SEO Service - Standard Operating Procedure
A comprehensive guide to delivering consistent, transparent, and scalable SEO services
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Purpose of This SOP
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This Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) defines a clear, repeatable process for delivering SEO services consistently, transparently, and at scale. It ensures alignment between strategy, execution, reporting, and client expectations.
Key Objectives
- Establish standardized workflows across all SEO projects
- Ensure quality and consistency in service delivery
- Enable efficient team collaboration and handoffs
- Maintain transparency with clients throughout the process
- Scale operations without compromising quality
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Scope of SEO Services
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This SOP applies to the following SEO activities:
- SEO audit & onboarding
- Keyword research & mapping
- On-page SEO optimization
- Technical SEO implementation
- Content planning & optimization
- Link building & authority growth
- Local SEO (if applicable)
- Performance tracking & reporting
3
Roles & Responsibilities
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SEO Manager / Strategist
- Define SEO strategy & roadmap
- Approve keywords, content plan, and links
- Monitor performance & pivots
- Client relationship management
SEO Executive
- Execute on-page & technical tasks
- Keyword research & competitor analysis
- Coordinate with content & outreach teams
- Monthly reporting preparation
Content Writer
- Create SEO-optimized content based on brief
- Follow search intent, semantic SEO, and internal linking guidelines
- Content refresh and updates
Outreach / Link Building Executive
- Acquire quality backlinks as per SOP
- Maintain link tracking sheet
- Monitor link quality and relevance
4
SEO Onboarding Process
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Step 1: Client Requirement Collection
- Business model & goals: Understanding the core business and SEO objectives
- Target locations: Geographic focus areas
- Primary services/products: Key offerings to optimize for
- Competitors: Main competitors in the search space
- Existing SEO history: Previous efforts and results
Step 2: Access Collection
- Google Search Console
- Google Analytics / GA4
- Website CMS access
- GMB (for Local SEO)
Step 3: Initial SEO Audit
Deliver comprehensive audit within 5-7 working days covering:
| Audit Component | Key Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| Technical Issues | Crawl errors, indexation, site speed, mobile-friendliness |
| On-Page Gaps | Meta tags, headers, content optimization opportunities |
| Content Gaps | Missing content, thin pages, duplicate content |
| Backlink Profile | Existing links quality, toxic links, opportunities |
| Competitor Benchmark | Competitive analysis and market positioning |
5
Keyword Research SOP
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Process
- Identify seed keywords from services/products
- Expand using:
- Search Console data
- Competitor keywords
- People Also Ask / SERP analysis
- Classify keywords by:
- Search intent (Informational / Commercial / Transactional)
- Funnel stage (Awareness / Consideration / Decision)
- Map keywords to URLs (1 primary + supporting keywords)
Deliverables
- Keyword master sheet with volume, difficulty, and intent
- URL-to-keyword mapping document
- Content gap analysis
- Priority keyword list for immediate action
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On-Page SEO SOP
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For Each Page:
- Optimize Title tag (≤60 characters)
- Optimize Meta description (≤160 characters)
- H1 aligned with primary keyword
- Proper H2-H4 hierarchy
- Semantic keyword inclusion (natural)
- Internal linking (2-5 relevant links)
- Image alt text optimization
- URL optimization (if required)
Quality Checklist
- ✅ No keyword stuffing
- ✅ Content satisfies search intent
- ✅ Page is indexable
- ✅ Proper schema markup (where applicable)
- ✅ Mobile-friendly formatting
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Technical SEO SOP
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Monthly Checks
- Index coverage & crawl errors
- Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS)
- Mobile usability issues
- Broken links (4xx/5xx errors)
- XML sitemap & robots.txt validation
- HTTPS & canonical issues
- Structured data implementation
Tools
Google Search Console
Screaming Frog
Sitebulb
PageSpeed Insights
GTmetrix
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Content SEO SOP
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Content Planning
- Create monthly content calendar
- Prioritize topical authority & clusters
- Align with keyword mapping
- Balance informational and commercial content
Content Guidelines
- Search intent first, SEO second
- Natural language, human tone
- Semantic coverage (entities, FAQs)
- Minimum word count as per competition
- Include internal & external links
- Add relevant images, videos, infographics
- Structure with proper headings
Optimization
Priority Order
1. Update existing pages before creating new ones
2. Refresh outdated content quarterly
3. Improve thin content pages
4. Create new content for gaps
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Link Building SOP
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Allowed Links
- ✓ Allowed Contextual guest posts
- ✓ Allowed Profile Creation
- ✓ Allowed Business listings (Local SEO)
- ✓ Allowed Brand mentions
- ✓ Allowed Resource page links
Link Quality Criteria
- Relevant niche or related industry
- Real organic traffic
- Indexed pages on Google
- Do-follow & no-follow mix (natural)
- Domain Authority (DR/DA) > 20
- No spammy anchor text patterns
Disallowed Links
- ✗ Prohibited PBNs (Private Blog Networks)
- ✗ Prohibited Spam comments
- ✗ Prohibited Automated links
- ✗ Prohibited Paid links without disclosure
- ✗ Prohibited Link farms
Tracking
Maintain live link sheet with following details:
- Target URL
- Anchor text
- Source domain & DR
- Link type (guest post, mention, etc.)
