As we all have witnessed the growth of automated tools in different fields SEO is no different. SEO automation is the process of using automated tools to perform several time-consuming tasks in the most efficient way possible. This is a convenient approach to perform some of the most tedious tasks in SEO. This enables you to focus on the activities that shouldn’t or cannot be automated and require human effort. But the thing is, should it be automated? Should SEO automation be part of your SEO strategy? Let us discuss down below!
What Is SEO Automation?
As mentioned earlier, SEO automation is the process of automating SEO tasks fully or partially with the appropriate tools. Let’s Explain It For Clarity.
The major purpose of SEO is to improve the website’s ranking in search engines by improving the website traffic quantity and quality. The SEO experts will use strategies and perform certain tasks that can be divided into the following categories.
– Technical SEO involves placing tags, conducting site audits, and enhancing site load speed.
– On-page SEO that includes keyword research, content writing, and adding and editing meta titles and descriptions.
– Off-page SEO consists of link building and guest posting.
Take the crawling of the pages for instance. You will need to make sure that your website pages are being crawled by Google. It is a technical SEO task that you will need to keep an eye on as if they are not crawled then they won’t appear on the search engine results. This is the type of task that can be time-consuming as you will have to check each page manually. Tasks like this can be automated by using Google Search Console API.
This is a simple explanation of SEO automation. Using technology to automate SEO tasks to save time and human effort that can be invested in another aspect of SEO. For several reasons, SEO automation can be a good choice. Here is what you need to know.
Can Seo Be Automated?
Yes, certain SEO tasks can be automated without worrying about getting penalized by Google. However, one should understand that they should be practiced under the guidelines of Google.
What SEO Tasks Can Be Automated
The following tasks of the SEO can be automated:
-
Keyword Research:
One of the major parts of the SEO that affect your website ranking is keyword research and yes this task of SEO can be automated. Several tools can automate keyword research by analyzing search volume, competition, and relevance i.e. SEMRUSH and AHERF. With the help of these tools, it is possible to understand and identify the targeted keyword and understand user intent. These tools can provide better insight that is largely helpful for SEO experts to come up with the right strategy.
-
On-Page Optimization
Automated tools also help the experts optimize the meta tags, headers, and other on-page elements for the targeted keywords. However, it is crucial to understand how optimization works and how to do it naturally. Don’t go for any keyword stuffing or other manipulative tactics.
-
Site Audits
One of the most important tasks of on-page SEO is the site audit. It helps you understand the technical and non-technical issues. This task of SEO can be automated with audit tools. You will have consistent information regarding broken links, crawl errors, and duplicate content. It makes it easier to fix these issues as the automated recommendations are generally safe as long as they are according to Google’s guidelines and you aren’t doing anything malicious practices.
-
XML Sitemap Generation
You can generate XML sitemaps for search engines through automated tools and plugins. The updated and accurate sitemaps are responsible for effective and efficient website crawling and indexing.
-
Performance Monitoring
Automated tools are also helpful in monitoring the website performance metrics such as page load speed crawl errors and how well the mobile responsive website is. These performance issues are easy to address with automated tools. Addressing these issues they improve user experience and SERP ranking without having to worry about Google’s penalties.
-
Structured Data Markup
Structured data markup using tools like schema.org can improve your webpage ranking in search engine results. Automating the structured data makeup for different types of content is a time-saving practice and ensures consistency.
-
Backlink Monitoring
Backlink tracking is also easier with the automated tools. It is much easier to identify any harmful links. You can disavow toxic backlinks and monitor the quality of the backlinks. They can make backlink monitoring much easier and help you maintain a healthy backlink profile.
-
Content Management
Content management systems (CMS) often include automated features such as content publishing archiving and scheduling. The automated content management system can improve consistent and efficient publishing schedules.
-
Local Listings Management
Tools can automate the management of local business listings across various directories and platforms. Keeping business information accurate and consistent can improve local SEO without risking penalties.
What Tasks Of SEO That Cannot Be Automated?
Though there are several SEO tasks that we mentioned can be automated not the entire SEO tasks. Some tasks cannot be automated due to their complexity and nature where human efforts are crucial. Content creation, for instance, is one of the tasks that cannot be automated entirely. Creating high-quality engaging content that aligns with your brand’s identity meets the requirements of the specific audience and aligns with Google’s guidelines is impossible without human creativity and understanding.
Furthermore, tasks such as strategic link-building involve individual outreach and relationship-building efforts that are impossible with automation. Also, technical SEO issues and fixes cannot be automated effectively without involving human effort to interpret data accurately and implement tailored solutions.
Last but not least user experience monitoring cannot be automated. This heavily demands human interaction to make sure that users have seamless navigation and engagement. This is the reason why it cannot be automated. This process shows how crucial human interaction and involvement are in SEO strategy and execution.
An Overview of SEO Automation Tools
There is a wide variety of SEO automation tools available for the SEO automation. However, mixing up SEO tools with SEO automation tools is not a good idea. When considering such tools, always consider the one that comes with the API so you can automate your SEO tasks the way you want. They will also align with your technical knowledge, and skills and suit your budget.
Google’s suite of SEO tools including Google Analytics, Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Ads, and Google Search Console offers useful APIs that you can get without a cost. However, some other reputed SEO tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and Moz feature their own APIs. They offer useful endpoints at a certain cost. The cost can reach upto $250 by Moz (the most affordable plan by it)
Conclusion: How Automation Should Be Implemented?
SEO automation is becoming a major trend as SEO tools are improving. SEO automation can save you a lot of time and effort if done right. However, knowing what SEO task should be automated first can be a daunting task. So the best way to start is to assess your goal and ask yourself questions such as
- Do I really need automation for my SEO tasks?
- What is the budget for the automation?
- What are the technical skills for automation?
This will help you determine if you should opt for SEO automation. You should take your time to take this step. In a scenario where you believe that your content creation team is working great but the site audit and technical SEO team aren’t much more skilled then automation is a good option. Just remember, your goal should be understanding and monitoring your website and SEO practices and no manipulative tactics.