Search Engine Optimization

May 13, 2009

Jennifer Synder

Inbound Marketing Specialist

HubSpot

Agenda

• What is SEO? Why is it important?

• SEO Basics

• Keywords

• On Page SEO

• Off Page SEO

• Measuring Results

• DIY vs DIFM

What is SEO?

Why is it important?Why is it important?

Buyers Start in Google

98% Search in Google

Source: Marketing Sherpa

What is SEM?

SEO vs. PPCSEO vs. PPC

Organic vs. Paid

Organic Search is Best

• Free

• More traffic

• Smarter peopleOrganic Results

Pay Per Click – 25% of Clicks

• Smarter people

• Longer lasting

Organic Results

75% of clicks

Source: Marketing Sherpa and Enquiro Research

SEO – What and Why

• SEO refers to techniques that help your website rank higher in the organic/natural search results.

• This helps more people who are looking for your product or service find you.

SEO BasicsSEO Basics

How does Google decide?

How does Google decide?

• On Page Factors

~ 25%

• Content On

Page

SEO

• Off Page Factors

~ 75%

• Links

SEO

25%

Off

Page

SEO

75%

SEO

On-Page Off-Page

Search Engine Optimization

3,000 searches per second• Publish more content• Optimize your content• Promote your content

Picking KeywordsPicking Keywords

Pick Your Keyword Battles

vs

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vs.

FlickrFlickr: : SimonstarrSimonstarrFlickrFlickr: Extra Medium: Extra Medium

Vocabulary

• Search Volume (goal = high)

• Relevance (goal = high)

• Difficulty or Competition (goal = low)

Search Volume

• You want to know how many people search exactly that term monthly.

• All data is guess-timated

• www.google.com/adwords

• HubSpot

Relevance

• You want to know how many people who search a term will buy from you.

• Make your own estimates

• Track results

Difficulty (Competition)

• You want to know your probability of getting to the first page of Google.

• SEO strength of existing websites (HubSpot)

• AdWords cost

• Number of results (bad idea)

Picking Keywords

• Search Volume (goal = high)

• Relevance (goal = high)

• Difficulty or Competition (goal = low)

Getting Found: On-Page SEO

HubSpot’s Keyword Grader• Determine what keywords to

optimize your pages around based on relevance, search volume, and how difficult it will be to rank on the first page of Google

• Identify critical long tail words (high conversion rates, low competition)conversion rates, low competition)

• Monitor your rank against competitors for each keyword/phrase

• Determine the specific page on your site that is ranking for each keyword(phrase) and how to make further improvements

Let’s Do Some Keyword Research

• Click “customer login” at www.hubspot.com

• Search Marketing � Keywords

On Page SEOOn Page SEO

HTML Overview

<font=“verdana”>HTML text <b>looks</b>

different to a <i>person</i> than to a <a

href=“http://www.google.com”> search engine

</a></font>

HTML text looks different to a person than to a search engineengine

• <b> = Bold• <i> = Italics• <h1> = Heading 1• <img alt text = “Internet Marketing”>

Visible On Page SEO

• Page Title

• URL

• H1,H2,H3 tags• H1,H2,H3 tags

• Page Text• Bold

“Invisible” On Page SEO

• Description

• Keywords

• Alt text on images

Can You Optimize a Page on Your Site?

• Can you add a page to your website?• Can you change the title tag, URL, H1, page content? • Can you change meta description, meta keywords? keywords?

Let’s Optimize a Page

• Login to Your HubSpot Portal• Website � Page Manager �Add Page • Use a keyword, Page Name, Title, etc.

Off Page SEOOff Page SEO

Vocabulary

• Page Rank• How important Google thinks your site is• 0 to 10• Exponential scale

• Inbound Links• Inbound Links• Web pages that link to you

• Link Anchor Text• The text that is in the link to you

75% of SEO = Off Page

• Recommendations from friends1. “I know Jen Snynder”

2. “Jen Snyder is a marketing expert”3. Seth Godin: “Snyder’s a marketing expert”

• Links are online recommendations1. A link: www.HubSpot.com2. Anchor text: Internet Marketing3. Link is from a trusted website

Google “Bombing”

Link Building Tips

• Directories• Partners• Content is king

• Start a blog, join the blogosphere• Create a tool (WebsiteGrader.com)• Create a tool (WebsiteGrader.com)• Other: viral videos, photos

• Press Releases• Social Media• Answers, Forums, Wikis

More Content = More Links

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Getting Found: Off-Page SEO

HubSpot’s Link Grader

• Identify opportunities to generate more return from your existing links

• Monitor your live inbound links and which inbound links are producing the most value for youproducing the most value for you

• Aggregate your competitors inbound links to discover new link building opportunities that you have not taken advantage of

Let’s Analyze Your Links! Your Competitors.!

• Yours: Search marketing � Link Grader

• Competitors:

• WSG: Total Links Column

• Link Grader � Other.

MeasurementMeasurement

SEO Measurement

FlickrFlickr: : noblelgnnoblenoblelgnnoble

Website Grader

Internet Marketing Scorecard

Inbound Links

Keyword Rank (vs. Competition)

Traffic, Leads and CustomersVisitors from SEO

Visitors Leads Customers

SEO 5,289 754 12

Blogging 834 72 3

Social Media 511 28 1

DIY or DIFMDIY or DIFM

Doing SEO Yourself

• It’s not rocket science.

• Content is king.

• Read a lot of blogs.

• Invest in great tools.

• Start small and work your way up.

• Track, so you learn what works.

Hiring an SEO Consultant

• They should be able to explain to you in simple language what determines rank.• They should explain everything to you.• They should require good content.• Their website is optimized (check Website Grader).Grader).• Their reference websites are optimized.• They measure results in leads.• They did not cold call you.• They are more than $2000 / month.

Hiring an SEO Consultant

• Be clear about goals (traffic & leads).• It will take 1 to 6 months. ($$$)• Content is king. Who will write?• Will they do the hard work? (links)• Invest in great tools to track them.

http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/1466/7-signs-you-should-run-screaming-from-an-seo-consultant.aspx

Additional Free SEO Resources

1. http://blog.hubspot.com

2. www.SEOmoz.com• http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors

3. www.SEObook.com3. www.SEObook.com

4. www.SearchEngineLand.com

5. www.SearchEngineGuide.com

Additional Keyword Tools

1. Google Adwords Keyword Tool

2. Quantcast www.quantcast.com

3. Compete www.compete.com

Thank You!

Internet Marketing WorkshopMay 13, 2009

www.HubSpot.com

Jennifer Snyder

HubSpot

jsnyder@hubspot.com

www.HubSpot.comwww.Grader.com