Those of you who know me pretty well for Search Engine Academy know that I am a sailor and that I try to get out on my boat as much as possible. Apparently I have too much time on my hands, because I recently wondered what, if any, comparisons I could draw between SEO and sailing. So, here goes…
- Setting a course – whether it’s figuring out how to create or re-do an SEO strategy, you have to lay out a path or course, just like you do when you go out sailing. There may be obstacles or hidden dangers you need to be aware of. Now, here on the Chesapeake Bay, the average water depth is about that of your ordinary household bath tub, so that means you must proceed with caution and watch where you go! I have to look out for navigation markers, other boats and crab pot markers.
- Gauging the weather – doing SEO can be a bright, warm sunny day with no humidity, or it can be in the middle of a bleepin’ storm or tornado. If Google changes the algorithm or ranking signals, you can see your website plummet like a rock dropped from a roof. What are you doing to do when bad weather hits your site? Panic? Run in circles, scream and shout? No, you are going to calmly review all of your analytics and figure out how to get out the bad weather and into smooth sailing again! When you’re out sailing, hopefully you checked the weather forecast BEFORE you cast off, and you know what’s predicted. What actually happens is a whole ‘nother thing, which is why I wish sometimes I worked at the Weather Channel, where when they are wrong, they still get paid. Lucky dogs.
- Stranded without any wind – your SEO program is sailing along nicely at 10 knots on a broad reach…all of a sudden, the wind drops off, and your program is brought to a screeching halt. This could be due to lack of budget, office politics, loss of resources – you name it. Now you’re becalmed and how are you going to move forward? When I’m out sailing and this happens, I have no worries bwahahaha…I have an outboard motor that I just crank on and motor my way back to dock! Which leads me to the next tragedy that can strike while out on the water…
- Losing secondary power – When developing your SEO strategy or program, do you have backup actions available? What are you going to do when you take that first Google hit on a site? How are you going to respond? What tools are in your toolbox to cope with this and mitigate the pain? How many options and resources do you have available, if primary or secondary ones fail? I have an oar for my sailboat. If I lose my outboard motor, I can start paddling (hopefully I am not on that muddy brown creek), or I can call for a tow to get me back to the marina!
So here’s the thing…prepare as best as you can by having the right tools and resources. Like we used to say when I was in the Army, “plan for the worst, hope for the best.” Be aware that you need alternatives to fall back on. When I’m ready to go sailing, I file a “float plan.” All it entails is I tell someone where I’m going out sailing to and when I plan on being back at the dock. I check in when I return. The deal is, if they don’t hear back from me within an hour of the appointed time, they call me. Then the plan goes from there.
Have you planned your SEO strategy and program? Why not start now, and jot down a draft plan? Identify backups, and make a contingency plan.
Until next time, keep it between the ditches and we would love to hear from you about any of your SEO questions or thoughts!
All the best best to you,
