What else do I do?

[JoshBowers2012]

I am a web developer first, and SEO second. I've been under the impression that a good web developer created well organized and efficient sites.

Over the last couple years I've been diving more into the advanced SEO world.

Mostly focusing on keyword research, competition analyzation, and trying to help conversion increase.

For the most part I have been successful with the clients that have hired me for SEO.

I usually first start by doing keyword and competition research.

After that I advise them on the content they should create.

We discuss the end goal for all viewers and the end goal for each page type (front page, blog posts, interior page, and specific pages).

We design the site around these end goals.

We launch the site.

I came up with an infographic with spaceships describing these steps as: Research, Plan, Build, Launch, Navigate. Somewhat based on scientific method.

I haven't done a lot of link building yet though as for the most part I've been encouraging clients to first create content and focus on creating a community and relationship with people using whatever means they feel they are capable of actually using on a regular basis (facebook, google+, twitter, etc).

I make sure to add schema code, 301 old urls, site is optimized, urls are structured well, site is interlinked.

We also look at direct advertising and whatever other methods we can that would be positive for their end goal.

But some of my clients I just can't seem to make much headway with. One sells medical insurance to small businesses, and also life insurance. For him I have focused on local targeting, and writing articles about topics which have the most possibilities for traffic in his market (it seems to be an incredibly competitive market).

The other is a Dating & Life Coach. For her I am targeting locally as well, and also encouraging her to write articles for search phrases she has the best chances of ranking in. Again though, this market seems very competitive. She ranks in the top 20 for a few articles now (she has written about 6-8 since we started).

She gets very few visits from these articles though (of course she is not in the top 3).

My worry is this: For the articles she has a 100% bounce rate and less than 30 seconds viewer time.

I'd like to see more data over time with more viewers but my question is: What else can I do? And what if the content she writes people just don't find useful? Same goes for the insurance guy...

Maybe I'm just looking for reassurance I'm going in the right direction.

[TomRayner]

First of all, you sound like an SEO's web developer dream.  I can't find a fault with the way you approach things on-site.

Off-site - again, you're going about it the right way.  A focus on content is a great start.

The two verticals in which you've struggled in, insurance and dating, are two very competitive niches.  I certainly wouldn't be discouraged by not getting great results in these markets first time, but you can maybe build upon your link-building and off-site work to see if you can do better.

How are you getting this content out there?  Are you targeting relevant blogs, or using article sites?  Blogs will be a lot more valuable and you can search for relevant blogs on Technorati, My Blog Guest, Guestr, PostJoint and Guestblogit.  There's also a great Google spreadsheet you can use, which you can learn more about here

In very simple terms, the higher the authority of the blog linking back to you, the more 'strength' that link will give you (although do take care not to get links from spam sites).  For certain niches like insurance and dating, with so many people competing and using underhanded ways at getting these authority links, you're gonna have a tough task on your hands.  But you've certainly started going about it the right way.

[AlanBleiweiss]

One idea I would suggest is taking these both to the next level - focusing in on helping them become recognized as thought leaders in their own area of expertise.  That goes way beyond typical article writing for its own sake.  It crosses into establishing a much higher level of trust and value.

Ways to go about it are vast and take effort, yet can pay off over time in regard to the SEO, social engagement and reputation value.

Tasks should include (but not be limited to):

• Focusing content on knowing what their individual market has the most challenge understanding about the products/services of the type they offer
• Participation in their online communities - like LinkedIn Q&A for example, or other places that might have people posting questions about their industry (Quora for example?) - but where they answer questions they have expertise in and where their answer really offers significant value, not just "another answer".
• Participation in comment threads on relevant blogs where their professional community engages (that can lead to collaborative opportunities or where their services might go hand in hand with someone else's services without necessarily being direct competitors)
• Establishing and building on their own unique "voice" as they write and participate in their respective online community
• Seeking out guest blogging opportunities on relevant community or industry related sites
• Seeking to obtain media coverage of what they're offering in regard to their thought leadership (local / regional newspapers (virtual and physical) for example)

The list of methods/opportunities is much longer than this, so it might help for you/them to do more research on the topic.