Lecture from Palomar College Search Engine Optimization class. The SEO Starter Kit describes how a website should be built from the beginning using basic search engine optimization. We will go through the creation of a eCommerce site featuring the US Women’s World Cup team.
2. SEO
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization is a way of streamlining the
content of your website to improve it’s position in the
search results.
Not easy. Not exact science.
If its a race car, you build it, get it out on the track, then
fine tune it until it wins the race.
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
3. SEO
How do search engines work?
1. Robots
2. Looks for RELEVANT content
3. Looks for fresh content
3. Looks for popular sites
4. Really, really smart
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
4. SEO
Search Engines - Who are the biggies?
Google 70%
Yahoo! 15%
Bing 10%
Ask 3%
The rest 2%
THE REST
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
5. SEO
Why is SEO important?
Because 70% of Users Don’t Go Beyond
the 1st Page of Search Engines!
Remember these?
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
6. SEO
Let’s Start a Website -
www.coolsoccershirts.com
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
7. SEO
Part 1: On-site SEO
1. Keywords
2. URL
3. Title tags
4. Meta Description
5. h1 tags
6. Anchor tags or internal links
7. Images
8. Content Content Content
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
8. SEO
Keywords
1. Brainstorm - What would I search for?
2. Research - Google Insights
3. R & D - Ripoff and Duplicate
world cup
women’s soccer
USA
t-shirts
commerative
apparel
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
10. SEO
Title Tags
1. The most important relevant tag
2. Add keywords, but don’t stuff
3. 66 characters or less
<head>
<title>US Women’s World Cup T-shirts - 2011 World Cup commerative soccer
apparel</title>
</head>
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
11. SEO
Meta Description
1. Entice people to click
2. Don’t tell them everything
3. Use keyword at least once
4. Don’t stuff and draw attention
<meta name=”description” content=” Collectible t-shirts celebrating the US wom-
en’s soccer World Cup final with Japan. />
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
12. SEO
H1 Tags
1. Headlines - search engines love these
2. Don’t over do it.
3. Don’t duplicate title tag
4. h2, h3 tags work too
<h1>US Women’s World Cup Shirts</h1>
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
13. SEO
Image Tags
1. Search engines can index images
2. Name with keyword
3. Use “alt” tag
4. Works for video search too
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
14. SEO
Internal Links and Anchor Tags
1. Search engines look for links
2. Name with keyword if possible
3. Use text nav buttons instead of images
Bad:
<a href =”kp12_X45.html” /> or <a href =”tshirts2.html” />
Better:
<a href =”women-world-cup-tshirts.html” />
Best:
<a href =”http://www.coolsoccershirts.com/women-world-cup-tshirts.html” />
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
15. SEO
Content Content Content
1. Relevant content with keywords
2. Keywords sprinkled not splattered
3. Keep it coming
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
16. SEO
Don’t Do it!
1. Hidden text
2. Keyword stuffing
3. Duplicate content
4. Flash
5. Overdo the images
6. Links to bad sites
7. iframes or javascript
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
17. SEO
Part 2: Off-site SEO
1. Inbound links
2. Link Bait
3. Blogging
4. Social Media
5. Sponsored links (Google AdSense)
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
18. SEO
Link Bait
1. Go viral
2. Entice people to share
3. Place Facebook “Like” or “Share” buttons
4. YouTube videos
5. Twitter
6. Digg / Stumble Upon
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
19. SEO
Blogging
1. Get active in Blogosphere
2. Scratch backs / trade links
3. Provide an RSS feed
4. Leave comments in forums
4. Wordpress or Blogspot
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
20. SEO
Social Media
1. Facebook Fan Page
2. Twitter account
3. YouTube channel
4. Wordpress or Blogspot
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
21. SEO
Free Search Engine Tools:
1. Google Analytics
2. Google Webmaster Tools
2. Yahoo! Site Explorer
3. Bing Webmaster Tools
4. Alexa - tracks ranking
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
22. SEO
Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools
<script type=”text/javascript”>
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push([‘_setAccount’, ‘UA-22056732-4’]);
_gaq.push([‘_trackPageview’]);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement(‘script’); ga.type = ‘text/javascript’; ga.async = true;
ga.src = (‘https:’ == document.location.protocol ? ‘https://ssl’ : ‘http://www’) + ‘.google-analytics.com/ga.js’;
var s = document.getElementsByTagName(‘script’)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
</script>
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization
23. SEO
Fall 2011
GCMW177 #74023
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
T & Th 6pm-8:50pm
MD-134.
Mike Zinniger
mzinniger@palomar.edu
GCMW177 Search Engine Optimization