Marketing Angels Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

1. Marketing Angels Search EngineOptimisation (SEO) Presented by: Natividad Hernandez-McKernan Delivering marketing that works

2. Search Engine Optimisation, the basic facts….. Marketing Angels Conference Sydney October 1&2, 2008 Delivering marketing that works

3. The Internet..some Basic facts: • Australia has 11.3 million Internet users • 64% of Australian households have Internet access • Australians spend more time online than watching TV – 22 hours per week for the web compared to 14 hours for TV • 52% of people research a product or service online before they buy it in store • 61% of Australian Internet users regularly purchase goods and services online • Australians aged between 25-34 shopped online the most (71%), followed by 35-44 year olds (66%) • The 4.4 million Internet users that don't shop online say they have no need to (34%), have security concerns (20%) or prefer shopping in person (19%) • online shopping has seen a 40% surge in growth. According to a recent Nielsen Online report, more than 80% of online consumers shopped online in 2007, bringing total use over the past two years to the 40% growth mark. •   Google continues to dominate with 70% market share in the US and world wide. Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics Household Use of Information Technology 2006-07 report, Forrester research 2006 and ABC News 2008.  Delivering marketing that works

4. E-commerce trends(global) • E-commerce is one sector that will see continued growth opportunities even in an economic downturn. • industry observers say growth and revenue opportunities for e-commerce ventures -- such as alternative payment options, next-generation advertising technologies, trading services, lead-generation platforms, and more -- are as attractive as ever. • Estimates are something like A$991 million to $1.5 billion was spent in 2007 using the internet NOTE: Internet advertising represents just 10 percent of global ad expenditures. Even so, that makes it a $21 billion industry -- one that's growing faster than any other advertising sector. Advertising as a whole is transitioning from print, radio and television to the Internet. This is a major media shift, and it will create great opportunity for start-ups. Delivering marketing that works

5. E-commerce contd: E-commerce remains appealing to consumers and of interest to VCs (venture capitalists) for several reasons • Increased Internet adoption, • low-cost broadband, • ubiquitous smartphones, • increasingly sophisticated e-marketing technology and • stronger security The above are driving consumers to shop online. In addition, when they shop online: • Consumers typically find the goods they want at prices that local retailers find hard to beat. • Better still, orders are delivered to consumers' doors for much less than the cost of a tank of petrol Delivering marketing that works

6. Online Marketing Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Delivering marketing that works

7. So what are search engines? Delivering marketing that works

8. Types of Search Engines • Crawlers-use software called robots, spiders, or crawlers to add new pages to its database which is called an index. • Directories-use humans to manually fill their databases • META engines - combines results from a number of search engines at the same time and lays them out in a formatted result page. Examples of multi-engines are MetaCrawler (http://www.metacrawler.com) and DogPile (http://www.dogpile.com). MetaCrawler refers your search to seven of the most popular search engines (including AltaVista and Lycos), then compiles and ranks the results for you. Dogpile is a metasearch engine that fetches results from Google, Yahoo!, Live Search, Ask.com, About. ... • paid-inclusion engines- with these engines you have no way other than to pay a recurring or one-time fee to keep your site either listed, re- spidered, or top-ranked for keywords of your choice. There are very few search engines that solely focus on paid listings. However, most major search engines offer a paid listing option as a part of their indexing and ranking system. Delivering marketing that works

9. Search enginesthe key players: • Google • Yahoo • MSN Delivering marketing that works

10. and the winner is…. Google has approximately 70% of the US market, 88% of the Australian market and 87% of the UK market. In the Australian market, Google search accounted for 88% of all searches in June 2008 - a 12% increase compared with June 2007. MSN search accounted for 7% and Yahoo search accounted for 4.00% of AU searches in June 2008: Delivering marketing that works

11. Let’s have a look at Google Google Fun Facts: Google's name is a play on the word googol, which refers to the number 1 followed by one hundred zeroes. The term was coined by Milton Sirotta, nephew of American mathematician Edward Kasner, and was popularized in the book, "Mathematics and the Imagination" by Kasner and James Newman. Google's play on the term reflects the company's mission to organize the immense amount of information available on the web. Google started as a research project at Stanford University, created by Ph.D. candidates Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were 24 years old and 23 years old respectively (a combined 47 years old). The basis of Google's search technology is called PageRank™, and assigns an "importance" value to each page on the web and gives it a rank to determine how useful it is. However, that's not why it's called PageRank. It's actually named after Google co-founder Larry Page Google is 10 years old….. Delivering marketing that works

