SEO Secrets for Online Retailers Visit the companion blog to ask questions, share experiences or comment: www.getelastic.com/seo-secrets/ For live audio, please dial in: North America (605) 772-3434 United Kingdom 0870 352 0482 Access code 671-709-038

Today’s Panelists Jason Billingsley Co-founder & VP Marketing Elastic Path Software www.elasticpath.com Stephan Spencer Founder & President Netconcepts www.netconcepts.com

Google Listings – Your Virtual Sales Force Savvy retailers making 6-7 figures a month from natural listings Savvy MFA (Made for AdSense) site owners making 5-6 figures per month Most sites are not SE-friendly Google friendliness = friendly to other engines First calculate your missed opportunities

Savvy retailers making 6-7 figures a month from natural listings

Savvy MFA (Made for AdSense) site owners making 5-6 figures per month

Most sites are not SE-friendly

Google friendliness = friendly to other engines

First calculate your missed opportunities

So simple even a child can do it! $30/day with Google AdSense.

Not doing SEO (or doing it poorly)? 10,000/day x 60% x 10% x 5% x $100 = $3,000/day You are leaving money on the table! Calculate the missed opportunity cost of not ranking well for products you offer? # of people searching for your keywords Engine share: Google = 60% Expected click-through rate Average conversion rate Average order value

Key Research Findings Average merchant profile: 73,000 unique pages (210,000 indexed in Google) 14% yield search traffic Each page produced 2.4 keywords which yielded 1.9 visits/month 189,000 brand searches per month Total potential for unbranded keyword traffic exceeds 7,000,000 Nearly 40 unbranded searches for every brand search For large dynamic sites, nearly 100 searches for every unique page Research From Netconcepts study: The Long Tail of Natural Search Download it FREE from: www.netconcepts.com/long-tail-of-natural-search/

Average merchant profile:

73,000 unique pages (210,000 indexed in Google)

14% yield search traffic

Each page produced 2.4 keywords which yielded 1.9 visits/month

189,000 brand searches per month

Total potential for unbranded keyword traffic exceeds 7,000,000

Nearly 40 unbranded searches for every brand search

For large dynamic sites, nearly 100 searches for every unique page

Estimating Your Tail Multiply brand searches by a factor of 40 Eg. 100,000 brand x 40 = 4,000,000 unbranded searches Multiply pages of site by 100 searches per page/mo Eg. 100,000 pages x 100 = 10,000,000 unbranded searches

Multiply brand searches by a factor of 40 Eg. 100,000 brand x 40 = 4,000,000 unbranded searches

Multiply pages of site by 100 searches per page/mo Eg. 100,000 pages x 100 = 10,000,000 unbranded searches

Freeloaders are on Your Payroll Most merchants have 80%+ of their pages driving no search traffic Most don't even know this, or why it is a problem (no javascript based analytics package will tell them this either) It’s a red light that they lack a Long Tail of unbranded keyword traffic The # of searches for unbranded keywords is nearly 40x as great as searches for the brand name (put another way, 97x the # of pages onsite)

Most merchants have 80%+ of their pages driving no search traffic

Most don't even know this, or why it is a problem (no javascript based analytics package will tell them this either)

It’s a red light that they lack a Long Tail of unbranded keyword traffic

The # of searches for unbranded keywords is nearly 40x as great as searches for the brand name (put another way, 97x the # of pages onsite)

Secret #1: Improve Your Keyword Portfolio Tools to check popularity of keyword searches Overture’s Keyword Selector Tool http://inventory.overture.com WordTracker.com Trellian’s KeywordDiscovery.com Google’s Keyword Tool https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal Google Trends www.google.com/trends Google Suggest www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en

Tools to check popularity of keyword searches

Overture’s Keyword Selector Tool http://inventory.overture.com

WordTracker.com

Trellian’s KeywordDiscovery.com

Google’s Keyword Tool https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal

Google Trends www.google.com/trends

Google Suggest www.google.com/webhp?complete=1&hl=en

Keyword Popularity According to Yahoo!

