SEO 101 for Small Business by Kahl Consultants

SEO for Small BusinessPresented by Alex Kahl

Small Business Web Services Internet Consulting | Kahl Consultants www.kahl.net

Presented by Alex Kahl• Small Business & Nonprofit Internet Consultant• SEO Marketer (link building, social media)• Blogger: KC News, Facebook, Twitter• Founded Kahl Consultants in 1994• Appropriate Technology * Green * Sustainable• 100's of clients worldwide

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Questions for Business Owners

• Do you Google your website?• Do you try to get search

engine ranking?• Do you know what SEO

stands for?• Have you ever done SEO?



SEO Marketing • Improve your Free / Natural / Organic Ranking• Focus is primarily on Google Page Rank• Why? Google has > 70% of the search market

*Source: http://www.hitwise.com/us/resources/data-center

SEO = Search Engine Optimization

The Science of Ranking


http://www.hitwise.com/us/resources/data-center


Search Engine Results Page

SERP has 2 sections:Left Side:

Organic (free) results

Right Side:Paid (sponsored) results, i.e. Google Adwords



SERP - Search Engine Results Page

90% of clicks are on the first 3 pages.

Try to rank in Top 30 results



Search is Important!

“EYETOOL” heatmap image shows where search users look:

• Top position gets over 40% of all clicks

• Free (organic) search results (on left) get more clicks than paid (on right)

• Customers search for your info online (contact address, directions, services)



Search is Popular



Local Search

Different ranking algorithm than standard search results



Organic search traffic is very valuable. In fact, it can sustain a local business.

But the reality is:•Search engine algorithms call the shots. Especially Google Page Rank algorithm•Organic Seach can be INFLUENCED, but NOT CONTROLLED.

Search Reality Check



Crawling and IndexingEach dot represents a web page. Search engines can crawl a page if they can find a link to it.



SEO Secrets

Important website items you can edit to increase your ranking:1)Title Tag2)URL (address)3)Text content4)Description Meta Tag



• Unique relevant content (TEXT)• Backlinks (LINKS to your site)• Keywords• Meta Tags

- Title: up to 65 Characters - Description: up to 155 Characters

• Menu & Navigation• Internal Links using keywords

SEO Best Practices



• A Keyword is a PHRASE, NOT a word.• Keywords are words that customers use to search for your

product or service• Use the same words your clients use• Your website traffic stats contain keywords used to find

you• Talk to customers• Compare to competitor websites• Use keyword tools, such as the free Google Search

"Keyword Tool"https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Keywords Matter


https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal


• Backlinks = Popularity• Get backlinks from many

diverse sources• Put keywords in backlinks• Backlinks are weighted

Links to YOU = Backlinks



Increase site popularity - obtain backlinks from diverse sources:

• Internal links (from your own content)• Friends and family• Local business acquaintances• Clients & Suppliers• Donate to associations• Social Networking Sites

- LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google Sites - Other public online profiles

• Business Directories• Blogs and Articles• Press Releases• Images (post to Flickr, Photobucket, etc.)• Youtube (post your videos and slide shows)

Where to Get Backlinks?



• Repeat after me: Unique valuable content

• Write content for site visitors• Give site visitors knowledge• Build content around

keywords• Link to valuable content

(internally and externally)

Content is King



• As a website owner you are a publisher of information

• Information is another business product

• Give your customers solutions to problems

• Customers rely on your expertise• Modern marketing = online content =

publishing

Publish Information



Adding content improves your ranking:

1. News Blog2. eNewsletter3. Interview4. Case Study5. eBook6. Infographics/Slide Shows7. Video8. Webinar9. Podcast (audio recording)10. Press Release

Web Content Ideas



InfographicCreate infographics and offer these to anyone to use online for free.

For example, this Infographic is free from www.totalinjury.com to add to any website.


http://www.totalinjury.com/


• A Blog is a news diary• News blogs increase

page views• Easier to post new

content• Helps internal linking• Ensures search

engines visit regularly

Must I Blog?



Should I use Social Media for my business?

• You need to be wherever your customers are

• You can repurpose content in multiple social channels

• Let go of total content control• Share ideas, share content,

share links• Find content on social media

(YouTube, Facebook)

Social Media



• Content - create unique valuable content

• Popularity - get backlinks from everywhere

• Local Search (e.g. Google Local, Yahoo Local, Yelp)

• Embrace Social Media• Use LinkedIn and YouTube, not

just Facebook and Twitter

SEO Summary



SEO Starter $495SEO Refresher $495SEO Annual $1195

Kahl Consultants SEO PackagesKC small business SEO Packages are effective yet inexpensive.



Questions?

Contact Kahl ConsultantsTel +415 499 0838www.Kahl.net

