using social media to build higher search rankings and inbound links

How Social Media Builds Inbound Links and Higher Search Rankings

Presented by:Arnie Kuenn, PresidentVertical Measures

My Background Internet marketer for about 12 years Formed Vertical Measures about 4 years ago Primarily an internet marketing company, however

everything is geared around link building & SEO We have 75+ clients About 25% of our business is outsourcing from

SEO & Web Development Agencies

Search Marketing Is Critical

When someone types a keyword into the search box, there are only two possible outcomes:They will find you.They will find your competitor.

Two Search Marketing “Truths”

Organic search traffic can be so valuable, it can sustain an entire business.

Organic search rankings are something you can work to influence, but ultimately you do not control them. The search engine algorithms make that call.

What is SEO in 2009?

Search Engines are getting better & better every year at eliminating spam techniques.

They update the algorithms almost every week.

Google: Made 160 changes in Q1 of 2009 Quality backlinks became much more important

this year, weak backlinks became almost worthless

Social Media “signals” are now a real factor

Why Invest In Higher Rankings?- 60% of listings in

the #1 position will get a click!

- Natural search results receive 250% more clicks than paid search

- Natural search converts 30% better than paid search

- Clicks are Free!!!

How Does it Work?

Magic 3 step formula:1. Create Good, Unique Content

2. Optimization each page you want to rank

3. Get Quality Inbound Links

Bot or Spider

Search Engine Results Page (SERP)

Indented Listing

Local Listing

The Biggest Factor is Inbound Links

The best links:From trusted sitesHave proper anchor textHave varied anchor textAre from many different domains

I am not too worried about:ReciprocalPageRank

Use Social Media to Get Links (and Rankings)

Blogs! (create content you can promote, RSS feed, links to others)

Facebook (your profile & fan page)

Twitter (your profile, tweets & retweets)

Linked In (your profile & business page)

Flickr (links from photo descriptions)

Other Social Profiles: MySpace,Naymz, FastPitch, Google, Spoke, Plaxo, etc.

Other Social Media Sites: StumbleUpon, Redditt, Digg, Propeller, etc.

Facebook Page

• Not a lot of direct link benefit, but great from a “signals” standpoint.

• Build fans and communicate with them. The links will come.

Twitter Profile

• Direct link (no follow). Great from a “signals” standpoint.

• Build followers and communicate with them. The links will come.

LinkedIn Profile

• Direct text links (Do follow!). Change the text.

• Build connections and update your profile. The links will come.

Flickr Pages

• Direct links (no follow). Great from a “signals” standpoint.

• Others might grab your photos and…. the links will come.

Others key sites… StumbleUpon Digg Redditt Propeller Yahoo Buzz Delicious Niche sites (ex. Sphinn) Signals & Secondary Links!!

Why Social Media?

12% of our visitors come from social sites (~500 per month and growing)

More than double what we get from PPC

Helps with organic rankings & branding

Keeps the search engines coming back

Why a Corporate Blog?

The original social media

24% of our page views come from our blog posts (~2,000 per month)

We make 2 new posts per week

Gives us a vehicle to post new link worthy content

Keeps the search engines coming back

It Starts With Good Content! Build pages around your keywords Add real value to the web visitor

Unique InformativeEntertaining

Good for Social Media? Is it “Link Worthy”?Can you promote it?

Create Content & Promote It Some ideas:

Lists Videos Case Studies Comparisons Satire & Parody Interviews Polls & Surveys Contests (detailed example, next) Promote it using social media!!!

Small Companies Can Run Contests! Bridal Contest Answer 3 questions:

Your engagement story Your wedding day theme plan What is special about your wedding

that you shall win this free sponsorship?

Facebook Ad Increased followers on Twitter

through regular tweets

Big Companies Too! Major hotel chain has us working 6

different promotions Attend a Motor Sports event, get a

discount Visit Disney, get a discount Attend LPGA event, get a discount Go to a Little League Baseball game, get

a discount Multi-night stay, get Double Rewards Multi-night stay, get $50 Gift Card

Even Link Building Companies!

Vertical Measures’ contest Boost Your Juice

$5,000 Grand Prize and $1,000 for 2nd Place Submit video or essay 2 week duration Recruited a panel of judges (who helped

promote it) Offered “socialize prizes” (Rebecca Lieb)

Our Contest Results Over 700 references on Google for “boost

your juice” AND “vertical measures” Own all 10 results on the 1st page of

Google for “boost your juice” (branding) Over 600 visitors to just the contest page Contest page became a PR3 in 30 days Links from more than 30 different sites Dozens of new leads for link building

services

Thank You!

My Contact Info:

Arnie Kuenn

arniek@verticalmeasures.com

twitter.com/arniek

www.linkedin.com/in/arniekuenn

www.facebook.com/verticalmeasures

www.VerticalMeasures.com