2. for the sf chamber
SEO Seminar
• SEO is…
• History of Google Search
• Lies and Bad Practices
• When to Think About SEO
• How to Do SEO Yourself
• Recommended Resources
• Summary
4. seo is…
What is SEO?
• Yes, it stands for Search Engine Optimization.
• But what is it?
5. seo is…
SEO is not…
• Submitting websites to search engines.
• Manipulating search engine results to provide a more favorable listing for
a specific website.
• Getting ranked for certain keywords.
6. seo is…
SEO is…
…the process of taking a page built by humans and making it easily
consumable for both other humans and for search engine robots.
Definition from SEOmoz
7. seo is…
Motives
• The search engine wants to deliver webpages that help the user.
• The user is looking for pages that are relevant and useful to them.
8. seo is…
The Human Factor
“Even though this guide’s title contains the words “search engine”, we’d like
to say that you should base your optimization decisions first and foremost on
what’s best for the visitors of your site. They’re the main consumers of your
content and are using search engines to find your work.”
– Google’s Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide.
Image from Google
9. seo is…
What Search Engines Do
• Crawling and indexing.
• For SEO, a focus on
findability, or proper code.
• Providing answers.
• For SEO, a focus on
targeted, engaging content. • I wish I was a spider…
10. seo is…
Why SEO?
• In February 2011, Google said they had 2 billion+ searches per day.
• 80% of searchers click on organic results, while 20% click on paid results.
Image from Google
11. seo is…
The SEO Long Tail
• 30% of searches are for the most popular terms. That leaves 70%.
• Google says that a full 20% of all searches each month have
never been performed before.
Image from SEOmoz
12. seo is…
SERPs
• …stands for Search Engine Results Page.
• They mainly show organic results and paid results.
• A result consists of;
• Title.
• Description.
• URL.
Image from Google
14. history of google search
Basic Formula
• 1999 – 2002.
• Keyword density.
• Link analysis (PageRank).
Image from Wordle
15. history of google search
Focus on Content
• 2003 – 2005.
• Website activity over time (how often it's updating, staying current).
• Anchor text (which also resulted in "Google bombs").
• Domain names.
• Topic modeling.
Image from Search Engine Land
16. history of google search
More Sophistication
• 2006 – 2009.
• Domain authority.
• Diversity of link sources.
• Search quality raters.
• Webmaster tools.
Image from SEOmoz
17. history of google search
Social Media
• 2009 – 2011.
• What people are saying.
• …but also who's saying it.
• Entity associations
(recognizing types of content and anticipating searcher's needs).
18. history of google search
Useful and Trustworthy
• Google's Panda update to solve problems;
• Shallow-content sites (a.k.a. content farm).
• Shady link building practices.
• Solution involved asking:
• Do you consider this site
to be authoritative?
• Would you be comfortable
giving this site your credit card?
Image from HubPages
19. history of google search
Evolution of SERPs
• Old Google SERPs.
Image from Google
20. history of google search
Evolution of SERPs
• Google SERPs today.
Images from Google
21. history of google search
Evolution of SERPs
• Google SERPs tomorrow.
Image from Google
23. lies and bad practices
Search Engine
Submissions
• In the late 90's, it used to be part of the optimization process.
• Since 2001, it's become virtually useless.
24. lies and bad practices
Keyword Density, Stuffing
• It’s not about math; it’s about good, targeted content.
• Spammers do this. Do you want Google to think you’re a spammer?
Image from Wordle
25. lies and bad practices
Focusing on Optimization
• …instead of what to optimize.
• The research is the most important and critical part.
• An analogy;
• Optimization is like executing
on a business plan.
• Keyword Research is about coming up
with the business plan.
26. lies and bad practices
Meta Tags
• Search engines ignore meta keywords.
• Meta descriptions are useful for users, but doesn’t influence rankings.
• Meta titles are important, but think of the user.
Image from AudioVision
27. lies and bad practices
Manipulative Links
• Reciprocal links.
• Scheming to link to each other.
• Incestuous links.
• Creating websites just to build up link juice.
• Paid links.
• Buying your way to success.
28. lies and bad practices
Cloaking
• ...is when you deceive a search engine
by showing them different content
than what your users see.
• But, there are white hat cloaking techniques.
• Friendly URLs.
• Allowing Google to see content
behind logins / paywalls.