12. The Google Spider Delivering marketing that works

13. Google bots…how it works: The Googlebot (and other search engine bots) use very complicated math to judge what sites should appear in search results and what sites get to be on the first page where customers are more likely to see and click on the result. These mathematical algorithms are like trade secrets that are constantly readjusted, in an effort to reward quality sites and devalue "tricks" like spam and other “black hat tricks”. They then go into a few simple points of on and off-site factors, especially using concrete language, having *relevant* incoming links and offering fresh content that reads like *quality* to human eyeballs. Delivering marketing that works

14. What is SEO? • Search Engine Optimisation or website optimisation is what is commonly referred to as 'on-page' optimisation. It involves assessing and removing any obstacles in a site that might hinder its search performance, the loading of key information in specific places on a page and the optimisation of technical areas of a site such as title tags, meta description tags, meta keyword tags, headings, image alt tags, and hyperlinks. • On page Search Engine Optimisation services generally also include keyword research and analysis, the building of site content in service and/or product pages and more recently the use of Business Blogs. • It is however, a PROCESS; an ongoing one!!! Source: SEO forum Delivering marketing that works

15. SEO simplified… In simple terms, SEO is the active practice of optimising a web site by improving internal(technical) and external (blogs, graphics, content entry)aspects in order to increase the traffic the site receives from search engines. E.g. Google, Yahoo, MSN etc. Human eyes see and judge the visual page. Usability is the art of making what people see and interact with the user friendly site. SEO is like usability for spiders. Search engines use programs called spiders to "see" and judge web pages. Delivering marketing that works

16. How can I best optimise a website? SEO can be broken down into 3 basic stages: • Website build and Navigation (Development) • Pre Launch (website content) • Ongoing website management (web administration) Delivering marketing that works

17. While… SEM ( search Engine Marketing is… Delivering marketing that works

18. What is Search Engine Marketing (SEM)? Search Engine Marketing is a much more holistic approach to promoting a website on the Internet and involves both 'on-page' factors (SEO) as mentioned and 'off-page' factors such as link building, content based marketing (such as article marketing), paid inclusion and pay per click campaigns (also known as PPC or sponsored links) provided through programmes such as Google AdWords and Yahoo! Search Marketing. Delivering marketing that works

19. Facts About SEO That We Need To Know: Fact 1 – SEO is a long, ongoing process Optimising a site is an ongoing process that needs constant attention.  When a new site goes live, it can take Google anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months to even find the site and store it in their database, and then another couple of months for the site to earn a place in search results.  Then once your site is up and running, boosting your PageRank (the scale that Google uses to determine the importance of your site and therefore where it ranks in searches) takes time and effort – updating keywords, writing new content and organising links are all time-consuming, and then you have to wait for Google to find your changes.  So be patient. PageRank :Google assigns a numeric weighting from 0-10 for each webpage on the net; and denotes the importance of the page in Google’s eyes. The higher the number, the better it is in terms of importance. Delivering marketing that works

20. Fact 2 – Do your keyword research You need to use keywords throughout your site so it gets listed in the search engine results when a consumer conducts a search using those words.  Therefore, you need to know what words your target audience are searching for so you can use them in your content.  This is called keyword research – first you brainstorm a big list of all the words and phrases related to your business (even ask your clients), then use keyword generator tools to narrow down this list.  You also need to look at the competition for keywords and choose more specific words – “marketing” is far too common, so try something like “outsourced marketing Sydney”.  Keyword research is essential for SEO Delivering marketing that works

21. Fact 3 – Quality content is the key to success The hardest thing about optimising a website is creating content that is balanced between the needs of search engines and the needs of the target market. If it’s too SEO-focused, it will be gibberish for users but if you don’t use enough keywords you won’t rank well on search engines. The main thing is to only use keywords in your copy when they make sense and not to overuse them (the recommended is about 15% of the same keyword per page). Try to use variations of the main keywords through the text, because search engines will pick up on those too. Overall, the best to do is research your content thoroughly, tailor it to the needs of the client’s business and write it well – the search engines can tell if your copy is good, and they’ll reward you for it. ( if you’re not a copywriter, find a good web content writer) Delivering marketing that works

