Lifting The Lid On Search Marketing

www.waterandstone.com 

drivers Lifting the Lid on Search Marketing
planning
~ how it works; what you can do ~
tools
execution
tracking

Note: This presentation was created for the 2009 Travel Distribution Summit
held in Singapore on April 2, 2009


drivers
  what is search marketing ?
planning
tools The term search marketing encompasses a range
of activities, from classic search engine
execution
optimization, to management of pay-per-click
tracking
(PPC) services, to use of Web 2.0 techniques to
promote your site and make it more visible to
searcher.


drivers
  key factors to consider
planning
tools   The domain name
execution   Relevant Inbound links
tracking   Content of URLs
  Amount of content
  Keyword density
  Internal link density
  The age of your domain
  Consistency of your search marketing efforts -
inconsistent efforts under-perform


drivers
  formulate reasonable goals
planning Yes, I know, we all want to be #1 on Google…
tools
execution   Remember that Google rankings are only a
tracking means to an end – the goal is an increase in
relevant traffic. You don't have to be on page one
of Google to achieve this goal (though it does
help!).

  Keep this in mind as it will shape your
implementation and your tracking -- and without it,
you are likely to waste your efforts.


drivers
  conduct an SEO audit
planning What to consider:
tools
execution   Identify areas of opportunity (keyphrases with
tracking more traffic and less competition)
  Where you rank now, relative to your key words
  # of inbound links
  # of pages indexed
  Who currently dominates your chosen keywords
  Their inbound links & pages indexed
  Compare your metadata to theirs
  Conduct content audit to assess suitability for
optimization for your keywords
  Decide which pages to optimize


drivers
  don't forget the long tail
planning
tools   The longer the keyword combination, the less
competition, AND the higher the conversion rate!
execution
tracking   Generic keyphrases are highly competitive and
require long term commitment (or PPC).
  The long tail is often the point of least
resistance.


drivers
  online tools & resources
planning
tools   Google Webmaster account
execution   Yahoo! Site Explorer
tracking   MSN's Webmaster Center
  Page Rank finder (of your choice)
  Wordtracker
  The search engines themselves
  Alexa Ranking
  Your PPC reports
  Your web analytics reports
  Google AdWords blog
  Webmaster World
  Search Engine Watch


drivers
  offline tools (installed apps)
planning
tools   Advanced Web Ranking
execution   Link Popularity Checker
tracking   Your homegrown tools
  Tracking sheet
  Audit sheet
  Competitor analysis


drivers
  Make your site search friendly
planning   This is classic “SEO” -- the process of
tools optimizing a site for the search engines.
execution   It is necessary!
tracking   One of the few areas where you really need an
expert’s assistance.
  Key Issues:
  Search engine friendly URLs (SEF)
  page titles
  metadata
  element attributes
  keyword density
  internal link density and link text
  Robots.txt file


drivers
  The place of metadata
planning
tools   Metadata isn’t dead (though it is less important)
execution   It should not be ignored
tracking   Key field => Description
  Key field => Keywords
  Key field => Robots
  Many optional fields here


drivers
  Make your site search friendly - extras
planning
tools   Use a site map
execution   Implement effective handling of 404s
tracking   Enforcement (and use) of consistent URL
formulation (www or not www)
  Tags (taxonomy) : can have a positive affect on
internal link density
  Internal links – use title attribute and use link
text


drivers
  now you are ready to register!
planning
tools   You must manually register on the key engines
execution   Automated software has a limited and
tracking secondary role
  Create & maintain XML site maps
  Set up Google Webmaster Tools account
  Set up Yahoo! Site Explorer account
  Set up an MSN Webmaster Center account
  Don’t be afraid to re-register if the site does not
show up in a reasonable period of time – but don't
overdue it!


drivers
  building links
planning
tools   Hit the key directories - Yahoo!, DMOZ, any
niche market directories
execution
tracking   Look at your competitors’ links pages
  The key: Relevant, high ranking sites
  Build links to your key pages -- not just the
homepage
  Use keyword-specific link text
  Investigate services like Link Metro
  Are you willing to buy links?
  This takes massive amounts of time.


drivers
  increase the number of pages indexed
planning
tools   Create internal links
execution   Maintain a site map on your site
tracking   Keep those URLs friendly!
  Keep XML site map updated
  Consider using quot;spider foodquot;


drivers
  what’s a “friendly” (SEF) URL?
planning
tools
Search Engine (& user!) Hostile:
execution
http://www.balitravelportal.com/index.php?
tracking page=main.php&action=ShowCategory&catid=56

Friendly:
h/p://www.balitravelportal.com/south‐bali/kuta


drivers
  the role of PPC
planning
tools   When you absolutely, positively have to be on
execution Page One -- today!
tracking  Both Yahoo! and Google have programs worth
looking at.
  Google = no set up fees, daily budgets with no
deposit
  Yahoo! = small set up fee + prepaid deposit
charged against daily
  Google has better syndication and site targeting
  PPC does not directly impact your search position


drivers
  SEO 2.0
planning
tools   Digg & Newsvine can fast-track listing
execution   StumbleUpon – can drive traffic
tracking   Exploit the increasing number of social
bookmarking sites
  Establish a presence on relevant niche
community sites.
  Don't forget Wikipedia.
  Content creation for Web 2.0 sites worthwhile –
This is the New PR.
  Get bookmarking tools on your site
  Is your site suitable for a widget?
  If you have suitable content, offer RSS feeds


drivers
  SEO 2.0 - Participating in Community
planning
tools   Seek out community sites frequented by your
target markets.
execution
tracking   Create a place to interact with them.
  Logical choices:
Facebook
 
Orkut
 
Bebo
 
Hi5
 
MySpace
 
A Small World
 
other niche sites suitable to your offering



drivers
  SEO 2.0 – Does it Work?
planning
tools
Consider These Two Examples…
execution
  Facebook
tracking
  Initiated the ‘I Love Bali Villas’ group for client in Dec 07
  Today, over 1,600 members
  54 photos
  Numerous posts

  TripAdvisor:
  Set up account for client's brand
  Contributed postings, photos, forum advice
  Now client's #1 non-search engine referrer


drivers
  SEO 2.0 – What about Twitter?
planning
tools
  Love it or hate it, but don't ignore it.
execution
tracking   Your Twitter profile will be indexed.
  It's useful for tracking market sentiment
towards your brand and for identifying trends.


drivers
  special SEO considerations
planning
tools Site rebuilds
execution   must plan and manage migration!
  I.D. key indexed pages
tracking
  put 301 re-directs on them

In the sandbox…
  nothing to do but wait

Blacklisted
  can petition for re-indexing
  get your Google Webmaster account set up


drivers
  you have to track!
planning
tools   Where do you stand now? If you don't know,
that is the first issue to address. You must have
execution
some baseline / context to evaluate efforts.
tracking
  Ask: What’s working?
  Ask: What needs more attention?
  Feedback the knowledge into your efforts.
  Google Analytics is a great choice and the price
is right!
  Programs like Advanced Web Ranking are also
very useful.
 Check those PPC reports
  Check your Google Webmaster account


drivers
  managing your SEO team
planning
tools   Be suspicious of people who promise specific
results.
execution
tracking   Negotiate performance-based contracts, where
possible.
  Budget for ongoing maintenance activities.
  Get your SEO in order before launching a
campaign.
  Track obsessively!
  Don’t allow Black Hat methods!


  Ric Shreves
Thank you for your time.

Web: www.WaterAndStone.com

eMail: ric@waterandstone.com

Lifting The Lid On Search Marketing

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