An SEO Roadmap: How Communicators Can Leverage SEO Techniques to Drive Results. 2018 PRSA Georgia Annual Conference - Braving the New World This presentation teaches PR professionals about the critical role PR plays in contributing to SEO, and techniques that can be implemented immediately.

1. An SEO Road Map
How Communicators Can Leverage SEO
Techniques to Drive Results
@jennymunn
#BraveNewWorldPR18
Website: jennymunn.com

2. Agenda
How Does PR Contribute to SEO:
● SEO Overview
● Keywords Refresher
● On-Page Optimization
● Backlinks
● Social
● Tracking and Measuring
Wrap Up/Q&A

3. About Jenny: Search Marketing Consultant
2009
2018

4. How Does PR Contribute to SEO

5. SEO = the practice of making your content findable

6. Here’s Why SEO Is Such a Big Job
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
Here’s the challenge:
● Things you do to the WHOLE website
● Things you do to individual pages
○ Lots of small elements that add up to big results (image optimization,
formatting, sub-heads, etc.)
● Things you do off-site
● Lots of things out of your control
What it’s going to take is dependent upon 1) your industry 2) how big of a player are
you in your space 3) how strong and savvy your competition is

7. How Your Work Contributes to SEO
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
Your work can influence SEO greatly; BUT it’s not the
“end all be all” of SEO (over 200 factors). It’s important
you know:
● What are the ranking factors
● How to select keywords for your content
● How to integrate keywords
● The #1 easiest thing you can do today
● Carrying across your SEO strategy to off-site
channels and social media
● Backlinks and social media
● Tracking and measuring

8. Ranking Rules: 2 R’s
Relevancy:
● Google must inherently and automatically connect the query with the
implied and direct signals on your website
○ Topical Expertise, UX, Content, Schema, Google My Business, Mobile, SSL, Site
Speed
Reputation:
● If you’re not a leader offline in your niche, don’t expect to be one online
○ Social and Backlinks, Longevity and Historical Presence and Authority
SEO & PPC jennymunn.com

9. PR’s Contribution to SEO
SEMRush Ranking Factors Study

10. Keywords

11. It’s Not About You - It’s About THEM
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
Search Term Monthly Search
Count
Child learning center 320
daycare 33,100
preschool 33,100
Example 1:
“daycare” vs “child learning center”
Example 2:
“modular manufactured home” vs “trailer park”
Search Term Monthly Search
Count
Mobile homes 201,000
Trailer park 49,500
Modular manufactured
home
10

12. Keyword Mistakes
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
Sacrificing SEO for the sake of
cleverness and trying to pique
interest

13. Specificity and Personalization Rules
June 2017 Google

14. Favorite Keyword Research Tools
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
Free:
● Google Search Console
● Google Suggest and “Searches related to…”
● Keywordtool.io
● WordStream’s Free Keyword Tool
● Google Trends
● Answer the Public
● Google Keyword Planner

15. Keywordtool.io

16. Answer the Public
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

17. Favorite Keyword Research Tools
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
Premium:
● SEMRush and Moz

18. Keywords: Actionable Takeaways
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
● No more making up keywords or getting too creative. Do
so at the peril of missed opportunities
● Jump on top of trends in your industry: not adopting a
“what’s next” mindset:
example, “bulletproof backpacks”
15% of searches each day on Google are brand new (Google)
● Take advantage of every piece of content you produce
(every URL is its own opportunity to rank)

19. Optimizing Content

20. On-Page Optimization in 2018
User Experience &
Engagement
● Quality, valuable copy that
informs and persuades
● Fast
● Modern design (look & feel)
● Media (images, videos)
● Formatting
● Internal links, CTAs
SEO Elements
● Title tag and meta description
● Headings (H1s, H2s, H3s)
● Image optimization (alt tag
and image file name)
● URL
● Word Count
● Keyword usage (semantics)
● Overall site authority
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

21. On-Page SEO: Where Do Keywords Go?
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn
Source: Moz
https://backlinko.com/o
n-page-seo
https://linchpinseo.com
/on-page-seo/
https://www.semrush.c
om/blog/content-optimi
zation-list-blogging-for-
people-and-search-en
gines/

22. Content That Ranks Well
● Data shows pages that rank higher have longer content on average
● More important than content length: quality, relevance, and
personalization to your audience
● Rule of thumb: valuable, well-written, optimized
● Narrower topics - more in-depth view is favored
SEMRush Ranking Factors Study
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

23. Low Hanging Fruit: Headlines Makeover
● High CTR - it’s kind of a big deal
● Dependent on the medium: website, SEO, social, video, press
release, etc.
● Tips:
○ Don’t keyword stuff
○ Priority determines clarity or intrigue
○ Thin BLAH content is an affliction and epidemic
○ Spark emotion
Hat Tip: Moz’s WBF
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

24. Headlines Makeover: Title Tag vs Heading
SEO Roadmap for Communicators
@jennymunn
SEO title tag:
John Baldessari Retrospective at
Metropolitan Museum - The New
York Times
Article headline:
Tweaking Tradition, Even in Its
Temple
Source: wyliecomm.com

25. Buzzsumo: Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

26. Optimizing for Mobile SEO
● Mobile First Indexing
● AMP
● Page Speed is Critical
● Content
○ Include media
○ Internal links
○ “Snackable” content
○ Concise does not mean “short” or
“dumbed down”
● Content diversification
Image Credit: Think with Google

27. Seasonality Matters
● Keywords that drive traffic all year
round vs. seasonal
○ Back to School
○ Parent Conference Week
● Develop a Calendar and Plan
Ahead
○ People Research EARLY!
http://www.holidayinsights.com
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

28. SEO 2018 Best
Practices:
Social and Backlinks

29. How Off-Page Contributes to Successful SEO
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

30. Backlinks
● The most overwhelming
tactic for SEO
● Not all backlinks are created
equal
● Quality not quantity
● Philosophy: It doesn’t hurt to
ask
● Follow Up Is Key: “70% of the
links we earn are through
follow up emails”
● Easy 2018 win: Podcasts
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

31. Backlink Example from a Press Release
Reminder: The value of
press releases is in the
placement not the
release itself
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

32. Favorite Backlink Tools
● Google Search Console
○ For YOUR site
● SEMRush and Moz OSE
○ For competitor sites and
your site
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

33. Social SEO: Indirect Ranking Signals
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

34. Social Media Optimization
Amplifies discovery, content and message - results in:
● Driving traffic to your site
● Community will engage and share
● Increases chances of backlinks
● Another place for discovery
● Tweets are indexable
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

35. Bypassing Google: Social as a Search Engine
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

36. Tracking and Measuring

37. Tracking and Reporting: Show Your Value
“Next level” is:
1. being able to attribute
results
2. show the VALUE and
steady progress
towards a mutually
defined goal.
Knowing where to look is
half the battle.

38. Google Analytics & Google Search Console
GA Gives you website data:
● Website traffic by channels
● Most popular pages
● Device
● Total visits, time on page, etc.
GSC gives you SEO data:
● Top SEO Keywords
● Top SEO Landing Pages
● Backlinks
SEO Roadmap for Communicators @jennymunn

39. Wrap Up/Q&A
Thank you!
@jennymunn
#BraveNewWorldPR18
Email:
jenny@jennymunn.com
Website:
jennymunn.com