Gilbane Conference 2009San FranciscoOptimizing Your SEO Within Your Web Content Management StrategyJune 3, 2009Christian Burne

What is making SEO difficult?Search algorithms are a black boxFrequent changes in Search algorithms make them unpredictableToo much competition for commonly used keywordsMore and more websites with quality content and authorityInclusion of Social Media aspect to SEO makes it more competitiveUGC can affect keyword density on a page, thereby affecting SEOEver expanding webiverse is making it difficult to optimize number of inbound linksEmbedding links to your site from unwanted site

Search algorithms are a black box

Frequent changes in Search algorithms make them unpredictable

Too much competition for commonly used keywords

More and more websites with quality content and authority

Inclusion of Social Media aspect to SEO makes it more competitive

UGC can affect keyword density on a page, thereby affecting SEO

Ever expanding webiverse is making it difficult to optimize number of inbound links

Embedding links to your site from unwanted site

How does SMO affect SEOSocial Media and SEO are marriedSEO needs Social Media and vice versaCan help spread the brand nameReaching out to more customers means better chances for conversionCan result in substantial number of quality, relevant inbound linksCan help figure out relevant keywords that help attract new customersNegative factors:Beware of the number of shortened URLs that you and others use. It might undermine anchor text benefit of a linkNegative comments posted on popular sites can hamper SEO efforts

Social Media and SEO are married

SEO needs Social Media and vice versa

Can help spread the brand name

Reaching out to more customers means better chances for conversion

Can result in substantial number of quality, relevant inbound links

Can help figure out relevant keywords that help attract new customers

Beware of the number of shortened URLs that you and others use. It might undermine anchor text benefit of a link

Negative comments posted on popular sites can hamper SEO efforts

SEO Do’sDo’sDo’sTitles, Keywords & DescriptionsLink BacksThoughtful URLs (Friendly URLs)Publish to a Flat directoryInformation ArchitectureSitemaps and Robots.txtCreate Web 2.0 AlternativesEnforce Short URLs (max 5 words per URL)Dashes are better than underscores (word1-word2)Use descriptive Anchor text within contentUse tags often Site “Freshness”301 RedirectsClean CodeAccessibility ComplianceLocate Server geographically “close” to spiderUse subdomains for MicrositesRequest and Response CompressionUse “nofollow” for links posted by UGCRun Link checker tools to ensure no unwanted sites link back to your site

Titles, Keywords & Descriptions

Link Backs

Thoughtful URLs (Friendly URLs)

Publish to a Flat directory

Information Architecture

Sitemaps and Robots.txt

Create Web 2.0 Alternatives

Enforce Short URLs (max 5 words per URL)

Dashes are better than underscores (word1-word2)

Use descriptive Anchor text within content

Use tags often

Site “Freshness”

301 Redirects

Clean Code

Accessibility Compliance

Locate Server geographically “close” to spider

Use subdomains for Microsites

Request and Response Compression

Use “nofollow” for links posted by UGC

Run Link checker tools to ensure no unwanted sites link back to your site

SEO Don’ts Don’tsDon’tsCloakingCluttered URLsUse Splash PagesHave bad words on your siteDuplicate TitlesSession variables in the URLHome page redirectsKeyword GimmicksBroken LinksJavaScript NavigationDuplicate ContentGeneralize Meta information

Cloaking

Cluttered URLs

Use Splash Pages

Have bad words on your site

Duplicate Titles

Session variables in the URL

Home page redirects

Keyword Gimmicks

Broken Links

JavaScript Navigation

Duplicate Content

Generalize Meta information

How can CMS help?Manage sitemap.xml & robots.txtTitles, Keywords & DescriptionsSite Freshness TemplatingGood IAEnforce W3C compliant HTML code via templatesAccessibility complianceLink ManagementURL Aliasing and good URL structureBroken LinksModerated UGCLocalization & DuplicationResponse Compression

Manage sitemap.xml & robots.txt

Titles, Keywords & Descriptions

Site Freshness

Templating

Good IA

Enforce W3C compliant HTML code via templates

Accessibility compliance

Link Management

URL Aliasing and good URL structure

Broken Links

Moderated UGC

Localization & Duplication

Response Compression

SEO Pitfalls with a CMSURLs can sometimes can be long and contain query stringsDuplication of content can be badRepurposing code can sometimes cause cluttered HTMLAllowing multiple editors to enter content on different parts of a single page makes it more difficult to optimize for SEOMake sure there is step in the workflow to review content by an SEO expert

URLs can sometimes can be long and contain query strings

Duplication of content can be bad

Repurposing code can sometimes cause cluttered HTML

Allowing multiple editors to enter content on different parts of a single page makes it more difficult to optimize for SEO

Make sure there is step in the workflow to review content by an SEO expert

Web 2.0 Considerations

Download the complete presentation at:http://www.oshyn.com/resources/whitepapers.htmlChristian Burnecburne@oshyn.comwww.oshyn.com