Kaizen - The Process of Constantly Improving Your Content

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I first learned about the term “kaizen” from the Moz blog about #SearchFest 2016. Kaizen is a Japanese term for constant improvement in business. And while I love the finality and satisfaction of checking things of my list, I know that some parts of our jobs need ongoing attention.

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““The internet of things = the SEO of things.” ”
— Cindy Krum

It can be overwhelming to realise that we need to optimise our websites for so many channels and devices. This also applies to social media, and the need to have a presence of an ever-growing number of channels.

Here are 4 ways we can aim to use the “Kaizen” idea in content:

  • Know your goals

Why are you on social media? What do you want to get out of your blog? What is the best use of your time? You should be able to answer these questions, and know the answers might change as your online journey continues.

After you know your big-picture kaizen goals, work out your resources. You can’t be everything to everyone. You can’t do it all. How much time do you have to work on marketing and content? Be realistic. And be flexible.

  • Make small changes

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Kaizen does not have to equal huge leaps forward every day. Every morning (my fellow Philadelphian) Benjamin Franklin asked himself, “What good shall I do this day?” Break your goals down into small bite-sized tasks, and tackle one every day. Maybe the task is checking your blog feed for the latest trends. Maybe it is spending a half hour engaging on your company’s social media. Maybe, like me, it’s sitting down and writing some content, then scheduling to share it.

  • Ask for help

Kaizen does not have to be a solo effort. When you audit your content resources, reach out to your team. Get them on board with the potential and the road map to get there. I tell my social media clients, “Ask and you will receive” when it comes to engagement. The same applies to creating content. Don’t be an island; ask for help before you get burnt out.

  • Celebrate the wins

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When you set small, time-bound goals, you give your team the satisfaction of accomplishing something and the drive to keep going to the next milestone. Kaizen is a never-ending pursuit of “just a little bit better.” It is important to take time to look back from time to time on how far you have come, and to give kudos to those who helped along the way.

The Kudos Points app is a great starting point to get your team to share positive feedback. (In both Google Play store and Apple App Store)

For more insight into Kaizen in SEO, check out these Slideshare decks from Sha Menz and Jon Cooper.