lead gen for smbs: how to integrate seo into the marketing mix
DESCRIPTION
Lead generation for small to medium sized businesses and learning how to integrate SEO into the existing marketing mix. Business Marketing Association - Atlanta April 2014 luncheon.TRANSCRIPT
Welcome and Thank You to Our Sponsors!
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Our Presentation
Lead Gen for SMBs:How to Integrate SEO into Your Marketing Mix
Jenny Munn SEO Consultant for In-House Marketers & Small Businesseswww.JennyMunn.com
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
WHAT WE’LL COVER
• Brief Overview of SEO• Tactical SEO Lead Gen
Must Do’s & Mistakes• Strategic SEO Lead Gen
Must Do’s & Mistakes• Takeaways
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
WHO IS JENNY?
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
WHY THIS MATTERS
WHO IS JENNY?
SEO Consultant-> I put together SEO lead gen plans and train businesses how to get results
Brief SEO Overview
HISTORY OF SEO
• SEO used to be about going down a checklist of technical “to do’s”
• Historically a very technical discipline
• The industry is overrun with shady professionals who “guarantee” 1st place rankings
• Examples…
Canonical Tags… “rel=”nofollow”
Meta TagsGeo-Targeting
Robots.txtXML Sitemaps
<head> tagPanda Update
HUH?!
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
ON-PAGE OPTIMIZATION HISTORY
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
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can help you in many ways. The first benefit of career counseling is finding a job quickly. Career counseling can also help you avoid
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INTERNAL LINKING GONE WILD
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
HIDING LINKS
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
BUYING LINKS ON THE CHEAP
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
WHY SEO IS SO CONFUSING
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
Tactical: Mistakes & Must Do’s
for SEO Lead Gen Success
5 SEO/KEYWORD MISTAKES THAT WILL BE YOUR LEAD GEN DOWNFALL
5 SEO/Keyword Mistakes:1. Targeting keywords with a lack of “buying intent”2. Targeting the same keyword3. Pursuing keywords that are out of your league4. Failing to keep making decisions and execute5. Not carrying through with website marketing best
practices critical to SEO success
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
MISTAKE #1: TARGETING KEYWORDS WITH NO INTENT TO BUY
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
• What keywords do you think people use to find your services/products?
• What if they were shortlisting providers?
• Think: USER INTENT TO BUY– NOT time management– NOT health insurance
MISTAKE #2: TARGETING THE SAME KEYWORDS (REPEATEDLY…OVER AND OVER)
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KEYWORD CANNIBALIZATION
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MISTAKE #3: YOU’RE OUT OF YOUR LEAGUE
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
Source: IMDB.com
TIP: GOOGLE YOUR KEYWORD
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CASE STUDY: SOFTWARE CONSULTING FIRM
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
“Netsuite Consultant” vs. “Outgrowing Quickbooks”
MISTAKE #4: PERFECTIONITIS
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
The most important thing is to get started. A half decent keyword is better than NO
keyword
TO DO: CHECK ANALYTICS TO BENCHMARK SEO RESULTS TO DATE
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
Next Step: Check Google Analytics (synced with Google Webmaster Tools)
TO DO: CHECK ANALYTICS TO BENCHMARK SEO RESULTS TO DATE
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
What SEO Results Are You Seeing?
TO DO: CHECK ANALYTICS TO BENCHMARK SEO RESULTS TO DATE
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
Average Position & “Clicks” On Your Website
MISTAKE #5: IGNORING LEAD GEN/WEBSITE MARKETING BEST PRACTICES
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
• Spoonfeed Google• Trustbuilding & Social
Proof elements present?
• Fresh site design• Website page layout• CTA on EVERY page• Great SEO copywriting• Convert prospects not
quite ready to buy?
Strategic SEO Lead Gen Must Do’s & Mistakes
MANAGING SEO INTEGRATION
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
• Initial SEO Projects: audits (technical, content, competitive), keyword research, on-page optimization of core pages, Google Analytics/Google Webmaster Tools setup
• Ongoing SEO Projects: reviewing analytics, link earning efforts, content creation and optimization, social media, attention to industry changes, conversion optimization
• Create a Practical Strategy & Execution Plan: Based on resources, current marketing mix and activities planned and forecasted
Source: Busterandellie.com
MARCOMM – WHAT DOES SEO “LOOK” LIKE?
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WHAT ELSE IS THERE TO SEO?
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
Other SEO elements: • Technical basics • Off-page/links• Social signals• Web architecture• Unique content • Substantial content• Structured markup Source: Alittlereality.blogspot.com
MINDSET & SUCCESS CHARACTERISTICS
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
• Throw perfectionism out the door
• Be decisive• Resourceful & Resilient – NOT
resigned• Ask questions and think it
through• Jump in before you see the
whole picture• SEO is not black magic• Execution is critical
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF SEO IS WORKING?
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
• Good: Rankings + “Average Position”• Better: Data from Google Webmaster Tools and Google
Analytics– Time on site– Bounce rate– Pages visited– Keywords/Queries + Clicks
• Best: Are you getting calls, emails and people filling out the “contact us” form or converting?
MARKETING/ORGANIZATIONAL CHARACTERISTICS TO SUCCESS
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
• Are you already:– Engaging in social media?– Blogging?– Using an SEO-friendly CMS like WordPress?– Getting people to talk about you?– Active in other marketing channels?– Using internal or external marketing resources?– Invested in bringing in more leads to your business?– Pursuing ways to consistently be in front of your target
market?
IDENTIFYING A GOOD SEO PARTNER
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
Source: mizuni.com
1. Emphasis on understanding your business, prospects and market
2. Work with someone who you can understand
3. Professionalism counts – use your gut
4. Social proof – active or anonymous?5. Is NOT an SEO of the past 6. Provides MORE than reporting – a
level of service is involved
TAKEAWAYS
@bmaatlanta@JennyMunn
• Don’t fall prey to “SEO changes constantly” so why bother?• Prioritize keywords with buyer/commercial intent• Be competitive but know what keyword league you can compete in• Get greedy• Don’t be a perfectionist• Integrate GA with GWT and check out your queries report for “clicks” and
“average position”• Identify resources needed to begin an SEO strategy kick off• Plot out how to integrate SEO into the marketing mix• Become a member of BMA Atlanta because of all the great future
training, networking and activities ahead • Your site is not going to SEO itself – get into execution as quickly as
possible
Questions? Thank you!
Jenny Munn SEO Consultant for
In-House Marketers & Small Businesseswww.JennyMunn.com
“How to Find Keywords” – Free Report (http://jennymunn.com/are-you-an-seo-beginner/)
Email me: [email protected]