When SEO Met SEM : All you need to know about search engine optimization and marketing 101 Presented by: Tamera Kremer Wildfire Strategic Marketing June 8, 2009

AGENDA Why is search engine prominence important? Pay-per-click advertising 101 Basics of building a campaign in Google AdWords Search Engine Optimization 101 Social Media Optimization 101

Why is search engine prominence important?

Pay-per-click advertising 101

Basics of building a campaign in Google AdWords

Search Engine Optimization 101

Social Media Optimization 101

Over 15 billion searches are performed every month in North America. ~ ComScore 2009 Do you show up?

Why is search engine prominence important? Primary means of content dissemination Brand awareness Self-directed vs. spray & pray Content targeted to intent Accessibility

Primary means of content dissemination

Brand awareness

Self-directed vs. spray & pray

Content targeted to intent

Accessibility

Learning the Basics… Search is fluid, not static Best practices to follow but lots of different variables – deep field

Search is fluid, not static

Best practices to follow but lots of different variables – deep field

PPC - Search Engine Marketing 101

What is PPC? Pay-Per-Click advertising Targeted text ads (historically) shown when people search for a particular keyword or phrase Bid-based vs flat fee or CPM Big 3: Google; Yahoo!; Microsoft

Pay-Per-Click advertising

Targeted text ads (historically) shown when people search for a particular keyword or phrase

Bid-based vs flat fee or CPM

Big 3: Google; Yahoo!; Microsoft

How does Google AdWords work? Google PPC web interface & tools Sign-up @ adwords.google.com Enter Campaign & Ad Groups Choose keywords Input creative & destination URL Set bid prices & daily budget Insert analytics code onto website pages to track Set goals Begin campaign – ads display when activated

Google PPC web interface & tools

Sign-up @ adwords.google.com

Enter Campaign & Ad Groups

Choose keywords

Input creative & destination URL

Set bid prices & daily budget

Insert analytics code onto website pages to track

Set goals

Begin campaign – ads display when activated

Getting Started Building a Campaign Keyword Research Competitive Research Search Ad Copywriting Landing Pages Analytics Budget & Bid Prices Implementation Optimization & Testing

Keyword Research

Competitive Research

Search Ad Copywriting

Landing Pages

Analytics

Budget & Bid Prices

Implementation

Optimization & Testing

Getting Started: Keyword Research Brainstorm terms related to your industry/ mission Find inspiration in your current marketing copy Research your competition Check your analytics for terms driving traffic Use social media to help inform Use keyword tools to refine & expand Choose negative keywords – searches you DON’T want your ad displayed on

Brainstorm terms related to your industry/ mission

Find inspiration in your current marketing copy

Research your competition

Check your analytics for terms driving traffic

Use social media to help inform

Use keyword tools to refine & expand

Choose negative keywords – searches you DON’T want your ad displayed on

Examples of keyword research tools https:// adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal http:// freekeywords.wordtracker.com / http:// searchanalytics.compete.com/site_referrals / http://adlab.microsoft.com/Keyword-Research.aspx http:// www.wordtracker.com/index.html

https:// adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

http:// freekeywords.wordtracker.com /

http:// searchanalytics.compete.com/site_referrals /

http://adlab.microsoft.com/Keyword-Research.aspx

http:// www.wordtracker.com/index.html

Competitive Research Take stock of the presence your competitors have on search engines what keywords do they rank highly for organically and you don’t? What search terms are they targeting for PPC buys?

Take stock of the presence your competitors have on search engines

what keywords do they rank highly for organically and you don’t?

What search terms are they targeting for PPC buys?

Getting Started: Search Ad Copywriting Components of a Google AdWords search text ad Headline (25 characters) Body Copy (35 characters x 2 lines) URL (vanity & destination) Copy that is direct response oriented & relevant to the keyword performs the best You have seconds to grab attention, motivate interest and action Develop at least 2-3 ads to start and test response and performance across keywords; modify/ refine

Components of a Google AdWords search text ad

Headline (25 characters)

Body Copy (35 characters x 2 lines)

URL (vanity & destination)

Copy that is direct response oriented & relevant to the keyword performs the best

You have seconds to grab attention, motivate interest and action

Develop at least 2-3 ads to start and test response and performance across keywords; modify/ refine

AdWords creative examples Books at Amazon Millions of books , new and used Qualified orders over $39 ship free Amazon.ca/Books ________________________________ Books at Chapters Online Save 34% on books over $25 everyday Canada's bookstore. Free shipping. Chapters.indigo.ca

Books at Amazon

Millions of books , new and used

Qualified orders over $39 ship free

Amazon.ca/Books

________________________________

Books at Chapters Online

Save 34% on books over $25 everyday

Canada's bookstore. Free shipping.

