2012 Search Marketing Agenda: What Every Small Business Needs to Know

James Svoboda, November 2011Download: www.WebRanking.com/presentations

The 2012 Search Marketing AgendaWhat Every Small Business Needs to Know

James SvobodaWebRanking.com2 November 2011

James Svoboda, November 2011Download: www.WebRanking.com/presentation

• Managing Partner at WebRanking.com

• Search Engine Optimization & Marketing since 1999 (1/3 of my life)

• Co-Founder of the Minnesota Search Engine Marketing Association

• Google AdWords Qualified and Microsoft adCenter Accredited

• Sphinn.com Editor

• Husband and Father from Eden Prairie, MN

But maybe more importantly…

I am a Small Business

What being a Small Business means to me:

• Limited Time• Limited Resources• Limited Budget• Wear Many Different Hats

Credit: tiredofh2o - flickr.com/photos/tiredofh2o/

Search Engine Marketing is Great for Small Businesses because…

It’s Always On.

Day, Night, Weekends and Holidays.

Credit: dawolf - flickr.com/photos/dawolf/

Search Engines are the Yellow Pages of the 21st Century

Only without the guilt of having to recycle something you never opened.

Credit: Paul Jahn - flickr.com/photos/localmn/

Search Engine Marketing is an Investment, Not an Expense.

Credit: CraftyGoat - flickr.com/photos/craftygoat/

When Done Right, Search Marketing Grows and Gains Momentum Over Time.

The Big 3

Major Players: Google.com, Bing.com, and Yahoo.com (Yahoo is powered by Bing)

Normal Search Engine Results Page: Google

Normal Search Engine Results Page: Bing

Normal Search Engine Results Page: Yahoo

Search Marketing Opportunities for Small Businesses

PPC Ads are Typically at the Top of the Search Page

PPC Ads are also on the Right Side of the Search Page

Search Marketing Opportunity: Organic “Free” Listings

• Organic “Free” Listings are Located in the Middle of the Search Page

Local Business Listings are Found at the Top or Middle of a Search Page with a Map

Local Business Listings are also Found in “Maps” Search Pages

PPC Ads are also Found in “Maps” Search Pages

Credit:

Your Search Marketing Efforts Should Start…

With a Solid Foundation For Measuring Your Results (hint: web analytics)

Credit: M4rvin - flickr.com/photos/yujin_it/

Google Analytics. Get it Now! (psst, it’s FREE)

These Companies use Google Analytics:

Web Analytics can be Overwhelming. Where to start is often Unclear.

Credit: wonkybutt - flickr.com/photos/wonkybutt/

Start by Looking for Dinner Conversational Pieces

Credit: Cedric's pics - flickr.com/photos/cedric1981/

Dinner Topics:

• Goals & Conversions – What sales and leads did you get?

• Search Engine Traffic – Which keywords are interesting or popular?

• Performing Keywords – Which turned into conversions?

• Referring Traffic – What other sites sent you visitors? To which pages?

• Paid Advertising – What has Google AdWords done for you lately?

• Visitor Locations – What cities and states are visitors located in?

• Mobile Traffic – Are your visitors using mobile or tablet devices?

• Social Media – Are you getting traffic from social sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn?

What to Measure with Analytics: Goals & Conversions

• Online Sales

• Leads and Quotes

• Appointment Requests

• Email Newsletter Signups

• Blog Feed Subscriptions

• Downloads

• Phone Calls

• Emails & Contact Forms

• Event Registrations

• Social Media Shares & Likes

• Coupons and Special Offers

What is the Total Profit and Life Time Value of Your Conversions?

• Sale of Product/Service A = $10 Profit GOOD

• Sale of Product/Service B = $50 Profit BETTER

• Sale of Product/Service C = $100 Profit BEST!

Not all of your Products & Services will have the same Profit Margins. They will vary greatly.

Get to Know and Understand Your Conversion Rates!

• 1 Sale out of every 100 Visits = 1% Conversion Rate

Keywords & Traffic Sources do not all have the same Conversion Rates. They will vary greatly.

What Affects Conversion Rates?

