Benj Arriola's Presentation for SEO Summit 2014

1. @BenjArriola

3. My SEO Journey
How I learned SEO and
share the lessons I
learned along the way
Lessons that can help
you learn SEO too!
Photo Credit: Book cover of Leveraging Corporate Responsibility:
The Stakeholder Route to Maximizing Business and Social Value.

4. Who am I?
SEO since 2004
Web design and
development since 1997
LinkedIn
Won multiple
international SEO
contest
Won cash and a brand
new car!
Year SEO Contest Organizer Place
2005 Isulong SEOph SEO Philippines 11
2006 Ituloy AngSulong SEO Philippines 10
2006 Vorgermilten n/a 1
2007 SEO World Championship GetUpdated 1
2008 SEOContest2008 UK Webmaster World 2
2008 Promote Your Business Branders.com 2
2009 Sulumits Retsambew NetBuilders.org 4

5. SEO Speaker
Spoke at several
international SEO
conferences since
2007
14 different cities in
3 different countries
Lanyrd

6. From SMEs to Fortune 1000 Companies
Worked as a freelancer
Direct clients
Outsourced projects
Worked in a small business
Worked in different
agencies
Large SEO clients experience mainly from:
Internet Marketing Inc, BusinessOnLine, and YDS Web Solution.

7. Career History
QA Chemist
College Chem
Professor
Entrepreneur IT Instructor
Web Designer
/ Developer
SEO
Professional
“If I can learn new
things, and be
proficient at it, so can
you!”

8. Share, Teach, Learn – SEO Frenemies
Google
Does not tell you how it
works
They have guidelines
Webmaster Guidelines
SEO Guide
Leaked Manual Rater’s
Guide
Photo Credit: http://www.localgoldmine.com/blog/local-marketing-services/attachment/google-secrets/

9. Share, Teach, Learn – SEO Frenemies
Google
Does not tell you how it
works
They have guidelines
Webmaster Guidelines
SEO Guide
Leaked Manual Rater’s
Guide
SEO’s Learn by:
Sharing with others
Online Forums and Social
Networking Groups
Networking Events
Blogs, Podcast,
Webinars
Conferences
Classes
Work Experience
Personal Testing
Photo Credit: http://www.localgoldmine.com/blog/local-marketing-services/attachment/google-secrets/

10. SEO’s Learn by:
Sharing with others
Online Forums and Social
Networking Groups
Networking Events
Blogs, Podcast,
Webinars
Conferences
Classes
Work Experience
Personal Testing
Share, Teach, Learn – SEO Frenemies
Photo Credit: http://www.localgoldmine.com/blog/local-marketing-services/attachment/google-secrets/

11. ??? It’s that thing you do,
you know… you search for
stuff and whatever. SEO
makes your site rank #1 in
Google and if you are not
#1, your not doing SEO
right ???
What is SEO?
Will I get my money
back? Is it worth the
investment?

12. ??? It’s that thing you do,
you know… you search for
stuff and whatever. SEO
makes your site rank #1 in
Google and if you are not
#1, your not doing SEO
right ???
Will I get my money
back? Is it worth the
investment?
What is SEO?
Strategies and techniques to
increase online conversions
from organic search traffic.

13. Search Engine Optimization
Non-Branded Keywords
Social Media
Youtube Video
Content Marketing
Pay Per Click
Search Engine Optimization
Social Media
Website
Pay Per Click
Display Advertising
Landing Page
Retargeting
Branded Search
Email Marketing
CREATIVE
CRO
• Differs in Search Intent
• Differs in Optimization
• Keyword Research
• Keyword Mapping
• Content Optimization
• Content Marketing
SEO Conversion Funnel

14. Integrated
Action
Path to
Conversion
Page
Search Intent
Intent
Content
Marketing Pages
Appropriate
Page
Order
Page
Shares
Conversion
Links
Introduce
Path to Conversion
• Unique Selling
Proposition
• Product Comparison
• Live or Scheduled Demo
• Promo / Specials
• Time Sensitive
• Whitepaper Download
Introducers Influencers ClosersInformation Navigation Buy

15. SEO
On-Page
Server Settings
& Code
Web Designers, Web
Developers, Network
Administrators
Content Writers
Off-Page Links
Buzz Makers, Viral
Marketers, Content
Promotion
SEO Diagnostics
Content Marketing
Foundational
Continuous
Content
Marketing
SEO
Diagnostics
SEO Overview

16. Diagnostics
- Crawlable
- Indexable
- Visible
- Keywords
- Taxonomies
- Microformats
- Page Speed
Content
Marketing
- Informative
- Valuable
- Interesting
- Resource
- Intriguing
- Inspiring
- Up-To-Date
- Useful
- Funny
- Controversial
Link
Bait
Passes Link Juice Improves
Ranking
Site Architecture & SEO

