AMA Atlanta Marketing Series: SEO 101 with Stephanie Wallace

WelcomeAMA Atlanta Marketing Series:

SEO 101

Stephanie WallaceSenior Director, SEONebo Agency

Stephanie helps clients navigate the ever-changing world of SEO by understanding their audience and creating a digital experience that both the user and Google can appreciate. She oversees strategic planning, development, and implementation of all search engine optimization campaigns. During her tenure with Nebo, Stephanie has worked with a wide range of brands in different verticals, such as Georgia Tech, Gas South, Arrow Exterminators, Post Properties and Belgard.

AMA Atlanta Marketing Series: SEO 101

Search Engine Optimization 101

Introductions What is SEO? History of SEO How Search Engines Work Best Practices Process Emerging Trends

Agenda

Welcome & Introductions

About Me

Senior Director, Search Engine Optimization at Nebo

• Career agency marketer

• Human centered approach

• Download the presentation: http://bit.ly/2omMXJ7

• Twitter: @SWallaceSEO

Stephanie Wallace

Human-Centered Digital Experiences

Buyer Journey Marketing Campaigns

What is SEO?

SEO is the process of optimizing a website to appear higher, naturally in the search engine results pages

There are three primary tenets:

• On-Page • Technical • Off-Page

What is SEO?

SEO allows people to find your product or service in the organic search results.

SEO is sustainable and helps your business grow, allowing you to efficiently reach existing and new audiences.

Why is SEO Important?

The History of SEO

Ranking Factors

It was easy to game the system.

What did this lead to?

Search engines had to change.

SEO has evolved.

What’s worked in the past…

Doesn’t anymore.

It’s a new world.

With a new buyer journey.

Modern Buyer Journey

Over 3.5 billion searches per day on Google.

of business purchases start with search

92%

3%of all clicks in Google go to ads

of searches result in an organic click

62%

Google’s goal?

RELEVANCE.

How Search Engines Work

Crawling & Indexing

Google’s priority is relevance and providing the best answer for the user.

The more popular and relevant a site, the more valuable the information must be.

Providing Answers

Ranking Factors

Google evaluates over 200 ranking factors, each weighted differently.

SEO Best Practices

On-page SEO focuses on optimizing the content and semantic markup of the site based on keyword themes that convey relevance and authority.

Unique MetadataBot Accessible

Shareable

Accessible Across Devices

Keyword Optimized

Unique & Valuable

Optimized Pages

On-Page SEO Best Practices

Technical SEO ensures there is a sound technical foundation in place so that the site is easily crawlable and accessible to search engines.

Indexation is paramount to ensuring success of SEO campaigns.

Technical SEO Best Practices

Every link or reference online counts as an endorsement for your website or brand.

Off-page SEO is the process of generating quality and relevant endorsements that lead to a greater perceived authority.

Off-Page SEO Best Practices

Your Site

What’s with “best practices”?

Search engines change…

A LOT.

What should work doesn’t always work.

SEO is constantly evolving.

RELEVANCE is paramount.

Questions?

Process

On-Page SEO

Keyword Research

The goal is to rank for the appropriate terms that will drive qualified traffic.

Identify appropriate keyword themes based on what your target audience is searching for, user intent and competition.

Audience Language

Keyword themes should be determined based on the language used by your target audience and research on preferred phrasing in search engines.

Query Intent

In addition to understanding the variations in user language, it is important to consider the way a search engine determines the intent behind a query.

“what is SEO” “SEO agency”

Long Tail Keywords

Long tail keywords have lower average search volume, however, in aggregate, these long tail keywords typically account for 70% of searches and are an important component of a keyword strategy.

Balance Volume & Intent

Rather than simply build a keyword map around the phrases with the most searches, Nebo crafts keyword strategies to speak to users at each phase of the buyer journey.

Keyword Monthly Volume Intent

digital marketing agency 22,200 low

seo agency atlanta 140 medium

nebo agency 80 high

Keyword Mapping

Based on these qualitative assessments of user intent and language, coupled with analysis of search engine results pages (SERPs), keywords are mapped to pages and sections of the website.

Keyword Theme: Homepage

Nebo Brand Terms

Digital Marketing Agency Terms

Human-Centered Terms

Keyword Mapping

Based on these qualitative assessments of user intent and language, coupled with analysis of search engine results pages (SERPs), keywords are mapped to pages and sections of the website.

Metadata

Using the defined keyword themes craft optimized and unique metadata to describe each page on the site.

Metadata: Title Tags

The title tag is the most important on-page SEO factor and is used in search engine results pages to display the page title.

Google displays approximately 50-60 characters or 512 pixels.

Code Sample

Optimal Format

Metadata: Description

Meta descriptions, while not a direct ranking factor, are extremely important at driving click-throughs from organic search results.

Code Sample

Optimal Format

On-Page Content

Create relevant site content that provides value while reinforcing keyword themes.

Leverage appropriate content markup such as Headlines (H1, H2, etc.) and image alt tags.

