Online Marketing

The Basics of SEO

Sam RaifeOffsite Strategy Manager

BlueclawSearch.co.ukSam.Raife@blueclaw.co.uk

@BattletoysBattletoys.co.uk

Who am I?

Who are Blueclaw?

Blueclaw staff have previously worked for various organisations such as: Google, BBC, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Trinity Mirror Group

Current Clients include Mobile Phones Direct, SkyBet, TUI - Thomson Holidays Group

Over 50 years of combined SEO/Social Media/PPC experience.

Our award winning expert services include:- Search Engine Optimisation- Paid Search Management- Content Marketing- Conversion Optimisation- Social Media - Online PR

- Cold calling

- Learnt the basics

- Now play with Google all day

Background

- What is SEO?

- The 2 Types of SEO

- Onsite Basics

- Link Building

- The Google Tools

- 5 Pointers to Improve your site right now.

What I’m covering

Statistics, Sources and Tips will be down Here

What is SEO?

And why would I need that anyway?

• Search Engine Optimisation

• “Get ya self up the pecking order on Google”

• Over 5 billion searches a day

• 86% of people in the UK used the internet in Q1 this year.

• 16 to 34 = 99%• 35 to 54 = 95%• 55 to 64 = 87%• 65 to 74 = 71%• 75+ = 33%

http://www.statisticbrain.com/google-searches/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/rdit2/internet-users/2015/stb-ia-

2015.html#tab-Age

http://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seohttp://www.internetworldstats.com/stats4.htm

What is SEO? And Why?

• Less Than 10% Advanced to Page 2

• 90% Click Organic Listings

• Only 10% Click Paid Ads

• Top 3 Results = 61% of Clicks

• Got to be in it to Win it

http://www.protofuse.com/blog/first-page-of-google-by-the-numbershttp://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo

What is SEO? And Why?

– Did I mention: Over 5 billion

searches a day

– Local listings

– Older Generations more familiar than ever! 71% of retirees

Google is the new yellow pages

http://www.statisticbrain.com/google-searches

http://www.google.com/+/learnmore/local/

http://www.ageuk.org.uk/work-and-learning/

– Search results change! Based on where you search from

– Local searches now dominate

– 43% of searches are localised

– Its not going away, and SEO will help

http://bit.ly/1h4GIUf

http://selnd.com/QXOUZb

In it to win it! It could be you!

Keyword Research

How many people search for a thing and when?

– Sign-up to Google Adwords

– Use their Keyword Planner Tool (you can search for this)

– Find new keywords >Search for new keywords

– Get Keyword Data– See the Avg. Monthly Searches– How Competitive it would be to advertise for– How much per click if you were to pay for advertising.

http://backlinko.com/google-keyword-planner

https://support.google.com/adwords/answer/2999770?hl=en-GB

http://www.searchenginejournal.com/definitive-guide-using-googles-keyword-planner-tool-keyword-research/69655

/

How do I find out which keywords I should use?

How do I find out which keywords I should use?

Onsite SEO – Changes on your site• Making your site presentable• Helping Google crawl your site• Writing interesting articles• Having original content• Keeping the site updated• Making it Mobile Friendly

Offsite SEO – Marketing around your site• Link building• Local link building• Marketing your site• Giving expert opinion• Social shares

The 2 Types of SEO

http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/how-to/2259693/seo-basics-8-essentials-when-optimizing-your-site

http://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/growing-popularity-and-links

Onsite SEO

Watch out this could get technical…

– Title Tags <title>Leeds Chamber of commerce | Supporting and advising

business</title>

- Meta Descriptions<meta name="description" itemprop="description" content="West & North Yorkshire Chamber is the fully accredited Chamber of Commerce that incorporates the three local Chambers: Bradford, Leeds and York & North." />

- Heading Tags<h1>The Title</h1><h2>The Sub-title</h2><h3>The Sub-Sub Title</h3>

– Meta KeywordsNot needed and no longer used, so just

don’t bother.

Onsite SEO – 3 Easy Technical Bits

http://moz.com/learn/seo/on-page-factorshttp://searchenginewatch.com/sew/how-to/2259693/seo-basics-8-essentials-

when-optimizing-your-sitehttp://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101-getting-page-seo-basics/

97871/

Onsite SEO – 3 Easy Technical Bits

http://moz.com/learn/seo/on-page-factorshttp://searchenginewatch.com/sew/how-to/2259693/seo-basics-8-essentials-

when-optimizing-your-sitehttp://www.searchenginejournal.com/seo-101-getting-page-seo-basics/

97871/

Main Site Pages

– Engaging Content

– Original Content

– Include but don’t stuff keywords

– Keep it natural & coherent

Onsite SEO – The Content

http://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/02/09/how-to-write-a-blog-post

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/writing-a-good-blog.html

http://backlinko.com/on-page-seo

Sites Blog Content

– Answer FAQs

– Be the Expert!

– Get opinions, use facts from other sites. Link out & include images.

– Keep paragraphs short, think about the readability.

• URL structure• Categories and Sub-Categories

• Write awesome engaging content

• Produce videos

• Market yourself & the business

• Worry about being an expert in what your business does, not the SEO

• Write for your audience

• Always have calls to action on the page

What Else Can I Do Onsite?

http://www.hobo-web.co.uk/title-tags/http://www.searchenginejournal.com/content-marketing-the-secret-to-

creating-awesome-content/64760/

Offsite SEO

Which Links to Build and How to Do it.