Keyword Popularity According to Wordtracker

Keyword Popularity According to KewwordDiscovery

Keyword Popularity According to Google Adwords Keyword Tool

Keyword Popularity According to Google Trends

Keyword Popularity According to Google Suggest

Secret #1: Improve Your Keyword Portfolio Competition for that keyword should also be considered Calculate KEI Score ( K eyword E ffectiveness I ndicator) = ratio of searches over number of pages in search results The higher the KEI Score, the more attractive the keyword is to target (assuming it’s relevant to your business)

Competition for that keyword should also be considered

Calculate KEI Score ( K eyword E ffectiveness I ndicator) = ratio of searches over number of pages in search results

The higher the KEI Score, the more attractive the keyword is to target (assuming it’s relevant to your business)

Secret #2: How to Make Your Pages “Sing” Each web page should have a unique keyword focus (i.e. every page has a “song”) The higher up in the HTML on the page, the more weight the keyword is given Reorder the content above the nav using CSS Have at least 200-250 words per page Title tag is most important element on the page Home page is the most important page

Each web page should have a unique keyword focus (i.e. every page has a “song”)

The higher up in the HTML on the page, the more weight the keyword is given

Reorder the content above the nav using CSS

Have at least 200-250 words per page

Title tag is most important element on the page

Home page is the most important page

Secret #2: How to Make Your Pages “Sing” Heading tags (H1, H2) Contextual links Text links much better than graphic links Alt tags may be mildly helpful, for images that are links Meta tags don’t improve rankings Meta description can influence what’s displayed in the search results

Heading tags (H1, H2)

Contextual links

Text links much better than graphic links

Alt tags may be mildly helpful, for images that are links

Meta tags don’t improve rankings

Meta description can influence what’s displayed in the search results

Secret #3: Build Links, Strengthen PageRank Inbound links play a key role in determining rankings It’s not just about quantity (“link popularity”); it’s about quality (importance of the page, topically relevant/authoritative) PageRank™ – Google’s algorithm for measuring a page’s importance; Yahoo & Live Search (MSN) have similar measures Each web page ( not site) has its own PageRank score PageRank scores from 0 to 10; logarithmic scale

Inbound links play a key role in determining rankings

It’s not just about quantity (“link popularity”); it’s about quality (importance of the page, topically relevant/authoritative)

PageRank™ – Google’s algorithm for measuring a page’s importance; Yahoo & Live Search (MSN) have similar measures

Each web page ( not site) has its own PageRank score

PageRank scores from 0 to 10; logarithmic scale

Secret #3: Build Links, Strengthen PageRank Use Yahoo Site Explorer to check link popularity siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com Check your PageRank with Google Webmaster Central… www.google.com/webmasters … and/or Google Toolbar… toolbar.google.com … and/or SEOChat.com PageRank Search www.seochat.com/seo-tools/pagerank-search/ … and/or SEO for Firefox plugin tools.seobook.com

Use Yahoo Site Explorer to check link popularity siteexplorer.search.yahoo.com

Check your PageRank with Google Webmaster Central… www.google.com/webmasters

… and/or Google Toolbar… toolbar.google.com

… and/or SEOChat.com PageRank Search www.seochat.com/seo-tools/pagerank-search/

… and/or SEO for Firefox plugin tools.seobook.com

Google’s Toolbar with PageRank Meter

Secret #3: Build Links, Strengthen PageRank Find link targets Review links of competitive sites, sites in your keyword market Again, use the Link Checker tool at www.netconcepts.com/linkcheck Yahoo’s linkdomain: query operator & Yahoo Site Explorer tool Run a link: query on www.seochat.com/seo-tools/pagerank-search/ Check sites with high rankings for relevant keywords The fewer the number of links on their page, the better Offer link-worthy content. Keep it fresh. Consider providing an RSS feed

Find link targets

Review links of competitive sites, sites in your keyword market

Again, use the Link Checker tool at www.netconcepts.com/linkcheck

Yahoo’s linkdomain: query operator & Yahoo Site Explorer tool

Run a link: query on www.seochat.com/seo-tools/pagerank-search/

Check sites with high rankings for relevant keywords

The fewer the number of links on their page, the better

Offer link-worthy content. Keep it fresh.

