SEO involves optimizing websites to rank highly for relevant keywords in search engines. The goal is to generate organic or free traffic by sending proper signals to search engines like Google, which uses over 200 factors to determine rankings. Both SEO and paid search marketing (SEM) target keywords, but SEO focuses on inbound or earned links and content while SEM involves paying for clicks or impressions. Effective SEO strategies include keyword research, on-page optimization of content and code, building high-quality relevant links, local SEO for businesses, developing helpful content, and ongoing tracking and improvement based on analytics.

2. What is SEO?
• Acronym: Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
• Goal: Rank Organically For Specific Keywords
• Job: Optimize Site To Send Proper Signals to
major search engines
• Challenge: Google uses over 200 signals to
determine rankings

3. SEO vs. SEM
• Organic (earned/free) vs. Paid (pay per
click or pay per impressions)
• Both target keywords
• SEO = Inbound Marketing/Earned media

4. SEO vs. SEM
• Paid (SEM) is a great supplement to organic
– Users more likely to click when brand shows
up in paid and organic
• Downside to SEM: Price per click can get very
costly!
• SEM price driven by competition

6. Why SEO?
• Over 20 billion searches a month (US)
• Web Visible/Nielson Study:
– 82% used the Internet to find local businesses
– 80% researched product/service on the
Internet before buying

8. How Search Engines Work
• Index (collects, parses)
• Crawl (links are the
roadways) that spiders
crawl
• Store (lots of datacenters)
• Serve Relevant Results
(SERPs)

9. How Search Engines Rank
• Over 200 factors
– Basically by popularity
– Content + Links!
– Ranking Factors (SEOmoz)
• Relevance + Importance
– On Page (content on the site)
– Off Page (links + social)

10. How Search Engines Rank
• On Page
– Relevance: What is this page about?
– How Spiders See Your Site
– HTML Elements

11. How Search Engines Rank
Off Page
• Links
– Authority of Links
– Diversity of Links
– Anchor Text
– Follow/No Follow
• Social Signals
– Shares (by influencers)

12. How Users Search
1. Experience Need (often through friends/social
media)
2. Enter in query in Google
3. Browse for the best match
4. Click on result
5. Scan for solution
6. Narrow query if inadequate answer is found

13. What Should You Do?

14. Discovery/Strategy Process
1. Define Personas
1. Identify Who Needs Your Product/Service
2. Research Where They Hang Out Online
3. What Do They Share?
2. Perform Keyword Research
1. First Broad (2-3 words in query)
2. Narrow (focus on long tail)

15. Keyword Research
Tools
– Google Adwords
– Google Insights
– Google Trends
– Trellian Search Term Suggestion Tool
– Wordtracker
– Soolve (instant search suggestion tool)
– Ubersuggest

16. Keyword Research

17. Keyword Research

19. On Page (Foundation)
• Create accessible site for users and search
engines (HTML)
• Optimize on page for targeted keywords
– Juxseo
• Setup Analytics with Conversion Tracking
• Target Less Competitive Keywords Initially

20. Build Relationships (Links)
• Make friends
– In Person
– Social media
• Find link opportunities
– Guest posts
– Interesting content
– Key Research
– Data
– Tools

21. Local SEO
• Claim and Cleanup Local Citations
– Accurate data
– Correct category selection
– Complete listings
– Connect social (use location in Twitter bio)
– Use competition to find listings
– Forums with address

22. Local SEO
Tools for finding and managing citations
• GetListed.org
• Yext.com
• Whitespark.ca

24. Build Content Around Needs
• What issues does your audience face?
• Back to keyword research
• Track trends in your industry by following
blogs and grouping in RSS
– I use Feedly + Flipboard
• Analytics will tell you everything

25. Build Better Content
• Be aggregators/curators
• Repurpose good information
• Always link back to source and mention
• Build content that your audience shares
– Use Hipstafeed to check trending articles

26. Build Smarter Content
• Target keywords with low competition
• Build a content strategy to reach customers
experiencing a need
• Get “buy-in” from thought leaders before you
create the content
• Draw out influencers with content specifically for
them

27. Monitor, Track and Learn
Close attention to analytics

28. Monitor, Track and Learn
– How are people finding you?
– Which ones are converting?
– How can you provide content for more people
like that?

29. Your Sites

30. Permanent Baggage Content
– Time lapse of making an item
– Simple Handmade How To’s (think friendship
bracelet)
– Handmade blog – featuring guest artist
(friends/links)
– Infographic of handmade jewelry in US history

31. More Resources
• Beginner’s Guide to SEO
• Advanced Search Operators (for research)
• Open Site Explorer (analyzing links)
• Hubspot (learn inbound marketing)
• Hustle With Data
• Google Webmaster
• Schema

32. Questions?
@jonhainstock • @benbartling
tailwindcreative.com