TechSEO Boost 2018: Programming Basics for SEOs

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

Why should I bother to learn
to code?

- 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

Which programming
language should I learn?

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…

Recommendations
1. JavaScript
2. Python

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.

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

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

Let’s Use Python as Our Example
The Basics

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)

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.

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

Variables: Examples

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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Conditional Statement

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.)

Loops – while Loop
i = 1
while i <= 5:
print(i)
i += 1
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Loops – while Loop

Loops – for Loop
boardgames = ["Gaia Project", "Great
Western Trail", "Spirit Island"]
for x in boardgames:
print(x)
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Loops – for Loop
print(x)

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")
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3
1

Functions

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

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

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"}]

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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Bringing Some Concepts Together

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!

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

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