This document outlines advanced SEO strategies to improve search engine rankings and visibility. It discusses methods for increasing rankings on individual pages, earning rankings in alternative result types like video and maps, and improving visibility in the long tail through unique content. Optimization techniques are presented to analyze metrics, establish targeting opportunities, and better convert existing search traffic through usability and psychological factors.

1. Advanced Strategies to Move
the Needle on Your SEO
June 2010

2. 4 Methods to Accelerate Your SEO
1. Increase Rankings on Individual Results
2. Earn Rankings in Alternative Results Types
3. Improve Visibility in the Long Tail
4. Better Convert Existing Search Traffic

3. Strategies to Boost
Individual Rankings

4. Competitive Analysis Process: Step 1
Determine Your Weak vs. Strong Metrics

5. Competitive Analysis Process: Step 2
Establish the Optimization Techniques You Need
1. More Root Domains Linking to the Page
2. Possibly More Subtlety in Anchor Text
3. Possibly Higher Value/Relevance in Links
www.seomoz.org/blog/whiteboard-friday-what-kind-of-links-do-you-need

6. Value vs. Difficulty
Low difficulty + good search
vol. + high conv. rate = WIN
www.seomoz.org/keyword-difficulty

7. Exact Match Domains
Highest correlation
w/ rankings in GG
& Bing
www.seomoz.org/blog/google-vs-bing-correlation-analysis-of-ranking-elements

8. Widgets & Badges
www.picnik.com/info/badges

9. Embeddable Infographics
www.onlinemba.com/blog/stats-on-internet-pornography/

10. Content & Technology Licensing
http://allrecipes.com/help/aboutus/licensing.aspx

11. Link Attraction Targets w/ Regular Updates
http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors

12. Earn Rankings in Alternative Results

13. Video Results & YouTube
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/creating-online-video-strategy

14. Local/Maps Results
http://www.davidmihm.com/local-search-ranking-factors.shtml

15. Image Results
http://www.seosmarty.com/image-seo/

16. News Results
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/getting-started-with-google-news

17. “Real-Time” Results
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/whiteboard-friday-seofriendly-real-time-content

18. Blog Results
http://www.seobythesea.com/?p=541

19. Shopping Results
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/how-to-rank-well-in-google-products-search-a-
big-list-of-places-to-get-reviews

20. Improve Visibility in the Long Tail

21. 25% of queries searched on Google each month
are entirely unique and have never previously been
searched for in the engine’s 10+ year history.
- Udi Manber, Head of Search, Google
http://searchengineland.com/google-25-of-queries-are-new-adding-
question-engine-11535

22. The Long Tail is Much Less Competitive

23. Required: High Quantities of Unique Content
Blogging daily for 6 years only
produces a few thousand pages.

24. Required: High Quantities of Unique Content
This Q+A site launched 6 months
ago and already has nearly the
same quantity of content
http://answers.onstartups.com

25. Is Blogging a Long Tail Strategy?
http://mashable.com/about/

26. Articles
100% UGC
Editorial + Licensed
Editorial + UGC
+ Machine-Built
100% Editorial

27. Paid Content Writers
http://valleywag.gawker.com/339271/denton-to-pay-bloggers-based-on-traffic

28. Tweets & Social Updates as Content
2,266 pieces of content
providing no SEO value!
http://twitter.com/randfish

29. Options for UGC
Forums
Q+A Sites
User-Submitted Articles/Posts
Social News & Discussion
Wikis
Hybrids & More

30. Incenting UGC w/ Recognition & Rewards
http://www.stackoverflow.com and http://www.yelp.com

31. Better Convert Existing Search Traffic

32. Conversion Rate Optimization Funnel

33. 2X Traffic vs. 2X Conversion Rate
2X Visits = 2X Revenue
(but only if they’re the same quality of visitor)
2X Conversion Rate = 2X Revenue
(for any visitor segment)

34. Psychology & Conversion Rates
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/an-illustrated-guide-to-the-science-of-
persuasion-influence

35. Anchoring with Pricing
Gets more expensive
reading left to right
http://wufoo.com/signup/

36. The Power of Default Selections
http://www.volusion.com/ecommerce/web-hosting.asp

37. Social Proof
http://www.surveymonkey.com

38. Scarcity
Only 2 seats left! I’d
better buy it now!
http://www.alaskaair.com

39. Reciprocity
http://www.pricingwire.com/home/2009/5/7/referral-and-pricing-lessons-
from-dropbox-beta.html

40. Q+A
Rand Fishkin, CEO & Co-Founder, SEOmoz
• Twitter: @randfish
Ask Him
• Blog: www.seomoz.org/blog Anything!
• Email: rand@seomoz.org