Intro to Search Engine Optimization

an organic approach

SEO

  • search engines are trying to find content
  • factors
    • relevant
    • authoritative and trusted results
  • but how does a SE know?
    • this week we'll go organic
    • next week we'll look at more options!

SE results Tried and True

  • headline, description, URL
    • keywords and content
    • good links
      • incoming
      • outgoing
  • no technical issues!
  • content beyond text and webpages
    • video images maps...
    • blended results!

Keyword Distribution

  • use a tool to design your site map
    • spreadsheet!  
  • each page is targeted and on theme!
    • url, keyword targeting
    • 65 characters for title, 156 chars for description
    • SEO friendly
      • unique info for each page
      • no duplication
      • focus on keywords one per page
      • panda, penguin, hummingbird... ???
  • a plan to evaluate if this is working!

Content Optimization

  • eg: hiking in victoria
    • what does the content need to have?
    • narrative needs to be clear
    • trust, links get shared, that increases trust
  • keywords and themes
    • pages need to be structured...
    • SEs need to know how your pages are structured
    • navigation clear
    • internal linking
    • SEs will crawl this
    • make sure you don't have links to pages that don't exist!

Content Optimization

  • get into groups 
  • scope out the site map
    • pages
    • themes

Content Types

  • text
    • headings, paragraphs, lists...
  • images and video
    • effective, rich
  • audio, animations, ...
  • mixed helps!

 

Optimizing...

  • vanity URL!
    • concise but meaningful
    • keyword phrase in there?
    • hyphens instead of spaces and underscores!
  • title tag!!!  view source...
    • entice users to click on it in search results
    • too long will not be readable, cut off!
  • description
    • largely ignored but can improve SE clickthrough
    • what shows up in the listing of the SE results page!
  • h1 tags!!!
    • FOCUS!!  URL, Title, headline... consistent!

 

Rich Media

  • code of image tag
    • BOTH ARE!
    • alt text... OH! that is an opportunity!
    • src
    • use the text around the image...
    • close proximity counts
      • use microformating from schema.org

web server!

  • fast, reliable
  • number and type of processors, internet connections...  minimize downtime
  • probably need to think about location...
    • geographic proximity is key
    • 150 milisec
    • webhosting allows to have redudancy
      • CDNs for images and videos
      • international issues...
  • caching 
    • database calls are slow!
    • enable serverside caching, saved on server for subsequent views...
  • secure sites rule!
    • https has priority

google webmaster tools!

  • goodness, need account
  • webcites you can manage
  • you have to be authorized to see the domain/website
    • they need to see you do something!
  • dashboard give you a ton of tools
    • can see searches and clicks you got 
    • average position you were ranked in 
    • cross reference pages with queries
    • what pages are linking to you
    • internal linking too!
    • international targeting area
    • google index area...
    • bing has tools too, need an account

Measure Performance

  • cite content reports
  • pageviews
    • show popular pages for date range
    • landing pages report
    • segments can be seen too!
      • organic search
      • different search engines
  • pages per visit
  • average time on cite
  • bounce rate
    • lower is better, saw other pages!
    • inticed to dive deeper

Links!

  • weighted democracy VOTES!  
  • more links, more votes
  • quality
    • relevant to content, thematic connection
    • food blog to recipe 
  • anchor text is a good clue too!
  • freshness and trends
    • links should keep growing...
    • at a normal rate!
    • fraud!
  • don't try to trick the system!
    • penalties can haunt you...
    • paid links often fail
    • drop you from index if overt!

External links

  • GOOD directories 
    • make sure it is just not everywhere
    • should be reviewed
    • yahoo directory
    • industry specific in your market
  • quality content
    • inspire links!
    • outreach to discover new content
    • mentioned in a popular blog
    • social media sharing
  • BE SELECTIVE AND CAREFUL
    • can't get your reputation BACK!
  • analyze backlinks of the competition!!!! 

Ecommerce

  • how does your product solve their problems...
  • interactive features
    • layout and generate content
      • wardrobe
      • housing
  • images are key
  • loyalty deals
    • coupons
    • contests
    • crazy deals lost leaders

local search

  • victoria pub
    • listings on a map
    • google maps interface
      • reviews and webcite
      • google my business
  • HOW?
    • google.com/business
    • bing too  bingplaces.com
    • citations (NAP)  SEs find them, ranking
      • name, address, phone numbers
      • quality 

MOBILE

 

  • 3 ways to look at mobile web (for now)
    • responsive web design
      • one site, desktop/mobile, "media queries"
      • different screen sizes detected
      • GOOGLE LOVES THIS!
    • can customize content for mobile
      • more to maintain, can use hybrid (phonegap)
    • separate url, can redirect users 
      • very customized!
      • totally separate website
      • tags to make sure SE can find and equate them

PERFORMANCE!

  • user experience is about speed
    • don't load javascript and css before showing
    • compress css,
    • many recommendations... 
      • smaller image files
      • minify and load most important first
      • DESIGN for mobile intentions and usage
      • increase size of fonts, size of links
      • avoid flash (don't work on some devices)
      • large forms!!!  
      • tappable selectors 
      • pre-fill and check for errors
      • TRY Google Page Speed Insights

Mobile Content

  • layout most important near the top!
    • address and phone 
    • telephone prefix in anchor tags (allow dialling)
  • properly formated addresses
    • can be identified on a map
    • voice guided directions
  • hours of operation
  • people are coming to your door!!!
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