17. Long Tail Keyword Distribution

18. Long Tail Keyword Advantage
Fat Head Long Tail
Search Volume High Low
Keyword Variations Low High
Search Engine Ranking
Harder to rank.
Takes longer to rank.
Easier to rank.
Faster to rank.
Competition Larger Smaller
Conversions Less Likely More Likely
Amount of Research Work Less More
Fat Head Long Tail
Search Volume High Low
Keyword Variations Low High
Search Engine Ranking
Harder to rank.
Takes longer to rank.
Easier to rank.
Faster to rank.
Competition Larger Smaller
Conversions Less Likely More Likely
Amount of Research Work Less More

19. Diagnostics
- Crawlable
- Indexable
- Visible
- Keywords
- Taxonomies
- Microformats
- Page Speed
Content
Marketing
- Informative
- Valuable
- Interesting
- Resource
- Intriguing
- Inspiring
- Up-To-Date
- Useful
- Funny
- Controversial
Link
Bait
Passes Link Juice Improves
Ranking
Site Architecture & SEO
Targets more general fat heads
Targets related keywords
Branded Search
Targets more specific long tails

20. What is Blackhat SEO?
Illegal?
Unethical?
Against Google
Guidelines?
Taking advantage of a
small simple ranking
factor and find ways
to blow up this small
ranking factor into
large proportions in
some automated way
until it start to be a
large SEO factor.
-Quadzilla

21. SEO
On-Page
Server Settings
& Code
Web Designers, Web
Developers, Network
Administrators
Content Writers
Off-Page Links
Buzz Makers, Viral
Marketers, Content
Promotion
SEO Diagnostics
Content Marketing
Foundational
Continuous
Content
Marketing
SEO
Diagnostics
SEO OverviewBlackhat SEO + Whitehat SEO
The Whitehat Disguise
Hidden
Content and/or Links
Keyword Stuffing
Keyword Spamming
Spamming
Automation
Injection
SEO
On-Page
Server Settings
& Code
Content
Off-Page Links

22. Disclaimer: Based on True Blackhat
Experience, But Never Used on Client Websites

23. Note: Listen carefully on what worked and what
no longer works.
Get a better understanding on how search
engines work.
Do not get stuck in old tactics & strategies that
no longer work.

24. Note: My Blackhat Slides
Might be Less Detailed
Over years, these slides may end up in
different places. And may be taken the
wrong way.

25. Stories From The Dark Side
DreamHost Winning
Banned from WordPress
Aardvark Topsites Script
The Duplicate Content
Machine
.Edu and .Gov Links
No Results Found
Expert in Everything
Multiple 301 Redirects
Taste my Own Medicine

26. DreamHost Winning
In the last 2 weeks
301 redirected my SEO contest entry to DreamHost.com
DreamHost.com had 100,000+ backlinks, all were NOT
keyword focused for the contest keyword.
DreamHost.com did not have the contest keyword anywhere
in the content.
DreamHost.com was ranking #1, but is a disqualified entry
based on the contest rules and I do not own DreamHost.
Competitors
Page 1 results had about
10,000+ keyword
focused anchor text links
My SEO Contest Entry
Was on page 2 and had
about 1,000+ keyword
focused anchor text links

27. In the last 2 weeks
301 redirected my SEO contest entry to DreamHost.com
DreamHost.com had 100,000+ backlinks, all were NOT
keyword focused for the contest keyword.
DreamHost.com did not have the contest keyword anywhere
in the content.
DreamHost.com was ranking #1, but is a disqualified entry
based on the contest rules and I do not own DreamHost.
Competitors
Page 1 results had about
10,000+ keyword
focused anchor text links
My SEO Contest Entry
Was on page 2 and had
about 1,000+ keyword
focused anchor text links
DreamHost Winning
Keyword Focused Links: DreamHost.com < Competitors
Total Links: DreamHost.com > Competitors
You don’t need so many keyword focused links to be to rank for a targeted keyword.

28. Banned from Wordpress
Wordpress Themes
used to be open for
anyone to upload a
template.
Links on the sidebar
Cloaked Links
Controllable Cloaked
Links

29. Banned from Wordpress
Will this still work? No
Sidebar Links
Sitewide Links
Lacks Anchor Text
Diversity (Over
Optimized)
Can I make it work?
Yes, not it is not worth
it.

30. Aarvard Topsites Script
Hacked Tracking Code
JS code included PHP
code.
Not all sites run on
PHP, but will work on
those that do.
Cloaked controllable
links.
These days, links really should be good quality, relevant, natural links.