Chapters.indigo.ca

Getting Started: Landing Pages Where are you directing users to after they click? Is the content relevant to what they searched for? All ads don’t need to direct to the same page What is your call-to-action? Consider using a tool like Google Optimizer to do split testing

Where are you directing users to after they click?

Is the content relevant to what they searched for?

All ads don’t need to direct to the same page

What is your call-to-action?

Consider using a tool like Google Optimizer to do split testing

Getting Started: Analytics What can analytics teach you? Topics/ content / patterns Terminology Traffic sources Intent Link Google Analytics to your campaign even if you’re using a different vendor to track goals and conversions

What can analytics teach you?

Topics/ content / patterns

Terminology

Traffic sources

Intent

Link Google Analytics to your campaign even if you’re using a different vendor to track goals and conversions

Getting Started: Budget & Bids Be careful with your keywords initially – some may be expensive but low value Test, monitor, test Minimum daily & monthly budget Individual pricing for specific keywords Adjust based on what’s working

Be careful with your keywords initially – some may be expensive but low value

Test, monitor, test

Minimum daily & monthly budget

Individual pricing for specific keywords

Adjust based on what’s working

Getting Started: Implementation “ New Campaign” Determine parameters Language Geo-location Content targeting? Networks & Devices (mobile, content, etc) Budget/ Focus Frequency capping Start/ end dates

“ New Campaign”

Determine parameters

Language

Geo-location

Content targeting?

Networks & Devices (mobile, content, etc)

Budget/ Focus

Frequency capping

Start/ end dates

Getting Started: Implementation cont. Set up Ad Groups Enter ad copy Enter keywords Use match types to refine: keyword = broad match "keyword" = match exact phrase [keyword] = match exact term only - keyword = don't match this term Input bid prices (can tweak later)

Set up Ad Groups

Enter ad copy

Enter keywords

Use match types to refine:

keyword = broad match

"keyword" = match exact phrase

[keyword] = match exact term only

- keyword = don't match this term

Input bid prices (can tweak later)

Getting Started: Implementation cont. Set up conversion tracking Simple step on Google – add tracking code to conversion page

Set up conversion tracking

Simple step on Google – add tracking code to conversion page

Getting Started: Optimization & Testing Look at the campaign from a 30k-ft view & a granular view Test creative against your control Refine your keywords / add keywords Watch your goals / traffic Adjust your bids Tweak your landing pages

Look at the campaign from a 30k-ft view & a granular view

Test creative against your control

Refine your keywords / add keywords

Watch your goals / traffic

Adjust your bids

Tweak your landing pages

What to watch out for Be relevant to intent or don’t bid Watch your conversions Quality Scores Continue to mine your analytics data Content targeting should relate to your goals

Be relevant to intent or don’t bid

Watch your conversions

Quality Scores

Continue to mine your analytics data

Content targeting should relate to your goals

Search Engine Optimization 101

What is SEO? Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of improving the volume or quality of traffic to a web site from search engines via "natural" ("organic" or "algorithmic") search results. ~ Wikipedia

What’s the benefit of being indexed by an engine? Primary source of finding information online Approx 70% of searches result in an “organic” listing click Approx 60% of the search results page real estate is comprised of “organic” listings Cost-effective traffic driver Interest-driven & self-segmented marketing

Primary source of finding information online

Approx 70% of searches result in an “organic” listing click

Approx 60% of the search results page real estate is comprised of “organic” listings

Cost-effective traffic driver

Interest-driven & self-segmented marketing

Things to consider for SEO What language do you speak? Internal jargonize or real people? SEO is as much about making the experience intuitive & valuable for users as it is for the engines The engines are constantly refining their algorithms to deliver highest relevance Trying to game the system is a very short-term tactic & will penalize you in the long run

What language do you speak? Internal jargonize or real people?

