Between the moment "Googling" became a verb in the early 2000s to our present reality of search results we can carry in our pockets or ask for aloud, the world of SEO has expanded and evolved so rapidly that many brands have struggled to keep up. In this webinar, we'll review how to: Build a solid SEO foundation with your website Implement a strong keyword strategy Establish an SEO Style Guide Optimize content with mobile, voice, and global trends in mind Learn from your optimization results

1. 1
Keeping Up with the
Algorithms:
SEO Best Practices

2. #SEOBestPractices 2
SEO Experts
Kyle Harper
Marketing Analyst
Harvard University
@TheyWereFlying
Matias Wigozki
Sr. Director, Customer Success
Skyword
@mwigozki
@
Steph Ferrell
Content Strategist
Skyword
@s_ferrell92

3. • Building a solid SEO foundation with your website
• Implementing a strong keyword strategy
• Establishing an SEO Style Guide
• Optimizing content with mobile, voice, and global trends in mind
• Learning from your optimization results
Agenda
#SEOBestPractices 3

4. 4
Building a solid SEO foundation with your website
#SEOBestPractices 4

5. #SEOBestPractices 5

6. #SEOBestPractices 6
Sitemap
- Lists every single URL on your website
- Indicates your site hierarchy to search engines
- Shows how frequently you update and maintain your pages

7. 3 Pillars
of SEO
#SEOBestPractices 7
Is how indexable your website is for search engines
Is determined by backend considerations like sitemaps, page organization,
and server configuration
Shapes how your page is indexed
Must be useful and engaging to your audience
Must be optimized strategically
Is the quality and integrity of your site
Is built by the authority of sites that backlink to your page
Is enhanced by the use of subject matter experts
Crawlability
Content
Credibility

8. Develop a Linking Strategy
#SEOBestPractices 8
Link Types
Navigational
Links that facilitate user
flow through your site
- Use your sitemap to
diagnose flow issues
- Use directional anchor
text
Outbound
Links to other domains
with supporting material
- Link to authoritative
pages
- Use specific links once
throughout content
Inbound
Links from other sites to
your own
- Accomplished through
creating excellent content
that is reliable and
shareable

9. 9#SEOBestPractices 9
POLL:
Do you host your content on domain or off domain?

10. On Domain vs. Off Domain
#SEOBestPractices 10

11. 11
Implementing a strong keyword strategy
#SEOBestPractices 11

12. Approach to Keywords
#SEOBestPractices 12
1. Establish your target audience: what
topics and questions define them?
2. Establish 2-5 high-level categories
that will guide the broadest-level
keywords you will work towards over
time
3. Expand your categorical terms to
create an increasingly specific
“umbrella” of terms

13. 13#KUWTA
Establishing an SEO Style Guide
#SEOBestPractices 13

14. 14#SEOBestPractices 14
POLL:
Do you have an SEO Style Guide?

15. #SEOBestPractices 15
Metadata
Title Tags
- Keep under 60 characters
- Use keywords, once
- Use a parent/child structure
Meta
Description
- Write for your user first
- Hit between 160 and 250 characters
- Use keywords but do not overuse
Robot Attributes
- Index or noindex
- Follow or nofollow
Alt Text
- Do not load alt text with keywords
- Use alt text to concisely describe all images (CTAs, logos, etc.), not just pictures
File Names
- Approach should be similar to alt text
- Be descriptive and direct
*Review both your metadata and your style guide regularly to make sure you are keeping up with best practices

16. 16
Optimizing content with mobile, voice, and global trends in mind
#SEOBestPractices 16

17. • Define a protagonist
• Define an object of desire
• Tackle forces of antagonism
• Be authentic
Use Story as Structure
#SEOBestPractices 17
Search engines are ranking content that provides the best experience for users.
What engaging experience do we know to be fool proof? Storytelling.

18. Your site should sense and adjust your offerings based on how it’s
being accessed by the user.
Be Responsive: Mobile
#SEOBestPractices 18
:
“2X more brand experiences happen on mobile than anywhere else, including TV,
in-store, etc.”
“If people have a negative experience on mobile, they’re 62% less likely to purchase
from you in the future.”

19. Create content that answers daily, conversational questions.
Be Conversational: Voice Search
#SEOBestPractices 19
:
“48% of those who own a voice-activated speaker would like to receive personalized
tips and information from brands to make their lives easier.
“72% of people who own a voice-activated speaker say their devices are often used
as part of their daily routine.”
“41% of people who own a voice-activated speaker say it feels like talking to a friend
or another person.”

20. Be Local: Global Search
#SEOBestPractices 20
DO DON’T
Transcreate for global
audiences
Leave the nuances and meaning of
your brand’s story up to automated
translation
Meet your audience where they
are
Assume which search engines your
users are engaging with
Pay attention to the technical
details and check your content
and site health carefully
Lose site performance and speed
(which can be impacted) when
hosting content for global audiences

21. 21
Learning from your optimization results
#SEOBestPractices 21

22. Essential Metrics
#SEOBestPractices 22
• Keyword ranking reports
• Organic traffic tracking
• Referral tracking

23. Essential Audits
#SEOBestPractices 23
• Technical
o Use site crawling tools to look for bad links, dead content, site speed issues, and other Web-based
issues
• Keyword
o Examine the growth (or decline) in search rankings and compare it against the goals of your content
and the needs of your audience
• Content
o Use the output of your technical and keyword audits to create a list of content that needs updating for
relevance, accuracy, and healthy fit on your site

24. 24
Q&A
#SEOBestPractices 24

25. 2525
Thank You!
To download our playbook, visit:
https://info.skyword.com/SEO-Best-Practices-
Playbook--eBook.html
Today’s recording and slides will be sent to you.
Please feel free to follow up with additional
questions by emailing:
learnmore@skyword.com

26. Stories tear down walls, bring people
together, and create change. So, what
happens when you put hundreds of brand
storytellers in the same room? Ah-hah
moments like you wouldn’t believe.
EVENT SPOTLIGHT
“It’s rare that a conference delivers on its
promise – this conference delivered.”
- Tricia Griffin, VP, Dignity Health
KEYNOTE
SPEAKERS
skyword.com/forward
June 14, 2018 – Westin Copley Place – Boston, MA

27. Storynomics illuminates what story is, why
story works, and, most importantly, how
storytelling in business translates into
economic and leadership success.
STORYNOMICS
“McKee’s exceptional teaching is
critical to success.”
– Phyllis Fogarty, Brand Manager, PEPSICO
storynomics.com
June 15, 2018 – Westin Copley Place – Boston, MA
Storytelling that moves
people and businesses
Forward.