SEO Uncovered:

The 7 Secrets Every Business Must Know to LEGALLY STEAL Floods of FREE Google Traffic From Your Competition

What is SEO?

Search en gine opt i mi za tion (noun)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the visibility of a website or a web page in search engines via the unpaid (“natural” or “organic”) search results.

SEO is inbound marketing

• Getting your products and services in front of prospective customers at the moment they are actively looking

• SEO doesn’t interrupt• With SEO you are earning and building trust

Misconceptions

• SEO is free marketing!• SEO doesn’t work• SEO is black magic• SEO is rocket science• SEO is illegal

REALITY:SEO is a legitimate marketing strategy practiced by almost all of the world’s most successful companies

Who cares?

• There are over two billion people online• 93% of online experiences begin with a search

engine• The majority of web traffic is driven by the ‘Big

Three’ search engines-Google, Bing and Yahoo

(Search Engine Journal)

Who cares?

• 77% of search engine users choose organic over paid listings1

• 67% choose organic search engine results when purchasing2

• Organic click-through generates 25% higher conversion rates than PPC3

(1,2,3 Search Metrics)

High rankings in the search engines are VERY valuable!

How valuable?

Keyword phrase: “Auto Insurance”

Cost-per-click

Keyword phrase: “Auto Insurance”

Search volume = 110,000CPC = $66.31Total value = $6,964,100

Traffic by Google Ranking

Keyword phrase: “Auto Insurance”

Search volume = 110,000CPC = $66.31Total value = $6,964,100x 42%= $2,924,922 in organic traffic monthly!

Benefits of SEO

• Boost website traffic• Increase visibility among target audience• Build relationships and influence• Increase conversions (subscribers, members, etc.)• Increase sales (gain new customers0• Measurable results• The big guys can’t out bid you!

Downsides of SEO

• Can be slow to get results• Somewhat our of your control• Requires consistent effort over time• No guarantees

How can SEO work for your business?

The 7 Secrets Every Business Must Know…

1. It all starts with keywords

• Knowing your target keywords is your first step• Choose your battles• Don’t spread yourself too thin

2. Content is King

• Search engines “feed” on content• Train Google to keep crawling and indexing your site• Don’t worry about keywords; just keep things

relevant (most of the time)• “Naturally” include your keywords in your content

3. Have an active social media presence

• Social is becoming more important to search engines• Add sharing buttons to your website to promote sharing!

“[The] lines of SEO and Social Media continue to be blurred”

(Jen Lopez, Community Manager at SEOMoz)

4. Get links from other high value sites

• A link is like a vote for your site• Some votes matter more than others• More links = GOOD

5. VIDEO!

• Google LOVES video!• Roll the camera regularly!• Use your keywords in the video and the video title

6. Channels refer to major “authority” sites

• Examples include: - YouTube - Amazon - Craig’s List - Pinterest - Et. Al• Get your content on them• They will rank!

7. If you are local, optimize for local

• Include local keywords throughout content and site• Add your local address to your site• Add your local phone number• Get listed in all local directories• Create local videos• Get links from local organizations and businesses

*BONUS SECRET*8. Create content for people

• Not for search engines• If people like your content, Google will take note…• Make it personal-share your story

*BONUS SECRET*9. Be consistent over time

• SEO is a marathon, not a sprint

Example

Example

Frequently Asked Questions

Is SEO a good marketing strategy for my particular business?

How much time will I need to spend each week on SEO?

How can I avoid common mistakes that businesses make

with SEO?

How important is keyword research?

How important is link building?

Should I hire an SEO consultant to do all of this stuff for me?

If I’m redesigning my website, when should I start thinking

about SEO?

What things will get me in trouble with the search engines?

If I hire someone, how can I be sure they won’t use black hat

techniques?

How else can I improve my rank?

• Ask Google for advice!*• Keep things “white hat” in nature• Install Google Analytics on your site (if you haven’t

already)

*Google’s Webmaster Guidelines tell you virtually everything you need to know.

SEO: Not a Slam Dunk

1. Time commitment ($)2. Complexity3. Content creation4. Established competition (breaking in)5. Link building (can be laborious, slow)6. Time required to achieve results7. Finding consultants you can trust

SEO: It’s worth it!

• The ROI of SEO is well documented• A highly ranked website works 24/7, when your sales

team is asleep• A well-ranked website is a very sellable asset

Small biz survey

“If you had to put all your marketing time and budget into only one channel, what would it be?”

Survey says…

Answer: SEO!SEO is considered the single most important marketing channel for SMBs. (MerchantCircle/Reply.com survey of 2,500 US small businesses)

Questions?