SEO execution: Understanding goals, strategy, and planning

SEO is something of a nebulous concept.

To some, SEO is technical; to others, it is creative. 

Neither of these is 100% right or wrong. 

SEO is all of this and more, depending entirely on the unique situation and goals of the business looking to use SEO.

This loose definition leads to some common and fairly troublesome issues. 

One of these issues, which we see repeatedly and completely derails the success of projects – even by experienced agencies – is the misunderstanding between SEO strategy and SEO planning.

This article defines these terms and shows a simple way to ensure both strategy and planning are tackled with the rigor that the modern, hyper-competitive search environment demands.

Even Google is confused 

The problem here is that Google does not really understand quality.

It knows what people click on. It understands specific authors, sites, and other traditional SEO metrics to help stack the deck.

However, Google does not enforce the true denotation of words in search results and often leans into common misconceptions.

What I am trying to say here is that Google gives people what they want and, by doing so, often accentuates issues where the meaning of a word has shifted.

SEO strategy is a perfect example.

A search here shows many posts optimized around “SEO strategy,” but none of them actually talk about SEO strategy in any detail (or at all).

What they really talk about is SEO goals and SEO planning.

The fact is that almost the entire first page of results conflates strategy with planning – even the AI Overview gets it wrong.

This leads businesses to focus on tactics without a clear overarching strategic vision.

The result?

Well, bad results for most (other than those hawking to rank for SEO strategy).

Why does this matter?

Am I just some pedant upset that the things returned are not truly relevant?

Well, maybe a little bit.

But, more importantly, I believe there is an opportunity for many hidden in the fog of this issue.

SEO (or any marketing) needs to deliver results.

However, when SEO is approached without clear distinctions between goals, strategy, and planning, efforts become reactive rather than proactive.

Businesses chase keywords and rankings rather than trying to offer something new and unique.

This leads to a hamster wheel of tactical SEO rather than building strategic and sustainable long-term visibility.

A better way forward: Goals, strategy, and planning

A solid SEO approach follows a simple, logical three-step sequence:

• Define the goal: Where do we want to go?
• Craft the strategy: How will we get there?
• Develop the plan: What steps do we need to take?

By structuring SEO efforts this way, you can avoid aimless execution and instead build an intentional, well-structured approach to search visibility.

The rest of this article will show you how to tackle this differently and help steer your efforts toward long-term sustainable growth rather than short-term tactical wins.

First, some important definitions

We started by discussing a common misuse of the word “strategy” and how this leads to the strategy being overlooked. 

Before we proceed, I feel it is useful to clarify the terms we use quickly so there are no misunderstandings.

This is denotation vs. connotation – the real meaning of a word vs. the common misunderstanding.

SEO

At its core, search engine optimization is about improving a website’s visibility in search engines to maximize visibility and attract organic traffic.

It involves a mix of technical improvements, content creation, and authority building efforts.

However, SEO efforts can be fragmented and ineffective without clear goals and a structured approach.

Goals: Where do we want to get to?

A goal is a destination – the ultimate outcome you want to achieve.

Goals should be defined with rigor to ensure they are realistic and will bring value.

Your SEO goals should be clear, measurable, and aligned with business objectives.

The SMART goals frameworkis a powerful way to achieve this.

Some common SEO goals include:

• Increasing organic traffic by 50% over the next 12 months.
• Ranking in the top three results for high-intent keywords.
• Reducing dependency on paid search by driving more organic leads.
• Improving conversion rates from organic traffic.

Without a clear, well-defined goal, SEO efforts are aimless – like going on a road trip without knowing the destination.

Likewise, bad goals will suck up time, resources, and money and fail to deliver.

So make sure to set strong and purposeful goals.

SEO strategy: How do we get there?

A strategy is the big-picture approach to achieving the goal.

If SEO were a game of chess, the strategy would be your playbook for winning.

It’s not about specific moves but the overarching plan that dictates how you respond to opportunities and challenges.

A strong SEO strategy is unique to the business and considers:

• Competitive positioning: Are we fighting in a “red ocean” (highly competitive markets) or carving out a “blue ocean” (untapped opportunities)?
• Audience intent: Are we targeting informational queries, transactional searches, or brand-driven traffic?
• Content differentiation: How will our content stand out and provide unique value?
• Authority building: Will we focus on link-building, PR, or thought leadership?

