This document provides SEO tips for small publishers to compete against larger publishers. It recommends syndicating content through aggregators to gain exposure while focusing on building your own brand through tactics like duplicate content on your site, linking strategies, reviews from other sites, and developing your site as a brand and commerce hub. The key is using other sources to your advantage without copying their content directly on your site.

1. SEO for Publishing
John Doherty
Distilled
@dohertyjf

2. We’re not going to talk about
News Publishing

3. I have a background in book publishing

4. But everyone is a publisher these days

5. How can the little guy compete?

6. You have to be agile and witty, but it’s possible

7. Most (book) publishers syndicate
content through here, and you
should too.
Let’s speak “book publisher” for a minute

8. Lots of aggregators for blogs

9. Sometimes…

10. It’s not a matter of “competing against”
them, because they can help.

11. But we have to work hard to win.

12. A Few
Tactics for
you

13. D*pl*c*te
C*nt*nt

14. Duplicate Content 

15. An example where a small site wins.

16. It’s an ugly site too.

17. They need to rank (low comp, high search, BRANDING)

18. NINJA TIME!

19. If you are a book (or even eCommerce) publisher
YOU SHOULD: Syndicate (to Ingram as a book
publisher)
YOU SHOULD NOT: Put that same content on your
site.

20. How is TheShackBook.com
winning?

21. Source
Anchor Text

22. Source
Link Profile

23. Wikipedia will give you a link (if you’re the publisher)
Pro tip: The “Official site” link is nofollowed (still take it though)
Links (do your own outreach)

24. http://www.mpdailyfix.com/marketing-the-shack/
http://theshackbook.com/missy-project.html
http://www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog/2011/03/10/12-lessons-learned-while-
marketing-the-4-hour-body/
Do your own outreach

25. Reviews

26. You’re probably not going to get thousands of
reviews on your own site

27. That’s a lot of reviews for a small site!

28. Schema? Where are those reviews coming from?

29. Pro tip: Reviews don’t have to be your own if
you have a Google product feed…

30. Ooooh I see….

31. What do I
need?

32. eCommerce Section (and get a Product
Feed) http://dis.tl/zg0C64

33. Become a Google Merchant

34. Pull AGGREGATE review
numbers onto your site and
mark them up!
The UK Tights Example
Aggregate Rating Schema

35. So don’t let the
“big guys” define
your brand.

36. Every publisher
needs their own
site for…

37. Keep your traffic to yourself

38. Your own site will
also let you...

39. Brand Yourself

40. SOURCE: http://www.seobook.com/learn-seo/infographics/brand-branding-brands.php
The Googles love brands

41. Become a brand

42. Hubspot is a publisher now (source)
Build your brand

43. So is Coke (source)
Rethink your brand

45. But think outside the box.