Enabling Success in Large Scale Search

ProgramsPresented by:

Bill Hunt

@billhunt

The Challenge of Enterprise SEOThe Challenge of Enterprise SEO

• Many brands and products

• Multiple language versions

• Numerous SEM programs

• Wide range of roles need to be included

Adopt an Enterprise SEO Ecosystem

Enable Search Program Scalability

Managing the Process

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Refocus the Search Team

Purpose

• Lower operating costs of running global search programs

• Increased leverage of portfolio site assets

Central Search Team Responsibilities

• Deploy best practices, standard metrics, and tools

• Consistent process, reporting, and optimization methods

• Coordinate with PR, other agencies, web dev, analytics

• Evangelize and educate business units and geographies

• Standardized in-sourcing / outsourcing delivery

Enabler - Coordinated Management

Implemented At

Enabler - Global Search Council

The Search Council is essentially a team of subject matter experts levels who offer (among other things):

• Strategic Oversight & Collaboration • Best Practices Documentation and Maintenance• Resolve best practice integration issues• Keyword-Preferred Landing Page (PLP) Mapping• Page-Level & Template Coding

Recommendations• Paid and Organic Analysis (for program

optimization)

Enabler – Talk to Stakeholders

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Talk to anyone who impacts SEO performance

Enabler – Search Knowledgebase • Collect and share best practices with the wider

team

•Send new adopters to view PPT and complete intake checklists•Add URL to your eMail Signature File

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Enabler - Global Center of Enabler - Global Center of ExcellenceExcellence

Centralized, Scaleable Search Marketing Capability that meets Centralized, Scaleable Search Marketing Capability that meets diverse Geo and BU needs while achieving economies of scale.diverse Geo and BU needs while achieving economies of scale.

Define Central and Geo/Biz Roles Remove/Streamline Non-Value Added Roles Consistent World Wide processes

Centralized ProcessesCentralized Processes

Standardized Forms/Templates for Campaign Mgmt. Clear Communications and Expectation Setting Shared Goals and Metrics

Keyword Selection/Management Creative Development Bid Management Global Linking Strategy Localization

Keyword Optimization Global Campaign Management Effectiveness Reporting Qualitative Reporting

Reporting and Analysis Tools Reporting and Analysis Tools FrameworkFramework

Enterprise Search Program

Focused, targeted activities built on streamlined core processes - scaled Focused, targeted activities built on streamlined core processes - scaled worldwide.worldwide.

Campaign ExecutionCampaign Execution Communications & Communications & StandardsStandards

Enabler - Search Engine Style Guide

Managing the Technology

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Enabler: Optimize Templates for Scale & Global

Sony.de Sony.fr Etc.

Page Title and Meta Data recommendations

Fully indexable navigation?

Ensure all parts of the page are indexable

Correct use of Header tags

Can search engine’s follow all of the links?

Enhancement of cross-links to distribute link equity

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Enabler – Search Integrated Content Deployment

GlobalGeo/RegionCountryContent authoring

WW Project ManagerAccepts, coordinates requests

Web Production & DevelopmentQuality Assurance

Local ValidationValidates & approves translation

Publish content

EMEA Web Localization Translation

Americas WebLocalization Translation

AP Web Localization Translation

Local Authors trained on writing for SEO

Global & local glossary validated for demand

Rank & Traffic Reports

Keyword & Relevance

Search Implications on Roles Content Authors – Local content authors ensures the page content is relevant and incorporated optimal keywords Localizers – leverages the glossary and keyword research tools to validate keyword demand and optimal keyword incorporation QA Specialist - Checks pages against submitted content, standards, and template formats – ensures there are no spider traps, keyword prominence and flags any URL changes and ensures URL is in Google site map. Search Team – Monitors inclusions, ranking and traffic

Search Implications on Roles Content Authors – Local content authors ensures the page content is relevant and incorporated optimal keywords Localizers – leverages the glossary and keyword research tools to validate keyword demand and optimal keyword incorporation QA Specialist - Checks pages against submitted content, standards, and template formats – ensures there are no spider traps, keyword prominence and flags any URL changes and ensures URL is in Google site map. Search Team – Monitors inclusions, ranking and traffic

IBM Software Online Catalogs are currently available in 235 countries translated in 23 languages. Product ordering is currently available in 33 countries around the world

Goals: •Be the “go to source” on the web for all IBM software•Rank well without significant local interaction and optimization•Drive incremental traffic and conversions from brand and generic terms

Global SEO for IBM Software Online Catalog

Countries who can order Countries with catalogs only Countries not enabled

Languages

1. Brazilian Portuguese

2. Chinese Simplified

3. Croatian

4. Czech

5. Dutch

6. English

7. Finnish

8. French

9. French Canadian

10. German

11. Hungarian

12. Italian

13. Korean

14. Norwegian

15. Polish

16. Russian

17. Slovakian

18. Spanish

19. Swedish

20. Turkish

21. Japanese

22. Traditional Chinese

23. Danish

Optimizing the Catalog

Results:• 82% of Tier 1 phrases in all markets ranking on first page• 8,000% increase in traffic in first 30 days • Exponential increase in sales immediately after indexing

• Opened the catalogs to spiders by removing robots blocks and language/location detection scripts

• Altered templates to insert geo-specific keywords into titles, headings, and spiderable text

• Simplified URL structures (of 8 CMS systems)

• Created country-specific XML site maps to push inclusion

Managing the Keywords

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BASIC DATA•Keyword•Keyword Demand•Page/URL•Owner

