seo crash course: content overhaul
DESCRIPTION
How to use content to get noticed, drive traffic and convert visitors.TRANSCRIPT
@PolePositionMkg #SearchRankCC
SEARCH RANKING CRASH COURSE
@PolePositionMkg #SearchRankCC
CONTENT OVERHAUL
USE CONTENT TO GET NOTICED, DRIVE TRAFFIC AND CONVERT VISITORS
WH
AT IS C
ON
TENT?
Website
Blog
News
Podcasts
Video
Photos
Articles
White Papers
E-books
Case Studies
“Content is a broad term that refers to anything created and uploaded to a website.” ~ Content Rules
Social Media
WH
Y DO
ES CO
NTEN
T MA
TTER?
Technology is cheap
Inbound leads cost 62% less than outbound leads**
Selling to customers is more challenging (informed)
Change in buyer attitudes
Traditional media losing
reach
High quality content from
businesses
Shrinking media budgets reduce quality
Marketing is Shifting from Outbound to Inbound*
**http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/10172/Inbound-Leads-Cost-62-Less-than-Outbound-New-Data.aspx March 2011
* Get Content. Get Customers. Joe Pulizzi, et al.
WH
Y DO
ES CO
NTEN
T MA
TTER?
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Internet Search
Blogs
User-generated
Message boards
Social networks
Magazines
TV
Newspapers
92%
53%
46%
34%
26%
20%
Info for Purchasing Decisions
Media Used Frequently by US Internet Users to Find Information to Help with Purchase Decisions, March 2010, eMarketer.com
WH
Y DO
ES CO
NTEN
T MA
TTER?
51% 48%
1%
Search & Social Conversions
Search
Search + Social
Social Alone
Social Can’t Go It Alone
Source: The Virtuous Circle: The Role of Search and Social Media in the Purchase Pathway, February 2011 http://www.wpp.com/NR/rdonlyres/CA49ED29-06A4-4E10-A1F0-C25BAA35CF2A/0/groupm_search_the_virtuous_circle_feb11.pdf
WH
Y DO
ES CO
NTEN
T MA
TTER? Content is Your Online
Marketing Cornerstone
Content
Social
Sales
SEO
Links
WH
ERE TO
STA
RT W
ITH C
ON
TENT
Goals Resources Customers
@PolePositionMkg #SearchRankCC
WEB PAGE CONTENT
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T Don’t Underestimate Value of
Well Written Content
• Used to evaluate page topic and relevance
SEO
• Inform visitors
• Persuade them to take action
Conversions
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T Rule #1: Write for Your Audience First
Switch from “we” to “you”
• Don’t talk about your company constantly; instead, educate and persuade
• Answer customer questions
• State benefits
Write naturally
• Readability is paramount
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T Rule #2: Write for Search Engines Second
• Core keywords
• Supporting keyword phrases
• Related words
Research keywords in
advance
• Hold reader’s interest
• Should not be obvious
Develop content based
on keyword research
Remember, #1 rank does not equal sales and conversions!
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T Rule #3: Rewrite Until It’s Right
New
• Avoid keyword stuffing
• Reader value
• Persuasive value
Existing
• Keyword targeting
• Find appropriate balance between readers/SEO
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E Humorous
Our car batteries are durable, long-lasting and deliver enough power to start any vehicle in the harshest winter environment. Your escape from the in-law's is guaranteed every season of year.
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E Whimsical
You want a durable, long-lasting battery? Yeah, we got that. There is no natural force in the world that'll keep our batteries from doing their job. When you need power, we deliver.
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E Serious
Our car batteries are durable, long-lasting and deliver enough power to start any vehicle in the harshest winter environment. You're guaranteed to get power to your vehicle when you need it most.
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E Snarky
When headed to the in-law's, you want to be equipped with one of the most powerful car batteries money can buy. Come hell or high water, you're getting out of there alive!
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E
We don’t compete on price, we compete on quality. Our batteries deliver the juice to start any vehicle even in the harshest winter environment. Can you really put a price on that kind of reliability?
Down to Earth
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E
Let's face it, batteries fail at the worst possible time, in the worst possible place. We've built reliability into all our car batteries so they deliver the power you need when you need it most to get you where you want to be.
Thoughtful
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E Brutally Honest
Your boss is a jerk, your wife a nag and your friends are idiots. You need an escape. Where you go is up to you, how you get there is up to us. Our car batteries will start any vehicle any time any where. We're ready to go when you are.
ESTA
BLISH
YO
UR V
OIC
E Flowery
Our car batteries are designed to withstand whatever forces of nature that heaven above (or you know who below) can throw at it. When you turn that key, you're vehicle will roar to life without so much as a cough or sputter.
