SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION 101

Who’s presenting today? Writer, Editor, Search Engine Marketer 330,000 unique visitors 500,000 page views

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LEE WEBER

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How search engines work1. Search engines crawl the web via links

2. Search engines decipher and store the code in massive hard drives (datacenters)

3. When we enter a search query, engines return results based on their unique sorting systems (algorithm)

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Google’s Datacenters

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Search query results areRELEVANT or useful to the searcher’s

query

RANKED in order of perceived usefulness, popularity, or importance

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Search engine ranking positionSERP… affectsTrafficExposure Sales

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Eye tracking heat maps

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Why ranking mattersHigher rankings in the first few results are

critical to visibility.

A #1 position in Google's search results receives a majority of all click-through traffic.

The #2 position receives 10-15% %, the third 5-10%, the fourth less than 5%, and all others are under 2%.

Highly ranked sites build trust. Consumers view sites as worthy and relatively important.

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What is SEO

1. ON SITE optimization (Relevant and useful)

2. OFF SITE optimization (Popularity)

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Promoting a web site to increase the number of visitors the site receives from search engines.

ON SITE optimization1. Structure websites for engines and readers 2. Create engaging, relevant content 3. Know your keywords

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ON SITE optimization for enginesContent = indexed Ensure crawable link structure/site architecture

Submission required forms JavaScript, Frames, -frames. or links in Flash, Java,

or plugins Blocked pages Pages with 100’s of links

Write important content in HTML text format Cross-link content with keyword variations

Content = relevant Use keywords prominently in titles, text, URL, and meta data Use title tags that are an accurate, concise description of a

page's content Identify content using structured data (rich snippets)

Content = unique Avoid duplicate content (which version to show to users?)

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ON SITE optimization for readersContent = positive experience Provide direct, actionable information relevant

to the query Deliver high quality, legitimate, credible content Use articles, images, and multi-media User engagement metrics = Time on page,

number of comments, number of shares, bounce rate, etc.

Site = usable Easy to use, navigate, and understand Professionally designed and accessible to

modern browsers

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ON SITE optimization for keywords

Keywords = direction

Keyword research should be your #1 priority

With keywords, you can produce the products, services, and content that web searchers are already actively seeking

Keyword research can predict shifts in demand so you can respond to changing market conditions

Keyword analysis requires testing

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My personal recommendations Create 50 landing pages

that are keyword optimized Cross-link pages with varied

text Share across your social

networks Expand into video, graphics,

and audio

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My site has 1,200 landing pages that are keyword optimized

They are cross-linked with varied text

I share across my social network

I am expanding my content based

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OFF SITE optimization The “marketing” part Requires time, energy, and a budget Quality inbound links

Trustworthy Global popularity Niche Anchor text Social sharing

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OFF SITE optimizationLink Building 101

Natural links Are the result of quality content

Outreach links Emails Directory listings Website award programs

Self created Forum signatures Blog comments User profiles

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Global Market Share

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Google Yahoo Bing

…but mostly Google

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Questions?

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