29. lies and bad practices
Paid Search
• Has no influence on organic results.
• But it is a great research tool.
• …and it can complement your organic SEO strategy.
30. lies and bad practices
Guarantees
• No one knows the exact algorithm for search engines.
• It’s like Coke, but even more complex and secretive.
32. when to think about seo
When to do SEO?
• Before you build a website.
• In fact, before you even think about your website.
33. when to think about seo
If you do SEO after you
build your website…
• …it’s like trying to rethink the concept of your home after you’ve done a
complete renovation.
Image from Lineal Inc.
34. when to think about seo
Why do SEO so early on?
• Research messaging.
• How "The 4-Hour Workweek" came to be.
• Keyword research.
• What is viable (competition).
• What serves your business goals.
• All of which informs site strcture (site map)
and purpose (UX workflows).
Ultimately, it’s about having a strategy, or targeted purpose, for your content.
Image from Pinar Tarhan
35. when to think about seo
All the Time
• On an ongoing basis, test and improve.
• No, you can't just build your website and forget about it.
• Your website is your digital storefront.
• Would you ever keep your physical storefront the same for months?
Images from Frances Blue, Lovely Ugly Design, Smudgtikka
37. how to do seo yourself
Be Exceptional
• Good isn’t good enough; make your content great.
Image from SEOmoz
38. how to do seo yourself
Don’t “Look” Like a
Content Farm
• Delight your visitors with phenomenal design and usability.
Images from HubPages, WiseGeek
39. how to do seo yourself
Don't Keep 'Em Guessing
• For any given page, make sure it's clear to the visitor what the page is
about, and what they're supposed to do on the page.
Images from HubPages, Tennessee
40. how to do seo yourself
Keyword Research
• Research.
• Look at competitors and utilize Google's auto-suggestions.
• Test.
• Run Adwords to find what works & to estimate traffic volume.
• Analyze.
• Keyword data for balance of competitiveness versus search volume.
• Strategize.
• Which keywords to target for which pages of your site.
41. how to do seo yourself
Code Optimization
• Watch out for “classic” SEO tactics.
• Such as those mentioned in the "Lies and Bad Practices" section.
• Let search engines see what your users see.
• Use SEO Browser.
• Make search engine tools and protocols work for you.
• Analytics, Webmaster Tools, http://loads.in, http://wasitup.com.
42. how to do seo yourself
Images from SEO Browser, Elative
43. how to do seo yourself
The Power of Links
• Take advantage of new opportunities.
• Embrace all of inbound marketing.
44. how to do seo yourself
Work in Progress
• The web is not static; test and improve!
• Get analytics set up right; track what matters.
• Constantly review, experiment, and tweak.
• Remember, this is your storefront.
Images from Frances Blue, Lovely Ugly Design, Smudgtikka
46. recommended resources
Google
• Straight from the horses mouth!
• However, they tend to be conservative and coy to protect against people
trying to game the system.
• http://www.google.com/webmasters/docs/search-engine-optimization-
starter-guide.pdf
• http://www.google.com/webmasters/edu/quickstartguide/index.html
• http://www.google.com/intl/en/websiteoptimizer
• http://www.google.com/adwords/pdf/hc/growing_adwords_en.pdf
• http://adwords.google.com
47. recommended resources
SEO Browser
• See what a search engine robot sees when they visit your website.
• http://seo-browser.com
Image from SEO Browser
48. recommended resources
SEOmoz
• Lots of great information, research, and insights updated constantly.
• They also have an SEO software tool.
• http://www.seomoz.org/learn-seo
• http://www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo
• http://www.seomoz.org/blog
Image from SEOmoz
52. summary
Definition
• SEO is the process of taking a page built by humans and making it easily
consumable for both other humans and for search engine robots.
Definition from SEOmoz
53. summary
Content
• SEO is about creating great, purposeful content for people.
Image from New York Times
54. summary
User Experience
• SEO depends upon great design and usability. Delight your visitors.
Image from Dunnellon Historical Society
55. summary
Investment
• SEO takes a lot of time, thought and care, especially for keyword research
and building/joining communities.
• There are no shortcuts.
56. summary
Ongoing
• SEO, and your website in general, should be a work in progress.
Constantly test and improve.
• Nothing is final or good enough to leave alone for a few months.
• Remember, it's your storefront.
Images from Frances Blue, Lovely Ugly Design, Smudgtikka