SEO is as much about making the experience intuitive & valuable for users as it is for the engines

The engines are constantly refining their algorithms to deliver highest relevance

Trying to game the system is a very short-term tactic & will penalize you in the long run

What does SEO mean in plain English? Content results based on merit and contextual relevance A long-term strategy for building influence online A way to distribute and promote deep content

Content results based on merit and contextual relevance

A long-term strategy for building influence online

A way to distribute and promote deep content

What can influence where you rank? Relevance of content Internal file & URL structure (crawlability) Consistency of information presented External links Meta information Brand credibility

Relevance of content

Internal file & URL structure (crawlability)

Consistency of information presented

External links

Meta information

Brand credibility

What are the basics of optimizing your website? Content, content, content… Relevant, useful & fresh. Page and file structure and architecture Meta data (Title, Image, Description, Keyword) URL/ domain strategy Anchor text Linking – internal Linking – external Accessibility/ Crawlability Redirects (301, 302) Site Map

Content, content, content… Relevant, useful & fresh.

Page and file structure and architecture

Meta data (Title, Image, Description, Keyword)

URL/ domain strategy

Anchor text

Linking – internal

Linking – external

Accessibility/ Crawlability

Redirects (301, 302)

Site Map

Working with your tech & creative teams Define your goals internally – don’t wait until the end of planning to discuss SEO Determine best practices before development begins Discuss the meta & domain strategies Determine what platform you will be using – who will be responsible for adding & refreshing content Ensure a long-term strategy is in place as additional content is added Before agreeing to a fancy Flash piece understand what that means for engine accessibility

Define your goals internally – don’t wait until the end of planning to discuss SEO

Determine best practices before development begins

Discuss the meta & domain strategies

Determine what platform you will be using – who will be responsible for adding & refreshing content

Ensure a long-term strategy is in place as additional content is added

Before agreeing to a fancy Flash piece understand what that means for engine accessibility

Content development Content drives the web Incorporate keywords as appropriate Don’t overstuff copy with keywords Think about the end user & what would interest them – tailor your content for them, not for you Use descriptive phrases to link out, don’t use generic terms like “Click here” Ensure your meta data matches what the contextual relevance is on your page

Content drives the web

Incorporate keywords as appropriate

Don’t overstuff copy with keywords

Think about the end user & what would interest them – tailor your content for them, not for you

Use descriptive phrases to link out, don’t use generic terms like “Click here”

Ensure your meta data matches what the contextual relevance is on your page

Social Media Optimization Enable others to share and discuss your content Allow comments Share content across social networks Typically your Meta information will port with the content (e.g. Title)

Enable others to share and discuss your content

Allow comments

Share content across social networks

Typically your Meta information will port with the content (e.g. Title)

Advanced Optimization Considerations Video/ Audio/ Flash Local search Content or site migration Multiple domains Firewalls/ subscriptions E-commerce Multi-variate testing Dynamic content Seasonality No-follow strategy

Video/ Audio/ Flash

Local search

Content or site migration

Multiple domains

Firewalls/ subscriptions

E-commerce

Multi-variate testing

Dynamic content

Seasonality

No-follow strategy

Additional Resources Search Engine Land - http:// searchengineland.com / Search Engine Watch - http:// searchenginewatch.com / Google Webmaster Help videos - http:// www.youtube.com/user/GoogleWebmasterHelp Wildfire Strategy Blog post - http://3i.wildfirestrategy.com/2008/11/24/seo-is-not-about-the-engines-its-about-the-people-using-the-engines/

Search Engine Land - http:// searchengineland.com /

Search Engine Watch - http:// searchenginewatch.com /

Google Webmaster Help videos - http:// www.youtube.com/user/GoogleWebmasterHelp

Wildfire Strategy Blog post - http://3i.wildfirestrategy.com/2008/11/24/seo-is-not-about-the-engines-its-about-the-people-using-the-engines/

Thank You! [email_address] www.wildfirestrategy.com www.twitter.com/tamera

Photo Credits http://www.flickr.com/photos/will-lion/2605894098/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/xavipat/3441238555/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/julienhery/505097377/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/will-lion/2605894098/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/xavipat/3441238555/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/julienhery/505097377/