Webinar « Webmarketing123

Marketing Sherpa’s Real Truth about Social Media & SEO

October 26th, 2010 by Sarah Shakour

The key to getting your website to rank at the top of a search engine’s results is to implement SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Integrate SEO with SM (Social Media) and you’re sure to see your rankings and website’s popularity increase. In last week’s webinar, MarketingSherpa’s Real Truth About Social Media & SEO, Webmarketing123’s Paul Taylor (@Webmarketing123) and MarketingSherpa’s Todd Lebo (@ToddLebo) discussed how SM and SEO combine to help your business increase sales, lead generations and website rankings on Search Engine Result pages.

At Webmarketing123, we have the 5 Pillars of SEO. By following these tactics, your website will significantly improve its ranking on Search Engine Result pages. These 5 pillars include optimizing your Keywords, site content, Meta content, URLS and inbound links. Among SM users, 64% use keyword research to find what they are looking for vs. 59% of non SM users. Keyword research is one of the most important components of SEO–determining the language people use to describe products/services and what keywords they are using is crucial! In addition, 48% of SM users rely on link building to market their brand vs. only 37% of non SM users. See below:

This chart indicates how all aspects of SEO are enhanced by the integration of SM. This correlation will only become more apparent as SM evolves.

There are many unique marketing benefits that SM provides. Having a SM presence:

Increases brand awareness
Builds community following
Helps establish loyalty and trust behind your brand (one of the most important benefits!)
Offers direct sales opportunities
Displays your SM results on the first page of Google

SEO has a lot of benefits as well that yield:

A higher ROI
3^RD Party Validation (Google determining your site’s relevance to search terms)
Improved flow of Traffic

Integrating SM with your SEO efforts will have far-reaching benefits for your website’s market presence. Your site will likely experience an increased number of inbound links, improving your current rankings and increasing click through rates on Search Engine Result pages.

MarketingSherpa research includes a mix of Social and Search data to improve inbound traffic, leads and conversion rates. Here are a few key takeaways to help your site reach its goals:

Optimize content for keywords using SM channels
SEO and SM work together to create a comprehensive online campaign.
The combination yields a stronger customer community, an increase in conversions and a higher ROI
SM will become more integrated in organic search results in the near future

-@SarahShakour

Tags: 5 pillars of SEO, @SarahShakour, @ToddLebo, Conversion Rates, Google, Highlights, keyword selection, keywords, MarketingSherpa, Real Truth About Social Media & SEO, ROI, SEM, SEO, Social Media, Webinar, Webmarketing123
Posted in Search Engine Optimization, Social Media, Webinar Highlights | No Comments »

Google Instant–Will it Affect Your SEO?

September 17th, 2010 by Webmarketing123

The biggest question from our webinar yesterday (held by Travis Low–@TravisLowSEO) was: Will Google Instant Affect SEO?

Before we get into the details, we want to make sure we define a few key terms that will be used throughout the post:

Short-tail/Head Match Keywords – a general 1-2 keyword search term. For example, with keywords such as “black running shoes size 12,” “nike running shoes for women” or “light running shoes” the head match is “running shoes.”

Long-tail Keywords – at least 3+ keyword search term. For example, “business process management software solutions.”

Impressions – (defined post-Google Instant)

1) User begins a search query and clicks anywhere on the page

2) User chooses a particular query by clicking the search button, hitting enter, or selecting an auto-complete suggestion

3) User stops typing and results are displayed for a minimum of 3 seconds

An example of seeing impressions through Google Adwords can be seen below:

Impressions on Google Adwords - KW: "bpm software" with 1,600 Impressions

Now that we addressed key terms, we can discuss how Instant has changed. Google Instant displays the predicted query—unless searchers continue typing or click on the search button. What is important to know is that Google Instant is changing the overall experience for the user, and now it is even more important that your website ranks on the first page, preferably within positions 1-3. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

Keywords should be in your site content, meta content, inbound links, hyper text links, URL, and content silos
Focus on your title and meta descriptions
Short-tail keywords will get a lot more impressions, but the quality of search terms will improve over time as users are given more long-tail suggestions
You need to start focusing on optimizing for the long-tail keyword suggestions Google provides

For example:

Keyword “BPM Software” - Google Instant Predictive Text

Google captures what are the most searched queries on certain topics. If one of your keywords, for example, is “bpm software” (seen above), you want to start optimizing for the long-tail keywords that Google suggests. Frequently check to see if there are newer keywords Google suggests, or if the ones shown above remain to be the top searched queries on “bpm software” and optimize for those.

