🔍 SEO Strategy Implementation
Objective: Attract owner-led trade businesses before they call a broker, while they still have leverage, optionality, and the ability to fix owner dependence.
🚨 STRATEGIC PRINCIPLE
We do not optimize for transactional intent ("sell my business fast"). We own the conversation earlier: freedom, owner dependence, valuation drivers, and exit readiness.
🎯 SEO Funnel Layers
Top Funnel
Owner Dependence & Freedom
Capture emotional and operational pain
Mid Funnel
Valuation & Optionality
Attract serious owners improving leverage
Bottom Funnel
Exit Readiness
Selective keywords framed as 'before you sell'
🔑 Priority Keyword Clusters
Owner Dependence & Freedom (Top Funnel)
Intent: Emotional pain, seeking freedom from daily operations
Valuation & Optionality (Mid Funnel)
Intent: Strategic improvement, building business value
Exit Readiness (Bottom Funnel)
Intent: Preparation mindset, not transactional selling
🏭 Trade-Specific Modifiers
Apply these modifiers across all keyword clusters to attract qualified traffic:
Example: "owner dependent HVAC business" or "exit ready plumbing company"
⛔ Keywords to Deprioritize
Avoid high-volume transactional keywords that attract brokers or distressed sellers:
Reason: These attract low-quality leads with immediate liquidity needs, not strategic owners building value.
📅 SEO Implementation Timeline
| Phase | Timeline | Activities | Deliverables | Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical Setup | Days 1-14 | Site audit, technical SEO, schema markup, speed optimization | 100% technical score, Core Web Vitals >90 | Ahrefs, SEMrush, Screaming Frog |
| Content Creation | Days 15-60 | Pillar pages, blog posts, case studies, trade-specific content | 30 pieces of content, 10 pillar pages | Clearscope, Frase, SurferSEO |
| Link Building | Days 30-90 | Guest posts, trade publications, local citations, partnerships | 50+ quality backlinks, 20+ DA>50 | Ahrefs, Pitchbox, HARO |
| Optimization | Days 60-90 | Content refresh, internal linking, conversion optimization | Monthly content updates, improved CRO | Google Analytics, Hotjar, Crazy Egg |
📝 Content Calendar (Months 1-3)
Month 1: Foundation
- Pillar Page: Owner Dependence Guide
- Blog: 5 Signs Your Business Owns You
- Case Study: HVAC Business Transformation
- Checklist: Business Freedom Assessment
Month 2: Authority
- Pillar Page: Business Valuation Drivers
- Blog: EBITDA vs. Owner Dependence
- Case Study: Plumbing Company Exit Prep
- Guide: Trade Business Optionality
Month 3: Conversion
- Pillar Page: Exit Readiness Framework
- Blog: When to Start Exit Planning
- Case Study: Electrical Contractor Success
- Tool: Exit Readiness Score Calculator
🔧 SEO Tools Stack
Ahrefs
Purpose: Keyword research & backlink analysis
Key Features:
- Keyword difficulty scores
- Competitor analysis
- Backlink monitoring
- Site audit tools
Cost: $99-399/month
Google Search Console
Purpose: Performance tracking & indexing
Key Features:
- Keyword rankings
- Click-through rates
- Indexing status
- Mobile usability
Cost: Free
Clearscope/Frase
Purpose: Content optimization
Key Features:
- Content grade scoring
- Keyword recommendations
- Competitor content analysis
- Readability optimization
Cost: $50-150/month
Screaming Frog
Purpose: Technical SEO audit
Key Features:
- Site crawling
- Broken link detection
- Metadata analysis
- Redirect mapping
Cost: $209/year
📈 SEO Success Metrics
Primary Success Metric: SEO is successful when visitors say: "This helped me see risk clearly — and now I want to talk."
Lead Quality Indicators:
- Page Views/Session: >2.5 (indicating content exploration)
- Diagnostic Completion: >70% (shows serious intent)
- Time on Site: >2 minutes (meaningful engagement)
- Return Visitors: >30% (building authority relationship)
🚨 SEO GO/NO-GO GATES
Gate 1 (Day 30): If organic traffic < 500 visits/month, accelerate content production
Gate 2 (Day 60): If diagnostic conversion rate < 2%, optimize landing pages
Gate 3 (Day 90): If no keywords in top 50, reconsider targeting strategy
🎯 Performance Targets
Channel Mix Targets (Month 3)
| Channel | Diagnostics/Week | % of Total | Target CPA | Appointments/Week | Quality Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO (Organic) | 100 | 25% | $40 | 15 | High |
| Cold Email | 150 | 38% | $80 | 18 | Medium-High |
| PPC (Paid) | 100 | 25% | $180 | 8 | Medium |
| Referral/Organic | 50 | 12% | $20 | 4 | High |
| TOTAL | 400 | 100% | $108 | 45 | Optimized |
SEO-Specific Targets (Month 3)
- 5,000+ organic visitors/month
- 50+ keywords ranking top 10
- 15+ keywords ranking top 3
- Domain Authority 30+
- 100+ quality backlinks
- 3-5% diagnostic conversion rate
- < 40% bounce rate
- > 2 minute average session
- > 30% return visitor rate
- > 70% diagnostic completion