1.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Just Enough to Be
Dangerous
–
Programming Basics for SEOs

2.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost

3.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Why should I bother to learn
to code?

4.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
- Self-sufficient, less reliance on software with limitations
- Able to better understand website construction and operation, able to make
more practical recommendation and work better with web developers
- Fewer data limitations
- More efficient and effective work
- Basic literacy

5.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost

6.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Which programming
language should I learn?

7.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Which programming language should I learn?
- Don’t worry about it so much. There is not really a
“better” programming language to learn and any
programming language will be useful for the most
part.
- Focus on learning the logic!
However if starting from scratch, I do have a
couple of recommendations…

8.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Recommendations
1. JavaScript
2. Python

9.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
JavaScript
• An excellent option if you’re
interested in web
development. It’s the
programming language of
front-end web development
and via Node.js one of the
best options for backend
development as well.

10.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Python
• The better option if you’re
interested in a versatile
programming language that
excels in data analysis and
automation tasks.
Note: Is an interpreted programming language, and isn’t
the best option for GUI software or games

11.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
What You Need for Python…
1. Python
• Latest version: https://www.python.org
• Or if more data analysis focused:
• https://www.anaconda.com/download/
2. Text Editor (with syntax highlighting as a minimum feature)
• Windows
• Notepad++, Sublime, Atom, Jupyter Notebook
• Mac
• TextWrangler, BBEdit, Atom, Sublime, Jupyter Notebook
• Linux
• VIM/Emacs probably, Jupyter Notebook

12.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Let’s Use Python as Our Example
The Basics

13.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Hello World (let’s display some text)
1. Open text editor
2. Enter code
print("Hello World")
3. Save as helloworld.py (or *.py)
4. Using command line and execute:
python helloworld.py (python *.py)

14.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Variables
Yes, like algebra:
If x = 7, then x + 3 = 10.
There different data types of variables:
• Integer (numbers, no decimals)
• Boolean (true and false)
• String (text)
• Etc.
In some programming languages you have to define what type of variable you’re
using. This isn’t the case in Python.

15.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Variables: Examples
full_name = "Paul Shapiro"
age = 29
is_seo = True
boardgames = ["Gaia Project", "Great Western
Trail", "Spirit Island"]
String
Number, Integer
Boolean
List, type of array

16.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Variables: Examples

17.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Conditional Statement
• if, else, elif (else if)
• if condition is true, then do something. Else, do something
different.
subject = { "animal": True, "temperament": “grumpy" }
if (subject["animal"] == True and subject["temperament"] == “grumpy"):
print("animal is a cat")
elif (subject["animal"] == True and subject["temperament"] == "playful"):
print("animal is a dog")
else:
print("It is something else")
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7

18.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost

19.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Conditional Statement

20.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Loops
• while Loop: loop while a condition is true
• for Loop: loop a specified number of
times, and in Python, iterating over a
sequence (list, tuple, dictionary, etc.)

21.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Loops – while Loop
i = 1
while i <= 5:
print(i)
i += 1
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2
3
4

22.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Loops – while Loop

23.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Loops – for Loop
boardgames = ["Gaia Project", "Great
Western Trail", "Spirit Island"]
for x in boardgames:
print(x)
1
2
3

24.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Loops – for Loop
print(x)

25.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Functions
Re-usable code blocks that can be passed data via “parameters”.
def send_email(address):
print("Email sent to " + address)
send_email("foo@bar.com")
2
3
1

26.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Functions

27.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Libraries/Modules
Build your own or use other people’s
expanded code features.
Notable for data analysis:
• pandas
• NumPy
• matplotlib
• tensorflow
import requests
import json
import pandas as pd

28.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
How to Work with APIs
API Endpoint:
http://api.grepwords.com/lookup?apikey=random_string&q=keyword
String is unique
to you
(authentication)
Variable,
changes and
often looped

29.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
How to Work with APIs
http://api.grepwords.com/lookup?apikey=random_string&q=board+games
[{"keyword":"board games","updated_cpc":"2018-04-30","updated_cmp":"2018-04-
30","updated_lms":"2018-04-30","updated_history":"2018-04-
30","lms":246000,"ams":246000,"gms":246000,"competition":0.86204091185173,"co
mpetetion":0.86204091185173,"cmp":0.86204091185173,"cpc":0.5,"m1":201000,"m1_
month":"2018-02","m2":246000,"m2_month":"2018-
01","m3":450000,"m3_month":"2017-12","m4":368000,"m4_month":"2017-
11","m5":201000,"m5_month":"2017-10","m6":201000,"m6_month":"2017-
09","m7":201000,"m7_month":"2017-08","m8":201000,"m8_month":"2017-
07","m9":201000,"m9_month":"2017-06","m10":201000,"m10_month":"2017-
05","m11":201000,"m11_month":"2017-04","m12":201000,"m12_month":"2017-03"}]

30.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Bringing Some Concepts Together
import requests
import json
boardgames = ["Gaia Project", "Great Western Trail",
"Spirit Island"]
for x in boardgames:
apiurl =
http://api.grepwords.com/lookup?apikey=key&q= + x
r = requests.get(apiurl)
parsed_json = json.loads(r.text)
print(parsed_json[0]['gms'])
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7
8

31.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Bringing Some Concepts Together

32.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Learning Resources
Python
• https://www.learnpython.org/
• https://www.codecademy.com/learn/learn-python-3
• https://learnpythonthehardway.org/
• https://www.lynda.com/
JavaScript
• Learn HTML + CSS first
• https://www.codecademy.com/learn/introduction-to-javascript
• https://www.lynda.com/
• https://www.freecodecamp.org/
Free with most library cards!
Free with most library cards!

33.
Paul Shapiro | @fighto | #TechSEOBoost
Thanks a bunch!
–
Paul Shapiro
@fighto
https://searchwilderness.com
Catalyst
@CatalystSEM
https://www.catalystdigital.com