For many companies, search engine optimization seems like an impenetrable black box of unknown mystery. However, there are a number of proven steps that your business can take to increase your rankings and generate more online leads. Amanda will help demystify what Google, Bing and other search engines are looking for so that you can increase your online visibility and build your business. Learn how to create content that your audience is searching for, and how to optimize your site for the search engines in this fast-paced, informative session. Presentation done for Agents of Change conference - 9/14/2012

1. How to Rank Higher In Search Engines
Amanda O’Brien
@amanda_pants
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2. Hall Internet Marketing
• 17 person firm
• 13 years old
• Google Certified Partner
• Largest 100% Interactive Agency in Maine (MaineBiz)
• 2011 & 2012 Best Places To Work in Maine
• @hall_web

3. Amanda O’Brien
• VP of Marketing at Hall
• Organizer Social Media Breakfast Maine
• SARSSM Board Member
• Blogger – amandapants, PROXI, Guiding Stars, smb2b
• WMTW’s Tech Expert
• @amanda_pants
SMBME 38 – 9/28
Video & Podcasting

4. Me and Snooki
• She really let herself go!
• 34 ½ weeks (37 days)
• I feel fine
• It’s a boy
• We don’t have a name
• No you can’t touch me
• If something happens
• Hot water
• Clean towels

5. Can we talk about SEO now?
Let’s get technical
Let’s get practical
Let’s get physical
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6. Stuff you know
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/evilpeacock/6365513881/ 6

7. People go here
and to Yahoo
and to Bing
Whoa! Is that
Jeeves?
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8. to get here…
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9. and here…
YOU WANT TO BE HERE(ISH)
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10. 10

11. You have a website
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12. It looks like this to a search engine
Ctrl U
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13. Head hurt? Wrong session?
searchengineland.com/guide/what-is-seo
www.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo
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14. Where were we…
How search engines know what your site is about
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15. Title Tags
How to find them.
Shoes, Clothing, and More I Zappos.com
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16. Meta Descriptions
Typically appear in search results pages.
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17. No Meta Description?
Engines will extract text from the page and
use it on search results page.
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18. Title tags: 70 characters
Meta descriptions: 150 to 160
characters long
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19. Content on the page
Text, alt tags
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20. So how do I rank higher?!
Optimize your site
‣ Meta descriptions
‣ Title Tags
‣ Content
‣ Alt tags
‣ Find the right keywords
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alohateam/4541884749/ 20

21. “SEO is like doing situps for a nudist. It’s still you, in your
100% natural state, you’re just making things a little
more attractive” - CopyBlogger
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cryptozoologist/3569478816/ 21

22. Let’s talk keywords
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23. Keywords
Find the best and use them
‣ Searchers intent
• Informational
• Transactional
‣ Demand for keywords
• bit.ly/betterkeywords
- How many people
- How much competition
Nice bit.ly link Pants
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/laureenp/6141822934/ 23

24. Best keywords for search intent
What is the best way to say it?
Cat,
Feline,
Kitty
“Meow”
Quincy - ARL
Maine Coon Cat
Adopt Maine Coon Cat
Adopt Maine Coon Cat
Portland Maine
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25. Best places to put that keyword
‣ Title of your content
‣ First sentence of first paragraph
‣ The page’s URL
‣ Page’s meta description
‣ Alt text in images
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26. Don’t overstuff! 1 – 3%
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arthur_chapman/4720359475/ 26

27. Page elements
Source: Brent Payne
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28. Let’s talk about content
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29. Fresh content…
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wbeem/3151672501/ 29

30. Freshness and Your Website
Update your website regularly.
Editorial Create an editorial calendar and schedule updates
Calendar for your blog and other areas of your site.
Industry Comment on industry news and trends. Make sure
Trends that your content is unique and timely!
News and Publish press releases to your site. Potential topics:
Events internal promotions, new hires, charitable initiatives.
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31. Remember Olivia?
Let’s get technical – CHECK!
Let’s get practical
Let’s get physical
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32. SEO is dead! Or dying! Or badly hurt…
‣ Black hat SEO
‣ Tricks
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33. What about Panda?
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stickergiant/5529675719/ 33

34. …AND Penguin?
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35. Panda: Tracking down low quality content
Penguin: Targeting sites trying to scam Google
SO DON’T DO THAT!
Ask the SEO
expert 2:30
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mal-b/6597423979/ 35

36. Go Organic
Photo credit: http://www.facebook.com/PortlandMaineFarmersMarket
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37. Source: eConsultancy
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38. Top professionals say #1 thing…
Real links from real people
‣ Links
‣ Links
‣ and how you are linked to
Ask the SEO
expert 2:30
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39. Why links?
Links are social/search engine proof
‣ People trust you
‣ You are a resource for that term
‣ Perceived value to users
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40. Create valuable content
Content for people, not search engines
If people like it, Google will like it!
‣ Website content
‣ Blog posts
‣ Whitepapers
‣ Videos
‣ Infographics
‣ News articles
‣ eBooks
‣ Etc. Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/peyri/34685785/ 40

41. How do I get links?
Make the content
‣ Engage with people
‣ Social sharing = high quality content
‣ Don’t you dare buy them!
Build an audience Social
Media and PR 2:30
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42. Isolated Sites Aren’t Trusted
Paid4links.tv
Portland-cat.com
Spammy-
blog.com
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43. Trusted Sites Are Connected
Backlinks from several websites.
Petfinder.com
Portland.go
Tufts.edu
v
Mainecat
.com
Visitmaine.
Mespca.org
org
“Trust me”
Mr. Whiskers - ARL
Boston.co Cats.com
m
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44. So how do I rank higher?!
‣ Get people to link to you
‣ More sources the better
‣ Create valuable content
‣ Engage with people
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shawnzlea/24460835/ 44

45. … time
Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/indraw/4857101224/ 45

46. Tell me more!
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47. Local Search
Be found online and on the streets
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48. 20% of all Google searches
have local intent.
Local searches are expected
to increase.
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49. Video in search results
‣ Own your SERP page
‣ Create information videos
‣ Optimize your videos
‣ Host them online
‣ Magic!
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50. How do you rank higher?
Keep your head on straight
‣ SEO doesn’t have to be complicated
• Prepare your site
• Know your keywords
• Regularly create content
‣ What do search engines want?
• Valuable content
• If people like it, Google will too
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51. Olivia is hungry
Let’s get technical
Let’s get practical - CHECK
Let’s get physical – LUNCH!!
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52. Thank You!
Amanda O’Brien
amanda@hallme.com
@amanda_pants
Hallme.com/blog
Amandapants.com SMBME 38 – 9/28
Video and Podcasting
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