Each year, marketing professionals can utilize the latest marketing software trends to accelerate tasks, refine their workflows, and enhance their digital marketing campaigns’ results. Specifically, regarding organic search, these tools allow users to automate SEO tasks that previously demanded significant time, resources, and manual effort.

In the era of ChatGPT and sophisticated marketing software platforms, SEO automation has become vital for scaling your content strategy and keeping pace with competitors. As more platforms integrate artificial intelligence, APIs, and automation features, your competitors will likely leverage these tools to achieve higher rankings and expedite content creation.

Therefore, it’s crucial to understand which SEO tasks can be automated and which still necessitate human involvement. This article will delve into the fundamentals of SEO automation, encompassing:

• What constitutes SEO automation?
• The advantages of SEO automation
• Suggested SEO automation tools and software
• SEO tasks amenable to software automation
• SEO tasks to avoid automating

Defining SEO Automation

SEO automation entails employing software or tools to execute tasks related to search engine optimization. These tools streamline tasks that would otherwise be time-consuming, resource-intensive, and require substantial manual effort from marketing teams.

Automating certain SEO tasks has gained traction in recent years as SEO marketing software platforms introduce more automation features and AI integrations to address common SEO challenges. If you haven’t embraced automation for time-consuming SEO tasks, you risk falling behind competitors who are already delegating these tasks to automated systems. Interested in exploring the use of AI for marketing automation? Download » Emergency Guide to AI in Marketing

Advantages of Automating SEO

SEO automation tools can significantly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of SEO strategies by eliminating repetitive tasks and freeing up time for more strategic endeavors.

Moreover, for those new to SEO, organic marketing software can simplify content strategy by aiding in keyword discovery, content idea generation, and even recommending specific SEO tasks.

Recommended SEO Tasks from OTTO. The benefits of SEO automation go beyond enhanced campaigns:

• Time Savings: Content creation is demanding and time-consuming, involving planning, writing, and delivery. Automating certain aspects can expedite content turnaround times.
• Cost Savings: Monthly software subscriptions are often more cost-effective than outsourcing time-intensive tasks to freelancers, agencies, or hiring additional personnel for content strategy scaling.
• Increased Volume: Automation accelerates tasks like content creation, keyword research, and PR outreach, resulting in improved keyword rankings, content output, and backlinks for faster organic growth.
• Workflow Optimization: Replacing manual tasks with automation allows marketing teams to focus on strategic decision-making and tasks requiring a human touch.

Software and Tools for SEO Automation

Numerous marketing tools are available to automate various SEO tasks or content creation aspects. When selecting a platform, consider:

• Which SEO tasks consume the most time and resources for your business or team?
• Does the tool effectively address the pain points of those tasks?
• Are there valuable additional tools and features within the platform?
• How many team members require software access?
• Is a free version available, or is a monthly subscription necessary?
• What subscription price point aligns with your budget?

Your answers will guide you towards the most suitable software tools.

Some advanced SEO platforms might seem overwhelming to new users. You might not require all the features or tools available. Start by identifying the specific task you want to automate, then choose a platform or tool accordingly.

Consider these free and paid SEO automation tools:

• Semrush
• Ahrefs
• Screaming Frog
• Google Search Console
• ChatGPT
• LocaliQ’s Free Website Grader
• LocaliQ’s Business Listings Grader
• nexus-security’s Free Keyword Tool
• SearchAtlas

5 Automable SEO Tasks

Unsure which SEO tasks can be automated? The following tasks are not only ideal for automation but also crucial for enhancing your SEO campaigns and website performance. Automating these tasks will unlock the benefits mentioned earlier.

1. SEO Auditing

SEO auditing and issue tracking are prime candidates for automation. A website’s technical SEO health is crucial for ranking prominently in search results. However, many marketers or small businesses lack in-depth technical SEO knowledge and might hesitate to work on their website’s backend.

Running and interpreting SEO audits requires advanced technical SEO expertise. Tools can automate this process, swiftly identifying technical issues and providing clear solutions.

