Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

…a brief introduction

Billy Howard, Billy@ICUMarketingOnline.com

Compare ads to SEO

Plumbing Atlanta GA is searched on average 79 times a day.

Of those 79 searches, a site in the top 10 of the Natural Results will receive, on average, 33 visits.

According to Microsoft Statistics, this key phrase is a strong buying keyword (OCI of 0.93, with 1.00 being the highest ranking)

What does it cost to get all of that traffic if you go with Pay-Per-Click?

The Real Cost of Pay-Per-Click

To get all of the traffic listed on the previous slide for Plumbing Atlanta GA, you would need to have a daily budget of $210 ($6,300) a month!

But, the REAL cost is missed business . . .

If you have a daily limit of $50, you could actually miss 75% of the people searching for your business.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

A less expensive way to promote your website

A more “permanent” solution to the need for online exposure

Requires more patience in some cases (depends on competition for your keyword)

Requires more “know-how”

A closer look at SEO According to online traffic reports, the top natural result in our search for Plumbing Atlanta GA received over 4,500 visits in the last 30 days

The site was created on May 20 of this year, and has been number 2 or higher since June 2, even though the owner has added no new information since the initial creation

NOTE: This is not a real company!

WHAT???!!!

How did a “company” that doesn't exist get a top-rated website for a fairly competitive, and potentially profitable keyword?

The power of Search Engine Optimization

This site was actually created by one of my trainers to demonstrate how quickly a well-

optimized site can dominate the Google rankings. He is planning to sell this site to a

plumber in Atlanta at some point.

How does it work?

Search Engine Optimization is a little bit like a Junior High Dance:

There are three really popular girls that every guy wants to ask to dance

Google

Yahoo!

Bing

Attracting the attention of the Big 3 is the key to making your online presence a dream come

true:

More people on your website

More people contacting you

More potential for $ale$

Getting the Desired Attention

It all starts on your website

Tell the Search Engines what your site is about

HTML Coding (Title, Description, Keywords, H1 Tags)

Include your keyword in your text along with related keywords (LSI Terms)

Getting Google's Attention (cont.)

Use your link names

If you use a blog, use your blog post titles

Use a sitemap

BUT, and this is IMPORTANT

Don't overdo it, because Google has been known to ban sites that overdo these elements

Getting Google's Attention (cont.)

Now it is time to move to off-page factorsEvery link that leads to your site is like a vote in a popularity contest, so the simple strategy is

Build Links

Build Links

Build Links

OK, so where do we get all those links?

Getting Google's Attention (cont.)

There is a right way and a wrong way to build links.

The wrong way is to find link farms, to spam internet forums, and to create links in irrelevant sectors of the internet. These ways can get your site banned!

The solution is to find relevant places to place real content on the subject of your website.

Getting Google's Attention (cont.)

Forums

Article Sites

Video Sites

Social Media

Any relevant Web 2.0 Site

What is the Investment?

One of two options:

Your Time (learning how, implementing)

OR

Outsourcing (setup plus monthly maintenance)

SEO vs. PPC Just the Good Stuff

• More permanent

• Long-term investment that pays long-term benefits

• The strategies used create a larger online presence beyond just your site, making you the authority on a topic

• “Looky-Loos” do not cost you any extra money

• Fast Results

• Highly Targeted Traffic

• Requires very little background knowledge

• Lower initial cost threshold

SEO vs. PPC The Not-So-Good Stuff

• Initial setup investment is higher.

• Requires more patience

• Requires more “know-how”

• Requires more work

• Can become very expensive

• A “cost” rather than an “investment”

• No permanence

• Does nothing to brand you as the authority

• “Looky-Loos” cost you money

A copy of this presentation is available at:

http://DeepSci.com/RENPrez

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Q & A Time