If there's one thing you can be sure of in the world of digital marketing, it's that you have to constantly evolve to stay afloat. How you approach this task determines the success, longevity and relevance of your business in the marketplace. Following the PDCA principles can make things much simpler.
It's not just a fancy acronym you can catch your customers' attention with in a newsletter; PDCA stands for Plan-Do-Check-Act, and it's a process improvement system that can help streamline your SEO strategies.
Think of PDCA as a step-by-step guide to achieving desired results. The method was first introduced by American statistician and physicist, W. Edwards Deming, and has been implemented in many industries around the world - SEO is no exception.
The PDCA cycle helps to continuously improve products and services in a simple but practical way, both in terms of individual projects and the way the company operates. There is no need to guess at what to do to note improvements.
Understanding the PDCA cycle
The PDCA or Deming cycle - named after its propagator - is a management structure designed to promote continuous process and product improvement. The cycle consists of four steps (hence the acronym PDCA) that lead to each other.
The original method was introduced by physicist Walter Shewhart - the same American statistician and physicist who influenced Deming and the father of total quality management.
Shewhart's initial cycle, rooted in the scientific method, included a Study phase instead of Check. W. Edwards Deming argued that this better explained the purpose of the third phase, which was to view the results accurately and make a comprehensive analysis.
Over time, the PDCA model has evolved into a more comprehensive improvement method. It is now used as a management and quality control tool. It is a best practice for solving minor problems in controlled environments, such as in the Toyota production system or lean manufacturing philosophy, as standard operating procedures.
Why is this important?
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The four stages of PDCA
Before we get into the use of PDCA in SEO, let's take a closer look at the four stages of the Plan-Do-Check-Act model.
PLAN
The initial* stage of the cycle. This is where you present the problem you need to solve or the process you want to improve. Your goal is to gather as much information as possible, identify any deviations from the norm, and develop a solid plan to achieve your goal.
Keep in mind that the focus in this phase should be on achieving the desired results. This means that the plan should be based on identified factors, and its goals should be specific and measurable. Supporting this phase with other management tools, such as SWOT analysis or SMART goal setting, is a good idea. It may sound trivial, but there is no need to overcomplicate things right at the start; start by building a solid foundation.
* Is the Plan stage always at the beginning?
Some organizations are implementing the OPDCA management model. In this updated method, the process begins with Observation - you start by gathering objective information about the project (yet) without your input. However, this extra step doesn't always match the iterative power of PDCA. When it comes to SEO and new marketing in general, the Observation step covers the entire PDCA cycle.
TO
The Do stage is probably the simplest: you already have a plan and now it's time to put it into action. This is where the implementation of the developed changes begins. Make sure you document all steps, observations and data at this stage. This documentation will become crucial when you enter the verification phase.
CHECK
The third phase of the PDCA cycle, Check, involves evaluating the results of efforts by analyzing the data and observations recorded during the Do phase.
This is probably the most important stage of the PDCA cycle. This is where progress against the plan is evaluated, measuring the impact of activities and tracking related indicators.
The evaluation should be accurate, comparing the collected data with the expected results. This should not be difficult - but will require an objective approach to the results. This means looking at all aspects, from major successes to minor slip-ups, and learning from them.
ACT
Now that you've done your work and checked the results, it's time to take action on the findings. The Act phase is where you make the necessary adjustments, refine your processes and implement changes based on the insights from the Check phase.
Importantly, corrections and improvements should not only be made for that particular project you are working on. On the contrary, PDCA involves transferring findings to other relevant areas of business processes and organizational activities to ensure a holistic approach to continuous process improvement.
PDCA: AUGUST
- Plan Identify the problem, analyze it and develop a plan.
- Do implement changes according to plan.
- Check Evaluate the results of these changes using appropriate indicators.
- Act Make adjustments to your processes based on the results of the check phase.
Application of PDCA in SEO
The above is just theory. To understand the power of PDCA, let's use an example from our own backyard. Here's how PDCA helps us grow and bring even better results to our customers.
We decided to share three small case studies (case studies) from recent months.
Let's start with a brief overview of how we used PDCA in SEO for one of our clients.
PDCA cycle in digital marketing strategies
The client, a CBD store owner, wanted to enter the digital market with an e-commerce site. This company offered a wide range of products, which was a great advantage from the start.
However, the niche was so competitive that it did not give the customer an advantage over other stores. This is where we came in to help level the playing field.
The goal was to optimize the site for highly specific keywords related to the client's products, increase organic traffic, and consequently increase revenue for the client's online store.
- We approached this project according to PDCA principles. We started with a plan based on data collected during our SEO discovery process. This allowed us to assess the effectiveness of the client's current strategy and find potential gaps that we could fill.
- The Do stage in the first cycle revolved mainly around content marketing. Product descriptions needed a refresh: we made them more SEO-friendly and tailored to the needs of potential customers. We also conducted a backlink campaign targeting relevant websites to increase traffic - standard strategies and tactics.
- The first big report was the moment when we said: Check (Check)! When we reported an increase in traffic, our client was more than satisfied. It meant that our strategy was working - but we were not yet a leading player.
- So we used the new data to determine the next steps. The site had a high rejection rate - we needed to develop a plan to keep users engaged on the site. This led to another PDCA cycle.
Cycle 2:Cycle 3:What we can learn from this project: Each phase of the project brought a number of unexpected challenges, which in themselves drove the PDCA cycle. When we started working with this client, we didn't have all the answers, but through the iterative use of PDCA, we were able to provide much more than just a competitive advantage.
See the entire case study: Sales increase of more than 2000% and four new CBD e-commerce stores
PDCA cycle in SEO process improvement
Our work does not end with the successful implementation of SEO changes - we are always looking to improve our own processes.
The very nature of SEO does not allow us to develop just one static plan for our clients and rest on our laurels. Instead, we must look for new patterns and act accordingly, constantly refining our strategies and tactics.
The way our Content Team works best illustrates this cycle in action. It was natural for us to be proactive and use the PDCA cycle to improve our content processes. Here's a quick example:
- With every new development in the SEO world, we are ready to make changes to our process. But first, we plan. We evaluate the new thing, brainstorm about its potential uses and set measurable goals. This usually involves the whole team, as all members contribute their input and perspective, thus making sure we make informed decisions from different points of view.
- Once everyone has approved the plan, the next step is Do. Our teams begin to implement the new approach, tool or strategy, while tracking the results and challenges they bring.
- The checking stage is a key moment that determines the usefulness of the new approach. We analyze the collected data and compare it with previous results. With the current tools, we go beyond standard quantitative indicators - we check how they affect key performance indicators.
- As you might guess, in the last stage we take the new template and update it further. Very often this stage is combined with the first step of the PDCA cycle - the projects we work on do not end abruptly, but transform into something bigger. The good results of our previous plan become the standard, which we try to improve in the next steps. The cycle continues.
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Summary
The PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle is a relatively simple method that focuses on quality improvement, continuous training and development.
Although it consists of only four steps, this philosophy of change and development management was born through diligence and testing: it has been proven to continuously improve business processes (including marketing campaigns!) and their results.
This iterative cycle never ends. After completing the last stage of Action (Act), you return to Planning (Plan). The knowledge and progress made in each cycle will help you better prepare for the next cycle.
In the long run, this will lead to a better understanding of their own methods and provide a management model that promotes continuous improvement.
