Search Smart Marketing Westport CT Library Presentation October 2014

Search Engine Overview Organic Search Paid Search Local /Social Search Google Analytics

Search Engine Marketing

Search Smart Marketingwww.isearchsmart.com

400 Columbus Avenue Valhalla, NY 10595

914.432.3083

243 Tresser Blvd.Stamford, CT 06901

914.883.1506

• Started Internet Career in 1994

• The Journal News• Online Marketing Director, 1996 – 2000• Launched first web sites

• Wahlstrom Group, Stamford 2000 - 2006• IPG Company▫ VP, Managing Director Interactive Media

• Search Smart Marketing• Launched 2006

• Adjunct Professor, Fordham University

Clients include:

AutoNation

CBS New York

Invisalign Braces

Hudson Valley Tourism

Westchester County Association

Stark Office Suites

NERAK Systems

ProLease

First Capital

Search Smart Marketingwww.isearchsmart.com

400 Columbus Avenue Valhalla, NY 10595

914.432.3083

243 Tresser Blvd.Stamford, CT 06901

914.883.1506

“Is SEO Dead?”

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Overview

“ …the promotion of websites by increasing their visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs) through optimization (both on-page and off-page) as well as through advertising (paid placements,

contextual advertising… )”

- Wikipedia

Search Engines Audience Share

Google Share: Approximately 67%

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Overview

A strategic, integrated approach to marketing via Search sites.

1. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – “Organic” or “Unpaid” Search Algorithmic, crawler-based search approach Website Content, Architecture, Coding, Links, Web “footprint”, Authorship

1. Pay-per-Click (PPC) – Paid Search Keyword position control, result-oriented Bid for Position, Pay-per-Click Syndication Networks – Google, Bing Brand Protection, Message/Position Control

2. Local /Social Search Local Profiles – ex. Google+ Directory Citations Review Management Intersection with Social Media

The Evolution of Search Engines

The Evolution of Search Engines:Universal Search 2007

News

Video

Images

Wikipedia

Twitter

Universal Search: changing our page scanning patterns

Source: Enquiro Research, August 2007

Search Engine Optimization – Success Criteria

Keywords: Search “DNA”

• Determine 3-5 top phrases for your entire site

• Determine 2-3 top phrases for each page

• “Westchester NY accountant” is better than “accountant”

• Go with your gut but do your research…

Keyword Research Tools

• Google Keyword Planner

• SEO Book - • http://tools.seobook.com/keyword-tools/seobook/

• WordTracker.com – • https://freekeywords.wordtracker.com

• Wordstream.com – • http://www.wordstream.com/keywords

SEO Coding: Page Titles

• Every page should have a unique title built around target term and content for that page

• No more than 55 characters

• Important keywords at the beginning

• Keep it short, attractive and enticing.

• Will often be used as the page’s bookmark

SEO Coding: Meta Descriptions

• Every page should have a unique description built around target term and content for that page

• No more than 175 characters

• Incorporate important keywords

• Entice searcher to read & click

• Will often be used as the listing’s snippet

Website Copy

• No text graphics

• Users come first

• Descriptive

• Location, location, location.

• PHRASES not WORDS

• Plural, tenses, ings, etc.

Help for the “Dumb” Search Engine

Keyword phrases that make sense

No keyword phrases

Links: A Deciding Factor

• More difficult for web site owners to manipulate links than their own pages

• Major component of Google, also used by nearly everyone else, to some degree

• A few links from quality sites are better than hundreds of links from bad sites

• Provide a reason for linking; report, data, free giveaway, etc.

• Social Signals!

What Do Search Engines Want?

RELEVANCY: They want to return quality content/sites that are most relevant to the searchers query. This is determined by:

• Content – theme/topic, page text, coding, navigation, alt tags, etc.

• Site Performance – does it load quickly? Can spiders “crawl” the site• Site Authority – Do other sites link to it? It is being discussed in Social

circles?• User Data – do visitors stay long? How many pages do they visit? Do

they return?• Site History – has the domain been active long? Is it “clean”?

SEO Principles: Building Blocks

Periodic Table of SEO Factors

Paid Search: Google AdWords

Google Search Results

Call Extensions

Ad Extensions

AdWords Interface

Benefits of Pay-per-Click

1. Pay-per-Click (PPC) – Paid Search Quick Results Budget Control Directly affect Ranking Syndication Network:

NY Times AOL Ask Thousands of others

Great for Testing; Online focus group Brand Protection Measurable!

Disadvantages of Pay-per-Click

1. Pay-per-Click (PPC) – Paid Search Keyword prices

Up to $25 - $50 Cost-per-Click (CPC) in some categories Average CPC: $2.50 - $4.00 Google Avg. CPC is $0.35; skewed by Amazon, eBay, etc. Average CPC down 5% - 10%; Google Enhanced likely to change that

Need to commit fair budget/campaign trial time Requires ongoing attention; “set it & forget it” is a recipe for failure Google defaults make money only for Google Buyer Beware: unprofessionalism is widespread

Misleading promises Marketer should own accounts

Local Search: The Evolution

Local Search: Why is it Important?

Local Search: Why is it Important?

Organic/Paid vs. Local Search

• Location, location, location

• Organic/Paid search = “the what”– Nike running shoes

• Local Search/Paid Search = “the what” & “the where”– Nike shoe store White Plains

Local Search: SEO

Local Search: Reviews

Google+ Page

What is a Citation?

A citation is a mention of your business on the web, typically in the format of Name, Address, and Phone number. This is called your NAP.

Conflicting Data Causes Confusion at Google

Primary listing

2013 Local Search Harmful Ranking Factors

Listing Resources

Listing Resources

Listing Resources

Keys to Local Success

• SEO - Location Keyword In Title Tag And H1 Tag• NAP - business name, address and phone

number.• Local Phone Number• Claim Your Citations• High Quality Backlinks• Links From Local Websites• Google+ Local Page• Reviews• Mobile

Search Marketing: Measuring Successwith Google Analytics

Analytics Code

Analytics Tracking: Tag Everything!

• What ▫ Pay-Per-Click (CPC)▫ Email▫ Social Buttons, Posts▫ Display

• How▫ AdWords Auto-Tagging

▫ Tracking URL Generator SEARCH: Google Analytics Tracking URL Builder http://support.google.com/analytics/answer/1033867?hl=en

Reviewing Your Data – Report #1

Reviewing Your Data – Report #2

Reviewing Your Data – Report #3

Reviewing Your Data – Report #4

Reviewing Your Data – Report #5

Google Webmaster Tools

• Diagnose potential problems– Crawl info– Website content

• See how your site performs– Top queries– Indexing information

• Share info with Google about your site– Submit a Sitemap file

What’s Next for 2015

• Google Penguin Update• Unnatural Links

• Content– Quality– Relevance– Freshness

• Social Signals• Site Performance• Mobile