demystifying seo - how to get on the first page of google
TRANSCRIPT
DEMYSTIFING SEARCH
ENGINE OPTIMIZATION How to get on the first page of Google
Ruben Quinones
October 27th, Jacob Javits Center
• Founded in 2006
• 40+ employees based in NY office
• Core-competency driven – SEO & SEM
• Acquisition of Clear Search Media Inc. in 2012
• Marin Certified Professionals, Google AdWords
Professionals, Bing Accredited Professionals
• Adjunct Instructors at NYU, S.C.P.S. Digital Media
Marketing Program and regular panel speakers on SEO
and Social Media Topics
• Association of National Advertisers (ANA) subject matter
experts in digital marketing
• ROI-focused – acquisition marketing specialty
OUR BACKGROUND Rooted in search + digital
45+ NYC EMPLOYEES
40+ NYC EMPLOYEES
OUR CORE DIGITAL MARKETING CAPABILITES
PAID SEARCH MARKETING (PPC)
SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO)
DISPLAY ADVERTISING (DA)
SOCIAL AD MANAGEMENT (SA)
SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING (SMM)
WORD PRESS DEVELOPMENT & DESIGN
OUR CORE SERVICES ARE SUPPORTED BY COMPELLING
CREATIVE, EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCED ANALYTICS TEAMS.
PPC SEO
SOC SA
OUR CLIENTS
WE WORK WITH B2C, B2B, EMERGING AND LOCAL BRANDS
What is SEO?
Sponsored Results
Organic/ Natural / Non-
Paid Results
Local
Listings
Why is it Important?
Traffic – Sales/leads
Branding / Thought Leadership
Reputation Management
How Search Engines Work – The Official Word
and content.
How Google Works
• Relevance
• Comprehensiveness
• Freshness
• Speed
The Official Word “The Software behind our search technology conducts a series of simultaneous calculations
requiring only a fraction of a second. Traditional search engines rely heavily on how often a
word appears on a web page. We use more then 200 signals, including our patented
PageRank algorithm, to examine the entire link structure of the web and determine which
pages are most important. We then conduct hypertext-matching analysis to determine
which pages are relevant to the specific search being conducted. By combining overall
importance and query-specific relevance, we’re able to put the most relevant and reliable
results first” -Google
Ranking Factors (not official)
On-Page SEO Tactics
Optimizing digital content copy and source code to target
strategic keyphrases.
Off-Page SEO Tactics
Building links, social sharing and evangelization of digital
content within communities to build site authority.
Your Web Site
Blog Comments
Business Profiles
Social Media
Social Bookmarks
Niche Directories
Natural Links
Guest Posting
Press Releases
I N T R O D U C T I O N | PAT H I N T E R A C T I V E
Is Your Site Conducive for Search?
Site Review
• Is the development/structure of the site going to present any challenges?
• Is there enough quality content to optimize?
• Is the site “conversion friendly?
• Does it adapt to mobile - tablet devices Test Your Site
SEO Information Architecture – Crafted Content Pages
Crafted content (deeper pages) provides site context for domain level SEO, expanded
keyword relevance and creates more results in the SERP index.
Keyword & Content Planning Comprehensive site architecture and content planning is the most critical step in
the SEO process.
I N T R O D U C T I O N | PAT H I N T E R A C T I V E
Keyword Strategy
What Are Key Phrases + Keywords?
How Customers Search
Not Enough Space?
How Customers Search
Searchers at different stages in the Customer Decision Journey will have different
objectives, and marketers need to intersect with the right content and message.
Informational--General
(Storage, Decluttering apartment)
Informational --Category
(Storage solutions, How to
organize space for a move)
Navigational
(manhattan ministorage, chelsea
ministorage, etc)
Transactional--Product
(Storage bins, self storage
locations, manhattan storage)
Informational Transactional
“Find November Manhattan Storage
Rentals” is a transactional key phrase,
as the searcher seemingly intends to
purchase storage services as soon as
possible.
Other transactional key phrases:
• find storage space in New York
• mini storage rental nyc
• rental self storage in Manhattan
• rent a storage unit
• self storage rentals
“Storage tips” is an informational key
phrase, as the searcher may simply
be doing research on storage options
or gathering information for a future
purchase.
