This document provides an introduction to search engine optimization (SEO). It discusses how search has become the primary way consumers discover information online and make purchase decisions. Google search is the gold standard, with 93% of online experiences beginning with search. Quality content is emphasized as the most important factor for SEO, more than keywords, links, or code. The document stresses that SEO strategies must evolve along with changes to Google's algorithms to focus on creating fresh, unique, relevant content that meets consumers' needs at their "Zero Moment of Truth" when researching products online.

1. SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION
INTRO TO
By: Lisha Klopper

2. WHY WE’RE HERE
2
PURPOSE
A short and simple explanation Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
CONTENTS
• Introduction to SEO
• Why SEO?

3. INTRODUCTION TO
SEO
3

4. 4
THE TRADITIONAL PATH TO PURCHASE AS
WE USE TO KNOW IT…
Source: P&G (2005); Google Winning the Zero Moment of Truth eBook, 2011
According to P&G.
The moment consumers form the decision to buy a product

5. A NEW PATH TO PURCHASE HAS ARRIVED
“When consumers hear about a product today, their first reaction is ‘Let me search
online for it.’And so they go on a journey of discovery: about a product, a service, an
issue, an opportunity.” — Rishad Tobaccowala Chief Strategist, Publicis Groupe
Source: Google Winning the Zero Moment of Truth eBook, 2011
THE NEW MENTAL MODEL, ACCORDING TO GOOGLE
The new moment consumers form the decision to buy a product
*ZMOT = Zero Moment of Truth

6. THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF SEARCH
We’ve arrived at what Google calls:
 93% of all online experiences begin with search
 80% of consumers search for a product before purchasing it
Ranking high in Organic Search (SEO) counts
 Organic search results get 70% of clicks
 Being within the first 3 organic search results is more important than ever
• The first result gets 33% of all page clicks on Google Search Engine Result Page (SERP)
• On mobile, only the first few results are visible (On April 21: Google globally rolled out
our mobile-friendly algorithm update - boosting the ranking of mobile-friendly pages on
mobile search results)
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Most often, search is the
consumers’ door into the
digital ecosystem
Source: Winning the Zero Moment of Truth eBook (2011), SearchEngineWatch, Internet Live Stats, Zero Gravity Marketing and Forbes
ZERO MOMENT OF TRUTH (ZMOT):
Decision are formed online as shoppers move from interested to decided

7. GOOGLE IS THE GOLD STANDARD IN
SEARCH…
Source: EMarketer, 2014

8. AS GOOGLE EVOLVES, OUR SEO PRACTICES
MOST ALSO ELVOLVE
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Source: Moz
CODE
CONNECTIONS
COVERSATIONS
CONTENT
THE 4 C’s OF SEO
On-Page SEO
Link Building
Social Media
Quality Content

9. 9
The more “quality indicators” a piece of
content has, the more likely Google is to
“award it” i.e. give it a higher ranking,
meaning more consumers will see it
In 2011, Google introduced Panda – a change to Google’s search results
ranking algorithm to stop sites with poor quality content from working their
way into Google’s top search results.
Source: SearchEngineLand

10. CONTENT IS AT THE HEART OF ANY SEARCH
STRATEGY
10
CONNECTIONS
CODE
CONTENT
CONVERSATIONS
Link Building
Social MediaOn-Page SEO
“Creating compelling
and useful content will
likely influence your
website more than any
of the other factors”
- Google
Source: Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide, 2010
THE 4 C’s OF SEO

11. QUALITY CONTENT INDICATORS
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 Relevancy to search inquiry: Consumers want a relevant search description and
content, Google looks for relevancy through descriptors and tags
 Appropriate depth but also easily digestible: Google prioritizes content that
contains numerous relevant keywords and will give searchers the information they
are looking for in a digestible manner that isn't overly complicated
 Unique: Consumers want content that has something unique to offer without a lot
of overlap on the search results page or redundancy within the brand site
 Fresh & timely: Sites that are consistently updated with quality content are
preferred by consumers and prioritized by Google
 Visual & interactive: Images and visuals, as well as interactive elements like tools
are of highest interest to consumers so Google prioritizes ones that are
appropriately tagged

12. Only the best content gets widely distributed
People are more likely to share it
Google is more likely to serve it up
YOU NEED TO KNOW YOUR CONSUMER AND
HOW THEY SEARCH
When people search, there are three types of queries…
• Do  they want to do something (Transactional Queries)
• Know  they want to know something (Informational Queries)
• Go  they want to go somewhere (Navigational Queries)
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CONTENT!
KEY TAKE-AWAY:
Create content that pays off on consumer search interest
Source: Search Engine Watch

13. 13
KEY INSIGHT:
SEARCH RANKING IS NO LONGER
ONLY ABOUT CODE AND
KEYWORDS…
IT’S ABOUT QUALITY CONTENT
THAT IS CONTEXTUAL

14. WHY SEO?
14

15. 15
KEY INSIGHT:
SEARCH IS THE CONSUMERS'
DOOR INTO A BRAND'S DIGITAL
ECOSYSTEM…

16. According to Forrester.The web will account for or influence 59% of U.S. retail sales by 2018.

17. SEARCH IS THE MOST TRUSTED SOURCE OF
INFORMATION AMONGST CONSUMERS
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64% of
respondents
Source: eMarketer, 2015

18. SEARCH PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN THE
PURCHASING DECISION PROCESS
CONSUMERS GO THROUGH
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Awareness
Consideration
Purchase
89% of Consumers use Search Engines for Purchase
Decisions
90% of Consumers say Buying Decisions are
Influenced by Online Reviews
81% of Consumers Conduct Online Research Before
Buying
Conversion
THE CONVERSION FUNNEL
Source: MineWhat.com Fleishman-Hillard, HubSpot

19. ZMOT FORMS PART OF THE CONSUMER’S
EVERYDAY DECISION MAKING
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Source: EMarketer , Google Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide
The pressures on household budgets are bigger than ever, and consumers want to
make smarter, better purchases. That's why many are turning to search -
increasingly on their mobile phones - to get reliable and instant information.
Even in ‘offline spaces’, ZMOT is present

20. 20
KEY INSIGHT:
SEARCH IS A KEY CHANNEL THAT
BRANDS NEEDS TO BE PRESENT
IN, TO ENGAGE WITH CONSUMERS
AT THEIR ‘ZERO MOMENT OF
TRUTH’

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THANK YOU