22. Fact 4 - You need keywords throughoutthe whole site It is a misconception that you only need to list your key words on your home page – (although that is important). It is just as important to use them throughout the site and adjust your keywords to the content of each page.  Keywords are important to be considered for your page title, Meta keywords, descriptions headings, and content. ( as discussed previously) WHY? Spiders crawl pages, not sites globally. Delivering marketing that works

23. By the Way… According to Google there are now 1 trillion unique pages on the www . Google further estimates this number to grow at several billion pages per day!!! Source: Nett magazine Sept.08issue Delivering marketing that works

24. What kind of witch are you? Delivering marketing that works

25. Fact 5 - Black hat techniques don’t work When SEO first became a hot topic, some ‘tech savvy’ people tried to trick the search engines by keyword stuffing (putting long lists of keywords in pages), using invisible text (putting keywords in the background colour so users couldn’t read it but search engines could) and creating fake pages. These techniques worked in the short-term, but soon the search engines figured out what they were doing and penalised them. Now, the search engines are on the lookout for unethical things like this and will immediately ban any website that engages in black hat SEO. So no matter what SEO “experts” promise about how quickly they can boost a site’s ranking don’t do it! It’s definitely not worth it. It sometimes takes 12 to 18 months for Google to re-consider indexing a banned website site again. Delivering marketing that works

26. Fact 6 - Search engines can't read images Take advice before having a flash site or one with lots of images and not much content.  This can go against you as the search engines don't register words that appear in images.  This is also important to consider for when you use flash in navigation, as keywords importance is also measured here. To make it easier for Google to log your site and content, your site is automatically mapped in text and in XML - so every time you make a change to your navigation or add a page, it is automatically adjusted. (XML is basically a file format, much like a Microsoft Word document, an Adobe Acrobat file, a spreadsheet file, an online HTML page, or a Comma Separated Values file.) Note: Web Developers can use some software with a “Flash effect” and should also use the <alt> tags to define the image(s) Google also claims to have developed a new algorithm for indexing textual content in Flash files of all kinds, from Flash menus, buttons and banners, to self-contained Flash websites but this remains to be seen. Delivering marketing that works

27. Fact 7 - The playing field can change at any time The algorithm that Google uses to analyse and rank websites is not guaranteed – Google can choose to change it whenever they want.  Websites that don’t keep up-to-date with the changes will slide down the rankings and get overtaken by sites that follow the new algorithm.  Therefore, it’s very important that your website developer or SEO consultant stays up-to-date with the algorithm so they can advise you or make any changes quickly and keep the site ranking high.  THIS IS WHY SEO is a continuing PROCESS!!!! Delivering marketing that works

28. Fact 8 – Updating your site regularly will make you search engine friendly As mentioned, SEO isn’t a one-off thing – you can’t write really good copy with lots of keywords and then leave it on your site for 2 years.  You need to constantly update and improve it by adding in new articles, newsletters, updating statistics and product descriptions, rewriting and tweaking copy and fixing broken links.  Changes like this will draw search engine spiders back to your site, which will help you climb the ranks.  Constantly updating also ensures you are using still using the right keywords to reach your market and that your content is fresh and interesting for the humans that use your site! Therefore, HAVE CONTROL OF YOUR SITE with CMS. TIP: If you haven’t got the time to write, search for writers. Go to elance.com and guru.com Delivering marketing that works

29. Fact 9 – Getting links is essential The content of your site is only half the battle in SEO –you need to have lots of other websites linking to yours so the search engines think you are important enough to put at the top of their rankings.  Don’t get links using schemes like link farms, because Google will penalise you for this, and also try to avoid reciprocal links (“I’ll link to you if you link to me”), because Google doesn’t place much importance on these either.  Build links by sharing your content with other reputable sites – sharing articles and eBooks, commenting on blogs, listing your business in directories and showcasing your work on community sites.   Check your site is at least added to www.theweblisting.com, a site designed to start you off on the path of getting higher ranked sites linking to yours. And make sure you include a text link to your website every time you contribute something to another site. Delivering marketing that works

