search engine ranking 101
DESCRIPTION
How to begin the search engine optimization (SEO) process and what’s needed to be successful. This slide deck was presented to graduate-level students at Pace University to help them expand their knowledge about marketing and online search rankings for mock businesses they were building.TRANSCRIPT
Search Engine Optimization 101 How to begin the SEO process and what’s needed to be successful.
Becky Livingston President & CEO Penheel MarkeCng February 2014
ü Speaker ü Author ü Educator ü Social Media & Digital MarkeCng Consultant
ü 15 yrs. in the financial services field
ü 20 yrs. markeCng and technology exp.
©2014 Penheel MarkeCng
Becky Livingston
What is SEO? Search Engine Op.miza.on (SEO) is the organic way your web site appears on search engine results pages. It is based on several factors, including the # of searches for your site, the content on your site, web site code, keywords, and so much more!
PAID
ORGANIC
How do search engines work? Every search engine has what are referred to as bots, or crawlers, that constantly scan the web, indexing websites for content and following links on each webpage to other webpages.
Image source: Hubspot
What do crawlers @ind important?
ü Content ü Who’s linking TO you
It takes into consideraCon: • Geographic locaCon of the searcher • Historical performance of a lisCng (clicks, bounce rates, etc.) • Link quality (reciprocal vs. one-‐way) • Webpage content (keywords, tags, pictures) • Back-‐end code or HTML of webpage • Link type (social media sharing, link from media outlet, blog, etc.)
Search Engine Market Share
Search Engine Market Share, cont.
Image credit: weidert.com
What’s your rank? 1. Rank – the
locaCon your site falls in the search results for a specific search query
2. Authority – authoritaCve and credible is the site?
3. Relevance – how relevant is your content?
On-‐Page Optimization • Pick a primary keyword • for each page • in the body content • in the file name of images
• page URL • write for humans first, search engines second
e.g., “internet marketing”
Example <.tle>HubSpot Home Page</Ctle> <meta id="MetaDescripCon" name="descrip.on" content="HubSpot's inbound markeCng sofware offers businesses an all-‐in-‐one markeCng soluCon; blogging, analyCcs, social media, email, automaCon & more.”> <meta id="MetaKeywords" name="keywords" content="markeCng sofware, inbound markeCng, email, automaCon, social media, CMS, seo”> <meta id="MetaAuthor" name="author">
On-‐Page Optimization • Title & Meta Tags • On the web page code, leverage the power of the meta tags!
<title>Jim Stenerson’s SEO Course</title>
<meta name="Description" content=”Jim Stenerson’s course is about how to create effective web pages and increase SEO through…"> <meta name=“keywords” content=“SEO, Pace University, Jim Stenerson, Dr. James Stenerson, Pace SEO course content”
Jim Stenerson’s SEO Course www.JimStenerson.com Jim Stenerson’s course is about how to create effective web pages and increase SEO through…
Keywords – Long-‐ & Short-‐tail
Example “swimming pools” vs. “fiberglass in-‐ground pool installaCon” Short-‐tail Long-‐tail “fiberglass in-‐ground pool installaCon” becomes “fiberglass in-‐ground pool installaCon in Boston, MA.”
Long-‐tail becomes locaCon specific
Putting It Together
Image Source: e-‐seo SoluCons
Get ‘Er Done! 1. Make a list of keywords 2. Build keyword-‐focused pages 3. Set up a blog 4. Create a link-‐building plan – connecCng with reputable
sources 5. Stay current with SEO news and pracCces
Conclusion
• Take .me to think about the content on each page • Create a keywords worksheet to help keep it all straight • Check the lisCng once it’s live to see how it looks on engines
• Review and update keywords throughout the year • Leverage keywords and more on social media plamorms
Resources
• Keyword Tools • Google Preview • Google AdWord Keyword Tool • Google Trends / Twiner Trends • Top 25 free keyword grader tools [hnp://upcity.com/blog/2013/04/top-‐25-‐free-‐website-‐grader-‐tools/]
• Site Ranking Tools • Google’s Page Rank • Rank Checker by SEOCentro • Check Page Rank
Who is Penheel Marketing? Social media and digital markeCng consulCng firm for CPA firms, small businesses, and non-‐profits.
hnp://Penheel.com
Marke.ng Analy.cs Website analyCcs, online adverCsing analyCcs. See which sources are generaCng the most leads.
Email Send personalized, segmented Emails based on any informaCon in your contact database.
Search Engine Op.miza.ons Improve your rank in search engines by finding and tracking your most effecCve keywords.
Lead Management Track leads with a complete Cmeline-‐view of their interacCons with your firm.
Blogging Create blog content quickly while gerng SEO Cps and best pracCces pointers.
Social Media Publish content to your social accounts, then nurture leads based on their social engagement.