WEB DESIGN APPLICATIONS Ahsan uddin Shan School of Film & Media Studies Ngee Ann Polytechnic Week 7: SEO Search engine optimization

Objectives What is a Search Engine? Examples of popular Search Engines Why is Search Engine marketing important? What is a SEO/SEM? SEO strategy Ranking factors

What is a Search Engine?

Examples of popular Search Engines

Why is Search Engine marketing important?

What is a SEO/SEM?

SEO strategy

Ranking factors

What’s an SEO? Refers to the process of “optimizing” both the on-page and off-page ranking factors in order to achieve high search engine what you see on the web page complete URL, the domain name, the page name, the page name extension SEO is t he act of modifying a website to increase its ranking in organic (vs paid), crawler-based listings of search engines

Refers to the process of “optimizing” both the on-page and off-page ranking factors in order to achieve high search engine

what you see on the web page

complete URL, the domain name, the page name, the page name extension

SEO is t he act of modifying a website to increase its ranking in organic (vs paid), crawler-based listings of search engines

Optimization generally refers to the work you can do for Search Engines Directories, like Yahoo operate under very different guidelines What’s an SEO?

Optimization generally refers to the work you can do for Search Engines

Directories, like Yahoo operate under very different guidelines

What is search engine marketing ( SEM )? SEM is t he act of marketing a website via search engines by purchasing paid listings Paid lisitng [google > ipl]

SEM is t he act of marketing a website via search engines by purchasing paid listings

Paid lisitng [google > ipl]

What are paid listings? These are listings that search engines sell to advertisers, usually through paid placement In contrast, organic listings are not sold Paid placement allows you to pay for special placement Recommended: Yahoo Sponsored Link, Google AdWords

These are listings that search engines sell to advertisers, usually through paid placement

In contrast, organic listings are not sold

Paid placement allows you to pay for special placement

Recommended: Yahoo Sponsored Link, Google AdWords

Search Engine Marketing? Includes: Search Engine Optimization Search engine optimization (SEO) - no cost per click Paid Inclusion Pay Per Click (PPC)

Includes:

Search Engine Optimization

Search engine optimization (SEO) - no cost per click

Paid Inclusion

Pay Per Click (PPC)

SEO vs. SEM & PPC

SEO vs. SEM & PPC SEO SEM/PPC Pros Free (not including resources) Searchers click on organic search results more often than paid PPC links Excellent at creating awareness quickly quick search Cons Time consuming Takes longer to see results Can be pricey ($25-$100,000 a month) Must be managed constantly (daily/weekly)

Free (not including resources)

Searchers click on organic search results more often than paid PPC links

Excellent at creating awareness quickly

quick search

Time consuming

Takes longer to see results

Can be pricey ($25-$100,000 a month)

Must be managed constantly (daily/weekly)

Why SEO is important? Drive customers to your website Increase sales leads from customers looking for their products and services Build your brand online Increase profile against your competitors Target a global audience via international search engines

Drive customers to your website

Increase sales leads from customers looking for their products and services

Build your brand online

Increase profile against your competitors

Target a global audience via international search engines

How do organic search listings work? A spider or crawler which is a component of a SE gathers listings by automatically "crawling" the web The spider follows links to web pages, makes copies of the pages and stores them in the SE’s index Based on this data, the SE then indexes the pages and ranks the websites Major SEs that index pages using spiders: Google, Altavista, Msn, Aol, lycos

A spider or crawler which is a component of a SE gathers listings by automatically "crawling" the web

The spider follows links to web pages, makes copies of the pages and stores them in the SE’s index

Based on this data, the SE then indexes the pages and ranks the websites

Major SEs that index pages using spiders: Google, Altavista, Msn, Aol, lycos

SEO strategies/techniques

SEO strategies/techniques: Domain name strategies Choose a domain name that will increase your search engine ranking. How? Simple, short, no hyphens, no numbers

Choose a domain name that will increase your search engine ranking. How?

Simple, short, no hyphens, no numbers

How to increase links: good content good outbound/inbound links target a list of sites from which you can request inbound links The link’s anchor text is very important Should contain relevant keywords SEO strategies/techniques: links

How to increase links:

good content

good outbound/inbound links

target a list of sites from which you can request inbound links

The link’s anchor text is very important

Should contain relevant keywords

SEO strategies/techniques: Use the Description Glacier Bay Highlights - Alaskan Glacier Bay Cruise Save up to $300 per cabin - ends 3/31/08! This Alaskan Glacier Bay cruise itinerary is a perfect shorter getaway cruise in the beautiful remote wilderness of Alaska's ... www.sunstonetours.com/alaska/itins/cw_ GlacierBay Highlights.asp - 32k - Cached - Similar pages <title>Glacier Bay Highlights - Alaskan Glacier Bay Cruise</title> <meta name=&quot;description&quot; content=&quot;Save up to $300 per cabin - ends 3/31/08! This Alaskan Glacier Bay cruise itinerary is a perfect shorter getaway cruise in the beautiful remote wilderness of Alaska's Inside Passage. Experience the true meaning of wonder in the soaring sanctuary of Glacier Bay National Park.&quot;> =