Consider providing an RSS feed

Secret #3: Build Links, Strengthen PageRank Try to get good keywords in the hyperlink text Types of links that are likely to get discounted: Reciprocal links Affiliated sites (on the same IP range or hostname) Footer links (at the bottom of the page) Site-wide links Don’t participate in “link farms” or FFA (“Free For All”) sites Hallmarks of a link farm = more urls per page & less organization Don’t link to “bad neighborhoods”

Try to get good keywords in the hyperlink text

Types of links that are likely to get discounted:

Reciprocal links

Affiliated sites (on the same IP range or hostname)

Footer links (at the bottom of the page)

Site-wide links

Don’t participate in “link farms” or FFA (“Free For All”) sites

Hallmarks of a link farm = more urls per page & less organization

Don’t link to “bad neighborhoods”

Secret #3: Build Links, Strengthen PageRank Sites with higher PageRank get crawled earlier, faster, and deeper by Googlebot “ Google Bombing” Inbound contextual links alone can drive a site to the top of Google (e.g. “click here”) Also works on Yahoo, Live Search, etc.

Sites with higher PageRank get crawled earlier, faster, and deeper by Googlebot

“ Google Bombing”

Inbound contextual links alone can drive a site to the top of Google (e.g. “click here”)

Also works on Yahoo, Live Search, etc.

Secret #3: Build Links, Strengthen PageRank Create link bait campaigns Use social media e.g. get dugg and then change your links on the landing page after the Digg traffic dies down When issuing press releases, embed keyword-rich links in copy Buy links? If you do, LinkExperts is a reputable broker. Participate in the blogosphere Have a blog and deep link to your ecommerce site Let your employees blog. Train them first. Comment on other blogs. Some blogs don't have “nofollow” comments. PR efforts focused on bloggers: send free products/samples/access to influential bloggers FREE whitepaper from Elastic Path : Blogging for Retailers www.elasticpath.com/blogging-for-retailers/ (no registration required)

Create link bait campaigns

Use social media e.g. get dugg and then change your links on the landing page after the Digg traffic dies down

When issuing press releases, embed keyword-rich links in copy

Buy links? If you do, LinkExperts is a reputable broker.

Participate in the blogosphere

Have a blog and deep link to your ecommerce site

Let your employees blog. Train them first.

Comment on other blogs. Some blogs don't have “nofollow” comments.

PR efforts focused on bloggers: send free products/samples/access to influential bloggers

Secret #4: Rejig Your Internal Linking Structure It’s not just about inbound links; internal links matter too Your home page’s PageRank gets distributed to your deep pages by virtue of your internal linking structure Links are the currency of the Web as far as search engines are concerned; spend it wisely within your site Site hierarchy (tree structure) Breadcrumb navigation Site map? Within article copy Related products, Related articles, and Related searches Tag clouds and Tag pages Guided navigation

It’s not just about inbound links; internal links matter too

Your home page’s PageRank gets distributed to your deep pages by virtue of your internal linking structure

Links are the currency of the Web as far as search engines are concerned; spend it wisely within your site

Site hierarchy (tree structure)

Breadcrumb navigation

Site map?

Within article copy

Related products, Related articles, and Related searches

Tag clouds and Tag pages

Guided navigation

How did the NY Times get this high ranking?

Consistent use of internal links

Secret #5: Make Your URLs Optimal SE’s are wary of dynamic URLs for fear of “spider traps” Complex URLs (multiple parameters, &, =, ?) can decrease indexation and weaken your internal PageRank “flow” Session IDs are death to search visibility Options Recode your site to not pass “query strings” URL rewriting (using a server module/plug-in) Remote-hosted “proxy serving” (e.g. GravityStream) catalogagemag.com/mag/marketing_right_page_web/

SE’s are wary of dynamic URLs for fear of “spider traps”

Complex URLs (multiple parameters, &, =, ?) can decrease indexation and weaken your internal PageRank “flow”

Session IDs are death to search visibility

Options

Recode your site to not pass “query strings”

URL rewriting (using a server module/plug-in)

Remote-hosted “proxy serving” (e.g. GravityStream)

catalogagemag.com/mag/marketing_right_page_web/

Googlebot got caught in a “spider trap”

