HubSpot SEO II Certification Exam Answers

What are keyword gaps?

• The phrases that your competitors are ranking for, but you aren’t
• The keywords that you currently aren’t targeting
• The phrases that don’t have a lot of search traffic
• The search phrases that your website does not rank for

Explanation: The correct answer is The phrases that your competitors are ranking for, but you aren’t. Keyword gaps refer to the search terms or phrases that your competitors are ranking for in search engine results pages (SERPs), but your website is not. Identifying keyword gaps is essential for optimizing your SEO strategy and maximizing your website’s visibility and competitiveness in the online landscape. By analyzing the keywords that competitors are successfully targeting and ranking for, you can uncover valuable opportunities to expand your own keyword targeting efforts and capture additional organic traffic. Addressing keyword gaps allows you to fill in missing pieces of your SEO strategy, improve your website’s relevance and authority on specific topics, and ultimately increase your chances of ranking higher in search results for relevant search queries. Therefore, understanding and addressing keyword gaps is a critical aspect of effective SEO optimization, helping you stay competitive and relevant in your industry’s online space.

True or false? Your business competitors are not always the same as your SEO competitors.

• True

• False

Explanation: True. Your business competitors and your SEO competitors may not always align. While your business competitors are those companies or entities offering similar products or services in the same market, your SEO competitors are the websites that rank for similar keywords or target similar audiences in search engine results pages (SERPs). It’s possible for your business competitors to have different online visibility strategies or to not prioritize SEO, meaning they may not compete with you directly for search engine rankings. Conversely, your SEO competitors might include websites that offer different products or services but target similar keywords or audience segments, thereby competing with you for visibility in search results. Understanding the distinction between business competitors and SEO competitors is crucial for developing an effective SEO strategy that targets the right keywords, audience, and competitors in the digital landscape. Therefore, the correct answer is True.

Select all that apply. What are the goals you want to achieve through an SEO competitive analysis?

• Discover your competitors’ winning strategies
• Benchmark your current SEO performance
• Reveal any competitor gaps or weaknesses
• Identify areas of improvement in your SEO strategy

Explanation: The correct answers are Discover your competitors’ winning strategies, Benchmark your current SEO performance, Reveal any competitor gaps or weaknesses, and Identify areas of improvement in your SEO strategy. Conducting an SEO competitive analysis serves multiple important goals in optimizing your website’s SEO performance and maintaining competitiveness in the market. Firstly, by discovering your competitors’ winning strategies, you gain insights into what tactics are driving success for them, allowing you to adapt and incorporate similar strategies into your own approach. Secondly, benchmarking your current SEO performance against competitors helps you understand where you stand relative to industry standards and identify areas where you may be lagging behind or excelling. Thirdly, revealing any competitor gaps or weaknesses enables you to capitalize on opportunities that competitors may be missing, potentially gaining an advantage in areas where they are underperforming. Lastly, identifying areas of improvement in your SEO strategy through competitive analysis allows you to refine and optimize your tactics, ensuring that you stay ahead of the competition and continuously improve your website’s search visibility, traffic, and user engagement. Therefore, an SEO competitive analysis is a valuable tool for achieving a variety of goals, from understanding the competitive landscape to refining and optimizing your own SEO strategy for better performance and competitiveness in the market.

What is an SEO competitive analysis?

• The process of researching your business competitors to find out how you can beat them in the market
• The process of generating reports on the search impressions, clicks, and click-through rate of web pages
• The process by which you analyze the different keyword opportunities on your website
• The process of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of you and your competitors’ SEO

Explanation: The correct answer is The process of identifying the strengths and weaknesses of you and your competitors’ SEO. An SEO competitive analysis involves evaluating and comparing your website’s SEO performance with that of your competitors to identify areas of opportunity and potential threats. This process includes examining factors such as keyword rankings, backlink profiles, content quality, website structure, and overall search visibility to gain insights into what strategies are working well for competitors and where there may be gaps or areas for improvement in your own SEO efforts. By conducting a comprehensive analysis of both your and your competitors’ SEO strategies, you can better understand the competitive landscape, identify best practices, and formulate informed strategies to enhance your website’s SEO performance and maintain a competitive edge in the market. Therefore, an SEO competitive analysis is a valuable tool for optimizing your SEO efforts by identifying strengths and weaknesses relative to competitors and uncovering opportunities for improvement.

Why is it important to keep track of trends and updates in your business’ niche?

• So you can better communicate with your colleagues and/or clients.
• So you can anticipate how trends and updates might affect your website.
• So you can become a subject matter expert in your business’ niche.
• It isn’t important to keep track of trends and updates in your business’ niche.

Explanation: The correct answer is So you can anticipate how trends and updates might affect your website. Staying informed about trends and updates in your business niche is crucial for effectively managing and optimizing your website. By keeping track of industry developments, emerging trends, and changes in consumer behavior, you can anticipate how these factors might impact your website’s performance, user engagement, and search visibility. For instance, if there’s a shift in consumer preferences towards a new technology or platform, you can adjust your website’s content and optimization strategies to remain relevant and meet user expectations. Similarly, staying ahead of algorithm updates or changes in search engine ranking factors allows you to adapt your SEO tactics proactively, minimizing the risk of losing visibility or traffic due to unforeseen changes. Additionally, being aware of trends and updates enables you to identify new opportunities for content creation, partnership collaborations, or product/service offerings that align with evolving market demands. Therefore, keeping track of trends and updates in your business niche empowers you to make informed decisions and strategic adjustments to optimize your website’s performance and maintain a competitive edge in your industry.

Select all that apply. Which of the following strategies help you communicate the value of SEO to stakeholders?

• Putting the user at the center of everything you do
• Making your work accessible to people outside the SEO field
• Following SEO blogs, newsletters, and social media
• Tying your actions back to business goals

Explanation: The correct answers are Putting the user at the center of everything you do, Making your work accessible to people outside the SEO field, and Tying your actions back to business goals. These strategies are effective in communicating the value of SEO to stakeholders who may not be familiar with the intricacies of search engine optimization. By putting the user at the center of everything you do, you emphasize the importance of enhancing user experience and providing valuable content that meets their needs and preferences, which ultimately leads to increased website traffic, engagement, and conversions. Making your work accessible to people outside the SEO field involves avoiding technical jargon and explaining concepts in layman’s terms, making it easier for stakeholders to understand the relevance and impact of SEO efforts on overall business objectives. Additionally, tying your actions back to business goals demonstrates the tangible benefits of SEO in terms of driving revenue, increasing brand visibility, and achieving other key performance indicators that align with the organization’s strategic objectives. These strategies not only help stakeholders appreciate the value of SEO but also foster collaboration and alignment between SEO initiatives and broader business goals, ultimately leading to more informed decision-making and greater support for SEO initiatives within the organization.