Here’s a 12-month SEO plan tailored to a 3-hour-per-month schedule. The plan is designed to gradually improve your site’s visibility, focusing on high-impact actions each month.
Month 1: SEO Audit & Quick Wins
- Time Allocation:
- 1 hour: Conduct an SEO audit (tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Screaming Frog).
- 1 hour: Fix technical issues (broken links, missing meta tags, duplicate content).
- 1 hour: Set up Google Analytics, Google Search Console, and Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Deliverables:
- Identify priority issues.
- Ensure your site is indexable and technically sound.
Month 2: Keyword Research
- Time Allocation:
- 1.5 hours: Research high-value keywords using tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs.
- 1.5 hours: Map keywords to specific pages (focus on intent and competition).
- Deliverables:
- Build a keyword list.
- Create a content map for your website.
Month 3: On-Page Optimization
- Time Allocation:
- 1 hour: Optimize title tags and meta descriptions for top pages.
- 1 hour: Improve internal linking structure.
- 1 hour: Add primary keywords to headings and body content.
- Deliverables:
- Fully optimized priority pages.
- Improved site architecture for crawlers.
Month 4: Content Creation
- Time Allocation:
- 3 hours: Write and publish 1–2 keyword-focused blog posts.
- Deliverables:
- Fresh, engaging content optimized for your target audience.
Month 5: Technical SEO Enhancements
- Time Allocation:
- 1 hour: Improve site speed (optimize images, enable caching).
- 1 hour: Optimize for mobile responsiveness.
- 1 hour: Check for schema markup opportunities and implement them.
- Deliverables:
- Faster load times and better mobile experience.
- Structured data to enhance search snippets.
Month 6: Competitor Analysis
- Time Allocation:
- 1.5 hours: Analyze competitors’ top-performing pages and keywords.
- 1.5 hours: Identify backlink opportunities from competitor profiles.
- Deliverables:
- A competitive insights report.
- A shortlist of backlink opportunities.
Month 7: Local SEO (if applicable)
- Time Allocation:
- 1 hour: Optimize your Google Business Profile.
- 1 hour: Create or update local citations.
- 1 hour: Gather and respond to reviews.
- Deliverables:
- Improved local search visibility.
- Better engagement on local platforms.
Month 8: Backlink Building
- Time Allocation:
- 1.5 hours: Outreach to websites for guest posting or link exchanges.
- 1.5 hours: Create shareable content (infographics, guides) for backlinks.
- Deliverables:
- At least 2–3 new backlinks.
- Content for outreach campaigns.
Month 9: Refresh Existing Content
- Time Allocation:
- 2 hours: Update older content with new data, links, and keywords.
- 1 hour: Reoptimize underperforming pages based on analytics.
- Deliverables:
- Improved rankings for existing content.
- Better content relevance.
Month 10: Advanced Analytics & Tracking
- Time Allocation:
- 1 hour: Set up conversion tracking in Google Analytics.
- 1 hour: Analyze traffic and ranking trends.
- 1 hour: Adjust SEO strategy based on performance.
- Deliverables:
- Data-driven insights for strategy tweaks.
- Improved ROI tracking.
Month 11: Focus on E-A-T
- Time Allocation:
- 1 hour: Highlight author expertise (bios, credentials, etc.).
- 1 hour: Add authoritative external and internal links.
- 1 hour: Work on trust signals (security badges, testimonials).
- Deliverables:
- Improved trustworthiness and authority signals.
Month 12: Review & Strategy for Next Year
- Time Allocation:
- 1 hour: Conduct a full SEO performance review.
- 1 hour: Identify new opportunities for keywords and content.
- 1 hour: Plan next year’s SEO strategy.
- Deliverables:
- Comprehensive performance report.
- SEO roadmap for the next 12 months.
This plan balances technical, content, and authority-building strategies to steadily grow your site’s visibility while respecting a 3-hour-per-month commitment.
