I presented "How to optimize your online presence" at the Staffordshire and Leicestershire annual tourism conferences

1. Optimising your online potential Twitter: @steveprimecloud Email: steve@primecloud.co.uk Url: www.primecloud.co.uk

2. Why the Web is so important...

3. Get the website “Basics” right easy to navigate Menus Invest in clear & clean design know the purpose of your site keep your messages simple not too much text. good Imagery Test your website on colleagues, friends & family before launching it...

5. Highlight Your Phone Number!

6. Improve your images!

7. Give clear directions: Embed a Google Map

8. Signup to a Google account. It’s free!

10. Followed by Youtube (also owned by Google).

11. Yahoo & Bing (MS) have done a technology deal – sharing search algorithms – meaning that #2 and #3 in Search are now collaborating to compete with Google.

12. An average travel search is 13 searches over 31 days looking at 26 sites.

14. Keyword Mapping Each section of the website needs a unique set of keywords. Each page within a section needs a unique set of keywords Decide on 3 or 4 primary key phrases per page

15. Keywords & Key phrases Creating a keyword list What keywords would you use to find a product or service like yours? What keywords would your grandmother use to find a product or service like yours? What keywords do your competitors use? What keywords have brought visitors to the site in the past? What keywords have led to goal conversions, e.g. newsletter signups or bookings? Warning: not an exact science!

16. Where to Place Keywords Page Mark-Up URL Page title Meta tags Content Headings Text Alt text in links and images Link titles

17. Using Keywords in the URL Page names to include main keywords. Example: When optimising a page for the keyword ‘attractions in staffordrshire’, the URL should include this as a folder or page name. www.visitengland.co.uk/attractions/staffordshire.asp

18. Using Keywords in Headings Make sure your keywords are always included in headings <h1>, <h2>, <h3> Make sure you edit headings properly – don’t just use a bigger font size, make sure they are marked as headings!

19. Using Keywords in the Keywords Meta Tags Best practice: Include 10 to 15 highly relevant keywords. Use keywords that are unique to the specific page. Use commas to separate keywords Embed keywords within ALT tags (behind images)

20. Using Keywords in the Content Content length: 200-400 words for landing pages! The art is to create text that flows while still including a high number of specific keywords. Text from offline publications will have to be rewritten to include major keywords.

21. Keywords in Link titles Never use ‘Click here.’ ‘Here’ is NOT a keyword! Instead, use phrases: Find out more about attractions in Staffordshire. Enter our competition to win a short break in The Potteries.

23. Actively seek out natural links to your site – the more connected you are the better your rankings will be and the easier it will be for people to find you.

26. Don’t be afraid of user content, encourage visitors to write about their experiences.

29. Consider Pay Per Click Advertising (PPC) Also. Sign up for Google “Local Business Centre” and appear on Google Maps...

31. Make an Online Booking.

32. Add to Shopping Basket.

35. Search Engine Optimisation. Ensure 3 – 4 key phrases are targeted for each page - focusing on page titles, headings, text, folder names and URLs.

36. Don't fret about your Page Rank!

37. Actively seek out relevant in-bound links to your site. Trade links with other local businesses.

39. Use PPC advertising – Google Adwords - to drive targeted traffic to your site promoting short seasonal or thematic campaigns.

40. Put a Video on YouTube…

41. Get Seen in the Right Places, like EnjoyEngland

42. Take the plunge into e-commerce!Guestlink Web Bookings. Shopping Basket. E-tickets.

43. Thank You Any questions?....