Store SEO Webinar

Yahoo! Store SEO(Search Engine Optimization)Rob SnellSnell BrothersDecember 1, 2006

“Make More With Your Yahoo! Store”

Here’s why I obsess over SEO:

Search Engine Optimization works for free Web traffic

NUTSHELL: 60 Second SEO Webinar

• Start with a SE friendly foundation

• Collect converting keyword phrases (CKWP)

• Put CKWP in TITLE tags and body text

• Use internal links (CKWP in anchor text)

• Get off-site links (CKWP in anchor text)

• Write unique content in CAPTION text

• Get more links than the other guy

FOUNDATION: Unlock Parking Brake

1) Pick your main domain

2) Redirect Yahoo! Store URLS (301)

3) Create custom error pages (404)

4) Use free search engine tools

5) Turn on XML feeds

6) Fix the WWW / non WWW problem

FOUNDATION: Pick Your Main Domain

• Use one domain per store

• Use main domain as Store Entry Point

• Link consistently on the site

• Set the Google WWW / non-WWW Switch

FOUNDATION: Redirect Yahoo! URLS

• Yahoo! Domain Redirect Settings

• Use the Y! URL 301 Redirect

• All store URLS >>> to your main domain

• So account.stores.yahoo.net/pagename.html becomes …www.domain.com/pagename.html

• Consolidates link popularity

• Fixes the CART / SEARCH problem

FOUNDATION: Create custom 404’s

• Yahoo: Page Not Found Handling (404s)

• YUCK: Default error page redirects to your homepage

• Make a whoops.html page

– Use Apple.com’s 404 as a model

• Turn Custom 404 on under MGR: Preferences

FOUNDATION: Turn on XML Feeds

• Free Shopping Engine Traffic

– Google’s Froogle, Shopping.com, etc.

• Allows some 3rd party XML export tools to work

– Monitus tools, tools.solidcactus.com, visualfuture.com

• YUCK: Folks can steal your store

– Client example, scrapers will anyway …

FOUNDATION: Search Engine Tools

• MGR: Create a Google Sitemap for Your Store

– http://www.google.com/webmasters/

• MGR: Authenticate with Yahoo! Site Explorer

• Use SE Advanced operators

– Site:domain.com to see pages indexed

– Link:domain.com to see back links

FOUNDATION: Fix the non WWW problem

• One URL for every page

– stores.yahoo.net/account/pagename.html

• I use BASE HREF

– Fixes links off the page

– Consolidates link popularity

– RTML hack for lack of non-www 301 redirect

– Most RTML folks can do this

Optimize your online store

• Profit from your product knowledge

• Work your most valuable Web pages (MVP’s)

• Create a self-optimizing store with templates

• Collect converting keywords

1) Retailers: You are an expert

•Show your expertise

•Write relevant copy

•Tell me what to buy

Collect your expert content

• Harvest product Q&A from your sent emails

• Record & transcribe customer phone calls

• Ask customers if they have product questions

• Add this product info to your product pages

Pump up your product pages

• Rewrite manufacturer product descriptions

• Play “20 Questions” with each product

• Use competitors’ ideas (both retailers and manufacturers)

• Use other manufacturer content:

– Press releases,

– Product sell sheets,

– Owners’ manuals,

– Catalogs & brochures.

2) Optimize your most valuable pages

•Home page

• Info page

•Top 15 Section pages

•Top 100 $$$ Products

Optimization starts at home

• Branding

• Merchandising

• Navigation

• WISMO?

• Load speed

• SEO

HOME PAGE: SEO Powerhouse

• Title tag - Use 10-12 words

• Meta description - Company info SERPS snippet.

• Body copy - Keyword-loaded. 500+ words

• Text link navigation - Keywords in sidebar / footer

• Embedded links - 100 votes

HOME PAGE: Merchandising

Product SPECIALS

ManufacturerPage Links

Product shotwith text +

links

HOME PAGE: Navigation

Shop by manufacturer

Shop by manufacturer

Featured productsFeatured products

Text linknavigationText link

navigation

Embedded links

Embedded links

SearchSearch

HOME PAGE: Customer service

Utility links

Contact information

Get the 411 on INFO Pages

“More than 50% of folks who order view our info page…”

Use FAQ style links

Show me how I can contact you

Who you are & where you are

Photos of owner

Show map

SEO SECTIONS (Category pages)

PRODUCTS: Start with best-sellers

3) TEMPLATES: Self-Optimize

Create a self-optimizing store by using RTML templates

• Build SEO elements right into your store pages

– TITLE tags, META DESC, H1 headlines, links

• Use SMART RTML for better SEO

• Automate marketing messages with RTML

– Free shipping, you save, mfg logos, free gifts

Create automatic TITLE tags

CUSTOM TITLE TAG = Name + price + savings

Create automatic Meta Descriptions

Add FREE SHIPPING text (detail)

Show manufacturer logos

Build in links for good navigation

• Link to PREVIOUS, UP, NEXT produc

• Anchor text gives SEO benefits

• Makes easier browsing / editing

4) Cash in on Converting Keywords

• COLLECT: Converting keywords

• OPTIMIZE: Store product and section page text/links

• TRACK: Search engine rankings

• ADVERTISE: Buy paid search ads

Rinse and repeat

COLLECT: Converting keywords

• Use your Yahoo! Store stats:

– Emails. Orders. Reports. History.

• Get third party analytics

– Monitus + Google Analytics; Indextools, ClickTracks

• Use PPC conversion tracking data

– Google Adwords / Yahoo! Search Marketing

Converting keywords case study

• 200,000 unique keyword phrases

• 194,305 phrases did NOT convert

• 5,695 phrases DID convert

– 4,758 unique terms with one order each

– 1,150 unique terms with 2 – 1000 orders

• Obsess over the $$$ money terms

OPTIMIZE: Product / section pages

• Broad match: keywords on page

• Phrase match: exact phrase on page

• Find Most Relevant Page on Your Site

– If not, create a Landing Page

• Link to most relevant page in CAPTIONS

TRACK: Search engine rankings

• TRACK: Your top 200 $$$ converting keywords

– Watch your Top 1000 Converting Keywords

– Don’t ignore your more obscure words #1001 - 6000

• ENGINES: Google, Yahoo, MSN, Froogle

• TOOLS: Bruce Clay’s SEO Toolset + Web Position Gold

ADVERTISE: Buy paid search ads

• Google Adwords – IMPROVED!

• Yahoo! Search Marketing (Overture) -- NEW!

• MSN AdCenter -- NEW!

So now you know what to do!

• Pimp your product knowledge and profit

• Work product by product, start with your best-sellers

• Build in the basic SEO and conversion elements

• Collect your converting keywords and cash in

And now, Mr. Michael Whitaker…

MONITUS.net tools for

Yahoo! Store owners

Store SEO Webinar

Yahoo! Store SEO(Search Engine Optimization)Rob SnellSnell BrothersDecember 1, 2006

“Make More With Your Yahoo! Store”

THE END