Keep in mind that with Google Instant, there is no change to the organic algorithm. If you ranked #1 prior to Google Instant, then you remain #1. The significant affect of Google Instant is with user experience.

Key Takeaways:

1) Google makes no changes in ranking algorithm, it’s primarily just changing the user ranking

2) Too early to tell how user behavior may change, but first page rankings and auto complete suggestions are more important. Essential to optimize for these suggestions.

3) Impressions for head match terms will definitely increase. The quality for the search terms will improve as we are starting to give more long-tail suggestions.

4) Important that your SEO campaigns focus on your return on investment. What are your overall marketing and business goals? Once these are defined, it’ll be easier to optimize.

We will keep you updated on the progression and/or any changes with Google Instant, and how or if it will affect your Search Marketing efforts–so keep checking back! To download a copy of the slides, click here.

Tags: Google, Google Adwords, Google Instant, head match, impressions, long-tail keywords, organic algorithm, PPC, ranking, Search Engine Optimization, SEO, short-tail keywords, Webinar
Posted in Google Updates, Search Engine Optimization | 1 Comment »

Linking Tips for Ranking #1

September 9th, 2010 by Sarah Shakour

Linking is one of the most misunderstood concepts in Search Engine Optimization, but is very significant to your business. If you don’t have a good linking program in place, your site won’t rank well. On last Thursday’s webinar, held by Paul Taylor and Travis Low, they focused on key points and tips on why building a good linking campaign is crucial for your site, especially those top 10 spots on page 1 of search engines site. To start off, let’s go over some need-to-know facts.

Research shows if you are not on the first page, most visitors won’t go beyond page one.
If you’re ranked number one on the first page of search engine sites, you will have 10 times more of a chance to get clicked on than someone who is ranked number ten (42% vs. 3% click-through-rate, respectively).
Inbound linking is the most cost-effective way to improve rankings (we’ll get into definitions later).
Nowadays, the top 3 positions on the 1^st page are normally considered “above the fold.”
Organic searches, overall, still get majority of clicks compared to Paid searches (but we’re currently working on a case study, so stay tuned!).
The importance of ranking high will translate to more revenue, and business growth!

There are a few ways to link your site in order to get a better ranking. One way is through inbound links, which are hyperlinks on external sites that you don’t own which link back to your site. These sites should be relevant to your business and regarded high by search engines, so that the inbound links serve as “votes” that tell search engines your site is useful and relevant. It is also important to diversify your links, and not just add a whole bunch to navigate to just one page. Directories are the quickest and easiest way to build up your search rankings and press releases help optimize your keywords. However, one tool that does not help with ranking is social media. All social media sites that you are accustomed to—like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn—have no follow tags. They tell search engine spiders to not follow the text outside of their website, so your site can’t link any of the “juice.” (For more information on the diversity of inbound links, check below on how to get a copy of the slides!)

In addition, internal links are links within your site for Google spiders to know what your site is about, and to see a “content silo” of inter-linked pages. It is imperative to keep the theme distinctive, which will strengthen your website and rank.

One thing that should be known about linking is that it is a gradual process. You want it to be a diverse group you’re ranking from, and the gradual buildup will allow your rankings to look like a natural evolution. Not all links are created equal, so you want to create one that will have a lot of domain authority as well as making sure Google sees that it is relevant.

Every site benefits from linking; e.g. if you don’t have the budget for a full SEO campaign but need to boost search engine rankings, if your site is optimized but not ranking well, and/or if your site needs to be optimized but faces technical limitations. Be sure to proceed with caution, and build a timeline for implementing this process! If you have any questions, or need evaluation and analysis, Webmarketing123 can assist you. Contact Mark Powers at (800) 619-1570 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (800) 619-1570 end_of_the_skype_highlighting or Mark.P@webmarketing123.com–and don’t forget to ask for a copy of the slides!

