Keeping Up With Google

improve your site traffic through search engine optimization

Patty ClemensProject Manager

Northwoods | November 11, 2008

Northwoods

What We Do

Advanced Web DevelopmentCreative Web Design

Software Engineering

In the next 45 minutes…

Why Optimization is Important Our Top 10 List for Site Optimization

What is SEO?

Acronyms

SEO – Search Engine Optimization

PPC – Pay Per Click

SEM – Search Engine Marketing

Natural or ‘Organic’ Search Results

Sponsored Links

SEM = SEO + PPC

86%

14%

Importance of Optimization

How People View the Results Page

Source: Eyetools, Enquiro, and Did-it

#1 = 42% CTR ->#2 = 12% CTR ->

Missed Opportunity Cost of Not Ranking Well

# of People Searching

SE Share

Click-Thru Rate

Conversion Rate

Conversion

Value* * * *

10,000 70% 10% 5% $100

*** *

= $105,000 per month!

Zero In on Your SEO Objectives

Conversions Spreadsheet

Create Your Baseline

Confirm that your landing pages are indexed

Find the total number of linking sites

Google Webmaster Tools

Yahoo Search: link:yourdomain

Determine the last 3 months of conversions

Take a Long Tailed Look at your Keywords

Long Tail Theory

Men’s Suits

Versace Men’s Suits

Review your site’s search logs

Titan SmartSearch

Building Your Keyword List

Brainstorm with colleagues and customers

Review industry magazines or websites

Building Your Keyword List Review Google Analytics output

Keyword Suggestion Tools

WordTracker

Keyword Discovery

Google Adwords Keyword Toolhttp://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Google Adwords Keyword Tool

Provides easy to read dashboard

It’s free

Makes recommendations for related words

Check Out the Competition

Master the ABC’s of SEO

Domain Name

Use your primary keyword Avoid more than 2 hyphens

Avoid Using “Home”

Page Title

Make each page title unique

Use primary keyword in title Keep it to a max of 65 characters

Named URLs

Shorter URL’s increase click-through Use keyword separators

META Description Not a META Description

Good META Description

META Keywords

Google doesn’t index these

Focus on other areas

Not used in rankings

Images: Alt Attribute

Important to set on all functional images Text near image should be relevant

Headings Only 1 H1 tag per page!

Place keyword in your headings

Content is Still King

Avoid SEO Tunnel Vision

“Webanize” Your Content

Spiders like fresh, unique content

Create a flat architecture for your site

Avoid a page of flash animation or images

Internal Link Juice

Link to your target landing pages Use keyword-rich anchor text

Avoid linking to every page from every other page

BEFORE

External Link Juice

AFTER…

External Link Juice

Next “Content is King” Seminar:

Thursday, November 20, 2008

8:30 – 10:00 am

It’s Free

Presenter: Patrick Bieser

Offer Up Some Link-Bait

Link Bait Examples

A useful tool

“How To” article for your niche Tips page; Top 10 Lists

Humorous articles; cartoons

Blogs

Blogs Deserve SEO Too!

Include keywords in your blog name Create highly readable headlines Update your blog frequently

Watch Your Backlinks

What does Google Value in a Backlink?

Physical location is important

Link is located within content rather than a directory format

Link has good anchor text for determining relevancy

Link is bold, italicized (but readability is priority)

Find Candidates for Backlinks: Look for Related Sites

Search Google for niche keywords – copy the URLs and check them out

Visit DMOZ.org and find your niche category Locate those sites that link to your competitor (SEO Spyglass - http://www.link-assistant.com/seo-spyglass/)

Don’t Tick Them Off!

“It usually takes around a year to get a site off the banned list with Google.”

Don’t hide text

Be careful redirecting to new domains Avoid duplicate content

Don’t stack a page full of keywords at the bottom

Don’t Stop Now!

Feeling Overwhelmed?  Not Enough Time?  There are Options!

Can you spend an hour a day on SEO?

Let us help you...

SEO Solutions from Northwoods

In Summary,

1. Zero In on Your SEO Objectives

2. Take a Long-Tail Look at your Keywords

3. Check out the Competition

4. Master the ABC’s of SEO

5. Content is Still King

6. Offer Up Some LinkBait

7. Watch Your Backlinks

8. Don’t Tick Them Off

9. Don’t Stop Now!

10.Overwhelmed? Consider Northwoods’ SEO Solutions

Thank You

?s

Next Lunch & Learn:

“eCommerce Success Techniques”

Tuesday, November 18th

Presenter: Patrick Bieser