Businesses and marketers can learn a thing or two from George Clooney when it comes to SEO.
Follow the Clooney Rule
Ryan Holiday, in his book The Obstacle is the Way, tells the story of how the then-rookie actor Clooney won Hollywood’s heart. In those days, Clooney always got rejected at auditions, but a shift in perspective allowed him to eventually land a foot in the door.
Here’s what Clooney did: he identified the obstacle of the directors who were rejecting him. He realized that casting the right actor was the huge obstacle for these directors.
So he made his auditions geared toward solving the director’s problem. He wasn’t there just to showcase his acting prowess. He’s there as a problem solver—by being the right man for the job.
And the rest, as they say, is history.
So if you’re a business “auditioning” agencies to do your SEO, you’ll want to look for a team that will go Clooney on you.
Apply the Clooney Rule by looking for the following characteristics from a potential SEO partner:
- Have a problem-solving approach to your case.
- Offer one-time packs instead of tying you up in a long-term contract, so you can test the waters first.
- Boasts of an SEO process that includes both on- and off-site strategy.
- Proficient in utilizing paid search or Google AdWords.
- Emphasizes the importance of building a responsive website.
- Knows tweaks that allow you to increase load speed in a cost-effective manner.
- Can implement a content strategy that appeals to both readers and Google.
- Develops a long-term and sustainable plan for SEO.