30. Some more things to remember…. That important front door The front page of your website is 90% of the battle in winning a sale or getting a prospect to make contact. Take a step back for a moment and glance at your front page. Does it clearly summarise what you do and prompt visitors to look further, take action and/or make contact? Delivering marketing that works

31. Users hate slow websites Statistics suggest that if a website doesn’t load within eight seconds, around one-third of visitors will leave. Beware! If your target audience is professionals aged between 25 and 55, you only have 10 to 12 seconds to grab their attention and only 8 seconds if your audience is younger than this. Delivering marketing that works

32. A website is never finished The degree to which your website evolves will depend on the type of website you settle upon and where it fits into your business as a whole. If changes are frequent you should seriously consider a Content Management System I personally like Joomla CMS Delivering marketing that works

33. Make your website really perform Make sure that you spend time analysing (and changing where necessary) all the variables to make a better website that will really work for you e.g. • Your site may look great but has it been optimised for search engines? Can people find you online? • Is the text on your web pages scannable, compelling, concise and web-friendly? And does your copy guide your visitors through their buying decision, by effectively communicating your site's key benefits? • Do you have a mechanism to enable a two-way relationship with your site visitors (via opt-in / e-marketing)? • Is your site designed to cope with platform and browser diversity? • Is your site content 'sticky' and fresh enough to encourage repeat visits and word-of-mouth marketing? • Are there enough calls to action and contact information points? • Is your site accessible, quick and easy to use? • Are you tracking visitor numbers and metrics effectively? • Are you aware of the strengths, weaknesses and problems with your website? • And just how enjoyable is your website visitor's experience? Delivering marketing that works

34. Ranking highly in Google can have a massive impact on sales/ leads Put some of these ideas into action and you might just see your site start to climb the search engine rankings. Delivering marketing that works

35. The other side of the coin… When your site is not optimised Delivering marketing that works

36. What is the implication to yourBusiness if the site is not optimised? • Obviously, you/your client miss out on utilising a cost effective tool that can drive your business. • The website is then nothing but an online brochure that no one sees, unless traffic is directed to it (at a high cost). Delivering marketing that works

37. Solution: • Advise your client to take control of their website, starting with their Domain name • Implement an SEO/SEM strategy as part of the marketing spend • Employ all other tactics using your client’s website Delivering marketing that works

38. Integrate the web into your client’s business Remember… A website is not a stand-alone marketing tool. It should work together with all the other business marketing communications tools you use -- brochures, advertisements, sponsorships, magazines, newsletters, letterhead and speeches/events… Delivering marketing that works

39. Before I go… Organic vs. Paid: There's a growing debate in the search marketing industry on the differences between landing pages designed for pay-per-click campaigns and landing pages designed for organic optimisation. What is the difference between the two uses? Delivering marketing that works

40. BizReport : Search Marketing : September 26, 2006 A study done in 2006 tracked 20 business to consumer e-commerce sites’ traffic and conversion data from January – August 2006. It compared organic search returns to paid search returns. The big surprise? The conversion rates were nearly identical. Paid searches had a median order conversion rate of 3.4%. Organic searches conversion rates were 3.13%. Delivering marketing that works

41. What do you advise clients? Since SEO is a PROCESS (an ongoing one..) A client with a small budget and an existing (Flash driven/dynamic ) site, is better off using a PPC campaign initially. Delivering marketing that works

42. WHY??? doing dynamic landing pages and micro-sites are no problem for paid search The logic is, "My creative in the search engines was interesting enough that the person actually clicked on it. Now I want to do everything I can to meet the needs of that searcher. Because if I can meet their needs, chances are I can meet my needs at the same time. They're looking to buy something and I'm looking to sell something, and if we can find that perfect fit where they agree that what I have to sell is exactly what they want to buy, then everybody's happy." You could do a much more graphically rich page for paid using Flash and not that much copy. Delivering marketing that works

43. Finally…Web Analytics: I love Google Analytics; it’s FREE and has all the Metrics for tracking and analysing a site’s performance versus the site’s goal(s); observing site visitors' behaviour is a breeze with GA! Delivering marketing that works

44. Make the most of the metrics:mine it…drill down & apply it to the SEO process. Delivering marketing that works

45. Thank you for your time!!! Delivering marketing that works