Search Engine Optimization: Ranking Better and Selling More

Nicki Hicksflyte new mediahttp://www.flyte.bizhttp://www.maine-seo.comhttp://twitter.com/nickihicks

• Short for Search Engine Optimization

• What can you do to rank better at the search engines?

• Split into two parts:– On-page Optimization– Off-page Optimization

• Rank better

• Drive more traffic

• Sell more products/services

• More email signups

• More contact form leads

• More conversions

Balance between SEO (search engines) and usability/personability (for your users).

Luckily…the two go hand in hand.

What Google thinks I’m looking for

News results

Applicable websites

Video results

Google AdWords

• Is it intuitive?– Usability– Information Architecture (Navigation)

• Keywords on the page– Intra-site links– Flash, images, and video

NO.

NO.YES.

How about an example?

I own a small pet shop in Portland, Maine…

Are my customers searching for…

• Pet store Portland Maine?• Dog supplies Portland Maine?• Cat food Maine?• Dog collars Maine?• Organic dog food?• Non-toxic cat litter?

Start researching to find the diamond(s) in the rough.

Photo credit: prakhar

Google AdWords Keyword Tool

Wordtracker Questions

Google Insights

• Incoming links• Local Search• Social Media– Social profiles– Video– Images

• Directory listings (DMOZ, Business.com, Yahoo directory)

• “Courting” bloggers/webmasters• Blogging• Guest blogging• Article marketing• Forums

• Acquiring traffic• Increasing audience/exposure• Sharing links• Promotion for a new website• Lead generation

• Do a keyword analysis and find out what your audience is searching for

• Fill out your profiles as completely as possible– Avatar (Photo)– Website– Phone number– Address– Description– “Extras” – blog feed, other social profiles,

etc.

It’s great when you rank well for your most sought-after keyword…

…but at the end of the day, the reason we do SEO is to make more conversions.

Nicki Hicksnicki@flyte.biz

http://flyte.bizhttp://www.maine-seo.com

http://twitter.com/nickihickshttp://facebook.com/nickihickshttp://linkedin.com/in/nickihicks