Search Marketing Theatre; Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) The Keys to Success

Presented by: Hugh Jackson

MediaCo DirectorVisit us at Stand E21

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

The Keys to SuccessWhat’s New for 2012 and

Beyond...?

Introduction - Overview

SEO Strategy Development – key to success

Latest Keys to SuccessSome things never change – Quality contentKeys to Link Building

Brand Mentioning in Link Building Integrating Social Media Impact of Google+ on SERPS

Summary

Agency Insight

Online Marketing Agency

Delivering results since 1999…

Offices in Dundee, Edinburgh & Singapore– Sales coverage: London, Midlands & Dubai

Focus on strategic online marketing:– Search Engine Optimisation– Pay-Per-Click Advertising– Email Marketing– Content Copywriting / Development– Social Media Optimisation

ONPAGEContent within a

page

OFFSITEExternal

Influences

ON SITEFactors across your

site

Internal Links

Linktext

DeepLinks

Search TermsKEYPHRASES

COMPETITORS

SEO Components

Research is crucial in understanding...What results is your site currently achieving? What key phrases should you be targeting?Who are you online competitors? What you can realistically achieve in short, medium & long

term in terms of positions and traffic

Stand out from the crowd (in an ever competitive marketplace)

Strategy Development – Setting the Right Objectives

Getting YOUR SEO Strategy Right – First Time

Future SEO Success is dependant on choosing the right key phrases

Identify search terms Use historical intelligence

PPC - what phrases already drive traffic? What converts on your site

Once Research is completed conduct some Analysis… Evaluate current status and competitiveness – quick wins

Strategy Development – Where Are You?

Strategy Development – Online Competition

Based on your search termsIdentifies competing websites that have online visibility.Determine coverage across all phrases.Market intelligence of actual online competitors

Keys to Success - Some not so new!

“High Quality” Content Is King

Panda was designed to filter out poor and duplicate content from the web.Ensure you have good quality, original and relevant copywriting within your web pages.Use a “human-friendly” site and page structure which is easy to read and navigate.If you have an ecommerce site, it is important for you to have informational content, for example strong product descriptions, reviews, FAQs and buying guides.Good content is not restricted to your website!

2011 Google Algorithmic changes – a clue to the future

How the mighty can Fall......

Keys to Success - Some not so knew!

Quality content is likely to continue to be increasingly important to successful rankings.

The Latest Google “Fresh” update is as important as the “Panda” updates.

Content also needs to be FRESH, USEFUL and SHAREABLE.

Focus on quality metrics such as usability, readability and overall usefulness.

Content investment should be a key priority in 2012.

2011 Google Algorithmic changes – a clue to the future

Anticipate Google will try to refine “freshness” updates throughout 2012

Keys to Success - On-Page ContentRemember – Google is looking to provide the searcher with the most relevant site/page for a specific search term Content is critical – the only element search engines “read”

You still need to consider How well matched is a given page or site to the

Google Searchers entered terms? Do the targeted search terms appear on your

page at all and, if so, where?

Key on-page factors that effect your natural results: Where the keyphrases are placed on a page. Keyphrase usage (how they are presented within

the copywriting of the page). Synonym usage and semantically related

phrases. Formatting of text (use of headers, bold…).

I’m sorry for writing such a long letter …

… but I didn’t have time to write a short one …

The Title Tag - HTML tags in the page code giving information about a web page.

Simple and effective, tied in with on page, internal linking and offsite.

Basics Still Important– On Page Content

Use as appropriate to capture visitors attention < 10 seconds...

450 words to develop relevancy

Desired key phrases withinthe page content

Unique content for each page

Contextual linking

Body Text

For users and search enginesHeadings - Sub-headings

BulletsEmphasisHighlightingLinks

Keyphrase in “Title” Tag

Keyphrase in breadcrumb

Keyphrase used

No H1 with Keyphrase

Little keyphrase usage in Page content

SEO Content – Example “used taxis”

Keys to success – Content Summary

Implement high quality, original , useful and relevant content.Freshness of content to increase in importance.Don’t copy or scrape others content.Remember - Google wants you to put keyphrases relevant to the page in the content and title tag.Key content should be “above the fold“. - Matt Cutts, Google, Jan 2012

Other On-page factors may rise in importance as Google continues to measure the user experience – bounce rates and user engagement.

Oh and...Your site should load quickly.

Latest Keys to Success in Linking

External “votes”

Social Signals - Votes

Picture Worth a 1000 Words

All Clear?.......................

Off Site Optimisation

Latest keys to Effective Link BuildingDeveloping a controlled set of search engine friendly links – NO

Obvious profile – not Natural

Associate your brand with reputable websites, organisational bodies, customers and industry related sites

Develop a continual increasing in value points of presence across the web - YES Include brand mentions

Particularly relevant for brands

Includes social signals including “no-follow” Twitter, FriendFeed, Flickr

Increasing value (strength) of current point of presence Link value not volume

developing popularity + authority = link building

The Impact of Google+ on SERPs?

2011 saw launch of Google+ and social sharing feature Google+1

Google+1 is simply another social signal they take into accountSimilar to “likes” – will gradually increase relevanceSignificant over time (currently 0.5% of social networks)Set-up and optimise your Google+ Business pages

Social circles

Social Media Channels….?

More than just Facebook, Twitter & YouTube!

Social Media Interaction:

“Feeds” SEO

Improving: Authority Positions

Traffic Click Through= Conversions!

Latest Keys to Success - Integrating Social Media

User engagement may become the core of your SEO in the future – visitor behaviour and social behaviour

To Summarise

Image used from www.athenamedia.ie

The 3 P’s of Social Media Optimisation

Develop a social signals and social authority strategy

Presence, Participation & Promotion

Presence: • Originate / Customise / Connect Channels

Participation: • Saying the right thing in the right way in the

right channel – Engagement!

Promotion:• Share – Syndicate – Become “Findable”

www.yoursite.co.uk

Many different links - Social Signals

Many different links - Social Signals

2012- “New Digital Era”

Businesses have the OPPORTUNITY to ENGAGE with their consumers at multiple touch points throughout the day...

Create Social Noise

Unique, Quality Content in line with

Google Fresh Update

Speech Search - Siri on iPhone

Mobile Search

Social, Local, Mobile…..SoLoMo

Small Businesses have an advantageover Big brands – more nimble

Back to Basics - Quality Content is the Bedrock of Links

Content syndication Boost rankings and traffic & ROI

To get good Links you need Good Content

To promote effective Social Network / Media you need Good content

To have good SEO Content – you need right target keywords!

Good Content: Opportunity to “say” more / create more points of entry More opportunities to optimise / establish your site

as a content authority

“..structured well...With quality, unique content…….”

“..if you

produce

great, original content...

On and Off-site…”

Google & Content

“ ..you will rank well.”

Presented byHugh JacksonMediaCo DirectorVisit us at Stand E21

Thank You...

Any Questions?