Other informational key phrases:
•help with clutter
•help with decluttering
•closet space ideas
•storage solutions
Navigational
“Manhattan Mini Storage” is a
navigational key phrase since it
contains the brand, as the searcher is
interested
in finding your website or deeper pages
within the brand.
Other navigational key phrases:
•Manhattan mini storage
•Manhattan mini storage facility
•Manhattan mini storage in soho
•Manhattan mini storage locations
•Manhattan Mini Storage Moving
Key Point: There is higher volume potential in informational based key phrases but they often
yield a lower conversion rate.
Searcher Intent
“Need storage now in NYC” is a geo-
modified key phrase, as it contains the
Geo-Qualifier “NYC” in it.
Other geo-modified key phrases:
•clothes storage nyc
•Manhattan storage
•Self storage Chelsea
•nyc mini storage
“Need storage now” is a general key
phrase, as it doesn’t contain a
location.
Other general key phrases:
•climate control storage
•secure storage
•local storage
•rent storage space
•self storage facilities
Key Point: Geography defines user intent more clearly than broad key phrases and helps to
define qualified leads.
General Geo-Modified
General vs. Geo-Modified
Price Specific Solution/Size Specific
“Small storage room” is a
solution/size-specific key
phrase, as the searcher needs a
certain size storage unit.
Other solution/size-specific :
•small storage unit
•small storage lockers
•large storage
•large storage facility
“Local cheap storage” is a
price-specific key phrase, as the
searcher is clearly price-
conscious.
Other price-specific key phrases:
•affordable storage in NYC
•cheap mini storage
•cheap self storage in
•cheapest nyc storage
•storage units cheap
“Furniture storage” is an item-
specific key phrase, as the
searcher clearly needs to store
a specific type of item.
Other item-specific key phrases:
•clothes storage nyc
•document storage
•appliance storage
•storage for appliances
Key Point: Certain Key phrases show specific searcher intent which indicates potential for
conversion and provides targeted messaging opportunities.
Item Specific
Intent Based Attributes
Keyword Research Tools
Trellian: www.keyworddiscovery.com Wordtracker: www.wordtracker.com Google Keyword Tool: https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner Google Insights: https://www.google.com/trends/
Selection keywords by following criteria...
● Search Volume – Does it generate volume? Would have to show some search volume, but also have an
understanding that a search term with 100 searches a month in for a particular industry might be more
meaningful than a company that relies on heavy volume to be profitable.
● Competition – How many web sites/pages speak to those terms on Google now, highly competitive
search terms may result in a longer timeframe to rank for.
● Intent and relevancy - Are the search terms clear in their intent and are they relevant and meaningful
for the site to capture as a visitor. A broader term may have heavier volume, however generally fail to
have a clear intent in what the searcher might be truly searching for.
● Pages represented on the site – Overall, does the site, or will the site be able to speak to the terms that
we have selected. Or can there be pages developed in the context of the key terms selected?
● Current SERPS – Is there a particular page ranking for a term that hits on the previous criteria. In this
case we may want to optimize around it.
Key Term Selection
Key terms selected will be utilized as primary and/or secondary terms depending on
the page content that we develop in addition to metadata fields. It is possible that new
pages may need to be developed to capitalize on all priority terms.
• Primary terms will be targeted for headlines and page titles
• Secondary terms will be targeted for sub headlines and tagging
Both sets of terms can be primary or secondary depending on the content.
Rule of thumb: If it doesn’t make sense, do not apply.
Key Term Selection
I N T R O D U C T I O N | PAT H I N T E R A C T I V E
Applying Key Phrases on Your Site
Create Search Friendly URL’s Maintain the same domain structure. For shallow folders create keyword themes and for page names embed your primary targeted key phrase. Use – instead of an _ for separating keywords in the name.
Good Example http://pathinteractive.com/SEO/SEO-Training-Classes
Bad Example http://pathinteractive.com/file/qdld&mg=vv7hd4=88 Good example is more enticing to the visitor when seen in search results
Dynamic URL’s typically do not perform well and do not add benefit for SEO.
Search Friendly URL’s
Meta Tags
Title Tags The title of the link within the SERP. Use your targeted key phrase as the first words of the title tag for Keyword Proximity. Only the first 70 characters gets indexed. 5 to 8 words in length.
Good Example <title>Computer Repair Services; Expert Computer Repair & IT Service | Computer Troubleshooters USA</title>
Meta Tags are not only important to give Search Engines clues of keywords
but are the provide the on-page link text to sell your message!
