business link north east internet marketing and seo training
TRANSCRIPT
SEO and Internet Marketing Training
Your Trainers
• Andy Atkins» MD of Web Kinetics (Part of the MBL Solutions Network)
» 10+ years experience in online marketing
• Peter Wilson» Head – Paid Search & Affiliate at MBL Solutions
» 10+ experience with brands such as Shell, Lycos, Capital One
WELCOME!
An Action-Packed Agenda
• Introduction to Internet Marketing
• SEO – What, Why and How…..
• Good, Bad and Ugly - SEO Example
• Online Advertising – Adwords, Banners, etc.
• Form-filling & Lunch
• Social Media – What, Why and How….
• Online PR – Where & How
• Email Marketing – Making it Work
• Web Analytics – Theory & Practice
Along the way – some exercises, group work and a few laughs!
Objectives for Today
• Understand the Key Methods for Generating Relevant Online Traffic
• Be able to understand and challenge the advice of web professionals
• Understand the Effective Use of the Internet for marketing & Communication
• Understand Online Methods for Gaining & Retaining Customers
• Know how to Interpret Standard Web Metrics
What is Internet
Marketing?
Marketing, via the internet, of goods, services or assets that
exist either online or offline (or both!)
However, there is often leakage into the offline marketing world (e.g. PR)
Key Components – Website-centric
Model
WEBSITE
Key Components – Website-centric
Model
WEBSITE
Affiliateprogrammes
PPC/PPAAdvertising
DisplayAdvertising
Key Components – Website-centric
Model
WEBSITE
Affiliateprogrammes
PPC/PPAAdvertising
DisplayAdvertising
BLOG
BlogDirectories
Key Components – Website-centric
Model
WEBSITE
Affiliateprogrammes
PPC/PPAAdvertising
DisplayAdvertising
BLOG
BlogDirectories
SOCIALNETWORKS
Key Components – Website-centric
Model
WEBSITE
Affiliateprogrammes
PPC/PPAAdvertising
DisplayAdvertising
BLOG
ArticleSubmission
ImageSubmission
VideoSubmission
BlogDirectories
SOCIALNETWORKS
Key Components – Website-centric
Model
WEBSITE
Affiliateprogrammes
PPC/PPAAdvertising
DisplayAdvertising
BLOG
DirectorySubmissions
PartnerLinks
ArticleSubmission
PRDistribution
ImageSubmission
VideoSubmission
BlogDirectories
SOCIALNETWORKS
Key Components – Web Presence
Model
Website(s)
Blog
Social NetworkPages
Video HostingSites
Image HostingSites
Key Components – Web Presence
Model
Website(s)
Blog
Social NetworkPages
Video HostingSites
Image HostingSites
HIGH INVOLVEMENT
Key Components – Web Presence
Model
Website(s)
Blog
Social NetworkPages
Video HostingSites
Image HostingSites
HIGH INVOLVEMENT
PRDistribution
BlogDirectories
ArticleSubmission
PartnerLinks
DirectorySubmissions
Affiliateprogrammes
PPC/PPAAdvertising
DisplayAdvertising
LOW INVOLVEMENT
Our Target Audience
Before you Start
• What do you want the site/content to do for you?
• Who do you want to visit?
• What do you want it to do for the visitor – what do you want them to see? (Immediately)
• Where do you want to take them with one click?
• What do you want the visitor to do – the Action?
Our Target Audience
Which Keywords?
• High traffic and/or Niche Keywords?
• What do the competition target?
• Which terms are most relevant to your industry?
• Which terms are most relevant to your site?
Search engines
Search Engine Basics
Data Collection (Spiders and ‘Bots)
• URL
• Page Title (c. 60 characters)
• Meta Description (c. 160 characters)
• Meta Keywords???
• H1 Header
• Text content
• Image Alt Tags
• Internal Links
• External Links
• Site Map
Webpage – Visible
Anatomy
Business Skills and Training
Breadcrumb Search
Header
Navigation
Content
InternalLinks
External Links
H1 Header
Webpage – Hidden
Anatomy<head><title> Training Courses and workshops for business - North East BIC
<meta id="ctl00_head_metaDescription" name="description" content="Training in marketing,law, IT, business planning and finance. Training courses and workshops for small business runby the BIC. NVQ Assessment Centre and Business Link approved"></meta><meta id="ctl00_head_metaKeywords" name="keywords" content="north east training,training providers north east,sunderland,be your own boss,stimulating software innovation,software ventures,marketing magic,newcastle enterprise package,flexible families,marketing training,law training,it training,business planning,accounting courses"></meta>
<h1>Business Skills and Training</h1>
<img src="/images/hotlink_button.png" alt="More information"
Page Title
Meta Description
Meta Keywords
H1 Header
ImageAlt Tag
Search Engine Basics
Data Collection (Spiders and ‘Bots)
• URL
• Page Title (c. 60 characters)
• Meta Description (c. 160 characters)
• Meta Keywords???