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Understanding Keyword Usage
• 1-3 per page (we recommend using only 1)
• Use as frequently as readability will allow
Core Term
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Keyword Density Search engines think every word is a keyword!
Engine looking for “red marbles”
text text text red marbles text text text
text text text red marbles text text
text text text text text text text text text
text text red marbles text text text
text text text text text text text text text
red text text marbles text text text
text text text
Add in “rubber balls” Add in “jump rope”
text text text red marbles text text text rubber balls text red marbles text text text rubber balls text text text text text text text text red marbles text text text text text text text rubber balls text text text text text text text text text red balls text text
jump rope text red marbles text text text rubber balls text red marbles text text text rubber balls text text text text text text text text red marbles text text text text jump rope text rubber balls text text text text text text text text jump rope text text text
Search engines get confused!
No magic keyword density. Use “read it aloud” rule.
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Integrating Core Terms
Core Term
• Specific phrase
• Use appropriately
Choose from a wide variety of affordable baby bedding. Select sheets and comforters for both boys and girls. Your baby bedding can be fitted perfectly with a crib or toddler bed.
baby bedding
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Keyword Phrases
• Core term with qualifiers
• Long-tail phrases
• Use liberally, not always in phrase format
Supporting Phrases
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Integrating Supporting Phrases
Supporting
• Core term w/ qualifier
• Long-tail phrases
Choose from a wide variety of affordable baby bedding. Select sheets and comforters for both boys and girls. Your bedding can be fitted perfectly with your baby’s crib or toddler bed.
baby bedding
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Related Words
• Stemmed variations of core (running, ran) – Don’t rely on search engines to do this!
• Similar in meaning (jog, walk, hike, stroll) • Found in similar content (shoes, fast,
exercise)
They match up with the core term and supporting phrases.
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Integrating Related Words
Related
• Stemmed variations
• Semantic relation
Choose from a wide variety of affordable baby bedding. Select sheets and comforters for both boys and girls. Your bedding can be fitted perfectly with your baby’s crib or toddler bed.
baby bedding
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Hyperlocal Keywords
• Don’t forget local terms • Use specific references to
your business as much as possible
• Don’t stuff! • Use cities, regions, zip
codes, etc. Call or visit our West Side
office to get the lowest quote
on car insurance in
Cleveland.
KEYW
OR
D USA
GE
Misspellings vs. Variations
• Never, ever, EVER deliberately put misspellings on your page, in meta tags or in paid search!
• What are variations? • Email vs. e-mail • Book keeper vs. bookkeeper • Web site vs. website
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T STYLE Images and Flash
Visit our beautiful resort near Mohican
State Park
• Images can’t be “read” by engines – Move image text to real text
– Use ALT attribute
• Don’t Use Images for Optimized Copy – Kills your optimization efforts
• Use Images for Non-Optimized Copy – Preventing dilution of optimized text
– Rotating text
• Engines have a hard time with Flash
• Flash can be “read” but has drawbacks – Can’t optimize pages
– Can’t send visitors to most relevant content
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T STYLE
Headings and Subheads
• Read and scanned
• Use strategically
– H1: Main headline
– H2-6: Sub and paragraph headings
• Higher value than text
• Help visitors find info quickly
H1
H2
H3
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T STYLE
Body Content
• Target your audience • Make it scannable
Headings and subheads
Bullet points Bold and italics
• Limit paragraphs to one idea
• Link to relevant pages frequently; balance with usability
• Calls to action
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T STYLE
Putting It All Together
We sell the inexpensive cloth diapers. Buy old fashioned cloth diapers from us and chose from our wide selection.
Cloth diapers are one of the easiest and least expensive ways to diaper your little one. Browse our extensive selection of comfortable, reusable cloth diapers, and enjoy the savings with our wholesale prices.
WEB P
AG
E CO
NTEN
T STYLE
Better Than Optimized
At Antonio’s Sports Cars, a one-of-a-kind Northeast Ohio dealership, we specialize in rare European convertibles and race cars that let you live your dream. And, our highly trained technicians will help you protect and preserve that dream for years to come. Make Your Sports Car Fantasy a Reality Any time you visit our showroom in Hudson, Ohio, you’ll enjoy attentive, efficient service and a selection of exceptional vehicles to peruse. Don’t wait a moment longer. Reserve a personal appointment with a member of our knowledgeable sales team today by calling 1.888.ILO.ADED.
Drive the European Convertible of Your Dreams Imagine the thrill of racing through switchback curves and heart-pounding straightaways in a rare European sports car. Experience the highway like never before behind the wheel of a luxury Porsche convertible.
@PolePositionMkg #SearchRankCC
WHY BLOG?
