Using SEO to Grow Your Small Business | MACH Digital

Using SEO to Grow Your
Small Business
MACH DIGITAL

What We Will Cover Today:
1. Before You Start with SEO… (5min)
2. SEO: What You Need to Know (90min)
• YOUR WEBSITE
• LOCAL SEO
• THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘SHARE OF SERP’ [WORKSHOP]
• INBOUND AND CONTENT MARKETING
• THE ‘OTHER STUFF’
3. Choosing an SEO Partner / Agency (10min)
MACH DIGITAL

Let’s Shoot For the Stars
Today’s workshop should help you by:
• Improving your knowledge to be more
confident about SEO for your business
• Equipping you with practical advice and
action steps to do some of it yourself
• Explaining what to look out for when working
with a digital agency and how to get the most
out of the relationship
MACH DIGITAL

Quickly… Who Are We?
Google certified professionals
Not a digital agency
Digital strategists over 15 years’
international experience
Successfully worked with thousands
from 3 to 60,000+ staff
MACH DIGITAL

1. MOVING FORWARD:
BEFORE YOU START
WITH SEO
MACH DIGITAL
( 5min )

Understand Your Unique Value Proposition/s
What are the main benefits of your products or
services that are unique to your business?
• Choose at least 2-3 and be as specific as
'great quality’.
What's your grand vision / story / purpose? Why
does your organisation exist?
• Don't underestimate the importance of starting
your organisation.
MACH DIGITAL Before You Start

Be Clear on Your Goals
… and what success looks like.
Be specific. Don't just think 'more sales’.
Goals should also be measurable, agreed upon and
working with a digital agency), realistic, relevant and time-
(SMART).
• More revenue
• More new or returning customers
• To save you time? (provide resources online)
The solution could lie in SEO, or something else!

Understand Your Customers
• Who are your most valuable customers?
• What do they look like?
• Are your current customers your ideal customers? (why / why not?)
http://www.machdigital.com.au/digital-marketing-blog/the-35-
point-digital-marketing-checklist-for-small-medium-business

Understand Your Competitors
• Who are you up against?
• Are your SEO goals realistic based on this?
• Everyone is climbing to the top of the same pile. Spots are limited.

2. WHAT YOU NEED
TO KNOW ABOUT SEO
MACH DIGITAL
( 75min )

A (Very Brief) Introduction to SEO
It’s not black magic or a secret science
But… What on Earth is SEO in 2017? Is it…
• Market research? Keyword research?
• Technical optimisation work behind the scenes?
• Is it copywriting and great content?
• Building links and authority?
• Website usability and great User Experience that is mobile friendly?
• Presenting a highly positive and credible image to potential customers?
MACH DIGITAL What You Need to Know
YES

Key Areas We Will Focus on Today
Website A well-structured, fast, mobile-friendly website is essential.
• On-page basic optimisation is important – things like page titles and meta descriptions.
Local SEO Local businesses need to consider local SEO best practices.
• Authority building. Links are still highly correlated with strong search engine results.
• Credibility. Case studies, portfolios, reviews and testimonials help you clinch the deal.
Content & Content Marketing
Valuable, timely content can put you in front of a wider audience and
customer should choose you.

How Do People Search?
Search engine
Google, Yahoo, Bing etc.
Typing in the web address into the browser
If you know the URL you want to go to
Online directory
Can be more applicable to certain industry verticals
People search by Voice and Text
Over 20% of Google searches in the US are now voice searches.
94% of
Australians use
Google as their
preferred
search engine

How Do People Search?

How Customers Find You

How does
Google work?

Google’s algorithm is the calculation Google uses to rank and display web
pages, based on over 200 criteria in response on what users are searching
https://www.link-assistant.com/news/google-algorithm-updates.html
Google changes
it’s algorithm
regularly, with
some small
updates and
some big ones.

What's the Difference?
Between SEO (Organic) and paid ads (Adwords)?
Industry Term:
‘Organic Results’
Ads (up to
4)
Organic
Results

A Few Industry Terms
• On page VS off page SEO
• White Hat Vs Black Hat
• PPC
• Back links
• SEM

Why is SEO Important to My Local Business?
Almost everyone is online and mobile
• 94% of people use Google to search (not
Yellow Pages etc.)
• Even if you are not actively doing it,
about your business, leaving reviews etc.

Mobile Customers
85% of smartphone users have
searched for local info
81% have taken action as a result
40% visited the store in person
35% called a business after
searching

Why is SEO Important?
Meet Bob* the Mechanic
(*may not be his real name)

Bob The Mechanic: Option 1
Bob opens an auto repair business
But, he does it in the middle of the desert…
His shop is quite nice and he has some of the latest tools
But nobody is connected to him and nobody can find him

Option 2
Bob opens his workshop on a busy street
corner filled with cars
Bob is seen by people passing by
Bob puts up a big sign to promote his 24
emergency service
Bob gets referrals from other local
happy customers

How Much Does SEO Cost?
Study by Moz and AYTM of over 400 agencies internationally:
• Monthly retainer $251-$500/month (13.8% of sample) or
of sample) most common.
• Per-project - prices can range from $1,000-$7,500.
http://www.machdigital.com.au/digital-marketing-blog/
how-much-does-seo-cost-for-small-or-large-business

How Cheap is Too Cheap?
Consider some of the risks of going 'too cheap’
1. Use of Black hat techniques
2. Bad or Duplicated Content
3. Plateaus

It's extremely unlikely that
any real benefits will be realised for $100 a
month, despite a number of businesses feeling
businesses feeling that this is a reasonable price
point.

