Search engine optimization (SEO) involves optimizing web pages to increase traffic from search engines. SEO is important because search engines are the second most popular internet activity and people trust search results. Search engines use spiders that crawl and index web pages, storing content in an index used to return relevant results. Key aspects of SEO include optimizing content, site architecture like URLs and navigation, and building internal and external links. Effective SEO involves an initial audit, keyword research, optimizing pages, implementation, link building, and analyzing metrics like traffic, bounce rate, and conversions over time.

1. SEOSearch Engine OptimizationThe What, Why, and How

2. ContentsWhat is SEO?Why Search MattersHow Search Engines WorkSEO ProcessSEO MetricsQ&A

3. What is SEO?

4. What is SEO?Search Engine Optimization, or, SEO, is the active practice of optimizing a web site by improving technical, structural, on-page, and off-page elements to increase the traffic the site receives from search engines.

5. What is SEO?Search Engine Optimization is the process of strategic placement of targeted keywords in an effort to maximize search engine ranking placement (SERP). The purpose of SEO is to ensure a Web site is properly indexed by the search engines. SEO is an evolutionary process of continual updates in an effort to achieve maximum result placement.Search Engines are the second most popular Internet activity, and quickly gaining ground on the number one activity, e-mail.Consumers trust Search Engines, seeing them as fair, unbiased providers of information beyond all other research tools.

6. Why Does Search Matter?

7. Why Does Search Matter?TrafficVisibilityTrust

8. Why Search Matters: TrafficUnless you have brand recognition or a large budget, search is the most cost effective medium to drive traffic to a websiteSome of our clients see between 60% and 70% of their total traffic come from searchOthers are much lower, with only 5%

9. Why Search Matters: VisibilityTop 3 listings on search engine results pgs account for approximately 63% of all clicksFirst place result gets 4 times the amount of traffic of the secondEverybody wants to be #1

10. Why Search Matters: Visibility

11. Why Search Matters: Visibility

12. Why Search Matters: TrustPeople trust search enginesThey believe search results show relevant, factual information80% use search engines to gather information on a product or service prior to purchasing online78% use search engines to compare prices online76% use search engines to gather information on a product or service prior to purchasing in-storeSource: MediaPost, 2010

13. How Search Engines Work

14. How Search Engines WorkSearch engines use “spiders” (aka. Robots, Bots, Crawlers), which are basically automated Web surfers. Spiders systematically browse the Web, indexing the contents on each page they visit. Spiders follow hyperlinks in their pursuit of information.

15. How Search Engines WorkContent must create thematic relevancy, which not only relies on a comprehensive site architecture but also robust, well-written content.Spiders store a copy of everything they find in the Search Engine Index, or database of web content.Search Engines query the index and apply a unique, complex algorithm to deliver the most relevant results to each user query.

16. How Search Engines WorkThree Pillars of SEOContent – On-Page assets like copy, images & videoSite Architecture – Domain, Hosting, URL, Navigation, Page Hierarchy, Design, UsabilityLinks – Internal & External

17. How Search Engines WorkThree Pillars of SEO

18. How Search Engines WorkThree Pillars of SEO: ContentCopy is relevant to searchers intentAccurate title tags, H1 tags, and META descriptionsImages are search-friendly, following proper naming conventions and utilizing ALT attributesFlash and other non-readable media formats like audio and video are transcribed

19. How Search Engines WorkH1 TagsH1 tag

20. How Search Engines WorkTitle TagTitle tag

21. How Search Engines WorkThree Pillars of SEO: Site ArchitectureNavigation is properly labeled and easy to useHierarchy is flat, meaning there aren’t 8 levels of directories presentURLs are easy to understand, contain keywords when appropriate, and are consistent

22. How Search Engines WorkThree Pillars of SEO: LinksSearch engines view a link as a “vote of confidence”The higher quantity (and quality) number of links a page relevant to the query has, the more likely it will rankIndustry sentiment puts the importance of links in relation to all SEO ranking elements at 60%

23. Our SEO Process

24. Fullhouse SEO ProcessSEO Audit & RecommendationsKeyword ResearchContent ReorganizationKeyword MappingImplementation & Link BuildingReporting & Analysis

25. Fullhouse SEO ProcessAlways starts with an audit

26. Our SEO ProcessStarting with an audit allows us to know what we need to spend extra time onKeyword research is client & industry specificReorganize content for maximum search visibilityMap keywords to new and existing pagesImplement recommendations & build linksReport on metrics that matter

27. Metrics That Matter

28. Metrics That MatterQuantitative metrics like number of unique visitors, percentage of traffic coming from search, and % of return visitors are useless without a way to measure behaviorQualitative metrics like bounce rate, time on site, and average pageviews per visitor provide a better overall picture of web traffic performanceWe can easily dismiss a traffic source that only drives 10% of total visits, but if that same source also produces 70% of all conversions then we need to pay attention

29. Metrics That MatterVisits by non-paid keywords, filtered for branded, trademarked, and copyrighted terms show us how visible a page is in search enginesVisits, time spend on page, and bounce ratesegmented by entry pages gives us a better understanding of how qualified our search visitors areNumber of conversions or goal completions give us a good look at how likely search traffic is willing to convert

30. Metrics That MatterBoring…

31. Metrics That MatterThat’s what I’m talking about!

32. Metrics That MatterBottom LineMake sure your metrics have meaning!

33. Questions?

34. Thank You!