28
March 5, 2015 Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges Corey Morris Digital Strategist, Voltage @coreydmorris

Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Page 1: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

March 5, 2015

Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

Corey Morris

Digital Strategist, Voltage

@coreydmorris

Page 2: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Decade of SEO client experience includes: Construction Equip. Parts National Restaurant Chain Boxing & MMA Brand

Commercial Paints Mfg. Hearing Centers Chain Hospital Beds Mfg.

Retirement Community International Logistics Firm Professional Sports Team

Gourmet Coffee Company Natural Products Company Law Firms

Banks, Credit Unions, & Mortgage Companies

National Chain of Kid Entertainment Centers

National Chain of Career Colleges

Compliance & Risk Management Firms

Leading Brand of Flowers & Shrubs

About Corey Morris, Digital Strategist

Page 3: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

• Branding, Web Design/Development, Online Marketing

• Clients range from NFL teams to one-person start-ups

• Distinctive strategy planning & documentation process

• Based in Kansas City, Missouri – emerging tech hub and capital of the “Silicon Prairie”

About Voltage (VoltageKC.com)

Page 4: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

• SEOs• Agency Marketers• In-house Marketers• Web Publishers• Webmasters

Engineers & Developers: Please don’t tune out, but feel free to submit questions for these guys (Eric & Ehren)

Who I’m Talking To

Page 5: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

SEO MEMES!!!

Not really, but would be a fun topic

Tweet your favorites & use hashtags #SMX #32a

(but please don’t tune out)

What I’m Going to Cover

Used with permission by creator: Elisa Gabbert. Source: http://www.searchenginejournal.com/matt-cutts-meme-monday-mattcutts/47728/

Page 6: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Technical SEO Risks

Uncovering Problems

Go-to Tools

Solving Technical SEO Problems

WINNING

What I’m Going to Cover

Page 7: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Technical SEO Risks

Page 8: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

I Have Large-Scale Content:• Tens of thousands of product pages that I can’t

optimize individually• Dozens or hundreds of location pages• Hundreds of pages of standardized industry

content and references• Multiple corporations, brands, and/or sites under

one umbrella

Technical SEO Risks

Page 9: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

I’m Duplicate and I Know It:• Selling the same products as others• Industry standards and feature parody• Regulated Industries (standards & limits on

details that can be shared)• Corporate multi-unit owner• Franchisee• Ecommerce website with products in

multiple categories

Technical SEO Risks

Page 10: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

I Have Technology Challenges:• I don’t fully understand my infrastructure• My team doesn’t know or care about SEO• I inherited this website/system• I know we’re a mess• I don’t want to talk about it (someone took

shortcuts, bought the cheapest option, we used to be black hat, etc.)

Technical SEO Risks

Page 11: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Other Risks & Issues (Known or Unknown):• 302 redirects• Errors in XML Sitemaps• 404s, 500s, and other crawl errors• Missing and/or duplicate tags• Multiple H1s and improper h-tag hierarchy• Flat URL structure and/or hierarchy problems• URL tracking parameters without canonicals• Mobile, printer-friendly, and feed pages• Mirrored and iframed content

Technical SEO Risks

Page 12: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Uncovering Problems

Page 13: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Some Indicators:• Drops in organic traffic• Drops in visibility in SERPs• Drops in organic conversions relative to total• Webmaster Tools data alarms

(not always a message from WMT)• Error reporting in audit tools• Changes in organic quality scoring

Uncovering Problems

Page 14: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Validation of problem(s):• Duplicate page content (tags, copy)• Not all content indexed• Lots of “omitted” pages in SERPs• Canonical tag problems• WWW vs. non-WWW with no global redirect• XML sitemap not accurate (enough)• Holy crap…I made URL updates without 301s!!!• I have 47 products with 95% same detail

Uncovering Problems

Page 15: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Go-to Tools

Page 16: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Some Examples:• Google SERPs and search operators ($0)• Google & Bing Webmaster Tools ($0)• Moz Pro ($99/mo. & up)• Raven Tools ($99/mo. & up)• Bruce Clay’s SEO Toolset ($30/mo. & up)• Copyscape (credit based/cheap)• Internet Officer Redirect Checker ($0)• Google Analytics ($0)• DNSStuff ($0)• Screaming Frog ($0)

Go-to Tools

Page 17: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Solving Technical SEO Problems

Page 18: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Understand the Current Situation:• What technology is in place for my website?• What questions do I have about how it works?• What is required from a content standpoint?• What can be programmatic versus manual?• Do I have CMS control over SEO elements?• What resources are at my disposal?

Solving Technical SEO Problems

Page 19: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Work it out:1. Review sitemap & find areas that can follow

templates for URL structure, tags, headings, & copy2. Build formulas for the planned dynamic items in plain

English for each template section3. Consider content strategy: merge content & address

need for unique content including user generated content (reviews, tips, comments, etc.) & other ways to build at scale

Solving Technical SEO Problems

Page 20: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Work it out (continued):4. Determine areas where canonicals are needed &

document (could be a big project)5. Review pagination & develop plan for canonicals and/or

single page solutions6. Determine options for the Robots.txt and XML Sitemap

files & develop recurring audit plan7. Bring in the UX & Dev teams to review details the plan

& elicit feedback

Solving Technical SEO Problems

Page 21: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

WINNING!

Page 22: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Building Dynamic Content for 54k+ Pages for Tractor & Construction Equip. Parts Retailer• No choice but to scale and use database• Developing formulas and ensuring that even data-

driven content has unique sources and aspects• Testing new ideas and techniques on single

section of content before going global

WINNING!

Page 23: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Overcoming Duplicate Content Challenge for Restaurant Chain with ~100 Locations• Writing of custom blurb for each location• Use of user generated content including reviews,

social media interactions, and local specials• Development of formulas for tags and headings

to utilize database• Utilize local specials and calendar information

WINNING!

Page 24: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Identifying Hidden Problems for Boxing & MMA Equipment Brand• Recent Magento upgrades and MOM integration

query development• Could not identify cause of drop in organic traffic &

sales seen in Magento and Google Analytics• Found drops & increases in traffic to URLs in GA and

determined that URLs had changed without 301s• Tracked down thousands of 404s

WINNING!

Page 25: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

National Chain of Career Colleges with Hidden Problem Not Found with Tools• Awesome optimization and custom content for all

locations and programs & no problems in WMT or intelligence tools

• Pattern of rankings stuck on page 2 and held back from where expected on page 1

• Duplicate mirrored site on different domain name found in page 70 of SERPs via manual review

WINNING!

Page 26: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Advice for Success• Prioritize activities and have patience• Explore all options and trust best practices and

your experience• Educate your team and get their buy-in• Balance costs and resources with potential impact• Don’t cry wolf and don’t give up

WINNING!

Page 27: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a

Source: http://www.bloggersideas.com/internet-best-memes-can-help-marketing-business-grow/

Page 28: Diagnosing & Solving Technical SEO Challenges

searchmarketingexpo.com @coreydmorris#SMX #32a