1. Implementing SEO as part of a
complex Marketing Strategy
Harpinder Sohal
Head of Online Marketing (UK Mail)

2. Profile overview
• 10 years in Online
Marketing/Digital/eCommerce
• UK Mail since 2011
• ipostparcels.com – Pure play start-up
(Sept 2011)

3. Key takeaways
• How to assess and implement changes
to improve your SEO visibility.
• How to integrate SEO as part of a
complex Marketing Strategy including
PPC, Email, Social and Affiliate Marketing
• How content is the key to expanding
search visibility

4. Where we started
• Brand launch of ipostparcels.com in
late 2011
• SEO campaign targeting a link
building strategy
• Quantity vs. quality
• Short and sharp progress
• Google’s un-natural link profile
warning in WMT

5. Link building plan
One Off SEO Work iPostParcels
KEYWORDS 35
PAGES FOR CONTENT & META 7
PAGES FOR META ONLY 5
INITIAL SEO FRIENDLY DIRECTORY SUBMISSIONS (one off) 250
BLOG INTEGRATION YES
PR SECTION YES
Monthly SEO Workflow
FREE DIRECTORY SUBMISSIONS 300
BLOGS X 250 WORDS 6
BLOGS PUBLISHED TO WEBSITE 6
SOCIAL BOOKMARKING SUBMISSIONS 120
ARTICLES X 300 WORDS 2
ARTICLE SUBMISSIONS (TOTAL) 100
PRESS RELEASES TO 100 PORTALS 2 then 1 alternate
PRESS RELEASES SUBMITTED TO SITE 2 then 1 alternate
NEW DIRECTORY SUBMISSIONS 15
GUARANTEED DIRECTORY SUBMISSIONS 8
FREE BUSINESS DIRECTORY SUBMISSIONS 15
THEMED LINKS (PR 0) 7
PR 1 LINKS 6
PR 2 LINKS 3
CONTEXTUAL BLOGS 3
PROFILE CREATIONS 1

6. Backlinks & referrals

7. Backlinks & referrals

8. How we reacted

9. How we reacted
• SEO landscape turned upside down
– Penguin (April 2012)
• Effect on keyword rankings
• Change of agency (iProspect
Manchester)
• Change of SEO strategy
• Matt Cutts blog on buying links

10. Where we ended up
• Strategizing SEO to customer (and
Google!) needs with Vertical Leap
• Focus on unique, high quality &
relevant content

11. Content that is genuinely
sharable…

12. Where we ended up
• Strategising SEO to customer (and
Google!) needs with Vertical Leap
• Focus on unique, high quality &
relevant content• Keywords are so last season!
• Diversifying content strategy &
engaging social media
• Integrating SEO into the Marketing
mix e.g. PPC• Impact on search visibility

13. Organic traffic growth

14. Search visibility

15. Search profile

16. Conclusion
• Identify specific activity that could be
detrimental to SEO
• Diversify your content output & ensure
its engaging
• Incorporate SEO into ALL your
marketing channels
• Content is still very much…

17. questions
Harpinder
Sohal
Dave Colgate
Head of Online Marketing
@HarpsSohal
Search Specialist
@SEODave