Positives

• Easy to Find Contact Information

• Clean & Simple

• Straight Forward Navigation

• Easy to Read Text

• Selective Linking

• Relevant Images

• Supports Multiple Browsers

• Multiple Devices & Screen Sizes

• Trust Signs like Privacy Policy & BBB Badge

• Testimonials & Customer Reviews

• Professional Designed Website

Negatives

• Hidden & Missing Contact Information

• Cluttered & Disjointed

• Confusing & Poorly Named Navigation

• Small, White Text on a Dark Background

• Many Unnecessary Links

• Distracting Graphics

• Does Not Function in Certain Browsers

• Poor Display in Smart Phones & Tablets

• No Stated Terms & Policies

• No Portfolio or Pictures of Previous Work

• Site Design Outdated or Below Competition

First Impressions Matter!

You’ll Spend Considerable Amount of Time and Resources to Generate Search Engine Visitors…

and Can Waste All That Work in Less Than 8 Seconds.

Flying Pie Pizzeria

Pizzicato

If You’re a New Customer, Which Would You Order From?

Friends will not tell you that…

Your Website Sucks!

but Analytics will...

Use the Data That Web Analytics Provides to Help You Improve Your Website’s Performance

Gaining a Clear Understanding of Analytics Takes Time

Credit: wonkybutt - flickr.com/photos/wonkybutt/

Analytics Will Change How You View Your Website

Credit: Laura4Smith - flickr.com/photos/blushingmulberry/

Narrow Your Focus and Targeting for Better Results.

Location! Location! Location!

Source: Search Engine Land - searchengineland.com/how-users-search-for-local-businesses-5-tips-to-optimize-local-listings-97612

Targeting By Location

• Where Are You Located?– Country– State– County– City– Zip code– Neighborhood– Street

• Do You Drive to Customers?– How Far Are You Willing To Drive?– What Are These Areas You Will Service?

• Do Your Customers Drive To You?– How Far do 80% of Your Customers Drive to Reach You?– What Are The Areas These Customers Come From?

Larger Area Than The Twin Cities? - 50 Mile Radius around Minneapolis

Entire Twin Cities? - 20 Mile Radius around Minneapolis

Primarily Minneapolis?

St. Paul

White Bear Lake

Eden Prairie

How Many Competitors Will You Be Fighting With for Local Customers? (map: dentists)

Fewer Competitors = Larger Range. (map: cosmetic surgeons)

Same Industry, Wider View = Few Rural Competitors. (map: cosmetic surgeons)

Freeways, Highways & Customer Population Density Will Define Your Range!

Keywords Are How Search Engines Define You…

and How Customers Find You.

Service Provider Keyword List: Dentists

Professional Title – Dentist• Industry/Specialty – Pediatric Dentist• Common/Unofficial – Kids Dentist

Business Classification – Dental Practice• Industry/Specialty – Pediatric Dentistry• Common/Unofficial – Kids Dental Office

Services Overview – Dental Services • Industry/Specialty – Pediatric Dental Care• Common/Unofficial – Kids Dental Check Up

Specific Services – Tooth Removal • Industry/Specialty – Pediatric Dental

Extraction• Common/Unofficial – Pull Kids Teeth

Credit: heraldpost - flickr.com/photos/heraldpost/

Sales & Product Keyword List: Clothing Store

Professional Title – Clothing Store• Industry/Specialty – Children’s Apparel Store• Common/Unofficial – Kids Clothes Store

Product Overview – Clothing• Industry/Specialty – Children’s Apparel• Common/Unofficial – Kids Clothes

Product Category – Shirts • Industry/Specialty – Children’s Long-Sleeved

Shirts• Common/Unofficial – Warm Kids Shirts

Specific Products – Nikes• Industry/Specialty – Children’s Nike Shoes• Common/Unofficial – Kids Nike Sneakers

Credit: Urban Shore - flickr.com/photos/urbanshore/

Local Business “Map” Listings Stand Out in Search Results and Get Used… a Lot!

Search Marketing: Local Business “Map” Listings

Major Players:• Google Places• Bing Business Listings• Yahoo Local Listings

Primary Keys for Local Map Listing “Rankings”:• Located in City• Targeted Category• Reviews• Business Citations

Notable Players That Feed into Local Business Listings:• Yelp.com• CitySearch.com• SuperPages.com• InsiderPages.com• JudysBook.com

Paid Search Advertising for Small Businesses can be Highly Effective

Specific Location Targeting + Exact Keyword Matching + Searcher Need = High ROI.

Credit: williamhartz - flickr.com/photos/whartz/

Search Marketing Opportunity: Pay-Per-Click Ads “PPC”

Major Players: Google AdWords and Microsoft adCenter (Bing)

PPC can also be High Risk and High Reward.

Credit: Picture Perfect Pose - flickr.com/photos/pictureperfectpose/

Limit Your Risk When Building a PPC Campaign

• Start With Google AdWords.