• H1 Header
• Text content
• Image Alt Tags
• Internal Links
• External Links
• Site Map
Sitemap<urlset><url><loc>http://www.ne-bic.co.uk/default.aspx</loc><lastmod>2009-08-27</lastmod><changefreq>weekly</changefreq><priority>1.0</priority></url><url><loc>http://www.ne-bic.co.uk/business-space.aspx</loc><lastmod>2009-08-28</lastmod><changefreq>weekly</changefreq><priority>1.0</priority></url><url><loc>http://www.ne-bic.co.uk/conference-facilities.aspx</loc><lastmod>2009-08-10</lastmod><changefreq>weekly</changefreq><priority>1.0</priority></url><url><loc>http://www.ne-bic.co.uk/business-support-services.aspx</loc><lastmod>2009-08-28</lastmod><changefreq>weekly</changefreq><priority>1.0</priority></url><url><loc>http://www.ne-bic.co.uk/business-skills-and-training.aspx</loc><lastmod>2009-08-10</lastmod><changefreq>weekly</changefreq><priority>1.0</priority></url>
Search Engine Basics
Data Collection (Spiders and ‘Bots)
• URL
• Page Title (c. 60 characters)
• Meta Description (c. 160 characters)
• Meta Keywords???
• H1 Header
• Text content
• Image Alt Tags
• Internal Links
• External Links
• Site Map
Search Engine Basics
Data Delivery
• Algorithms
• Relevance
• Primary vs. Supplementary Index
• Site ‘Theme’
The Structure of
Ranking
On Page ElementsSite StructureSite ThemePage StructurePage ContentMeta Data
Off Page ElementsLinks StrategyPPC CampaignsSocial Media
Domain Name 40% RankingSignificance
60% RankingSignificance
Key SEO Elements –
On-Page• Relevant site address (batteriesonline.co.uk vs. portablepower.co.uk)
• Good page title and meta description
• Good meta keywords??? (search terms)
• Great content
• H1 Headers
• Image tags and descriptions
• Internal links
Key SEO Elements –
On-Page• XML Sitemap
• Regular Change
• Avoiding ‘clever code’
• Age of Domain
• Site Theme & Authority
Key SEO Elements –
Off-Page
• High quality Inbound Links from other Websites
• Links from social media sites
• Links from high-ranking directories
• Links on Article Distribution Sites
• Links on Press Release Distribution Sites
• Avoiding ‘spammy’ or non-relevant links
Marketing Elements of a Great Website
• Theme
• Authority
• Highly-relevant and segmented content
• Competitor-referenced
• Search-engine verified and submitted
• Meta and H1’s for at least Homepage & Tier 2 pages
• Lots of inbound links from relevant, quality sources
• Lots of self-generated inbound content
How to speed up visibility
• Sponsored links – e.g. Google Adwords
• Email newsletters
• Listing on appropriate websites (stockist or partner listings, etc.)
• Linking in general
• Putting your website address on everything!
Assessing Progress
• Search Engine Ranking
• Basic Stats. (hits, page requests, unique visitors) + Bounces
• Page Rank
• Back links analysis
• Indexing frequency
• Analytics Software
Good vs. Bad SEO
A Great Example
A Not-So Great
Example
A Not-So Great
Example
A Really Great
Example
A Really Great
Example
A Really Great
Example
SEO Q&A
Peter Wilson
Online Advertising
Online Advertising
ModelsPay-per-Click
Affiliate Platforms
Display Ads
Affiliate Model
YOU
AffiliateNetwork
SuperAffiliates
SmallAffiliates
Web Users
multipleonline
channels
multipleonline
channels
Promotional Plans,Commissions &Management Fees
Promotional Plans,Commissions &‘Specials’
Promotional Plans& Commissions
Tracking
TRAFFIC
What do they look like?
People you might not
Expect!
