Coming up with a great SEO strategy is a process that requires so much creativity. Therefore, the results are the best when this issue is handled through a cunning brainstorming process. However, the effectiveness of your brainstorming and the performance of your team during these sessions is all but guaranteed. Therefore, in order to ensure better results, what you need is to come up with some tips that will make all of this easier and more productive. With that in mind, here are the top six tips for great SEO brainstorming sessions.

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1.     Come prepared

While it is true that you’re having a brainstorming session in order to set yourself on the right path, it’s also true that by having a head start, you’ll achieve much greater success. For instance, before you have the actual meeting, you might want to come up with some ideas of your own. The same goes for every meeting participant. This way, you can bounce your ideas across the room and see what others will come up with. Either way, getting ready for such a thing shouldn’t take too much time or effort.

2.     Come up with the meeting format

The second thing worth mentioning is the meeting format. In the present-day enterprise model, some of your employees might be working from home and there’s really no reason to exclude them from this process. Keep in mind that the field of digital marketing has so many telecommuters and remote workers at shared office spaces. This is why combining digital and traditional is so incredibly important. Therefore, find a suitable platform for the job. On the other hand, if you do plan to hold an in-person meeting, try to set everything up accordingly. Speaking of which…

3.     Prepare the conference room

Sure, the combined brainpower of the people in the room is what makes a brainstorming session what it is; nonetheless, basic office supplies and the infrastructure of the conference room might make some difference, as well. For instance, you might need a projector or a large screen in order to display information that is of vital significance for the meeting. In fact, you might even want to take this one step further and have an old-school magnetic whiteboard installed so that some of your employees can write their ideas down for others to see.

4.     Have adequate software ready

SEO research always requires additional software. If nothing else, you’ll at least have to employ Google Analytics. Keyword research, analysis of domains that you’re going to collaborate with, etc. require specialized software, so make sure that the device that is going to be used during the meeting has them installed and ready to go. In fact, why not even go one step further. Check whether the tools are updated and functional and even have them running in the background as the meeting starts. Keep in mind that the use of this software usually takes up to several minutes, which is why you’ll be able to actively use them to verify some information during the meeting.

5.     Encourage everyone to participate

One of the biggest problems with meetings, especially brainstorming meetings lies in the fact that some people are simply too timid to speak up. While they may have some great ideas, they may be reluctant to speak up in front of their superiors in fears of getting scolded or dismissed. They might also be reluctant to speak up in front of their peers. In order to avoid this problem, make sure to create an environment that’s free of all sorts of hostilities. Also, make sure that people know that it’s safe for them to say whatever’s on their mind.

6.     Be the leader

In theory, a brainstorming meeting is supposed to be an egalitarian space where everyone is contributing to the problem in question. However, you might still need to be at the helm of the meeting and guide your team towards the solution. For instance, if someone seems like they would like to have a word, make sure that they get it. If someone digresses too much, try to help them get back on point. In other words, set an agenda and try to stick to it as much as you can.

In the end, making a great brainstorming session is all about helping your team unleash their full potential. This means giving them time to prepare, providing them with the necessary tools and picking them up when they stumble. Those who manage to achieve all three of these tasks are bound to make every single one of these meetings count, therefore, ensuring a great start to every SEO campaign.