• Measure Your Results with Analytics

• Set a Low Initial Daily Budget

• Use More Focused Keywords– “Kids Dentist” instead of just “Dentist”

• Own Your Local Area First.– “Eden Prairie” instead of “Minneapolis”

• Use Mostly Exact Match Keywords

• Do Not Use Standard Broad Match Keywords

Search Engines Need Content and

Content Needs SEO

Search Engine Optimization & Website Content make a Great Pair

Credit: Sean Choe - flickr.com/photos/bogomo/

Blank Pages Don’t Generate Search Engine Traffic

Neither Do Large Pages with Many Different Topics

Wikipedia’s Search Engine Optimization Page Works

Ranking #1 in Google

Ranking #1 in Bing Too

And It’s a Large Page, but also Highly Themed

Example of Content for Small Business

The Power of Content Without SEO (would be better with seo)

Build Optimized Pages Full of Themed Content & Search Engines Will Show You Love

• Write compelling page copy that is easy to read.• Include professional & technical details, but don’t over

do it.• Photos, graphics and infographics.• Videos.• Audio such as MP3s and Podcasts.• Downloads such as PDF, Word and Excel documents.• Maps and location information.• Reviews and testimonials.• Links to relevant pages on your website.• Links to relevant pages on other websites, but don’t

over do it.• Add a moving call to action.

Search Engines Love Collecting Data.

Lots of it!

Google Wants To Be a Reflection of the Web

Matt Cutts at WordCamp 2007: “We Want To Be a Reflection of the Web.”

Credit: thekenyeung - flickr.com/photos/kyeung808/

Google’s “Panda” Algorithm Updates – Focuses on Humans & Quality

Google Starts Rolling Out “Panda” Algorithm Updates in February 2011.

Credit: Thos003 - flickr.com/photos/thos003/

Search Engine Results Starting to Reflect Popular “Social” Content

SEOmoz Study: Correlation of Link Metrics vs. Social Signals – April 2011

Source: SEOmoz - seomoz.org/blog/facebook-twitters-influence-google-search-rankings

What Does All This Mean?

Get More Active Online.

Starting Today!

Here’s how…

Increase Your Online Publicity

by Building & Cultivating

Links, Citations & Reviews

Yelp Provides Small Business Links, Citations & Reviews

This is a Good SEO Link

This is a Good Local Search Citation

These are Good Local Search Reviews

Remember That Pizza Restaurant from Earlier? More Good Local Search Reviews!

And The Other Pizza Restaurant? Reviews Not as Good.

Search Google to Find Good Sources of Links, Citations & Reviews

Search Engines Are Getting Social.

Social Signals like “Likes”, Shares, Tweets, Google +1’s, etc., Are Now Counting in Search Engine Algorithms

Credit: fredcavazza - flickr.com/photos/fredcavazza/

Build Your Social Army on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and more…

Give Your Visitors The Ability to Easily Share Your Content on Their Social Networks

Being a Non-Profit is Like Being a Small Business, but Without the Profit.

The Minnesota Search Engine Marketing Association

www.mnsearch.org

What being a Non-Profit means to me:

• Limited Time• Limited Resources• Limited Budget• Volunteers Wear Many Different Hats

MnSearch: Outline of Search Marketing Strategy

Organic Search Engine Marketing Strategy• Competitive Analysis and Keyword Research• Website Content Planning• Information Architecture and Internal Linking Planning• Website and Event Promotion Planning• Create Timeline of Activities • Identify Needed Resources and Budget • Search Engine Traffic Targets and Projections • Benchmarking Based on Similar Non-Profit Websites

PPC Search Engine Marketing Strategy• NONE – No Available Budget

MnSearch: Outline of Search Marketing Strategy

Local Search Marketing Strategy• Identify Official MnSearch Address • Create and Claim Local Directory Listings• Optimize Local Directory Listings • Create Structured Citations• Microformatting on MnSearch.org (Schema.org address, phone, etc.)

Social Media Strategy• Twitter• LinkedIn• Facebook• Google+• Yelp• FourSquare• MnSearch Blog• External Search Marketing Bloggers

Thank You!

James Svoboda

Managing Partner at WebRanking.com

www.webranking.com

Email: james.s@webranking.com

Twitter: @Realicity

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/realicity

Download This Presentation: http://www.webranking.com/presentation

2012 Search Marketing Agenda: What Every Small Business Needs to Know

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