Managing Your Personal Reputation Online Presented for @CrainsSocial and @CrainsEvents

1. Managing Your Personal
Online Reputation
Interpreting & Influencing Search Results
Sean McGinnis
312digital.com

2. About Sean McGinnis
VP Sales & Marketing - DotCO Law Marketing
312digital.com
12 years digital marketing
8 years management & leadership
Led one of largest SEO teams in US
Twitter – @SeanMcGinnis
Facebook - @SMcGinnis
LinkedIn - @SeanMcGinnis
312digital

3. Our Objectives & Agenda
What, How & Why of SEO
How to analyze search results
How to create positive search results
What to do about negative search results
What to consider when hiring an SEO consultant
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4. What is SEO?
SEO stands for “Search Engine Optimization”
It is the process of getting traffic from the
“free,” “organic,” “editorial” or “natural”
listings on search engines…. Payment isn’t
involved, as it is with paid search ads.
- SearchEngineLand.com
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5. Why is SEO Important?
Search remains a MASSIVE part of the
online experience among internet
users.
17.5 BILLION explicit core searches in
May 2012, up 2% from previous month.
Google dominates market with two-
thirds of searches. Yahoo search results
are powered by Bing. Together
Bing/Yahoo 28.8% of searches.
Do not ignore Bing/Yahoo!
56 32
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6. Why is SEO important?
Paid Results
Organic
Results
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7. Why is SEO important?
10% of
clicks
90% of
clicks
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8. Why is SEO important?
Notice the difference in click
through rate between #1 and
#5 on Google & Bing.
18.2% v 3.09% Google - 589%
9.66% v 1.85% Bing - 522%
Significant differences
worth pursuing
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9. Anatomy of a Search Result
Blended search results present multiple opportunities
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10. But how do Search Engines WORK?
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11. But how do Search Engines WORK?
Algorithm decides the order of search results
Google algorithm = 200+ signals. Changes continually.
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12. Search Engines of Yesterday
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13. Search Engines of Today
Billions of pages indexed, hundreds of criteria
• Is it relevant? • Is it authoritative?
– Text on the page – Authority of linking sites
– Title tags – Number of linking sites
– Header content – Diversity of linking sites
– Web Page Address (URL)
Search engines today recommend just like you do!
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14. The Power of a Link
Adobe Reader #1 of over 3 billion results
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15. The Power of a Link
Just a download page. “Click Here” does not appear on page
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16. Two MAJOR Algorithm Changes
Panda Penguin
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17. Basic SEO Resources
• http://static.googleusercontent.com/external_content/unt
rusted_dlcp/www.google.com/en/us/webmasters/docs/s
earch-engine-optimization-starter-guide.pdf (Or just
search Google for “Google Starter Guide”)
• http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo
• http://searchengineland.com/guide/seo
• http://blog.kissmetrics.com/seo-guide/
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18. Baseline Current Search Results
Begin at the beginning
Sign out
of Google
first!
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19. Mark search results to target
Get a clear picture of the current landscape
• Identify negative search results you wish to remove from
first page.
• Identify positive search results on page 2-5 you wish to
drive higher.
• Identify neutral search results (neither negative nor
positive – often not about you).
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20. Create a Google Account
Table stakes – a must have if not yet in your portfolio
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21. Complete Your Google Account
Review info linked from within Google Dashboard
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22. Get Notified of New Search Results
Create Google Alert for everything!
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23. Complete profiles on well regarded sites
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24. Build Sites on Branded Domains
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25. Guest posts
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26. Link & Promote Wisely
• Link to results you want improved to move from other
positive and powerful assets.
• Promote posts and guest posts from social media and other
locations.
• Link back to your hub locations from all guest post bios.
• Create content (posts, articles, videos, pictures, graphics)
that is viral in nature and will be shared by others.
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27. Create Link Hubs
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28. What to do about negative search results
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29. VERY first step!
Create positive search results!!!
• See previous section of this presentation for ideas and
tactics.
• SEO is a zero-sum game. Your competition can only lose
when someone else beats them to that slot!
PRO TIP: Every site not controlled by enemy is potential asset.
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30. You can’t just hit “delete”, but…
Besides better “positive SEO” there are many options…
• Ask publisher to remove the negative item.
• Treat it as you would a bad customer service experience.
• If abusive, illegal or threatening, report to hosting company.
• If makes sense, offer to purchase the offending asset and
redirect to your other assets.
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31. Hiring an SEO Consultant?
Think like a search engine!
Resource: http://www.portent.com/blog/seo/how-to-hire-an-seo-company-2012-edition.htm
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32. Final Thought…
Engage in Reputation Management BEFORE you need it.
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33. Questions?
Please connect with me!
Twitter – @SeanMcGinnis
Facebook - @SMcGinnis
LinkedIn - @SeanMcGinnis
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