Search Engine Optimisation:Embedding search into content & communications strategy October 2010

Peter Jordan - Strategic Search Manager

Traffic to Directgov – focus on organic search

-

2,000,000

4,000,000

6,000,000

8,000,000

10,000,000

12,000,000

14,000,000

16,000,000

18,000,000

Paid

Organic

Total Visits

March 201045% organic

9% paid

June 201050% organic

5% paid

Embedding search thinking

Search analytics and search insight

• What people are looking for and how they find it

• Their behaviours and expectations during a search

What are people’s information needs – expressed through a search?

Using search analytics and intent, the search team can understand:

DiabetesDiabetes

SymptomsDiabetes

Management

Insulin andNeedles

PharmacistsIn Bristol

Broad Search Term Specificity Narrow

Informational Compare sources Search type Compare options Transactional

Time / User Journey

Search user journey

Supporting content owners with search

• Working with franchises

• Identify keywords and variations

• Baseline visibility in search engines

• Look at the full journey

• Identify actions for content owners

• Benchmark and try again

Build up matrix of keywords

Franchise identifies

landing page per keyword

The search team analyse

the user journey

Baseline the Directgov

page in web search engine

Does it rank well?

Does it rank poorly?

Franchise implement SEO adviceBaseline Page Again

Implement Sponsored

Search

Content Ranks Well

Not an option for now, so need to

work harder on

SEO

Improved optimisation process

Natural search – what’s been achieved

From external referring searches:

• SEO projects delivered c25% increase in referrals from web search (*visits from web search engines, year-on-year)

• Pensions and retirement planning up from 12,248 to 45,649 a week

• Employment up from 98,843 to 125,556 a week

• Home and community up from 63,103 to 76,603 a week

• Crime and justice up from 6506 to 9581 a week

Hands-on SEO: Tips and Resources

Conversion

• Identify your key content

• What is your aim? • Focus on your goals • What’s in it for your audience? • How does it meet their needs?

Tips and Resources

Page titles

Some poor examples from Directgov

Keep safe Help with costs Who decides what Types of equipment

Keeping safe when abroad Help with health costs for disabled people The planning system: who decides what Types of equipment for independent living

Some good examples from Directgov

Help with childcare costs – do you qualify Pregnancy and maternity rights in the workplace Employers’ health and safety responsibilities

Tips and Resources

Descriptions

• A brief summary of what the content is about

• Don’t just repeat the page title

• Description should make sense in isolation

• Don’t just copy the introductory paragraph of the page

• Description should give a feel of what the user will get once they click on the result

Tips and Resources

Descriptions

Tips and Resources

Headings and content

• Content should be structured sensibly

• Make sure important information or calls to action aren’t hidden in the page

• Headings should be informative and include important keywords

• Front loading – put important words first

• As with keywords, consider synonyms, plural and singular

• Don’t compromise editorial quality

Tips and Resources

Video

• Video helps build Directgov’s visibility

• Consider hosting videos on Directgov, where licences permit

• You may have existing assets that are useable

Tips and Resources

Inbound and internal Links

• Search engines pay a lot of attention to links.

• Encourage partner organisations to link to your content

• Ask other sites to link to your new URL – don’t just rely on redirects

• Control the text used in internal and outbound links to other sites.

• Provide a good 'scent of information'

• Use social media (Facebook and Twitter etc.) to refer traffic - search engines note these links

Tips and Resources

Topicality and social media

• Search engines like topical and fresh information:

• Refresh articles to address new developments or trends

• Use social media to engage with your audience around topical issues.

Tips and Resources

Resources

• Search Engine Optimisation, COI Guidance, http://www.coi.gov.uk/guidance.php?page=331

• Search Toolkit for Online Publishers, iab, http://www.iabuk.net/media/images/IABPublisherSearchToolkit-Final021209_5729.pdf

• Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide, http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/untrusted_dlcp/www.google.com/en//webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf

• SEO & SEM basics, Bing, http://www.bing.com/toolbox/posts/archive/2009/12/01/seo-and-sem-basics.aspx

• Google Trends http://www.google.com/trends

• Google Insights for Search http://google.com/insights/search/#

• Google adwords http://adwords.google.com/ (need to create an account)

Tips and Resources