Keywords are the primary bridge between your content and potential customers. Conducting thorough keyword research helps you discover which terms and phrases are most valuable for your business and illuminates what browsers are looking for.

But it takes a lot of time and can really slow down the actual content creation process when you need to constantly replenish your keyword list. That’s why dedicating a sprint solely to keyword research can be such a game-changer. You can generate months of content ideas, identify high-value keywords to target, and even discover new niches or topics to explore.

To start a keyword research sprint:

• Identify the main topic or theme of your website
• Use Google Keyword Planner, Semrush, or Ahrefs to find relevant keywords with high search volume and low competition
• Incorporate the keywords you have uncovered into your website’s content, meta tags, and titles

A targeted keyword research sprint can significantly improve your website’s search engine rankings and bring in more qualified traffic. For example, if you own a local coffee shop, targeting keywords such as “best coffee in [your city]” or “local coffee shop near me” can help your website show up higher in the results for those search terms and potentially drive more foot traffic to your store.

2. On-Page Optimization Sprint

Solopreneurs and small businesses are used to getting operations up and running lean and efficiently. And if your website was hastily thrown together during the early days of your business, there’s a chance it could use some optimization.

On-page SEO sprints focus on improving the technical aspects of your website that contribute to its search engine rankings. This can include optimizing:

• Title Tags: An effective title tag should be compelling, include your primary keyword, and stay within the 50-60 character limit to ensure it displays correctly in search results.
• Meta Descriptions: Though it’s not a direct ranking factor, meta descriptions influence click-through rates (CTR). A well-crafted meta description should describe the content of the page accurately, include keywords, and be around 150-160 characters long.
• Headings: Headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.) structure your content, making it easier for users to read. They also play a role in helping search engines understand your site, so make sure they are formatted properly and contain relevant keywords.
• Image Alt Texts: Alt texts provide context to search engines and visually impaired browsers about the visuals on your page. They should describe the image accurately while including relevant keywords.

By focusing your SEO efforts on these on-page elements during your sprint, you can significantly enhance the user experience while formatting your site in a way that search engines favor, which is a win-win.

3. Content Creation Sprint

Content is the hallmark of your business, worthy of an SEO sprint. Be it graphic design, videos, witty ad copy, or long-form blog articles, creating high-quality and engaging content is very important in attracting and retaining customers.

Normally, content takes a long time to develop, and rightfully so. But applying a “sprint” mindset to content creation can help you produce more high-quality content at a faster pace.

Here’s how:

• Focus on a single area of content in your business, such as one new content silo, one big update push, or the production of one long-format video and repurposed social media shorts.
• Create a template or cheat sheet that streamlines the process and allows you to focus on quality over quantity.
• Utilize tools like ChatGPT and Jasper to assist with generating ideas and streamlining the writing process. You can also use AI tools for YouTube if you’re optimizing video content.
• Track and review your progress granularly to maintain accountability and keep up the pace.

Content creation isn’t always the most exciting task, especially in big pushes. So, I recommend enlisting a community to support your efforts.

When I joined Nina Clapperton’s SEO membership, I wrote 10,000 more words than usual that month. I didn’t have more time or energy, but tackling my goals communally with others made it naturally easier to scale my productivity.

4. Technical SEO Sprint

Most entrepreneurs don’t live in the back end of their website, managing server speed and analyzing code. However, neglecting these technical SEO elements can significantly harm your website’s organic performance.

Here are a few areas to focus on during your technical SEO sprint:

• Site Speed: Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to find and fix any issues that might be slowing down your website.
• Mobile-Friendliness: With more and more visitors accessing websites via their phones, having a mobile-friendly site is crucial. Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool to optimize your site for phone viewing.
• Crawlability: Make sure search engines can crawl and index your pages. Use tools like Screaming Frog to identify and fix any crawl errors.

Of all of the SEO sprints on this list, the technical sprint may be the biggest win when it comes to boosting your website’s organic performance. But it also requires a degree of technical knowledge and expertise, so don’t be afraid to seek help from a professional if needed.

5. Link Building Sprint

Constantly trying to build backlinks can be exhausting. You have to reach out to other websites, create persuasive pitches, and constantly monitor your backlink profile. But dedicating a sprint solely to link building can create a helpful boundary around the process while delivering noticable results in domain authority rankings.

Here’s a hyperfocused SEO strategy that will help you get new backlinks in under a month:

• Identify relevant, high-authority websites in your industry, noting which types of backlinks they offer if mentioned on the site.
• Reach out to those websites via email or social media and offer to write them a guest post or to collaborate on a piece of content.
• Create an engaging and informative piece of content that will add value to the website’s audience while including backlinks to your website.
• Follow up and monitor the success of the link-building efforts.

This process is similar to a normal link-building strategy, but the goal here is to reach out to many people in a short time. Spend the first few days doing deep research on relevant websites, then dedicate the remainder of your sprint to outreach and creating valuable content.

6. Local SEO Sprint

Local businesses have the edge when it comes to SEO because they can target a specific geographic location and avoid the competition of the digital landscape. But that doesn’t mean local SEO is a set-it-and-forget-it strategy. A local SEO sprint can help you identify and improve your online presence and attract more customers in your area.

Here are some tasks to include in your local SEO sprint:

• Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing, adding hours, an accurate address, and optimization.
• Update your business information on online directories such as Yelp, Yellow Pages, and TripAdvisor.
• Engage with your local community on social media, and consider running promotions and giveaways to increase engagement.
• Get listed on your local business associations and chambers of commerce websites.
• Encourage customers to leave you reviews on platforms like Google, Facebook, and Yelp.

In addition to these traditional local SEO tactics, you can also try implementing a local content marketing strategy that breaks the mold and showcases your business in a unique way. For example, a month-long campaign working with content creators and influencers in your area can generate buzz and attract new customers.

7. Competitor Analysis Sprint