Introduction to SEO Steve Burge December 5th, 2008

Request Connect to the internet if you can (or look over someone else’s shoulder)

Connect to the internet if you can

(or look over someone else’s shoulder)

The Point of this Class SEO Misconceptions

SEO Misconceptions

Two Classes 10.00 Class : General SEO Introduction 3.00 Class : Joomla SEO Introduction

10.00 Class : General SEO Introduction

3.00 Class : Joomla SEO Introduction

7 Reasons Your Traffic Sucks New site Uninteresting content Not accessible to Google Duplicate content Shady tactics Not using best practices Not targeting keywords

New site

Uninteresting content

Not accessible to Google

Duplicate content

Shady tactics

Not using best practices

Not targeting keywords

#1 New Site Problem : 95% of email is spam and 50% of websites are spam. Trust is built, not given. Buying old domains is a good idea for valuable sites.

Problem : 95% of email is spam and 50% of websites are spam.

Trust is built, not given.

Buying old domains is a good idea for valuable sites.

#1 New Site Site age is up to 15% of rankings:

Site age is up to 15% of rankings:

#1 New Site Task for you guys: How old is your site? What would your perfect domain name be?

Task for you guys:

How old is your site?

What would your perfect domain name be?

#2 Boring Content Search engines want to show what people want to read. Who is my audience? Am I making them happy?

Search engines want to show what people want to read.

Who is my audience?

Am I making them happy?

#2 Boring Content Search engines want to show what people want to read. “ We offer solutions” “ A wide range of services” “ Satisfied customers”

Search engines want to show what people want to read.

“ We offer solutions”

“ A wide range of services”

“ Satisfied customers”

#2 Boring Content Web is a billboard, not a novel:

Web is a billboard, not a novel:

#3 Hidden Content Flash? Text in images? Text in Javascript? Task for you guys: Head to www.seo-browser.com

Flash?

Text in images?

Text in Javascript?

Task for you guys:

Head to www.seo-browser.com

#4 Duplicate Content Task for you guys: Take a 5-word phrase from your site and Google it: Does it appear more than once on your site? Does it appear on other sites?

Task for you guys:

Take a 5-word phrase from your site and Google it:

Does it appear more than once on your site?

Does it appear on other sites?

#5 Shady Tactics Purchased links Hidden text Swapping links on a page called “Link Exchange” Spamming forums, comments, trackbacks

Purchased links

Hidden text

Swapping links on a page called “Link Exchange”

Spamming forums, comments, trackbacks

#6 Not using best practices Simple, unique titles Good descriptions Keyword-rich URLs Notice what’s not here : H1 tags, site maps, keyword density

Simple, unique titles

Good descriptions

Keyword-rich URLs

Notice what’s not here :

H1 tags, site maps, keyword density

#6 Not using best practices Simple, unique titles Around 65 characters Use Descriptive Phrases

Simple, unique titles

Around 65 characters

Use Descriptive Phrases

#6 Not using best practices 2) Good descriptions 160 Characters Include your keywords and keyphrases

2) Good descriptions

160 Characters

Include your keywords and keyphrases

#6 Not using best practices Do you like these?

Do you like these?

#6 Not using best practices Task for you guys: Write a title description for your homepage.

Task for you guys:

Write a title description for your homepage.

#6 Not using best practices 3) Keyword-rich URLs Task for you guys: What’s wrong with this URL? mysite.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=1

3) Keyword-rich URLs

Task for you guys:

What’s wrong with this URL?

mysite.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=74&Itemid=1

#6 Not using best practices 3) Keyword-rich URLs Search engines analyze your URLs for keywords SEF URLs avoid having more than URL for the same page They are human readable

3) Keyword-rich URLs

Search engines analyze your URLs for keywords

SEF URLs avoid having more than URL for the same page

They are human readable

#7 Not targeting keywords Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche, Niche

#7 Not targeting keywords Task for you guys: Narrow down these website topics: Web design Movies Sports

Task for you guys:

Narrow down these website topics:

Web design

Movies

Sports

#7 Not Targeting Keywords Task for you guys: Write a 4-word slogan for your site

Task for you guys:

Write a 4-word slogan

for your site

#7 Not targeting keywords Keyword research: Your own analytics - what are people using to find your site now? Google's keyword tool: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal Keyword Discovery: http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html

Keyword research:

Your own analytics - what are people using to find your site now?

Google's keyword tool: https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Keyword Discovery: http://www.keyworddiscovery.com/search.html

Questions