This document discusses how earned media and SEO work together to increase a website's credibility and search engine visibility. It explains that credibility comes from external links and social signals that endorse a site. Building credibility through shared and linked content is how search results have been traditionally sculpted. However, the ecosystem is shifting as search engines now use social networks to determine credibility, meaning marketers must encourage clients to engage audiences algorithmically and socially. The role of SEO is becoming more central to branding and marketing in this new environment.

1. Earned Media and SEO

2. CORE CONCEPTS BEHIND SEARCH ENGINE VISIBILITY Findability Relevancy Credibility

3. Credibility Search traffic is ultimately “earned” by the successes of the whole package (products, services, branding, messaging, etc.) We need to push our clients to do things that deserve this treatment Search engines use the quantity and quality of external links pointing to a site as the main sign of “credibility” Sites with many good links performed better in search engines Now social signals such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ also matter 3

4. 4 Building “credibility” is a goal of work we do for our clients

5. How Has It Always Worked: Like Currency A really good website: “earns” $3,000 Other Website: Now has $1,000 Links Other Website: Now has $1,000 Other Website: Now has $1,000

7. Other sites endorsed in the sidebar see similar benefit

9. Cheating the System

10. Search Results Have Always Been Sculpted by User Endorsements

11. The 2011 Ecosystem Things are different Data around sentiment is being trapped in new ways Only a small number of people have blogs or websites, but almost everybody has:

12. There’s a lot of content on the web Why not have two ways of surfacing it? This means everyone has different results We need to encourage clients to target both types of journeys Algorithmically A somewhat scientific process picks the most relevant and trustworthy content Socially People you know or have chosen to follow on social networks are likely to surface things of interest to you

13. Facebook Like Button So far only impacting Bing (They’re in a bit of a war with Google)

14. Google+ +1 Buttons unveiled in March 2011 Google+ unveiled in June 2011 Impact is still unknown, but it is unquestionable that Google’s move into social is to have greater access to social-based credibility signals to power their search algorithm

15. A Fundamental Shift The linking ecosystem that has powered search results for over a decade was based on the “open” web Initiatives such as Google+/+1 are a move towards a “closed” ecosystem without transparency The only real certainty is that customer loyalty will continue to translate even more into organic search engine traffic for our clients 14

16. Other 2011 Developments 15

17. What Does This All Mean? Sharers are Influencers We need to work with our clients to create websites, messaging, promotions, and experiences that are worth sharing Experiences That Educate, Surprise, or Innovate are shared more often Sites about weird/unusual topics, smaller/new brands and products are at an advantage

18. The 2011 Role of SEO Why does SEO still exist? SEO is becoming even more central to your branding and marketing In-House or Agency-Side? The answer might be both: in-house to project manage and “evangelize,” agency-side for strategy and additional heavy-lifting 17

19. Challenges You achieve progress outside of traditional marketing channels SEO change can be massive, but slow Marketers are often uncomfortable with the need to adjust messaging to suit users Creatives can be unhappy that SEO compromises their vision The C-Suite doesn’t like the lack of control 18

20. Ownership It takes a village Agency-side: account managers, SEO strategists (both senior and junior) In-house: C-suite Marketing Content Technology Product 19

21. Jason Damas Twitter:Labelscar Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jasondamas Thank You