what is seo?
DESCRIPTION
A high-level definition of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) presented at the Hackers and Founders Growth Hacks event on September 29, 2012.TRANSCRIPT
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What is SEO?Presented at Growth Hacks
By AJ KohnOwner, Blind Five Year Old
@ajkohn
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
You keep using that word…
I do not think it means what you think it means.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnNo.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnNo!
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnNO.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnNO!
SEO Definition
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Search Engine Optimization seeks to generate productive organic traffic via
technically sound and connected sites by matching query syntax and intent with
relevance and value.
http://bit.ly/seodefinition
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Productive Traffic
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnAll traffic is not created equal.
I drove a ton of search traffic
and all I got was this lousy t-shirt
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
More Does Not Mean Better
Optimize for traffic that moves your business.
Technically Sound
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnDon’t trip yourself up.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
No Code Mooning
Secure your subdomains.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Robots.txt
Be very, very careful.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Surf Like Googlebot
Use progressive enhancement.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
See Like Googlebot
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Googlebot is People Too
http://bit.ly/grepseo
Query Syntax
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Do you understand the words
that are coming out of my mouth?
How do your users search?
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
‘all weather fluid displacement sculpture’ or ‘outdoor water fountain’
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Google Autocomplete
Reflects real queries.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Google Related
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Navel Gazing
Look at your real searches.
Google Analytics Site Search
PPC
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
User Generated Content
Reviews
Comments
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Competitors Terms
Query Intent
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Why?
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Navigational
Trying to get somewhere.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Informational
Trying to learn something.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Transactional
Trying to do something.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Beyond Keywords
Target the keyword, optimize the intent.
Why are they really searching?
Relevance
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Be Clear
Words matter.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Limit Pronouns
Not a license to keyword stuff.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnOnly being relevant could spell trouble.
Value
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnhttp://bit.ly/googlevalue
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnAre you satisfying query intent?
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
UX and SEO
User experience matters.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Readability
http://bit.ly/seoreadability
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Memorable
http://bit.ly/seorecall
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Beyond Keywords
Target the keyword, optimize the intent.
Why are they really searching?
Connected
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Social
Reduce friction and destroy inertia.
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Portable
http://bit.ly/socialsnippets
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Engage
http://bit.ly/grandtruefans
What about Links?
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohnLinks are the result, not the activity.
TL;DL
Blind Five Year Old | @ajkohn
Be technical. Make great stuff.
Know your users. Improve distribution.