WH
Y BLO
G?
Is Blogging Really That Popular?
Many inbound marketing authorities consider blogging as social media.
WH
Y BLO
G?
So, Everybody’s Doing It. Should I?
• B2B companies that blog get 67% more leads/month
• B2C companies that blog get 88% more leads/month
• Companies that blog have 55% more website visitors
According to Hubspot, a leading authority on inbound marketing and its metrics:
Of all the forms of content marketing, blogging is one of the easiest and least expensive methods.
WH
Y BLO
G?
Why Does It Work?
• Drives traffic Fresh content More indexed pages More backlinks
• Increased reach of your message
An aspect of social media Companies that blog have 2X the Twitter
followers as those that do not (Hubspot)
• Good branding Educates readers, building loyalty and trust 71% say blogs affect their purchasing decisions
either somewhat or very much (Fast Company)
WH
Y BLO
G?
Value of Blog in Context, Competition
Micro blogging
Social News
Search Results
Forums
Social Reviews
Blogs, Articles
Co
mp
etit
ion
C
on
text
WH
Y BLO
G? Value of Blog for Social Media
Home Base
Under your control
Not a third-party site
WH
Y BLO
G?
Reasons to Blog • Add personality to a business,
connect with people
• Shine different light on your business
• Initiate feedback cycle
• Build a community from ground up
• Emotional investment
• Educate, build credibility, generate ideas and insights
• Get found by the media
• Bolster the brand
• Create demand for novel products
• Sell products by sharing just enough info to make people curious
WH
Y BLO
G?
Control the Conversation Control the Conversation
A blog sets the tone of social media efforts. • Conquer fear of
criticism • People talk
whether you’re out there or not
• Rectify situations • Help people
understand your side
• Gather data • Spur change
@PolePositionMkg #SearchRankCC
BLOGGING BASICS
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS Website vs. Blog, Part 1
Websites: • Viewed as a business • Stale content • Slow link building • Top-level links • Few outgoing links • Limited keywords
Blogs: • Viewed as a resource • Fresh content • Constant link building • Deep, topical links • Outflow of links • Unlimited keywords
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS Website vs. Blog, Part 2
Websites: • Marketing and sales • Need for focus • Hard sell • Company driven • Requires visits • No conversation
Blogs: • Friendly and insight focused • Editorial freedom • Soft sell • RSS distribution • Conversation
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Five Things to Know Before You Blog
1. How to write
2. How to engage
3. How to focus
4. Basic SEO
5. Basic PR
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
1. Why are you blogging? Define goals, desired outcomes and key performance indicators.
2. Who will be responsible for blogging?
• Individual
• Team
3. What will your core topics be?
4. Where will you share your content?
5. When (how often) will you check social channels and metrics?
6. How can you best address your audience(s)?
Six Things to Plan Before You Blog
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
What are their goals and aspirations?
What are their problems?
What media do they rely on for their answers to problems?
What style of content would appeal to them?
What sorts of images and multimedia appeal to each?
What words and phrases do these buyers use?
How can we reach them?
Create Audience Personas*
*New Rules of Marketing and PR, David Meerman Scott
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS Find
• Blogs
• Forums and Groups
Listen
• Interviews and Surveys
• Customer Feedback
• Social Media
Research
• Agendas/Topics at Conferences
• Read Targeted Publications
How to Answer Persona Questions
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Blog Opportunities: Educate
Beyond marketing info and sales
Delve deeply into topics of expertise (thought leader)
Help people understand company nuances
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Blog Opportunities: Motivate
Take action
Spur interaction and response
Post photos
Contests and Special Offers
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Blog Opportunities: Congregate
Brands have fans
Consumer loyalty
Similar interests
Atmosphere for conversation
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Developing an Editorial Calendar
Prioritized List of Topics
Assignments
Deadlines
Tools
Think like a publisher because you are a publisher!
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Two-way Communication
Google+
YouTube
External Blogs & Forums
Sharing Your Content
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Micro and Macro Conversions
Engagement
Return on Objective (ROO)*
Sales Lift
Analytics
Readership Studies
Measuring Success
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
The Do’s and Don’ts
Do
n’t
s Do
’s Ask
questions
Use pictures
Write compelling headlines
Give credit
Leave your blog
Fake it
Self-focus
Have thin skin
Get lazy
BLO
GG
ING
BA
SICS
Invest the Time
It will take time to: • Plan the editorial
calendar • Do the writing and
uploading of media • Post to social media
sites • Check progress on all
fronts • Respond to comments • Stay informed and on
top of your subjects • Go out to other blogs
and have conversations
Thank You! Find Us www.PolePositionMarketing.com