Description Tags • Often the description of your SERP link that is displayed • Not used directly in Google’s algorithm but including keywords bolds text to increase CTR. • Use strong marketing statements and include primary and secondary key phrases. • No more than 155 characters. 20-25 words
Meta Tags
Keyword Tags • Use up to 10 targeted key phrases. • Start with primary key phrase and close variations
• Still used by second tier engines and custom search.
Meta Tags
<h1>Heading
<img alt=”keyword
friendly url”> Caption
Page Content
<h2>Sub Headline
On – Page Optimization
Header Tags Employ H1 tag for page headlines and H2’s and H3’s for sub headlines. Optimal placement of key phrases on page within these headers.
<h1> Heading
<h2> Sub-heading
Applying Key Phrases on Page
Headlines (<h1> Tag) – Primary Key Phrases
Applying Key Phrases on Page
Sub headlines (<h2> Tag) – Secondary Phrases
Applying Key Phrases on Page
Interlinking Content
• Commonly used in main
navigation/body text links.
• Help establish information
hierarchy within the site.
• Help spread link juice (ranking
power) through contextual
relevance.
• Internal links are links that go from one page on
a domain to a different page on the same domain.
Anchor Text
Anchor text is the visible, clickable text in a hyperlink.
Search engines use this text to help determine the
subject matter of the linked-to document.
In general, use links within your content that contain
keyphrase-specific anchor text and close variations.
Don’t overuse the same keywords, can lead to myopic
anchor text profiles – use variations instead.
Headers Include your primary key phrase within the H1 tag. Include exact match placement within the H1 and then alternate placements within H2 tags. Include key phrases in 35% of H2 as rule of thumb.
Keyword Density Exact key phrase placement should be approximately 5% of the overall body text. The goal is to be slightly more inclusive than the top competitors but not too dense to indicate red flags.
Keyword Proximity Placing key phrases at the beginning of the body text and at the end within your call to action emphasizes your keyword focus.
Content Length Well focused SEO pages typically run 300-500 words in length. To be sure, google your desired key phrase and look at content length of sites on the first page.
It is important to write content for the user, the trick is to stay “trustworthy”
when being “keywordy”.
Applying Key Phrases on Page
I N T R O D U C T I O N | PAT H I N T E R A C T I V E
A Few Technical Considerations
MANAGING STATUS CODES
• HTTP response status codes are returned whenever search engines or website visitors make a request to a web server.
• These three-digit codes indicate the server response, and impact user- and search engine understanding of your site.
• For SEO, pay special attention to 404 errors and 301 redirects.
404 FILE NOT FOUND
• A site with many 404 errors will not be ranked well in search for a variety of reasons:
o Site is likely not user-friendly
o Slows down search crawler-bots
o More errors = less indexed content
o Search engines eventually remove error-throwing content from SERPS, leading to a decrease in indexed content
404 errors occur any time the server can’t find a page after a request by users
or search engines (often, because it was removed or does not exist).
CUSTOM 404 PAGES
404’s happen, so create a great custom 404 page to make sure that
engage users and reduce bounce back to search results.
…or include a search box to
let users try to find it directly.
Clearly communicate why
the page might not be there,
and suggest an alternate
way to find content…
301 PERMANENT REDIRECTS
• 301 redirects are powerful ways to pass the equity of the original page onto a new page with similar content.
• Use a 301 if a moved/deleted page receives important links, gets a lot of traffic, or has an obvious URL that visitors or links are intended to reach (i.e. misspellings).
• Always redirect to an equivalent or similar page – not the home page.
• Search engines will eventually discover the 301, recognize it, and credit the new page with rankings and trust of its predecessor.
Use 301 redirects to permanently send people and search
engines to the new (or equivalent) location of the page.
I N T R O D U C T I O N | PAT H I N T E R A C T I V E
Tools
Free SEO Technical Audit Tool
Page Speed Tool
Free SEO Technical Audit Tool
Keyword Density Tool for SEO
http://www.pathinteractive.com/not-provided/keyword-density-tool-seo.php
Not Provided Estimator Tool
http://www.pathinteractive.com/not-provided/keyword-density-tool-seo.php
Let’s Connect!
Connect with me on
Linkedin and request
this presentation
http://www.linkedin.com/in/rubenquinones