- Date acquired
- Status (live/removed)
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Local SEO SOP (If Applicable)
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- Optimize GMB profile
- Complete all business information
- Add high-quality photos
- Regular posts and updates
- Respond to reviews promptly
- NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone across all platforms)
- Area-based landing pages for multiple locations
- Local citations (directories, local sites)
- Reviews strategy
- Encourage customer reviews
- Respond to all reviews (positive & negative)
- Monitor review sites
- Local content creation (events, local news, guides)
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Performance Tracking & Reporting
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KPIs (Key Performance Indicators)
| Metric | Description | Target |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword Rankings | Position changes for target keywords | Top 10 positions |
| Organic Traffic | Users from organic search | Month-over-month growth |
| Pages Indexed | Number of pages in Google index | All important pages indexed |
| Backlinks Acquired | New quality backlinks per month | As per link building plan |
| Conversion Rate | Organic visitors converting to leads/sales | Continuous improvement |
Reporting Frequency
- Monthly Performance report (within first 7 days of month)
- Quarterly Strategy review and adjustment
- Bi-annual Comprehensive audit
Tools
Google Analytics
Google Search Console
Rank Tracking Tool
Ahrefs / SEMrush
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Client Communication SOP
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- Monthly report shared within first 7 days of the month
- Clear explanation of work done & next steps
- No guaranteed rankings or unrealistic timelines
- Set realistic expectations
- SEO takes 3-6 months to show significant results
- Results vary by industry and competition
- Focus on long-term growth, not quick wins
- Regular check-ins (bi-weekly or monthly calls)
- Transparent reporting of challenges and opportunities
- Proactive communication about algorithm updates or issues
Communication Best Practices
- Use client-friendly language (avoid jargon)
- Provide context for metrics and changes
- Celebrate wins, explain challenges honestly
- Always provide actionable next steps
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Quality Control & Review
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- Monthly internal audit of active projects
- Content quality review
- Grammar and readability check
- SEO optimization verification
- Plagiarism detection
- Link quality review
- Monitor all acquired links
- Check for link removal or changes
- Disavow toxic links if needed
- Strategy adjustment based on data
- Analyze what's working and what's not
- Pivot strategies when needed
- Test new approaches
- Team performance review (quarterly)
- Client satisfaction surveys
14
SEO Ethics & Compliance
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Core Principles
- Follow Google Webmaster Guidelines strictly
- No black-hat techniques
- No keyword stuffing
- No cloaking or hidden text
- No link schemes
- No duplicate content manipulation
- Transparency with clients
- Honest reporting of results
- Clear disclosure of methods used
- No false promises or guarantees
- White-hat only approach
- Data privacy compliance (GDPR, CCPA)
- Ethical content practices
- Original content creation
- Proper attribution and citations
- No plagiarism
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SOP Review Cycle
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- Review SOP every 6 months
- Update based on:
- Algorithm changes and updates
- Industry best practices evolution
- Internal learnings and results
- New