Is SEO Right For My Business?
Consider:
• Your Budget
• Your Goals
• Timeframe (4-12months+)
• Competition from Ads
• Big Competitors
• Your Starting Position
Basic Things you
should be doing
YES
More Advanced Stuff
IT DEPENDS

SEO MYTHS:
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“People only really click
on the organic results”
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“People only really click on the organic results”
FALSE
MACH DIGITAL True or False?

“People only really click on the organic results”

“More likes on your
Facebook page improves
your Google rank
position”
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“More likes on your Facebook page improves your Google
rank position”
FALSE

“You can rank on page 1 of
Google without having any
of the searched keywords
on the page”
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“You can rank on page 1 of Google without having any of the
searched keywords on the page”
TRUE

“You can rank on page 1 of Google without having any of the
searched keywords on the page”

“Adding more pages to
your website is a sure
way to improve SEO”
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“Adding more pages to your website is a sure way to improve
SEO”
FALSE

“Keywords are dead”
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“Keywords are dead”
FALSE

“The user’s experience on
your website can affect
your Google ranking”
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“The user’s experience on your website can affect your Google
ranking”
TRUE

“High bounce rate is
always a bad thing”
TRUE OR FALSE?
MACH DIGITAL

“High bounce rate is always a bad thing”
FALSE

Start From a Solid Base
• Mobile friendly site
• Loads fast (ideally 2-3 sec)
https://testmysite.thinkwithgoogle.com/
• Good User Experience (UX)
• Valuable content
• Consider HTTPS
Check and fix errors in Google Search Console
MACH DIGITAL Your Website
Industry Term:
‘UX’

Page Speed
MACH DIGITAL Your Website
Industry Term:
‘Bounce Rate’

Nail The Basics of Local SEO
• Complete Google My Business Page
• Consistency in local portals NAP (Name, Address, Phone Number)
• Build authority with links
• Add credibility with case studies, reviews, portfolios,
We will cover these points in detail in the workshop section
MACH DIGITAL Local SEO
Industry Term:
‘NAP’

Some Technical Points
Understand the differences between:
• Map Listings (relevance, proximity, prominence incl. citations)
• ‘Normal’ Search Results
The role of reviews
MACH DIGITAL Local SEO
why-doesnt-my-business-show-up-on-google-search-results

2.3 SHARE
OF SERP
MACH DIGITAL

What is ‘Share of SERP?’
The share of available space
on a search engine results page (or
that can be earned by a
single entity or web page through
website optimisation techniques.

Get Visible! Get More Share of SERP
BASIC On page optimisation (PAGE TITLES, URL, META DESCRIPTION)
Don’t waste the space you already have earned.
On the SERP:
MACH DIGITAL Share of SERP
Page Title
URL
Meta
Description
Industry Term:
‘Organic Click Through
Rate’

11 Ways to Get More Share of SERP
“SEO is about being more visible and relevant,
not just ranking higher”
1. Google My Business 7. Content Matched to Intent
2. Structured Data 8. Give the Best Answer
3. Consistent NAP 9. Think Beyond Text on a Page
4. Get Creative 10. Hijack the Knowledge Graph
5. Community 11. Wear a White Hat
6. Adwords
MACH DIGITAL [Workbook] Share of SERPWorkbook

1. Google My Business
At a basic level, ensure your Google My Business (‘GMB’)
listing is verified, completed, up to date and appears in the
map listing section when you search for your exact business
name.
Go to: https://business.google.com/
Try the brand new Google Posts feature in GMB.
Publish your events, products, and
services directly to Google Search and Maps.
MACH DIGITAL [Workbook] Share of SERP

2. Add Structured Data
Can help you potentially appear in the knowledge graph or even
just stand out in the organic search results. One example is
starred reviews.
How?
1. Via Google Tag Manager using JSON-LD
2. If your site is on Wordpress – Plugins e.g.: Yoast, WP SEO
Structured Data Schema
3. Google's Structured Data Highlighter within Google
Search Console
http://www.machdigital.com.au/digital-marketing-blog/case-study-how-to-get-more-visible-in-google-in-3-weeks

3. Consistent NAP Details
Ensure your Name, Address & Phone Number are up to date
and added to any high quality, relevant directory sites that rank
for your search terms.
Keep in mind - quality over quantity
I.e.: Don't go out and spam a heap of low quality directory
sites with links
How to Tell Quality?
Do a Google search and see what comes up!