-Sarah

Tags: content silo, inbound links, internal links, Linking, Links, no-follow tags, SEO, Webinar, Webmarketing123
Posted in Links, Search Engine Optimization, Webinar Highlights | No Comments »

BingHoo? How the New Bing & Yahoo Alliance Works for your SEM!

July 30th, 2010 by Seth Gutierrez

For those of you who missed our webinar on BingHoo! or want a refresher, here’s a brief recap of Wednesday’s presentation. Big thanks to Antonio, Travis and Ben for leading the way on this one—but more importantly, to everyone who tuned in. Thank you for your questions and comments – we appreciate the constant participation!

The subject of this week’s Webmarketing123 webinar was the emerging alliance between Bing (Microsoft) and Yahoo search engines. We have to stress the fact that although the two companies are teaming up for many SEO, PPC and web search purposes, this alliance is not to be misconstrued as a merger between Microsoft and Yahoo. BingHoo!, as it’s being called, will maintain the Yahoo interface, while all organic searches for web, images, video and queries, as well as paid search results, will be powered by Bing.

In addition to the 5 Pillars of SEO (Keywords, Site Content, Meta Content, URL’s, and In-bound Links) that we have discussed at length in other webinars, a few major points to take away from Wednesday’s BingHoo! webinar are as follows:

In the next year, as the alliance unfolds, focus more on optimizing for Bing than Yahoo. Be sure to have Bing Webmaster Tools installed.
After the transition, Bing will represent roughly 30% of overall search queries.
Incorporate and understand your new Bing webmaster tools and pay close attention to how the Bing Spiders crawl through your searches!

And here are a few tips on preparation for the new BingHoo! alliance:

Continue to place your main focus on Google, a.k.a. the King. Typically, what Google does is followed by Yahoo and Bing.
Look to optimize your searches using Bing algorithms – obtain “exact” domain matches whenever possible.
Keep in mind that Bing favors sub-domain or root-domain keywords, so be sure that your domain names are effectively optimized.
As always, be sure to obtain fresh in-bound links from a diverse array of sites. The greater variety of in-bound linkage that you have, the more traffic your site will receive.

As the effects of this alliance reveal themselves, the most important thing is to stay current on your company’s optimization. Look into in the future and plan for the long-term by planting the seeds for the release of new products within your keywords. Keep up with the pulse of your company’s keyword selection—it’s good practice to run a quarterly review of your keyword basket. Also, make sure that you’re in touch with your consumers and are able to effectively identify the language they use in regards to your company and products, as well as your industry as a whole.

With that said, keep your links fresh, keep your site content relevant and substantial, and optimize, optimize, optimize. SEO is the best way to boost traffic to your site!

Thanks again to everyone who participated in this week’s webinar. Next Wednesday’s webinar will be on integrating your SEO with social media. To sign up for next week’s webinar, please visit http://bit.ly/Web123-Webinar –it’s going to be a good one!

- Seth

Tags: 5 pillars, Bing, Bing-Hoo!, Google, in-bound links, PPC, SEO, Webinar, Webmarketing123, Yahoo
Posted in Pay Per Click, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Webinar Highlights | No Comments »

Cookies or Chocolate Chip Cookies? Which Keyword is Optimal for SEO?

May 28th, 2010 by Webmarketing123

Yesterday’s webinar was all about the ABC’s of keywords optimization. Or as Travis puts it: “How much is that keyword worth to you?”

KEYWORDS are the FOCAL POINT of your SEO efforts. So naturally, identifying your highest impact keywords, and then strategically incorporating them into your site are crucial to your SEO success.

Keywords fall into two buckets: Head match and long-tail match. Head Match keywords are general searches, like “shoes” or “cookies”, whereas long-tail match keywords are more descriptive searches, like “women’s dress shoes” or “chocolate chip cookies”. Because long-tail keywords are more specific, they are better matched to the searchers needs, have less competition than generic head match keywords, and therefore can produce a high volume of impressions.