For example, if a SaaS company wants to dominate organic search, its SEO strategy might focus on thought leadership and topical authority rather than just ranking for high-volume keywords.

SEO planning: The specifics of the journey

Planning is where the tactical details come into play. It’s the nuts and bolts – everything from optimizing page titles to a full step-by-step breakdown of how to execute the strategy.

An SEO plan may include:

• Conducting keyword research
• Optimizing existing content
• Building a backlink acquisition strategy
• Developing a content calendar
• Implementing technical SEO fixes

Think of planning as the navigation system that breaks your strategy down into actionable steps.

A structured approach to SEO

To ensure SEO efforts are well-structured:

• Set solid goals: Define the destination (where you want to be).
• Craft a unique strategy: Choose the best route based on competition, industry, and brand positioning.
• Create a simple plan: Lay out the specific steps to execute the strategy effectively.

This approach can be applied to an existing site with historical SEO or used before a new website is built to help maximize SEO success.

Let’s break down the three steps below – goals, strategy, and planning.

Step 1: Set solid goals

Clear, measurable goals provide direction. Instead of saying, “We want to increase traffic,” set a goal like:

• Increase organic leads by 30% in the next six months.

This clarity helps align efforts across content, technical SEO, and link building.

Dig deeper: How to create SMART SEO goals (with examples)

Step 2: Craft a unique strategy

Strategy is not a checklist.

It’s a guiding principle that dictates decision-making.

It is about carving out a unique approach rather than following what competitors are doing.

For example, your SEO strategy might focus on:

• Finding content angles or formats that no one else is using
• Creating a new category of content rather than competing in existing spaces
• Developing a distinctive voice or perspective that becomes a competitive advantage

SEO strategy should always differentiate your content and brand within search.

If competitors shift tactics or Google updates its algorithms, your strategy should remain adaptable while keeping your unique value intact.

You should be able to answer the questions:

• Why does this deserve to rank?
• Do we stand out from the crowd and offer something new and unique?

Often, this uniqueness could be just combining things that others do or using new formats.

This is the most difficult part of the job. It requires research and careful thought.

Surveying customers to gain insight will also help you craft something unique and valuable.

Some tools that can help:

Step 3: Create a simple plan

The plan should be actionable and prioritized, breaking down SEO efforts into:

• Short-term actions: Quick wins like optimizing title tags.
• Mid-term actions: Content production and link building.
• Long-term initiatives: Authority building and brand signals.

The plan’s primary goal is to break down what needs to be done into manageable small jobs. 

Then, allocate these according to your available resources with timelines so you can keep track of what is (or is not) happening.

Don’t overcomplicate this, and remember that a simple, well-executed plan always beats a complex, poorly executed one.

Here’s a simple guide to creating a simple, one-page SEO plan:

Final thoughts

If there is one thing you take from this article, please let it be this:

• Strategy is not planning, and planning is not strategy.

SEO strategy is the big picture that defines why your content should rank and outperform competitors.

While planning involves specific tactics like keyword research or content updates, strategy is about positioning your site as the best answer for user queries for a specific reason (the strategy).

This is not to say that standard SEO planning and tactics are not important.

Not at all.

Rather, by having this all backed up by a strategy, you maximize the chance that you will generate and sustain the results you are looking for.

Ultimately, SEO strategy is about why your site deserves to rank, not just how to optimize it.

Thinking strategically about marketing in general and how that relates to SEO will help you stand out and provide useful feedback on the product and service strategy.

The key is to remember that SEO success isn’t just about performing SEO tasks – it’s about approaching them with the clarity and structure provided by strategy.

• Goals define the destination.
• Strategy determines the best path to the destination.
• Planning breaks the journey into actionable steps.

Implementing this structured approach can avoid wasted efforts, allow you to focus on what truly moves the needle, and build long-term organic growth.

This is better than the blind chasing of rankings and random acts of SEO that seem to characterize most campaigns.

Define your goal, craft a winning strategy, and execute a focused plan.

That is the kind of strategic SEO that gets results.