SEO 101 provides an overview of search engine optimization (SEO) in 3 parts: 1) It defines SEO as affecting website visibility in organic search results and explains that the goal is to rank #1. There are paid (PPC) and organic (SEO) ways to appear in search results. 2) It describes how search engines work by using bots that crawl websites, read text content, and follow links to determine relevance and rank pages. 3) It outlines SEO basics like building a search engine friendly website, doing keyword research, optimizing on-page elements like titles and content, and earning off-page links through quality content and authority. Local SEO and questions are

1. S E O 101
@chrissireimer
SEO Strategist | Deluxe Corp

2. -What is SEO?
-How do Search Engines Work?
-SEO Basics
-Local SEO
Things we’ll cover today…

3. Let’s start at the very
beginning, it’s a very good
place to start.

5. Search
Engine
Optimization
What is SEO?
Wikipedia defines SEO as:
“the process of affecting the visibility of a
website or a web page in a search
engine’s natural or un-paid (“organic”)
search results.”

6. … in other words:
The goal
is to be #1

7. PPC
SEO
PPC
There are two ways to appear on search result pages
(SERPs): paying for rank [PPC] or earning ranking [SEO]

8. How do Search
Engines Work?

9. The bots crawl your site
and read the accessible
content to determine what
each page is relevant for.
Search Engine Crawlers
are often referred to as
Spiders or Robots/Bots.

10. Search Engines
read text. What you see.
What Search Engines see.

11. • Think of SEO as translating
your website into the
language of the search
engine.
• Bot’s are primarily fluent in
HTML text
• Java, Flash, images, and
other non-text elements
are often not digestible by
bots.

12. •Bots travel from page to
page via links
•Think of the links on your
website as roads that
connect bots from one
page to the next.

13. Panda
Penguin
Hummingbird
Penguin 2.0
(and more)
Algorithm
Updates

14. Get ready to become an SEO!

15. First:
Build a Website
- You own the content
- Opportunity to rank organically
- Greater capabilities for customization
- Place to link to on external sites
WHY?

16. Ensure your Website is
Search Engine Friendly
Avoid Flash, Javascript, and
other non-text content.
Supplement any of these
types of elements with
readable content.
- Alt Attributes on images
- Generate a transcript of
video & audio content

17. Keyword
Research
- Sign up for a free
Google Adwords
account
- Start by entering a few
key terms in the ‘Your
product or service’ box.

18. Keyword
Research
- This will provide
the monthly
search volume
(MSV)
- You will also get
a list of related
terms!

19. Use your
words
wisely!
[Target 3-5 Terms per page]
Mens pants
Mens dress pants
Ralph Lauren wool
dress pants

20. Add ‘SEO Elements’
Title
(55 Characters)
Meta
Description
(155 Characters)
Heading
Tags
On-Page
ContentWordpress sites (and others)
have SEO plugins to make
these things EASY 

21. Link top level pages (homepage)
to deeper pages (product
pages).
Create a clear path for bots to
travel down.
Link Intelligently

22. Search Engines also look
at links pointing to your
website and attribute
levels of value to those
links (equity).

23. - Offer high-quality, useful, and
relevant content
- High quality content will earn
external links from other sites
- External links from quality
sources can positively impact rank
Content + Authority = Visibility & Performance

25. Optimize social
network listings
Off-Site Optimization

26. Local Listings
Local
Optimization
Visit Moz.com/Local and
check your listing score.
Superpages
Yellowpages
Citysearch
Hotfrog
Google
Foursquare
Facebook
Yelp

27. On-Site Optimization
Local
Optimization

28. Let’s recap!
What is SEO?
How do Search Engines Work?
SEO basics
Local SEO

29. Questions?

30. Other resources:
• Moz.com: The Beginner’s Guide to SEO
• Google: Search Engine Optimization Starter
Guide
• Moz Blog: ‘Free Local SEO Tools that Belong
in Your Kit’ by Miriam Ellis