Award Associates of America presentation

What You Need to Know About SEO

And Other Internet Marketing

Strategies and Tactics

Award Associates of America | Regional Meeting | Portland OregonOctober 1, 2010

Brief Overview

Search Engine Academy NW

• Teaches Business Owners, Marketers & PR professionals how to increase sales and leads through the Internet.

• Training program began in 2001

• First class held in Portland in September 2007

• Over 110 graduates from the program

Brief Overview

• My Background– Two Business Administration Degrees• Marketing • Advertising Management

– In-House Marketing Professional • 1989 to 2006

– Started Response Interactive LLC in 2007– Work with Small to Medium size businesses

SEO? SEM? PPC? SMM? SMO?

• What does it all mean?– SEO: Search Engine Optimization–PPC: Pay Per Click Advertising– SEM: Search Engine Marketing– SMM: Social Media Marketing– SMO: Social Media Optimization– SERP: Search Engine Results Page

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• Two sides to this coin:– On-Page Factors– Off-Page Factors

• What is most important?

• You need the first side of the coin to get the second side to work optimally.

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• Some On-Page Factors• Domain Name• Page Name• Title Tag• Meta Description• Meta Keywords• H1 Tag• Bolded Text• Link Text• 1% to 2% keyword density for Google

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors

• Domain Name:www.physicalmedicineandrehab.com

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors

• Domain Name:www.physicalmedicineandrehab.com

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors

• Domain Name: www.pdxpartybus.com

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors

• Domain Name: www.pdxpartybus.com

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• On-Page Factors• Page Name: The-Pros-of-Divorce.html

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• On-Page Factors• Page Name: The-Pros-of-Divorce.html

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• On-Page Factors: Title Tag

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors: Title Tag

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors: H1 Tag

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors: H1 Tag

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors: Link Text

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors: Link Text

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors: Keyword Density

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• On-Page Factors: Keyword Density

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• Off-Page Factors• Inbound Links–Authority Sites–Directories– Internet Press Releases–Article Marketing

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• Off-Page Factors• Inbound Links–Authority Sites– .edu’s and .gov’s are best–PageRank above 5

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Authority Sites

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Directories

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Directories

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Directories

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Vertical Directories• TIP: Google “submit a site [insert keyword]”

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Vertical Directories

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Online Press Releases

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Online Press Releases

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• Off-Page Factors: Online Press Releases• Received offers for products to be included in the

Gift Bags for:– The Miss America Pageant– Billboard Magazine’s Oscar Night Party

• Moved ranking to Number 5 spot on first page for the Keyword Phrase “Mineral Makeup”

• Gained interviews from a variety of magazines

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

• Off-Page Factors: Online Press Releases– List of Free Press Release Submission sites:

http://nakedpr.com/2007/07/29/big-list-of-free-press-release-distribution-sites/

SEO: Search Engine Optimization• Off-Page Factors: Article Marketing

Usability Issues

Usability

It refers to: • How quickly people can learn how to use

something • How efficient they are while using it • How memorable it is • How error-prone it is• How much users like using it

Usability

Biggest Causes of User Failure

1. Search2. Information Architecture (IA)3. Content4. Product Information

Usability

Biggest Causes of User Failure

1. SearchIf your site has over 100 pages, you

need an onsite search engineCheck out: http://sitelevel.com/ Or Google has a Search Engine app

http://www.google.com/coop/cse/

Usability

Biggest Causes of User Failure

2. Information Architecture (IA)Navigation “Must Do’s”• Keep your navigation consistent

throughout your site.

• Main navigation topics should be static and should appear at once.

• Don’t hide main navigation items.

Usability

Biggest Causes of User Failure

3. Content• Use common fonts sized at or above 10

points

• Avoid busy backgrounds

• Verdana is the most readable online font and is the recommended font for use in body text where readability is crucial.

Usability

Biggest Causes of User Failure

4. Product Information

• One of the first things people want to know about a product is the price. If it’s not readily available, people assume it’s too high.

• Don’t make people click to find the price. Showing an estimated price is better than showing no price at all.

• Disclose any extra fees.

Anti-Spamming Guidelines

Anti-Spamming Guidelines

Don't:• Keyword stuff tags• Repeat keywords over and over again in your

text.

For example: <META name="keywords" content="holiday cruises, holiday cruises, holiday cruises, holiday cruises, holiday cruises, holiday cruises, holiday cruises, holiday”>

Anti-Spamming Guidelines

• Don't use tiny text for the purpose of repeating keyword after keyword

• Don't use invisible text

• Don't use redirect tags if possible

• Don't duplicate content or use mirror pages

• Don't use multiple title tags

That Can Help you

Tools that Can Help you• Wordtracker - $$$

Tools that Can Help you• Webconfs.com - Free

Tools that Can Help you• thesaurus.com - Free

Tools that Can Help you• SEO Automatic – Free Lite Version

Tools that Can Help you• SEOchat.com – Free

Tools that Can Help you• Google Analytics – Free

Making the Case

Making the Case

• Why is SEARCH such an IMPORTANT part of Internet Marketing?

• It’s Measurable• High Return On Investment

Making the Case

According to Forrester Research:“In a recession, marketers typically cut

interactive spending. But our survey of 333 interactive marketers revealed strong support for maintaining or increasing budgets in categories including social networking, email, blogging, and search optimization.”

http://www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,45924,00.html

Making the Case

Making the Case

Improved site optimization is the top priority for 72.9% of merchants, followed by:1. Clearly organized home, category and product

pages at 62.4% 2. Better navigation at 49.4% 3. Improved site search at 47.1% 4. Faster checkout at 40%

http://www.internetretailer.com/article.asp?id=28884

Making the Case

http://www.permissiontv.com/about/news/66/industry_survey_forecasts_adoption_of_interactive_video_in_2009

Digital Marketing Focus in 2009According to a survey of more than 400 senior-level decision makers

Making the Case

•Because your competition is already doing it…

Questions?

Thank you!

Contact Information

Colleen Wright

info@sea-oregon.comwww.sea-oregon.com