Mastering Social SEO Integration at SES San Francisco

San Francisco • September 10–13, 2013 • #SESSF @SESConf

Mastering Social SEO IntegrationDan CristoDirector of SEO Innovation

San Francisco| September 10–13, 2013 | #SESSF | @SESConf

@dancristo

How can social media improve organic rankings?


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Top Ranking Factors 2013

Sources: SearchMetrics 2013 US Ranking Factor Study


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7 Out of Top 8 are Social Signals


“Pages from brands often lack perfect page optimisation, but on average they have a lot of very good links and in most cases strong social signals, and rank in top positions.”


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Correlation is not Causation



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High quality contentas measured by social interactions and backlinks

The real cause is…


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How do we create the highest quality answers to consumers questions?

The key to SEO then is…


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PlanningResearch, ideation and strategy

MeasurementListening, tracking and performance analysis

DevelopmentContent creation and asset

management

DistributionContent placement and syndication

OptimizationSearch, Social and

usability optimization

1 2

3

4

5

Content Development Framework


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1PlanningBrands must become storytellers• Everything you say from the first word to the last is leading to a singular goal• Provide an over arching theme• Make the reader care

• Promise the story will lead somewhere that matters• Deepen our understanding of who we are• Evoke wonder• Share a truth from your experience• Express values you feel at your core

• Make them work for their meal• Create a knowledge gap• Introduce drama (anticipation mingled with uncertainty)• Create a conflict with doubt of outcome

Credit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxDwieKpawg


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1Storytelling PrincipalsEvery story must have at least these three things1. A setting2. Signature elements that are unique and defining3. Conflict – emotions, drama, struggle or tension


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1Tell a Story


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What Story is RedBull Telling?


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What Story is Rockstar Telling?


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What Story is NOS Telling?


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Development 2

Move Beyond Text1. Articles with images get 94% more total views2. Engagement rate on Facebook for photos averages 37% higher level of

engagement for photos3. Including a photo and a video in a press release increases views by over 45%4. 60% of consumers are more likely to consider or contact a business when an

image shows up in local search results5. In an online store, quality images are more important than product-specific

information (63%), a long description (54%) and ratings and reviews (53%)

Scale content creation by converting existing content into different mediums

Sources: National Retail Federation/Brightlocal/PR Newswire/Skyward/Web Liquid/Alexa/New York Times

Scalability Tip


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Wealth In America Study 2

Whitepaper


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2

Blog Post

Wealth In America Study


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2

Infographic



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2

Podcast



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Video

2Wealth In America Study


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Optimization3

Cross-Platform Optimization Principals• Choose 1 broad theme with 1-3 specific keyword phrases• Select the appropriate category• Write a compelling, click-worthy description• Tie your content to other content sharing the same theme• Provide the highest quality resolution• The shorter the better


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Distribution4

Comedy Central 45k viewers

15k viewers

55k viewers

TV Land

Telemundo

USA Networks

40k viewers

Sources: These are fictitious numbers for example purposes only

How syndication works


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Your Content

FollowersFollowers

Fans

Loyal consumers

Friends

Family

EmployeesPeers

Industry

Content shows in search results

4

Syndication Tribe


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4

Triberr

Sources: http://triberr.com


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Content is created

Initial shares

Content is ranked

Syndicated Shares

Users discover content through

search

Users like content and follow

Growing the tribe 4

Social -> SEO Cycle


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Measurement5

Was our content successful?• Awareness

• How many impressions?• How many visits/views?• Do brand searches increase?

• Engagement• Average time on page?• Did they share the content?• Did they view similar content afterwards?

• Action• Did they comment?• Did they follow or subscribe?• Did they convert into a lead or sale?


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0

1

2

3

4

5

6

Bran

d Ke

ywor

d Se

arch

Inde

x

Google Trends LPL 90% UPL 90%

Social Media Engagement

Begins

+20% Brand searches

+15%Online sales

20% lift in search behavior, because of social media engagement

Social Driving Search5


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PlanningResearch, ideation and strategy

MeasurementListening, tracking and performance analysis

DevelopmentContent creation and asset

management

DistributionContent placement and syndication

OptimizationSearch, Social and

usability optimization

1 2

3

4

5

Content Development Framework


@dancristo

2014 & BeyondIn 2013, organic CTRs have dropped minimally for all positions, with mid-range rankings (positions 3, 4, and 5) showing slightly higher CTRs.

Full CTR study available in October on CatalystSearchMarketing.com


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Google Pushing Organic Down


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Search Beyond Google

Emerging DestinationsThese search algorithms are even more heavily dependent on social activity than web based engines


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Thank You

Business

Mastering Social SEO Integration at SES San Francisco