Types of Affiliate
• PPC Affiliates
• Cashback
• Voucher Code
• Social Media
• Niche / Blog
• Price Comparison
• Pure Content
• Arbitrage
Affiliate Pro’s & Con’s
Pro’s
• Instant online sales network
• CPA model means you only pay when a sale is made
• Good affiliates will drive substantial levels of conversion
• Good networks have comprehensive marketing and monitoring tools
• Increases your internet visibility vs. the competition
Con’s
• Only really effective for ‘packaged’ goods and services
• Very focused on consumer markets
• Reporting isn’t 100% accurate
• Relatively high ‘entry costs’
• Significant time required to manage the network
Online Display
Advertising
Display – A Muddled Picture!
Display advertising can be the result of affiliate programmes, some PPC campaigns, working via an advertising network or bought
direct from a site owner. It’s usually bought on a CPM (sometimes CPC basis).
• Think first about the kinds of sites that will be most useful to YOU….
1. Visitor types and reason for visiting
2. Levels of traffic
3. Affordability
• Identify how key sites operate their advertising
1. Niche markets often rely on site-run advertising
2. Is there a dominant website/ad network in the sector?
3. What types of ad stand out visually and in terms of message?
• Get a costed proposal from an ad network, even if it’s only to provide insight
• Apply the usual rules to your advertising (clear, competitive message, visual strength, appropriate landing page content, demand an action)
Display – A Muddled Picture!
PPC Advertising
• Google Adwords or Bing/Yahoo AdCenter
• Google has a 80%+ share of UK search volumes
• AdCenter has better conversion rates
‘Hydraulic Bolting
Systems’
‘Gold for Cash’
PPC Advertising
• Should be called ‘search advertising’
• Provides immediate high-ranking visibility and message
• Usually costed on a cost-per-click basis, but ‘content network’ can be bought on a cost-per-thousand impressions basis
• Search advertising requires careful management to ensure cost-effectiveness
• Click costs are extremely ‘search term dependent’ i.e. a click can cost 10p in one market and £10 in another!
• Both networks have very comprehensive control systems for both spend management and campaign analysis……
How do you Start (Google
example)?1. Set up a Google Account
2. Add Adwords to the account (need credit card)
3. Set basic settings (language, network, budget, etc.)
4. Write ad text
5. Choose keywords/phrases (after researching them) and max. PPC
6. GO LIVE!
7. Monitor and change…..and monitor and change……or stop!
Key Paid Search Metrics
• Clicks
• Impressions
• Cost
• Bounce Rate
• Pages per Visit/Time on Site (need analytics link)
• Goals (site-specific and need analytics link)
• Conversions
Using PPC/Search
adv. Effectively
• Launches (products, services or a website, etc.)
• Promotions or events
• Secondary or ‘Long-tail’ Keywords (not on the SEO list)
‘Long-tail’ Keywords
Search Terms Used
Numberof
Searches
Using PPC/Search
adv. Effectively
• Launches (products, services or a website, etc.)
• Promotions or events
• Secondary or ‘Long-tail’ Keywords (not on the SEO list)
• Low-cost keywords
• To ‘spike’ competitors
Remember – Paid Search is very context-dependent,so plan and measure carefully!
Advertising Q&A
Free Training + Free Lunch = Form-Filling!
LUNCH!
Now where are we?
Targetometer
Social Media
Sharing – is there a point for business?
Is there a point?
• Atlantic Telegraph 1856
Oscar Wilde was asked what he thought of this amazing media innovation. “it depends whether they have
something interesting to talk about”
• Michelin 1900
1. Food (tyres get you there)
2. Useful
3. Participation
4. Free
5. Show (advocate)
6. Bibendum had his own newspaper column
Social Media - What is it?
• Social Networking
– Communications between people with similar interests
• Social media
– The online tools which allow this to happen
• What are we trying to do?
– SEO and Linking
– Create a web presence
– Develop brand positioning – especially extension
– Encourage and manage the discussion and communications about our brand and products online
– Advocates and Viral
Social Media
Issue No. 1
Social Media is not homogenous, so it’s a nonsense totalk of ‘doing social media’….
Social Media
Issue No. 2
It’s easy to get carried away with the ‘latest big thing’
‘On-Board’ or ‘Left on the
Dock’
Social Media- How Big is It?
• Facebook now has 23 million UK users (Feb 2010)
• LinkedIn continues to grow with 45 million global members and 1.8 million UK visitors per month
• YouTube should serve 75 billion video streams to 375 million viewers in 2010
• Social media is now the No.2 online activity for UK internet users, beating email usage, and just behind search engines!
