secrets of content success - the how and why of seo optimization

Dallas Search Engine Academy www.SEOTrainingDallas.com @BethKahlich

Secrets of MeasuringContent Success

The Why and How of Optimizing Your Content for the Web


Digital Marketing Consultant & TrainerPresident - Dallas Search Engine Academy

[email protected]

@BethKahlich

Beth Kahlich


Agenda

• How Content is Seen by the Search Engines

• Building Authority for Your Brand


How Content is Seen by the Search Engines

Search Engine Optimization – “SEO”


Search Engines

• Looking at all the information on the web• Categorizing it• Providing the best answers to people when

they search


Pay Per ClickGoogle AdWords

Relevant Images

SEOOrganic Search Results

Video


Organic Search Algorithm • The “recipe” used by the search engines to

determine the relevancy of web content – and match it to the searcher’s intent when they are entering a search query


Web Presence Needs the Ingredients

Words On-Page Optimization Links Quality


Words Matter


Write for People First

• When you write something – think about it from the perspective of a web searcher

• Google is getting smarter and smarter – think FIRST about writing for the human reader


• Huge creative component– think about how your ideal

customer looks for your business

– what questions do customers ask

– very, very specific topics related to your business

– NOT Just the “big” terms

Start with Topic ResearchAKA Keyword Research

Topics vs KeywordsFuture of SEO


Content on Your Website Matters

• Have very specific information on individual pages of your site– FAQ– Services– Blog Posts/Articles

• Do not put text in images!


Be Very SpecificThe Dreaded “Services Page”

One page that lists all your services

Have additional pages that focus on each specific service that you offeror each specific product


On Page Optimization


On Page Optimization

• Make sure that the search engines can quickly tell what your page is about!

• Make it super easy for them to read– example: no text imbedded in images

• Some of these are visible to the human reader, some of them are in the code of the website (HTML)


Tweak Your Content for Search Engines

• AFTER you’ve written your content for your ideal audience

• You can take it a step further!• Go back and tweak the content• Did you mention your keyword

or topic in important areas ofthe web page, article or blog post?


Example of Some On Page Optimization Using WordPress

How Your Site Shows In Google


Example


Links Matter!


Website AHome Page

Page 2

Page 3

Website BHome Page

Page 1 Page 3

Page 2Page 1

External LinksInternal Links

Internal Links and External Links


Internal Links Matter

• Links within your own website are important

• Link from your blog posts to other related pages/articles


Internal LinkingLink Articles/Blog Posts to Main Content


Blog post links to this main page of site


External Links Matter• Links from other websites to your website

“can” help with your ranking

• Penguin Update to AlgorithmPenalizes sites with “bad” links

People were PURCHASING linksGoogle said - NO


Link Building Today

• Goal is to encourage quality links

• Quantity is less important that quality, but together they have the biggest impact

• Goal – create great, sharable information on your site that people NATURALLY want to share

• Reality – Getting external links is hard workvery competitive market…


Quality of Your Website Presence


Quality in Google’s Eyes

• Sites with lots of fresh new content• Sites with growing numbers of links• Quality User Experience – Google sees who

people interact with your site• Quality Content – that’s useful that people

want to share


Lots of Fresh New Content

• Web Pages• Articles• Blog Posts• Videos• FAQs• Social Media

Posts and Interactions

include these in a Content Plan


Quality User Experience

courtesy ofwww.WebPagesThatSuck.com


Before


After


Quality Content People Want to Share


Better Example


Ingredients for Good SEO

Words On-Page OptimizationLinks Quality

these are being refined all the time

have good content supported by theingredients!


Building Authority for Your Brand With the Search Engines

A Deeper Dive


Google Wants Clarity & Authority• Quality and Simplicity => Clarity on Topics

• Depth of information => Authority on Topics


Broad Content• Upper Level Content

– more broad– simple language– bullets, white space, some photos (visually appealing)

• Explains clearly what you do

clarity on topics


Specific, Authoritative Content

• More in-depth information• Focused on answering questions and being a

resource for your ideal client


Shows Authority


Make Content Travel Beyond

• Social Media• Mentions on other authoritative sites

• Client makes final decision to do businessoff your site not on your site

Savvy Consumer – does their research


Measuring Results

• Web site reports are important• Look at factors that will eventually lead to

qualified leads– Website traffic– Engagement– Visits to key pages


Look at Social Media Engagement

Did you know you can see this information on the Facebook Pages You Manage?


Career Opportunities forContent Marketers

• If you are good at writing content to appeal to your client’s specific target market – there are lots of employment opportunities– Digital Marketing Firms know

that content is king and they are looking for good writers!


www.DFWSEM.org


Digital Marketing Consultant & TrainerPresident - Search Engine Academy Texas

SearchEngineAcademyTexas.com

[email protected]

@BethKahlich

Beth Kahlich