Secret #5: Make Your URLs Optimal Canonical URLs & duplicate content issues Multiple homes for your content Multiple domains registered and resolving to your site www vs. non-www (e.g. boston.com/cars/ vs. www.boston.com/cars/) https:// version of your site Session IDs or User IDs or superfluous flags in the URL 301 redirect them all to the definitive version of the page Removed pages 301 redirect rather than 404

Canonical URLs & duplicate content issues

Multiple homes for your content

Multiple domains registered and resolving to your site

www vs. non-www (e.g. boston.com/cars/ vs. www.boston.com/cars/)

https:// version of your site

Session IDs or User IDs or superfluous flags in the URL

301 redirect them all to the definitive version of the page

Removed pages

301 redirect rather than 404

Secret #6: Influence the Click Decision Zipf’s Law applies - you need to be at the top of page 1 of the search results. It’s an implied endorsement. Synergistic effect of being at the top of the natural results & paid results Entice the user with a compelling call-to-action and value proposition in your descriptions Your title tag is critical Snippet gets built automatically, but you CAN influence what’s displayed here

Zipf’s Law applies - you need to be at the top of page 1 of the search results. It’s an implied endorsement.

Synergistic effect of being at the top of the natural results & paid results

Entice the user with a compelling call-to-action and value proposition in your descriptions

Your title tag is critical

Snippet gets built automatically, but you CAN influence what’s displayed here

Where do searchers look? (Enquiro, Did-it, Eyetools Study)

Search listings – 1 good, 1 lousy

Secret #6: Influence the Click Decision You may be #1 for some but not others… Search results are tailored to the user Google Search History, geolocation, etc. Vertical search results offers multiple paths to visibility Google Base, Google Co-Op, Google Blog Search, Google Maps (Local),… This also has translated into visibility in the “onebox” Google’s new “Universal Search” results

You may be #1 for some but not others… Search results are tailored to the user

Google Search History, geolocation, etc.

Vertical search results offers multiple paths to visibility

Google Base, Google Co-Op, Google Blog Search, Google Maps (Local),…

This also has translated into visibility in the “onebox”

Google’s new “Universal Search” results

Google’s “Onebox”

Secret #7: Check Your Pulse and Benchmark Number of pages indexed (netconcepts.com/urlcheck) Google PageRank Link popularity Alexa (alexa.com) Positions in the search results for important keywords What keywords are they targeting? (check their metatags)

Number of pages indexed (netconcepts.com/urlcheck)

Google PageRank

Link popularity

Alexa (alexa.com)

Positions in the search results for important keywords

What keywords are they targeting? (check their metatags)

Secret #7: Check Your Pulse and Benchmark Measure what’s important to your bottom line Not “hits” or even unique visitors Number of orders delivered by search engines Sales volume delivered by search engines Profit delivered by search engines Conversion rate Cost per conversion, Cost per lead ROI

Measure what’s important to your bottom line

Not “hits” or even unique visitors

Number of orders delivered by search engines

Sales volume delivered by search engines

Profit delivered by search engines

Conversion rate

Cost per conversion, Cost per lead

ROI

Secret #7: Check Your Pulse and Benchmark Advanced metrics that most analytics packages don’t measure: Page yield Keyword yield (keywords per page) Spidering behavior More metrics at multichannelmerchant.com/webchannel/seo/beneath_surface_search_012007

Advanced metrics that most analytics packages don’t measure:

Page yield

Keyword yield (keywords per page)

Spidering behavior

More metrics at multichannelmerchant.com/webchannel/seo/beneath_surface_search_012007

Sample KPIs Sample KPIs

Have Questions? Next Ecommerce Webinar August 16 th @ 9am PT/ 12pm ET Product Reviews for Online Retailers: The Power of Social Commerce Guest Panellist: Andy Chen, Founder & CEO, PowerReviews Sign up today! www.elasticpath.com/user-reviews/webinar/ Jason Billingsley VP Marketing Elastic Path Software www.elasticpath.com [email_address] lasticpath.com Stephan Spencer Founder & President Netconcepts www.netconcepts.com [email_address] .com Blog www.stephanspencer.com For an ebook on Google power searching, SEO checklists & worksheets, and audio recording of an SEO thought leaders teleconference, email [email_address] www.linkedin.com/in/jasonbillingsley (Feel free to add me; mention SEO webinar) Blog www.getelastic.com