4. Get Creative
Check the search results for clues and other creative
avenues that appear for your searched terms:
• Does your business have relevant answers as an industry
specialist to highly searched questions on Quora?
• Does your business have any press/media opportunities –
online articles?
(‘HARO’: ‘Help a Reporter Out’)
Other ideas?

5. Look to The Community
Be active on industry group sites and appropriate online
communities.
Share relevant content and links where it makes sense and
your business genuinely has something of value to contribute.
Get Social!
Complete and update those pages as appropriate too
(Facebook, LinkedIn etc.)

6. Buy it With Adwords
Ads take up more space on SERPs than ever - especially on
mobile.
Make sure that you take advantage of all the relevant ad
extensions available to make yourself stand out.
out.
Depending on your business you might even try branded bids
(bidding on your own name).

7. Match Content to User Intent
Try to match content to the intent of the user who is searching for
the page and provide a solution. Don't just write for single
keywords or broad topics.
Source: https://www.link-assistant.com/news/optimizing-for-semantic-search.html

8. Give the Best Answer
Strive to create the very best answer to the question or
solution to the problem that the user may be looking for with
quality content – a response that truly deserves to rank on
page one organically.

8. Give the Best Answer – Bonus Result 

9. Think Beyond Text on a Page
Think of content as more than text on a web page.
Could your great answer be better served as a how-to video,
infographic or a PDF e-book?
Hint: Google also display info on SERPs such as Videos, Images,
News, Maps, Books, Products and Twitter feeds.

10. Hijack The Knowledge Graph
Think of other ways to own the Google knowledge graph that
appears alongside other results...
Build a glossary page, work to cement your business as an
industry thought leader or aim to achieve a '#0 ranking' in Google
ranking' in Google for instant answers:

11. Wear a White Hat. Don't Be That Guy...
Lastly (it needs to be said) - don't try to game or trick the search
engines.
They are smarter than you.
Most of those techniques have long been marked as black hat and
if they aren't, it's probably not long before they end up on Google's
radar.
Even if you're winning now, you might be one algorithm update
away from getting a slap down and losing all of your hard work.

2.4 CONTENT
& INBOUND
MARKETING
MACH DIGITAL

How Does Your Website Look Naked?
http://tagcrowd.com/
MACH DIGITAL Content & Inbound Marketing

Timing Is Everything: The Buyer’s Journey

Timing Is Everything: Micro Moments

Timing Is Everything: Micro Moments Video
1:37

What Does a ‘Well-Optimised Page’
Look Like?
1. Proper URL formatting
2. Relevant, keyword-rich title
3. Schema markup
4. Breadcrumbs
5. Internal site search
6. Optimized headings (H1-H6)
7. Keywords in the main content
8. Content length
9. Multimedia
10. Above-the-fold content
11. External links
12. Social share buttons
13. Mobile friendliness
14. Page speed
https://www.link-assistant.com/news/perfectly-optimized-page.html

Finding Stuff to Write About (*Optional)
Tips: Writing Content for the Web
Start by solving user’s problems
• Answerthepublic.com
• Google suggested search results
Trends: Buzzsumo

Finding Stuff to Write About (*Optional)
Tips: Writing Content for the Web
Keyword research:
• Keywordtool.io
• Ubersuggest.io
• Moz keyword tool
• Google Keyword Planner
• ‘Keywords Everywhere’ browser add-on
• LSI keywords and synonyms (lsigraph.com)

https://www.link-assistant.com/news/keyword-refinements.html

2.5 THE
‘OTHER STUFF’
MACH DIGITAL

What Else Is There? (The Short Version)
• The Digital Marketing Ecosystem
• Understand the role of Social Media
• Understand the role of Paid Ads
• A Holistic Online Presence
MACH DIGITAL The ‘Other Stuff’

3. CHOOSING AN SEO
PARTNER / DIGITAL
AGENCY
MACH DIGITAL
( 10min )

How to Choose an SEO Partner
• Conduct a 2 way interview. Check that the provider genuinely seems interested in you
and your business
• Check their references
• Ask for (and you’ll probably have to pay for) a proper technical SEO and search
audit Vs a free online reporting tool
• What questions to ask? Many references online.
MACH DIGITAL Choosing an SEO Partner

How to Choose an SEO Partner
What to look out for:
• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably
• No guarantees in Google!
• Opinions should be verified by Google
or a reputable source
• The SEO provider might not be the right fit
business and that’s perfectly OK
MACH DIGITAL Choosing an SEO Partner
http://www.machdigital.com.au/digital-marketing-
blog/

4. RESOURCES
MACH DIGITAL
( 15min )

Want to Learn More?
Google video series ‘Bring your local business online’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TUOyHUFhHK4
Google video ‘How to Hire an SEO’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piSvFxV_M04
Google video ‘I can’t find my business on Google’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvFSlLWKJC0
MACH Digital blog and social media
@MachdigitalAu
MACH DIGITAL Resources

Using SEO to Grow Your Small Business | MACH Digital

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