31. The Duplicate Content Machine
Duplicate Content
Negative Ranking
Factor
(No other details)
Photo Credit: http://dupecontenttool.com/
This may still work, but requires a very high maintenance process.

32. .Edu & .Gov Links
No Results Found
Link Injection
Spamming .edu/.gov Forums/Blogs
Do they still work? No
Search box injection – Most sites are now
Google for internal search.
Spamming Forums
Spammy pages are still affected by Panda no
matter what the domain.
Forum & blog moderators are more
knowledgeable these days.
.edu and .gov links are still very valuable. But they have to really be natural links.

33. Multiple 301 Redirects
Latest SEO
Contest
Entry
Older SEO
Contest
Sites
Older SEO
Contest
Sites
Older SEO
Contest
Sites Older SEO
Contest
Sites
Older SEO
Contest
Sites
Sudden Surge in
Links
Sudden
increase in
ranking…
…then sudden
decrease in
ranking…
…then slow
increase in
ranking again.

34. Multiple 301 Redirects
Consequence
Sites redirecting lose ranking during the redirect
In the past, once you remove the redirect,
ranking comes back.
Since 2011, after I removed some redirects,
ranking never came back and was never the
same.
If done too fast, the 2nd coming no longer
happens.

35. Taste Of My Own Medicine
Sorry – Verbal story telling only…

36. Content Marketing Links
Goal
Featured on
popular sites
within your
vertical
Gaining
powerful,
authoritative
links

37. Link Baitable Content
Promotion with the aid of Social Media
Content Development Strategy
Natural High Quality Links = Biggest Impact on Rankings
TEXT
Content
Blogging Strategy
Trust Bait
Press Releases
Matte Releases
Infographic Creation
Award &
Recognitions
Badges
VISUAL
Content
Video Strategy
AUDIO
Content

38. DISCOVERY AND
GOAL SETTING
CONTENT
CREATION
INFLUENCER
RESEARCH
PROMOTION
RESEARCH MEASUREMENT
Content Marketing Process

39. Content
Topic
Q & A
Websites
News &
Media
Long-Tail
Traffic
Analysis
Google
Trends
Social
Media
Trends
Research

40. Remarkable
Content
In A Variety
Of Mediums.
Infographics & Infoguides
eBooks
Viral Content
Videos
Blogging
Guest Blogging
Kinetic Typography & Motion
Graphics
Press Release & Matte Release
Badge, Awards & Recognitions
Content Creation

41. Influencer Research
Identify bloggers,
journalist, reporters
in various niches.
Segment by
Geographic
Location
Content Topics
News Outlets
And More!

42. Rapport Building
w/ Influencers
Influencer Outreach
Social Bookmarking
Social Network Promotion
Press Release Distribution
Image Link Reclamation
Influencer
Follow-up
Launch
Post
Launch
Pre
Launch
Promotion

43. Conversions
from Content
Traffic
Analysis
Link
Analysis
Social
Activity
1
2
3
4
Measurement

44. Infographic Examples

45. Visits:
13,911
# of Linking
Domains:
187
Tweets:
520
G+:
219
Facebook
Shares:
244
Infographic Case Study

46. Shares
Online:
363K
Facebook
Likes &
Shares:
47K
Tweets:
4K
High
Authority
Links:
120
Page
Views:
16K
Infographic Case Study

47. eBook Example
Content not about bowling.
But targets the right audience.

48. Reads:
9,243
Slide Presentation

49. Matte Release

50. ID Audience Editor Outreach Build Relationship Pitch Several Topics
Show examples of work
Show interest in publication
Show how you will add value
Sample titles and bullet
points on content
Use lists, tips,
and guidelines
3 Levels Deep:
Email
LinkedIn
Twitter
Approval Posting Measure Continue Relationships
Quantify the
reach of efforts
Ask for regular contributions
Keep building the
relationship with editor
Upon approval of first
topic send initial draft
Once posted,
share and promote through all
channels possible
Social, Email, Etc.
Identify our
target audiences
Outreach & Authoritative Guest Posting

51. Sample Authoritative Guest Post

52. Sample Authoritative Guest Post

53. Achievements to date:
4,388% increase in Facebook “likes”
Website Referral Traffic Increased 91%
31 blog posts
Avg. domain authority is 47 (avg. blogger is 30)
100’s of social posts by social influencers
promoting NutriPro Juicer
16 of top 30 referrals came from bloggers
Picked up in Health Magazine
Goal:
Increase brand
awareness and create
online buzz for new
product via blogger
outreach
Built very strong
professional
foundation across
all social channels.
Case Study: Blogger Outreach