• 77% of active internet users read blogs regularly
• Over half of internet-using adults maintain a social network profile
• Facebook’s core UK user is in the 25-34 age group
Are they all doing the
same things?• Spectators
– Reading, watching, listening
• Joiners
– Signing up for networks
• Collectors
– RSS tagging
• Critics
– Commenting / reviewing
• Creators
– Publishing
Some Key Platform
s
• Blog
• Squidoo lens
• MySpace
• Facebook Page
• Tagging (delicious, stumbleupon, Digg)
• You Tube
• Slideshare
• Flickr
• Article Sites
• PR Sites
• Tradespace
• Niche - Home Business Network / Mothers / etc..
• Micro sites
Blog and Blogging
• Easy to build – Wordpress
• On site or off site?
• Searchable content
• Blog Directories/ Other blogs/ Your own site
• Be interesting / not salesy
• Couple of times a month
Social MediaWhat Can You
Do With It?• Linking value for search engine rankings (“no-follow” issue)
cooksandkitchens.co.ukLink Type
Well-sauted Blog
Dailymade Blog
Fatlemon Blog
Caked Crusader Blog
Article Hut Article Directory
Buzzle Article Directory
Ezine Article Directory
Squidoo Expert UGC community
Stumbled-Upon Bookmarking Site
Slideshare Presentation Community
MumsNet Community
Hitched Community
Brownbook Business Review Site
Social MediaWhat Can You
Do With It?• Linking value for search engine rankings (‘no-follow’ issue)
• Additional Search Engine Entries (search term ‘webkinetics’)
Position Type
1 Website
2 Website
4 Twitter
5 Slideshare
7 Blogstorm
8 FreeIndex
9 YouTube
10 PRLog
11 Flickr
12 Twitter
14 Facebook
15 Brownbook
Social MediaWhat Can You
Do With It?
• Linking value for search engine rankings (‘no-follow’ issue)
• Additional Search Engine Entries
• Establishing Credentials as a Sharer/Innovator
First Mover
Innocent Facebook
Search
Innocent Facebook
Videos
Innocent on Facebook
Social Media- What Can You
Do With It?
• Linking value for search engine rankings (‘no-follow’ issue)
• Additional Search Engine Entries
• Establishing Credentials as a Sharer/Innovator
• Targeting a particular group or type of customer/user
• Developing segmented communications
Strategic Social Media Marketing
M&S Network
Links
M&S Facebook
M&S Facebook Discussions
M&S Facebook
Offers
M&S Twitter
Social Media- What Can You
Do With It?
• Linking value for search engine rankings (‘no-follow’ issue)
• Additional Search Engine Entries
• Establishing Credentials as a Sharer/Innovator
• Branding opportunities – innovative, sharing
• Targeting a particular group or type of customer/user
• Developing segmented communications
• Respond to customer/press comments
Snatching Success from the Jaws of
Social Media Disaster
Social Media- What Can You
Do With It?
• Linking value for search engine rankings (‘no-follow’ issue)
• Additional Search Engine Entries
• Establishing Credentials as a Sharer/Innovator
• Branding opportunities – innovative, sharing
• Targeting a particular group or type of customer/user
• Developing segmented communications
• Respond to customer/press comments
• Create news/noise
Campaigning and Noise
Marmite Facebook
Games
Marmite Website
Marmite Facebook
Who?
• Interested customers
• Regular users
• Fans
• We turn them into advocates
• Could be niche
What Might WE Use for a
Client?• Blog (with links to your site)
• Squidoo lens
• MySpace
• Facebook Page
• Tagging (delicious, stumbleupon, Digg)
• You Tube
• Slideshare
• Flickr
• Article Sites
• PR Sites
• Tradespace
• Niche - Home Business Network / Mothers / etc..
• Micro sites
Social Media- How to
Approach It….1. Understand what the major platform types offer and how
they work
2. Decide if social media might play a part in achieving your marketing objectives
3. Decide which platforms are most relevant to you and your online objectives
4. Establish an activity plan based on exactly what you want each platform to deliver
5. Accept that most effective social media activity involves continued interaction i.e. time &/or money
Social Media Q&A
Your Social Media Task
• You are an insurance company which sells to clowns – Clowns Insurance
• How would you use You Tube to promote the company or services. What creative ideas have you got?
• The best idea will win a prize at the end of the series of events.
