Intro to SEO and Google Analytics

Thank you for joining us for the Intro to SEO and Google Analytics Workshop!

If you'd like more information about our programs, please feel free to send an email to hello@grandcircus.co!

Overview

1. Day One - Tuesday, June 27
   1. Workshop Introductions
   2. What is SEO?
   3. SERPs
   4. Your Site - Plus Activity!
   5. Link Building
   6. Social Media & The Searcher
   7. Black Hat, Local and Other Goodies
   8. Homework!
2. Day Two - Thursday, June 29
   1. Homework Review
   2. Intro To Google Analytics
   3. Your Goals 
   4. Walkthrough

Workshop Introduction

Intro to SEO and Google Analytics is a starting workshop for people with no or little SEO knowledge or experience. You may also be overwhelmed or intimated by the idea of "SEO." The thought of logging in to Google Analytics might make you sweat and the idea of tracking traffic and clicks is scary, too.

But that's okay! That's why we are here!

Workshop Introduction

This workshop will help you:

• Gain a basic understanding of SEO, what it is and best practices
• Arm you with tools and resources to start SEO-ing (that's a verb, right?)
• Fall in love with Google Analytics
• Return to your business with the tools to start tracking your online successes

Introductions!

Leah Yanuszeski

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leahyanuszeski​

Email: lyanuszeski10@hotmail.com

(please do keep in touch!)

Now You!

Enough about me:

• Who are you?

• What do you hope to get out of this class?

• Favorite beverage?

Your site itself

What is on your site and how it's built plays a huge role in your site's ranking. These factors include:

• Content, content, CONTENT!
• Metas, titles and keywords
• Image optimization
• Internal and outbound links
• Other items you might need a developer brain for

Content

Did I mention how important this is? We promise it's important...

• Don't keyword stuff.
• Think about what your audience would want to know (and what they're searching for).
• Write quality copy. Google likes to see upwards of 500-15000 words per page, but don't keyword stuff.
• NO KEYWORD STUFFING. STOP IT.

Did we mention quality content?

Content, metas & such

While writing the copy for your webpage, make sure to remember the following:

• Keyword Research (do this!). It's important that each page relates to one keyword, and the copy follows suite.
  • Use Google Trends, Plugins, 3rd Party Research, Keyword Planner tool on AdWords, etc.
  • Dependent on many factors including competition, search traffic, location, current ads, seasonality...
• Optimize your page's Title and Meta tags.
  • If you're on WordPress, this is super easy.

What is a title & meta?

(You might ask?)

So, when I search for "Dog Toys"...

Image optimization

Images are important! But you have to optimize those too. Make sure to name the images:

• Title/File Name: Use dashes in-between words and use a relevant name.
• Alt (or Alternate) Text: This should explain what the image is. Just adding normal spaces will do.
• Caption and Description optional (but highly recommended). 

​

Remember to add relevant, quality images. But don't add photos meant for a billboard--adding many of those will slow your site down.

https://yoast.com/image-seo/

Image optimization

Internal & outbound links

Three types of links covered today:

Internal: Links connecting content within your site

Outbound: Links connecting your readers to other sites

Inbound: Links pointing to your site from another  

​(more on this later)

​

And the techy items: **Developer optional

Google also looks for:

• An XML sitemap that's easy to crawl (there's a plugin for that)
• Schema Data (more microdata for search engines to read) 
• An SSL certificate
• A responsive site
• Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools  
• A fast website (Page Speed Insights)

​

Link Building (Inbound)

One of the oldest (and arguably) best ways to improve your site's ranking. 

Many consider this "link building," but others like to consider "link earning." Be friends with the latter.

Can be done through:

• Blogging (back on the content wagon)
• Blogger/social outreach and identifying brand ambassadors
• Social sharing and engagement
• Forums

Be careful, good friends

This is where it gets tricky. Link building might seem easy, but if done incorrectly can cost your site. 

Link building is an art. Wait, it's definitely a science....maybe some luck?

Your social presence

Social Media plays will continue to play an increasingly bigger role in your site's SEO.

This includes:

• The reputation and following of your channels
• The number of shares and comments on your posts (theoretically, you're posting your great blog posts on social, right?!)
• The social networks that are pointing to your site (think inbound links, but on social media)
• Frequency of posts 

Google Loves Twitter

Local search

Instead of searching for dog toys, we'll search for a...

What that means

Instead of just displaying a normal SERP, we get the highlighted box that shows business that may apply, near our vicinity.

• Relies on a user's location
• May look different depending on search engines and actual search
  • Sometimes shows images at the top of the SERP, a map of locations on the side, a list with    markers, etc.

How to rank locally

Practicing proper SEO tactics will improve both your site's ranking and local search results. However, there are a few things you can do:

• Register all locations of your business on trustworthy directories (Yelp, Foursquare, TripAdvisor--whatever may apply).
• Make sure you have appropriate an Google My Business page(s), showing your location.
• List all locations on your website.
• Encourage your audience to review your business!
• Citations. 
• Adding geographical markers in your metas & titles.

A citation...

"A citation is any mention of your business out on the web, with or without a link. It can come in various forms:

• Company name, by itself.
• Company name & phone number.
• Company name, phone number & address.
• Company name, phone number, address & link.

...Even just the phone number itself can be a citation... A complete citation should include the company name, address and phone number. A citation that does not include all three of these is sometimes referred to as a partial citation." -Darren Shaw