an agency, developing a clear agency seo strategy is your ticket to landing on page one and boosting client satisfaction. In this post, you’ll learn simple steps to build an SEO plan that keeps you ahead of the curve.
Define your objectives
Every great SEO plan starts with clear goals. What are you aiming to achieve—more organic traffic, higher rankings, or increased leads? Pin down specific targets so you can measure success later.
Set SMART goals
- Specific: “Increase monthly organic sessions by 20 percent”
- Measurable: track via Google Analytics and Google Search Console
- Achievable: consider current traffic and resources
- Relevant: align with your client’s business priorities
- Time-bound: give yourself a 3- to 6-month window
Align with client needs
Talk to your client about budgets and priorities. If pricing is still on the table, see our guide to seo agency pricing to keep everyone on the same page.
Conduct a site audit
Before you dive into keywords, check what’s already on your client’s site. You want to spot technical hiccups, performance bottlenecks, and on-page issues.
Review site speed and mobile
Around 40 percent of visitors will bail if a page takes longer than three seconds to load (Terra Team). And nearly 60 percent of users browse on their phones, so make sure mobile usability is solid.
Identify crawl and index issues
Use Google Search Console and Screaming Frog to uncover broken links, duplicate content, and pages missing meta tags. Fixing these early prevents wasted effort down the road.
Perform keyword research
Finding the right search terms fuels every other step in your SEO approach.
Use diverse keyword tools
Start with Google’s autocomplete and Keyword Planner for broad ideas, then dig into Semrush or Ahrefs for volume and difficulty metrics.
Group by intent
Organize keywords into buckets—informational, navigational, transactional—so you know which ones to target on blogs, service pages, or product listings.
Analyze your competitors
Your rivals are a goldmine of insights. What pages are ranking? Which keywords they’re nailing?
Audit top-ranking content
Plug competitor URLs into Ahrefs or Semrush to see their best-performing pages. Identify content gaps you can fill.
Discover link opportunities
Look at referring domains for your competitors. Can you pitch similar sites for guest posts or partnerships to build your link profile?
Choose your tools
A reliable tech stack makes execution so much smoother. Here’s a quick comparison of popular options:
| Tool | Purpose | Key feature | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semrush | Keyword research, analysis | Position and difficulty filters | Rankability |
| Ahrefs | Competitor analysis | Lowest DR filter to find uncompetitive keywords | Rankability |
| Screaming Frog | Technical audit | Crawl depth and internal link coverage insights | Rankability |
| Rankability | NLP-driven recommendations | Automated content briefs based on NLP keywords | Rankability |
| ChatGPT | Data analysis | Quick SERP-based answers (eg, H1 ranking factor) | Rankability |
For a fuller list of options, check our agency seo tools page.
Optimize technical elements
Technical tweaks can move the needle fast.
Improve page speed
Compress images, leverage lazy loading, and enable browser caching.
Enhance mobile usability
Use responsive design, check tap targets, and confirm font sizes are legible on smaller screens.
Craft your content plan
Quality and depth matter more than ever thanks to semantic search and Google’s BERT updates.
Develop topic clusters
Group related articles around a pillar page to signal expertise and improve internal linking.
Follow E-A-T principles
Demonstrate expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness by citing reputable sources and showcasing author bios.
Add local relevance
If you serve local clients, create city or neighborhood–specific pages with unique content—learn more about local seo for agencies.
Build your link profile
Links remain a top ranking signal when they’re relevant and earned.
Outreach and PR
Identify sites in your niche, craft personalized pitches, and offer value through guest posts or data insights.
Leverage internal linking
Guide both users and crawlers by linking related pages naturally with keyword-rich anchor text.
Measure and report results
You can’t improve what you don’t track.
Define key metrics
- Organic sessions
- Keyword ranking positions
- Click-through rate (CTR)
- Time on page
- Bounce rate
Adjust your strategy
Review performance monthly, celebrate wins, and tweak tactics—maybe pivot to new keywords or ramp up link outreach where you see the biggest ROI.
Key takeaways
- Set SMART goals and align on budget up front
- Run a thorough site audit to catch technical issues early
- Use research-backed tools for keywords, audits, and competitor intel
- Build content around topic clusters and E-A-T best practices
- Earn quality backlinks with targeted outreach and smart internal linking
- Track core metrics and refine your approach in real time
Pick one step to tackle today—maybe start with a quick site audit—and watch your agency seo strategy take shape. Have questions or tips of your own? Drop them in the comments below so we can all learn together.