ADVANCED DATA•Organic Referral•Paid Clicks•Organic Conversions•Paid Conversions

BASIC OUTPUT•Duplication Identification•Primary v Secondary •Pages with multiple primary keywords

ADVANCED OUTPUT•PPC + SEO Co-Optimization•Organic Keyword Opportunities•Page Optimization Opportunities•Keyword Overlap & Arbitration

BASIC OUTPUT•Duplication Identification•Primary v Secondary •Pages with multiple primary keywords

ADVANCED OUTPUT•PPC + SEO Co-Optimization•Organic Keyword Opportunities•Page Optimization Opportunities•Keyword Overlap & Arbitration

Provides a central resource combining all major data points for informed decision-making on Paid and Organic Search priorities

Centralized Keyword Management

Enabler - Searcher Interest Modeling

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2 3

Transform large amounts of unstructured keyword research data into semantic maps of customer interest

1 Prioritized keywords aligned to business goals and customer interest

Informed messaging strategies and creative content

Optimized information architecture and website content

Enabler – Keyword Management Enabler – Keyword Management SystemSystem

• Ensures focus on most important keywords• Monitor keyword level performance across business units• Monitor trends and opportunities

Managing the Links

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• Leverage enormous power of portfolio sites to build link equity

• Leverage Partners and Distributed content to increase link equity

Link Equity is the amount of positive value your website receives from the totality of “links” or “votes” for your content from internal and external sources which is the foundation of Google’s Scoring Algorithm.

Helps define the server strategy as well

Enabler – Maximize Link Enabler – Maximize Link ArchitectureArchitecture

Bplans is IBM’s one of the small business special deal partners. IBM SMB can go to them and request a backlink for IBM’s Small Business resources page.

Request your business partners to add a link on the relevant page and use the keyword in the anchor text pointing to the IBM small business resources page.

Opportunity IBM Page

Enabler – Leverage Business Enabler – Leverage Business PartnersPartners

Enabler – PR & Social Media IntegrationEnabler – PR & Social Media Integration

• Share Keywords and Landing Pages to ensure integration• Generates the right links to key pages

Managing the Priorities

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Make a List of Priorities

• Demonstrate the complexity of SEO and the impact of making changes across the organization

Enabler – Integrated Search Data

• Identify missed opportunities – paid and organic

Enabler – Always On - Critical Phrase OptimizationEnabler – Always On - Critical Phrase Optimization

• Identify keywords and corresponding “preferred landing pages”

• Establish business rules to trigger page audits and PPC activities with Neo

• Ensures focus on most important keywords

Managing the Performance

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Measuring Success Correctly

• Diagnostic tools measure the “geeky stuff”

• Performance tools measure the business results

• Program Management tools measure organizational impact

Enabler – Diagnostic Monitoring

• Google site maps are required for larger complex programs – Alerts problems before they get too bad– Ensures all content pushed into index

Showing Optimization Impact

• Demonstrate the incremental gains from optimization

Enabler – Always On - Critical Phrase Enabler – Always On - Critical Phrase OptimizationOptimization

• Identify keywords and corresponding “preferred landing pages”

• Establish business rules to trigger page audits and PPC activities with Neo

• Ensures focus on most important keywords

Enabler – Deploy BU Performance Metrics

• Leverage Scorecards for governance to ensure consistent global performance goals are achieved.

• Helps prioritize resource allocation

• Effectively blend paid search and natural search for brand awareness and lead generation

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IBM’s global search performance increased 500% when BU level performance metrics

implemented

Monitor SEO & PPC Collaboration

• Demonstrate the collaboration of PPC and SEO

• Use SEO to reduce clicks on high CPC keywords

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Fortune 100 company increased PPC efficiency 300% by monitoring SEO &

PPC Performance

Showing Value of SEO

• Demonstrate the ROI of SEO & Revenue Generation

• Highlight any incremental success from SEO

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25% increase in Natural Search Traffic Increased SEO Revenue by 45%

Enabler – Simplified Activity Reporting

• 5 things we did this reporting period

• 5 outcomes that moved the needle

• 5 things we will do next reporting period

• Develop 3 to 5 minute video to highlight your report

– Camtasia or Adobe Captivate

• Share results good or bad with everyone

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Thank You.

eMail: bill@whunt.comTwitter: @billhunt

Blog: www.whunt.comSite: www.back-azimuth.com

Managing Global

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Enabler – Global Search Hub

Country Search leader

Content Editor(s)

Search marketing resource

Translation and localization

Production services

Consistent Processes and Tools

Measurement and reporting infrastructure

Training and Best Practices

Country Search leader

Country Search leader

Country Search leader

Global Search Lead

Enabler - Google Geographical Targets

Enabler - Blended L10N Optimization Process

Scope

Primary Tasks

Keyword Optimization

Identify, analyze and refine optimal keywords

1. Critical Keyword List2. External Demand 3. On-site Search4. Current Position5. Content Availability &

User query centric

Glossary Development

Localization Step

Algorithm Complianc

e

Use SEO best practices to ensure translated content is optimal for scoring

1. Keyword Occurrence2. Keyword Density3. Keyword

Prominence4. Descriptive Sentence

Content Translation

Page Updates

Ensuring the final page has all the key elements needed for ranking well.

1. Ensure complete translation

2. Ensure proper language tags

3. Ensure optimal placement of keywords

Page QA

SEO Step