The first step in maximizing sales from: SEO is setting the right keywords. This means focusing on a short and ideal list of key phrases your sales prospects and customers use to find you.

On May 5th or 6th 2010, depending on where you live, Google changed its search results page. One of the changes included the Google Wonder Wheel, a keyword expansion tool which shows related searches to your current search inquiry. The Wonder Wheel is an incredible tool and particularly helpful with finding other options for keywords.

Using the example that Travis used during the webinar, let’s say your company is in conveyor services.

In Google, search “conveyor systems” and on the left side of your screen click on “Wonder Wheel”.

Here, you can see other keyword options, to help narrow your search. Since you are in the industrial sector, click on “Industrial Conveyor Systems”.

Boom! Now you have six other keyword options to help optimize your search. We’ll go with “belt conveyors”.

Other Key Tools and Highlights:

Google Insights – diagnose keyword search trends & its popularity in geographical regions
Google Analytics – helps you understand what your customers are typing in to find your website, and which keywords you need to push to optimize, or if you need to start a PPC campaign
Make sure that your company‘s terminology is in line with your customer’s terminology—the keywords they search for should be the ones you’re optimizing for!
Keyword selection is your foundation for optimization. Keyword selection takes 2-3 weeks, in order for the account management team, analysts, and engineering teams to understand your keyword selection base.

Choosing the right keywords are the KEY to success—wow, that was cheesy…but you get the point. See you at the next webinar!

Tags: Google, Google analytics, Google insights, head match, Highlights, keyword selection, keywords, long-tail keywords, SEO, Webinar, wonder wheel
Posted in Google Updates, Search Engine Optimization, Webinar Highlights | No Comments »

Anchors Don’t Weigh You Down

May 13th, 2010 by Janet Salsman

Anchor

We talk a lot about links around here, both internal links and inbound links. In today’s Introduction to SEO webinar, SEO Linking Essentials: How to Generate Inbound Links, Travis got into the nitty-gritty of the process.

Anchor text is a little like the outlet that links plug into. If your outlet is poor, you’re not going to get good performance from your link because it won’t have reliable power. Using your carefully-chosen keywords as anchor text for relevant inbound links gets the amps flowing. As tempting as it is to write copy for your site that tells people to click here and here, it is much better to give them an idea of where they are going, say, Grand Canyon or Great Barrier Reef. That way you don’t lose your visitors and you don’t confuse the crawlers.

Just for fun: anchors.

Tags: Blogs, Google spiders, Highlights, keywords, SEO, Webinar, Webmarketing123
Posted in Search Engine Optimization, Webinar Highlights, Webmarketing123.com | No Comments »

Attracting Spiders – Copywriting for SEO:

April 22nd, 2010 by Janet Salsman

What a lot of spiders! They must like it here!

Why should I bother to read your site? There are so many sites out there and I really don’t have time to look at yours.

Good question. Both human and crawler visitors want to know. Answering that question with your content is the big task of content writing. Fortunately, our latest webinar in the Introduction to SEO series, Copywriting for SEO: The Art and Science of Content Creation, provided insight to our audience today.

To begin, you need some attention. Great titles for your articles attract readers, but they won’t stay long if that’s all you have on offer. Spiders, much like people, get impatient and bored with the same old stuff. Give them a compelling subject underneath that great title, and they’ll stick around. It’s even better if you make it funny, educational, engaging, or all of the above.

However nice it is to have folks sticking around to read the content you’ve spent so much time and energy creating, it’s not enough. You want them to DO something while they’re with you. Ensuring that there is a call to action—a link to click to download a white paper, perhaps—up high on the page helps to turn casual visitors into actual leads.

Finally, write like a human, but keep an eye on the spiders. Spiders understand a lot more about context than they used to. They will be able to get the gist of what your content is about, much like your human readers. Using your keywords in your content makes spiders notice them and subsequently improve your rankings for them.

The answer to why I should bother with your site? Because it’s fascinating, timely, relevant, useful, and often really entertaining. And I don’t mind all the spiders it attracts; I don’t have arachnophobia.