SEO strategies/techniques: Content / Body Text

SEO strategies/techniques: HTML Headings <h#> Include primary or supporting keywords in your highest heading tag (<h1>) Place supporting keywords in these heading tags <h2> … <h6> Use CSS to format the look of standard HTML headings

Include primary or supporting keywords in your highest heading tag (<h1>)

Place supporting keywords in these heading tags

<h2> … <h6>

Use CSS to format the look of standard HTML headings

SEO strategies/techniques: Emphasizing Keywords Emphasize text & keywords to show search engines & users that “this is important” to the theme of the page. Use <strong> for bold Use <em> for emphasize Do not use <b> or <i> (outdated/obsolete) Only emphasize short segments of words (1-4 words)

Emphasize text & keywords to show search engines & users that “this is important” to the theme of the page.

Use <strong> for bold

Use <em> for emphasize

Do not use <b> or <i> (outdated/obsolete)

Only emphasize short segments of words (1-4 words)

SEO strategies/techniques: Images Give your images descriptive filename Use the alt attribute to provide information about the image Short description of image Include keywords where it makes sense

Give your images descriptive filename

Use the alt attribute to provide information about the image

Short description of image

Include keywords where it makes sense

keywords are words that appear the most in a page used by searchers to find information Best don’t use comma to separate at least 100 words SEO strategies/techniques: Key words

keywords are words that appear the most in a page used by searchers to find information

Best don’t use comma to separate

at least 100 words

Keyword Discovery Known keywords Ask the client Ask the customers Check the current server logs or analytics tool Check the site search logs Competitor’s keywords Look at the words in the <title> tag / browser bar View source to view their META keywords

Known keywords

Ask the client

Ask the customers

Check the current server logs or analytics tool

Check the site search logs

Competitor’s keywords

Look at the words in the <title> tag / browser bar

View source to view their META keywords

Keyword Discovery & Analysis Always include variations of keywords Plurals (widgets, churches) Synonyms (cruise, sail, journey, tour) Stems (fish, fishing) International spelling differences (Harbor /Harbour)

Always include variations of keywords

Plurals (widgets, churches)

Synonyms (cruise, sail, journey, tour)

Stems (fish, fishing)

International spelling differences (Harbor /Harbour)

Keyword Discovery & Analysis Online Tools Created for PPC, used for SEO as well Tools Google Adwords Keywords Tool Trellian (free trial) WordTracker (free trial) SEOBook SEOTool Keyword Suggestion Tool Use multiple tools to cross-check & validate findings in other tools

Online Tools

Created for PPC, used for SEO as well

Tools

Google Adwords Keywords Tool

Trellian (free trial)

WordTracker (free trial)

SEOBook SEOTool Keyword Suggestion Tool

Use multiple tools to cross-check & validate findings in other tools

The first thing that a search engine displays on a search return Every single web page should have its own title tag - you can use up to 65 characters eg Ebay http://www.ebay.com/ SEO strategies/techniques: title page

The first thing that a search engine displays on a search return

Every single web page should have its own title tag - you can use up to 65 characters eg Ebay http://www.ebay.com/

Code example: <title> Rubber Widgets – Largest Selection of Rubber Widgets </title> Dreamweaver : SEO strategies/techniques: title

Code example:

<title> Rubber Widgets – Largest Selection of Rubber Widgets </title>

Dreamweaver :

Meta tags placed in <head> portion of page Meta description tags SEO strategies/techniques: meta tags Variations: <meta name=“robots&quot; content=“index,follow&quot; /> <meta name=“robots&quot; content=“noindex,nofollow&quot; /> <meta name=“robots&quot; content=“noindex,follow&quot; /> <meta name=“robots&quot; content=“index,nofollow&quot; />

Meta tags placed in <head> portion of page

Meta description tags

Variations:

<meta name=“robots&quot; content=“index,follow&quot; />

<meta name=“robots&quot; content=“noindex,nofollow&quot; />

<meta name=“robots&quot; content=“noindex,follow&quot; />

<meta name=“robots&quot; content=“index,nofollow&quot; />

A short description Include keywords in your alt tags SEO strategies/techniques: alt tag

A short description

Include keywords in your alt tags

Submission Submit your website to SEs for indexing S ubmit your site to search engine directories, directory sites and portal sites indexing takes 1 wk to 3 months

Submit your website to SEs for indexing

S ubmit your site to search engine directories, directory sites and portal sites

indexing takes 1 wk to 3 months

Major SEs to submit to: Altavista http://addurl.altavista.com/sites/addurl/newurl (Search engines that also use this database - Looksmart) The Open Directory Project (DMOZ) http://dmoz.org/add.html (Search engines that also use this database - Ask Jeeves, Lycos, Netscape ) Fast http://www.alltheweb.com/add_url.php (Search engines that also use this database - Lycos)