Unique Metadata Bot Accessible

Shareable

Accessible Across Devices

Keyword Optimized

Unique & Valuable

Optimized Pages

On-Page Content

On-Page Checklist

• Use descriptive, clean and short URLs

• Leverage priority keywords in title tag

• Leverage H1 tag on page title

• Leverage meta descriptions on priority pages

• Create unique & valuable content

• Optimize subheadings with H2, H3, etc. tags

• Leverage internal links to relevant pages

• Utilize image alt tags • Utilize social sharing

buttons as appropriate

On-Page Research Tools

Google AdWords Keyword Tool

Google Trends

KeywordTool.io

Answer the Public

Soovle

Ubersuggest Keyword Tool

AHREFs

Technical SEO

Technical Considerations

When search engines can't effectively crawl a website and access relevant content, rankings suffer.

Ensuring optimal crawlability & indexation is an ongoing effort.

Crawlability

It is imperative that a website can be crawled by search engine robots and that valuable content is accessible to users.

Creating internal linking structures and an appropriate hierarchy will ensure your website fully indexed by search engines.

Indexation

Which one is the original one??

Search engines are primarily concerned with the quality of the pages they are evaluating.

Identify any duplicate or extremely similar content being indexed.

Any page that offers no value add for the user should not be indexed.

Identify Low Quality Pages

Most often website owners do not intentionally create duplicate content.

However, some common causes of duplicate content include:

• URL Variations (such as parameters)

• HTTP vs. HTTPS • Scraped or Copied Content

User Experience

As search engines evolve they are constantly placing an increased emphasis on engagement metrics as a ranking factor that may impact the performance of a site.

User Experience!Usability!

Value!

Credibility!

Accessibility!

Desirable!

Functionality!

Design!

Additional Considerations

• Robots.txt File • HTML Sitemap • XML Sitemap • HTTPS Protocol • Page Speed • Structured Data Markup • Meta Robots Tags • Canonical Tags

If I can’t find or access a page then it will not be

indexed and users cannot find it organically.

Blocked via Robots.txt

Technical Checklist

• Check Google’s index with site:domain.com

• Ensure important resources are crawlable

• Remove duplicate pages • Prevent indexation of low

quality pages • Utilize secure protocols

whenever possible

• Correct broken links • Remove internal redirects • Keep sitemaps up to date • Ensure there are no

orphan pages • Optimize page speed • Optimize for mobile users • Always use 301-redirects

Technical Optimization Tools

Screaming Frog

Google Search Console

Structured Data Testing Tool

Schema.org

Bing Webmaster Tools

Off-Page SEO

Off-Page Strategy

The more quality, relevant links and references a website receives the more authoritative they are perceived by search engines.

The goal is to increase domain authority and digital visibility by gaining quality off-page references.

The focus should be on building authentic relationships with consumers and positioning your brand as a thought leader.

Building Domain Authority

Strategies & Tactics

Off-Page SEO!

Content Marketing!

Blog!

Video Assets!

Public Relations!

Social Media!

Online Reviews!

Local Listings!

Boost online presence with local optimization on site, local business listings, and reviews & ratings.

Local listings should reinforce name, address and phone number in order to help search engines understand local relevance.

Local SEO

Off-Page Checklist

• Do an inbound link audit of your site to check for spam

• Review competitor link acquisition strategies

• Research existing inbound links to discover proven tactics

• Integrate with internal PR efforts

• Evaluate events, conferences, trade shows, etc. for opportunities

• Research company partnerships that may be leveraged online

Off-Page Optimization Tools

AHREFs

Open Site Explorer

Majestic

SEMrush

Search Operator - link:yourdomain.com

And that…

Questions?

Emerging Trends

Mobile First IndexGoogle is testing a mobile first index now, with plans to launch the mobile first index in 2017.

This is not a second index, but a different approach to indexation entirely.

There will no longer be “mobile friendly” adjustments done just for mobile users.

Knowledge Graph

Google’s Knowledge Graph serves as a way to directly answer a question without forcing a user to click through to a website.

Knowledge Graph results are increasingly prevalent with instant answers, people also ask boxes, list carousels, brand panels and disambiguation boxes.

Optimizing for Voice Search

A featured snippet — also known as a "direct answer" — is a summary answer to a searcher's question that Google shows in a special block at the top of its SERP. In response to voice searches Google often reads the answer starting with, “According to [Your Site Name]” - creating a huge branding opportunity.

Accelerated Mobile Pages

After wide-spread adoption, Google will be integrating AMP into the primary search results pages.

AMP design and compatibility should be a consideration, at least for specific sections of a website, if organic traffic from Google represents a significant amount of total visits.

Progressive Web Apps

Progressive Web Apps are user experiences that have the reach of the web, and are reliable, fast and engaging.

They use modern web capabilities to deliver an app-like user experience.

This new level of quality allows PWAs to earn a place on a user's home screen.

Essential Tools

Google Analytics

Screaming Frog

Search Console

Keyword Planner

AHREFs

Questions?

Thank YouTo learn more or for any questions, please contact:

Stephanie Wallace Senior Director, Search Engine Optimization 404.885.1201 [email protected]