Linking Your SEO Efforts to Business Outcomes

Linking Your SEO Efforts to Business Outcomes

Your Recipe for Success

Allison FabellaSEO / Social Media ManagerThe Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Allison FabellaSEO / Social Media Manager

What We’ll Cover Today

The Evolution of Search: How Changes in Search Engines Have Impacted SEO

The Future of Search: New SEO Resources for Expanding Your Business Horizons

Integrating SEO as Part of Your Thriving Business Model

SEO Tools of the Trade

Evolution of Search

How Changes in Search Engines Have Impacted SEO Techniques and Strategies

Mid 90’s1994

Birth of Search Engines

Early Days of SEO

“Wild west’

Based on submission to engines

Human edited directory dependant

Unsophisticated algorithm Heavy reliance on meta tag info – esp. keywords Easy to manipulate & abuse

Enter...

1998

Google the Game Changer Sophisticated, proprietary algorithm

Multiple ranking criteria

PageRank Off-page factors

Links (Votes) Quantity based

LinkSpam Link farmers Google’s response:

Link quality vs. link quantity

SEO’s Response: The Big 31. Content

– On-page Headings, subheads, body, anchor text

– Behind page Title tags, meta descriptions

2. Links– Relevant to site– Relationship based– High quality/authority

3. Site structure– Navigation– Sitemaps

Implications to Your Business Model No more SEO shortcuts

Keyword stuffing not effective LinkFarmers harmful - not effective

SEO foundation built on: Content Link building Good site navigation + sitemaps

SEO: The Next Generation

Maturation of Search Engines

Search Engine Evolution

Additional Features Global expansion Shopping, travel, news, images, video... XML sitemaps

BIG Search Results Page Changes Personalized Search Universal Search

Personalized Search

Universal Search

New Perspectives on SEO

Giving Your Business a Competitive Edge Through Redefining Content

The New Frontier of Content

Local

Images

Video

Mobile

Social

Microformats

Local: Google Places

Images

Video

Mobile/Tablets

Social

Microformats (Rich Snippets) Reviews

People

Businesses and organizations

Events

Video

Optimal Timing of SEO in Your Development Cycle

Bringing SEO Into the Mix for Maximum Benefit

SEOWebsite

“The Chocolate Chip Cookie Mistake”*

*Courtesy of Rand Fishkin, SEOMoz

Mistiming of SEO

Most common SEO mistake is baking SEO too late in your development cycle

Too late for optimal impact: After launch During development phase During design phase

Leads to costly choices

Tough Choices

1. Abandon SEO aspirations Lose competitive advantage Lose opportunities for new clients and prospects Lose potential revenue

2. Re-do site Allocate more $, time, resources to:

Redesign Re-code

Optimal Integration of SEO

During planning phase

Inclusion of ALL stakeholders Your stakeholders are your partners

Each stakeholder understands their SEO role Education is key!

Your SEO Stakeholders

Business owner / C-Suite / upper management

Product / project managers

Designers / user experience

Programmers / developers

Content producers

Marketing / sales

Maximum Benefit. Minimum Cost.

$

Sweet Success!

Tools of the Trade

A Business Owners Guide to SEO Tools

SEO & Social Media Toolkit SEO Tools

SEOmoz Free & Paid

SEObook Free & Paid

Social Media Tools Paid

Radian6, RavenTools Free

Bit.ly, Facebook Klout Twittercounter, Twitterstats

Search Engine Data Google Webmaster Tools Yahoo Site Explorer Bing Webmaster Center

Free Analytics Tools Google Analytics Yahoo Web Analytics

SEO & Social Media Resources SEO & Social Sites/Blogs

SEOmoz Search Engine Land Search Engine Watch Mashable BlueGlass WebmasterRadio

Organizations SEMPO MarketMotive

Conferences Search Engine Strategies PubCon SMX

Videos Matt Cutts

Google Videos SEOmoz

Whiteboard Fridays

Books Search Engine Marketing, Inc. The Art of SEO Web Analytics: An Hour a Day

Industry Leaders SEO

Matt Cutts Bruce Clay Danny Sullivan Stephan Spencer Rand Fishkin Todd Malicoat

PPC David Szetela Kevin Lee Christine Churchill

Social Media Li Evans Dan Zarrella Jennifer Laycock Dave Snyder

Analytics Avinash Kaushik Matt Bailey

Link Building Debra Mastaler Eric Ward

Summing Up

Key Ingredients to Your Business’ Search Marketing Success

Takeaways SEO techniques have evolved for maximum opportunity to

attract new clients and prospects

Act now to gain a competitive edge in your marketing efforts

Optimize all forms of content for maximum business outcome

Integrate your SEO efforts into your entire business model

Thank you.

Allison FabellaSEO / Social Media ManagerThe Atlanta Journal-Constitutionafabella@ajc.comTwitter: @alli12