Now where are we?
Targetometer
Other Ways of Getting
Their Attention
Public Relations
• Management of communications through 3rd parties especially opinion formers through editorial
• Blurring of boundaries
– Opinion formers and now bloggers and advocates (creators)
– We can create editorial
Public Relations
• Regular website review columns
• News editorial
– Exciting picture
– Web traffic news
– Changing trends
– Feedback
– New web service
Email DM
• Responsive
• Cost effective
• Directs traffic to your site
• Builds membership
• Fantastic stats
Email is measurable
• Depending on the tool you’re using
• Open Rates
• Clicks
• Bounces
– Soft
– Hard
• Issues
– Getting through
– Getting opened
– Getting a response
Email success
• Hosting and Technical
– Authenticated**
– Blacklists
• Data
– Sign up process
– Legal and Unsubscribe**
– Personal**
– Viral
Email success
• Design and Content
– Subject line
– Calls to action
– Relevance and targeting
– Spam words**
– Pictures v words**
– Preview pane
• Technical
– Coding
– Rendering
A typical decision process
Awareness of the need
Awareness of suppliers
Build relationship with suppliers (brands)
SALE!
Aftersales and support
Detail information stage
Confirmation and reassurance
Advertising
Cold DM – traditional
+
Let’s just ring them?
Incentivise the visit
• Information or white papers
• Join club
• Offers and discounts
• Opinions and blogs
• Editorial and comment
Marketing Rule Number
1• Marketing now is very much about good data and building
relationships
• Good data beats everything
• Best data is the data you collect (websites [and events] are great at this)
• Then you’re in control of communications and relationship building
PR, Offline and Email Q&A
Now where are we?
Targetometer
Web Analytics
Web Analytics- Some
Questions….
• What are they?!
• Are analytics packages any good?
• What are the important metrics?
• Can you do everything with a free tool like Google Analytics?
• What can you do once you have the information?
• Is it worth the time and effort?
A Definition
Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for the purposes of understanding and optimizing web usage.
Web analytics is not just a tool for measuring website traffic but can be used as a tool for business research and market research. Web analytics
provides data on the number of visitors, page views, etc. to gauge the popularity of the sites which will help to do the market research.
There are two categories of web analytics; off-site and on-site web analytics.
‘Wikipedia’
Analytics Packages
• Who uses one?
• Which one?
• What information do you use it for?
• What do you do with the information?
• What doesn’t it tell you?
What Do We Want to Know? On-Site
Analytics
Hits, Page Requests, Unique Visitors?
• Hits, Page Requests, Unique Visitors?
• Where did they come from (search, twitter feed, newsletter, ad.,, geography, etc.)?
What Do We Want to Know? On-Site Analytics
What Do We Want to Know? On-Site
Analytics
• Hits, Page Requests, Unique Visitors?
• Where did they come from (search, twitter feed, newsletter, ad.,, geography, etc.)?
• What search terms generated visitors?
What Do We Want to Know? On-Site
Analytics• Hits, Page Requests, Unique Visitors?
• Where did they come from (search, twitter feed, newsletter, ad.,, geography, etc.)?
• What search terms generated visitors?
• What did they do on the site and how long did they stay?
What Do We Want to Know? On-Site
Analytics
• Hits, Page Requests, Unique Visitors?
• Where did they come from (search, twitter feed, newsletter, ad.,, geography, etc.)?
• What search terms generated visitors?
• What did they do on the site and how long did they stay?
• Did we convert anyone (download, email capture, sale)?
BUT HOW DO YOU USE ANALYTICS TO
ACTUALLY IMPROVE A PAGE?
What Do We Want to Know? On-Site Analytics-
Page Analysis
• Keyword analysis
• Competitor Comparison
• Content Analysis
• Coding Analysis
What Do We Want to Know? Off-Site
Analysis
• Overall Context
Bean Bag Co.
What Do We Want to Know? Off-Site
Analysis
• Overall Context
• Rankings for Target Keywords
What Do We Want to Know? Off-Site
Analysis
• Overall Context
• Rankings for Target Keywords
• Inbound Links (No. & Quality)
Analytics Q&A
Summary of our journey
• Searching:
– SEO
– Adwords
– (Affiliate)
• Passing By
– Advertising
– Social Networks
– Bookmarking
– Blogs
– Affiliate
• At Home
– Advertising
– PR
Simple Summary
Relevance
Content
Interaction
Connections
We’re here to help!