Altavista http://addurl.altavista.com/sites/addurl/newurl (Search engines that also use this database - Looksmart)

The Open Directory Project (DMOZ) http://dmoz.org/add.html (Search engines that also use this database - Ask Jeeves, Lycos, Netscape )

Fast http://www.alltheweb.com/add_url.php (Search engines that also use this database - Lycos)

Google http://www.google.com/addurl.html (Search engines that also use this database - Yahoo) Inktomi http://submitit.bcentral.com/msnsubmit.htm (Search engines that also use this database - AOL, Excite, MSN, Overture) MSN http://submitit.bcentral.com/msnsubmit.htm Yahoo http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest Major SEs to submit to:

Google http://www.google.com/addurl.html (Search engines that also use this database - Yahoo)

Inktomi http://submitit.bcentral.com/msnsubmit.htm (Search engines that also use this database - AOL, Excite, MSN, Overture)

MSN http://submitit.bcentral.com/msnsubmit.htm

Yahoo http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest

SEO - what is NOT recommended Flash and shockwave - spiders do not pick up these files Image only sites - spiders do not pick up images Image maps - s piders cannot read image maps.

Flash and shockwave - spiders do not pick up these files

Image only sites - spiders do not pick up images

Image maps - s piders cannot read image maps.

SEO - what is NOT recommended Frames - only one page can be titled (titling is critical in search rankings) If the spider cannot read the complete page (because of the frames), it will not be indexed properly. Some spiders may not even read a frames web site Password protected pages – spiders cannot enter password protected pages

Frames - only one page can be titled (titling is critical in search rankings)

If the spider cannot read the complete page (because of the frames), it will not be indexed properly.

Some spiders may not even read a frames web site

Password protected pages – spiders cannot enter password protected pages

PDF files - can be problematic for spiders. Dynamic pages - s piders cannot index some content on pages using ASP, CGI or other dynamic languages. Drop down menus – spiders cannot read them SEO - what is NOT recommended

PDF files - can be problematic for spiders.

Dynamic pages - s piders cannot index some content on pages using ASP, CGI or other dynamic languages.

Drop down menus – spiders cannot read them

Resources Search Engine Relationships Bruce Clay’s Search Engine Relationship Chart Keyword Tools (online) Google AdWords: Keyword Tool Trellian Keyword Discovery Wordtracker SEOBook SEOTools Keyword Suggestion Tool Keyword Tools (client-based) Web CEO

Search Engine Relationships

Bruce Clay’s Search Engine Relationship Chart

Keyword Tools (online)

Google AdWords: Keyword Tool

Trellian Keyword Discovery

Wordtracker

SEOBook SEOTools Keyword Suggestion Tool

Keyword Tools (client-based)

Web CEO

Resources Analytics Google Analytics (Web-based - Free) Stat Counter (Web-based - Free) Mint (Web-based - Fee) Omniture (Web-based - Fee) Webtrends (Web-based – Fee) Monitoring Web CEO (Client-based – Trial/Fee) SEO Tool Rank Checker (Web-based – Free/Fee) SEO for Firefox (Browser-based) Google Toolbar (Browser-based)

Analytics

Google Analytics (Web-based - Free)

Stat Counter (Web-based - Free)

Mint (Web-based - Fee)

Omniture (Web-based - Fee)

Webtrends (Web-based – Fee)

Monitoring

Web CEO (Client-based – Trial/Fee)

SEO Tool Rank Checker (Web-based – Free/Fee)

SEO for Firefox (Browser-based)

Google Toolbar (Browser-based)

Resources Books Search Engine Marketing – Mike Moran & Bill Hunt Search Engine Optimization for Dummies – Peter Kent Building Findable Websites – Aaron Walter Search Marketing Strategies – James Colborn Web Analytics Demystified – Eric Peterson Web Metrics – Jim Sterne The Online Copywriter’s Handbook – Robert Bly

Books

Search Engine Marketing – Mike Moran & Bill Hunt

Search Engine Optimization for Dummies – Peter Kent

Building Findable Websites – Aaron Walter

Search Marketing Strategies – James Colborn

Web Analytics Demystified – Eric Peterson

Web Metrics – Jim Sterne

The Online Copywriter’s Handbook – Robert Bly

Resources Web Sites Search Engine Land SEOmoz Web Engine Watch Podcasts (search for these in iTunes or Google) Daily SearchCast SEO 101 Online Courses Lynda.com – Search Engine Optimization

Web Sites

Search Engine Land

SEOmoz

Web Engine Watch

Podcasts (search for these in iTunes or Google)

Daily SearchCast

SEO 101

Online Courses

Lynda.com – Search Engine Optimization