An SEO audit report generated in ContentKing Tools like SearchAtlas and ContentKing offer continuous website monitoring, providing immediate email notifications of any issues impacting SEO performance. With detailed instructions on resolving these issues, you can easily delegate tasks to web developers or backend managers. Automated issue tracking ensures you never miss critical problems that could negatively affect your rankings or traffic.

2. Keyword Clustering

keyword clustering is an SEO strategy for increasing the keywords a page ranks for. Traditionally, keyword clustering involved extensive manual spreadsheet work. Now, SEO software can automate this process.

For instance, an SEO content planner clusters keywords by ranking potential, relevance, and search volume, enabling content marketers to identify viable ranking opportunities in their industries.

A Keyword Cluster for “responsible tourism” in the SearchAtlas content planner tool Content Marketing teams can then address these clusters, creating content that targets valuable keyword groups. These tools are invaluable for those lacking dedicated keyword research personnel or resources.

3. Topic Generation

Transforming keywords into content ideas is best automated using AI content generators. Creating original blog post ideas or article titles requires creativity. High-volume content production necessitates regular topic ideation.

Blog topic generators offer multiple templates or ideas. You can then customize these titles and ideas to match your brand voice, products, services, and target audience.

Blog post ideas generated in copy.ai for the keyword “google ads bidding strategies” Remember, Google prioritizes human-created content. While impressive, AI-generated content alone might lack the quality required for top rankings. Use these tools for outlines or first drafts, adding a human touch for refinement.

Topic ideation automation is particularly helpful for new websites or those lacking content writers, enabling them to establish an initial content base and gain traction. It might take some time before new websites start earning organic traffic, but consistent blogging accelerates results and traffic generation.

4. Content Briefs

Content strategists typically provide writers with content briefs outlining essential elements for optimal ranking potential. Creating these briefs can be time-consuming, involving extensive research to determine:

• Target keywords
• Suggested word counts
• Readability level
• Recommended internal links
• Focus terms or suggested terms
• Common questions
• Suggested Headings
• Additional on-page SEO elements

Content Brief Generator tool from Dashword Content brief generation can now be automated. These tools require an article title and summary, then generate a comprehensive brief that can be further tailored. This automation speeds up content brief creation, enabling you to assign more content to writers. With numerous briefs, you’ll maintain a consistent content pipeline.

5. SEO Reporting

Generating SEO and content performance reports can be laborious, especially with a large online presence. However, these reports are essential for demonstrating the value of SEO efforts to stakeholders, particularly for freelancers and agencies.

Depending on campaign goals, you might prioritize certain metrics in your reports.

Software platforms that generate SEO reports can streamline this task. Many integrate with Google Search Console API, ensuring accurate and comprehensive website performance data.

SEO Tasks to Avoid Automating

While automation tools exist for almost every SEO task, it’s crucial to retain human involvement in certain areas for optimal results. The following tasks require a human touch.

High-quality content writing

Google has emphasized its stance against AI-generated content is not against their policies. Their focus is on content quality, regardless of the creation method. While content generation tools are helpful, relying solely on them without human input might not produce top-ranking content.

High-quality content embodies Google’s E-EAT principles, demonstrating experience, expertise, authority, and trust.

ChatGPT’s training data only goes up to 2021, limiting its ability to contribute “new” insights. Google favors websites that are thought leaders within their industries, offering original ideas and strategies. Utilize text automation tools as starting points, not replacements, for content creation.

High-level SEO strategy

Successful organic search demands an understanding of the content already ranking on Google’s first page. Factors like relevance, search intent, word count, featured snippets, People Also Ask, and more can influence your content’s ranking potential.

Marketing tools simplify data gathering for strategic decisions, but human analysis remains crucial for making choices aligned with your business goals. Avoid investing in keywords that are out of reach or creating content that doesn’t address user intent.

Understanding key SEO metrics like Domain Authority, Domain Rating, Keyword Difficulty, and search intent is paramount for effective SEO execution. This understanding allows you to leverage these tools effectively.

Embracing SEO Automation

SEO automation is the present and future of organic search success. Familiarize yourself with the various ways automation can enhance your marketing strategy. While there might be a learning curve, the benefits to your organic performance and bottom line are substantial.