– Why Links?

– Votes

– So what is a link?http://www.wnychamber.co.uk/

• http://www.chamber-international.com/ • http://

www.leedscitycollege.ac.uk/the-college/knowledge-bank/services-open-to-the-public/skills-service/

• http://www.raising-the-bar.org.uk/ • http://www.eco-fair.co.uk/

– How do I get them?

Offsite SEO - Links Links Links

http://www.seomark.co.uk/high-quality-backlinks/http://searchenginewatch.com/sew/opinion/2112158/simple-guide-makes-

linkhttp://moz.com/blog/what-makes-an-effective-link-builder

– Ask friends, suppliers, customers and other people you know to link to you.

– PR, Guest Blogging, Be an expert or review a product.

– Some examples– http://www.impactana.com/reviews – http://metro.co.uk/2015/05/12/the-uks-favourite-cocktail-is-

revealed-and-its-a-classic-5193315/– http://blackgirlnerds.com/how-to-bring-the-avengers-to-your-

little-ones-room-2/– http://www.evolve-magazine.com/2015/07/introducing-

repertoire-fashion/– http://www.daddacool.co.uk/2015/07/how-to-release-equity-

with-a-mortgage.html– http://tipsaholic.com/make-the-most-of-your-garage-

infographic/

– Look at local directories;– Next slide

3 Easy Ways to Link Build

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/10322/The-Ultimate-List-50-Local-Business-Directories.aspx

http://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/growing-popularity-and-links

http://pointblankseo.com/link-building-strategies

Local SEO – How to Get Noticed

https://moz.com/local/search

• What is Local SEO?• Search results change! Based on where you

search from• 43% of searches are localised• 59% of Consumers use Google every month to

find a local business• 50% of all mobile searches are done to find

local businesses• 18% of local searches lead to sales.

• How to get noticed?• Google + / Locations• Facebook• Foursquare• Factual.com• GB.Central Index• Thompson Local• Scoot• Touch Local• The Independent• The Sun• The Mirror• Yelp• Bing

https://moz.com/learn/local/local-search-data-uk

Local SEO – How to Get Noticed

IF all that fails,

Just try putting out a load of kitten pictures

AND THEN IF all that fails,

There are Still Puppy Pictures

Google Tools & Analysis Software

“I thought it was just a search engine”

Backlink analysis– Majestic SEO– Moz.com

Performance and rank tracking– SEMrush– Searchmetrics– Advanced Web Ranking– Rank Tracker

Onsite analysis–Screaming Frog–Xenu

I’m only good as my software!

http://www.hobo-web.co.uk/best-seo-tools/

http://moz.com/

http://www.semrush.com/

Content and social profiling– Buzzsumo– Followerwonk

Link building– Buzzstream– Link Prospector

Competitor analysis–SEMrush–Majestic SEO–Moz–Search Metrics

I’m only good as my software!

http://buzzsumo.com/

https://followerwonk.com/

• Records every visit to your site

• Tells you where they are from

• What page they landed on

• How long they stayed

• How much they bought

• What products they bought

• The technology they used

• What they liked

Google tools - Analytics

http://www.google.com/analytics/

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=Google+Analytics

What it looks like -Analytics

• Shows you how google crawls your site

• Highlights errors in code

• You can tell Google to Index your site

• Highlight site maps to Google

• Control what Google can and can’t see

• Shows you links pointing at your site

• Gives you an idea of keywords you rank for

Google tools - WebMaster Tools

https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/

What it looks like -WMT

Google tools -Google Adwords

https://adwords.google.co.uk/KeywordPlanner

https://www.google.co.uk/adwords/

• Paid listings at the top of Google

• Very expensive!

• Charges you per click

• Depends on competition of keyword

• Direct traffic to the page you want

• Bid against competitors

• I just use it to understand search volumes

5 things you can do right now!

http://pointblankseo.com/link-building-strategies

http://www.hobo-web.co.uk/link-building-strategy-for-beginners-a-month-of-free-tips/

http://www.matthewbarby.com/link-building-2014/

Onsite SEO• Title tags and meta descriptions

• Keyword research• Target a keyword to your page• Write a good meta description

• Get a company blog & answer questions• Drives “Long Tail” traffic• Helps you link build• Lets you show you are an expert in your

industry• Keeps in touch with customers and shows

good activity for potential customers• Helps with your social presence

Offsite SEO – Link Building• Look locally

• Chamber of Commerce news / PR / E-Newsletter• Ask Customers for a link• Ask for a link in any PR

• Local directory links• Stick to the suggested ones on Moz local• Get your site ranking in Google Maps• Take control of your social media platforms

• Guest Posting• Write an article for industry magazines / blogs• Review software or a service you use• Charity work, sponsorships or local venues you work

with

Now you know SEO!

Hope I kept your interest till the end…

Any questions?

Any more questions?Slides: http://www.slideshare.net/battletoys/chamber-seo-training E-mail: Sam.Raife@Blueclaw.co.uk

Twitter:@Battletoys

Thank you for listening