Part of SEO Fundamentals.
Stanley Sarpong & Olju ManPunchlime Webinar.
Getting Started with SEO.
Updated December 2013
First, some facts.● Organic search results:
> 80% end users clicks
< 20% for sponsored ads (PPC)
● On Google SERPs: #1 gets 3.0x > clicks than #2
#2 gets 1.5x > clicks than #3
Source: Search Engine Journal & ComScore
Often heard.
“We have no budget to compete with the big guys.”
“I’m not getting enough sales.”
“How can I improve my ranking?”
“People can’t find us.”
Contents.
1. Scope
2. Prerequisites: Data Infrastructure
3. On-page optimization
4. Off-page linking
5. Resources
Ideal for people.
● Starting out with SEO
● Basic understanding of HTML
● Have content below 50 pages
● Hope to rank for a handful of related terms and need SEO infrastructure
Objectives.
● Quick wins to boost your sales and increase your visibility
● Framework for good SEO infrastructure
● Actionable tips to get started with basic SEO building
Verify site ownership.
Source: Google Webmaster Tools
Why verify? http://goo.gl/sa1ddW
Set up analytics.
Start measuring data even when you're not
ready to use it.
Every page should include.
● Unique title
● Unique meta description
● Descriptive anchor text for every link
● URL structure
● Unique content
● Image tags (if any images)
Title: Example.
<title>The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia</title>
Title.
● Displays in organic search results.
● General recommendations:○ Add relevant keyword(s)○ Should be unique○ Customize each title per landing
page
Meta description: Example.
<meta name="description" content="Find breaking news, multimedia, reviews & opinion on Washington, business, sports, movies, travel, books, jobs, education, real estate, cars & more.">
Meta description: Example 2.
<meta name="description" content="Monta is soccer legend Edgar Davids’ fashion label, offering inspirational urban styles for men, women and children around the world.">
Meta description.● Why should you use meta description?
○ Helps Google to understand what your
website is about and helps you with ranking
○ Helps your CTR on organic search
● Recommendations:
○ Use keywords intelligently
○ Write compelling description
○ Keep between 150-160 characters
Anchor text: Room for improvement.
For more information on our product specifications, click here.
Anchor text: Good example.
For more information, please read our product specifications.
URL Structure.
● Create a site structure with clear hierarchy and links
● Use descriptive URLs (words & hyphens)
● Use main and sub categories, for example:○ http://montasoccer.com/shop/○ http://montasoccer.com/shop/monta-sports/○ http://montasoccer.com/shop/monta-
sports/t-shirts
URL Structure: Sitelinks.
More info on sitelinks: http://goo.gl/bJufAV
Produce original content.
● Use relevant keywords naturally in your text.
● Include terms people would use to find your service/product (e.g., "street soccer shoes," not "athletic footwear")
Keyword research.
● Create list of keywords that you want to be ranked for and create content
● Research search terms through Google Adwords keywords tool
● Consider short tail and long tail keyword strategies
Images.
● Add an image alt tage to your photos to be found on Google Images
● Place ‘commercial’ keywords first● For instance: soccer shoes monta
<img alt="soccer shoes monta">
External link building.
● Gain authentic links● Get involved
○ Prioritize finding a potential community on existing forums, blogs, or social media sites.
○ Look for and reach out to the right target group to do guest blogging.
To rank well, provide an awesome service or product, then attract buzz: links, +1s, likes,
comments, shares, followers, retweets...
Social media marketing.You likely have limited resources. ● Think holistically: Create an identity on key sites,
participate, connect with users
● Focus your energy where your audience hangs out
● Leverage your authentic strengths○ CEO likes to tweet○ Salesperson enjoys Facebook○ Developer already on Google+
Tools.
● Google PageRank checker: Check your PageRank
● Open Site Explorer: Explore backlinks and anchor text
● PageSpeed tools: Improve your website speed
Webmaster and SEO resources.
Visit Webmaster Tools:
www.google.com/webmasters
Engage with SEO Community
www.moz.com
