Keywords: Research & Optimization

1. Keywords: Research & Optimization ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

2. Welcome to This SELL Course! • About the course • About your instructor • Course resources • ImpactOnlineMarketing/sell-keywords • Karen’s contact: • karen@impactonlinemarketing.com • (406) 529-8931 • About you! ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

3. Keywords – Foundation of the Web • Keywords are how everything online gets found • Keywords are string of words entered by searchers into a search engine’s search bar • Can be a single word, 2-3 words, or even more • This entire string of words is referred to as a “keyword” • Long keywords (4+ words) are referred to as“long tail” keywords • The more detailed the keyword: • The lower the search volume • The more precise the targeting and ability to match needs ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

4. Getting Ranked (and Found) Online • On-site (on-page) – how keywords are used on the web page itself (we will focus here) • Linking – quantity and importance of links coming into a site (called inbound linking) • Social signals – how important is the site to those who visit ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

5. Focus Today Primarily on Google Here’s Why: 2013 Search Volume Stats • Google 67% • Bing 17% • Yahoo 12% • 4% AOL, Ask, others ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

6. Google SEO Algorithms: Changes Over Time • Originally weighted primarily on on-page SEO • Very easy rank • Very little competition • Search engines very unsophisticated • Move to emphasize linking too (50/50) • See as impartial “voting” for a site’s / page’s importance • Addition of social signals (40/40/20) • More difficult to “cheat” – relies on end users to validate • Movement more toward social (weight unknown) ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

7. Keywords: The Foundation of SEO • What makes a “excellent” keyword – one worth optimizing? • Enough search activity to drive sufficient traffic to site • -Or- small search from a lot of “long tail” keywords - and - • Not too much competition (is there a chance to move onto the first page of Google?) • Long tail keywords generally much easier to rank for ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

8. Keyword Research • Step 1: Determine search volume for variouskeywords relevant to your business, topic, niche • Step 2: Determine amount of competition you face for the keywords you would ideally like to rank for • Then: Incorporate the most promising keywords into your site ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

9. Step 1:Determine Keyword Search Volume • Use Google Keyword Planner • Must open an Adwords account to use the Keyword Planner (no spending necessary) • Only use EXACT match to explore • Look at search volume column only (ignore competition and Adwords columns) • Which words have most search volume? ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

10. Keyword Match Type • Only use EXACT match to explore keywords • Exact match = tennis shoes • Phrase match = tennis shoes for women –or- blue tennis shoes size 9 • Broad match = shoes for tennis –or- tennisrackets and shoes • Keywords must be compared “apples to apples” • Google Keyword Planner delivers Exact Match results • Other tools may offer a Match Type option ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

11. Keyword Example: “visit montana” ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

12. Researching “Local” Keywords • Usually not enough volume in smaller markets like Missoula to get accurate results • Use a similar larger market and do your search in that market to determine search trends • Observe search tendencies and apply volume trending data to Missoula (we’re assuming it will apply) • Keep in mind this is not precise keyword research, but it can still provide you with very valuable direction ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

13. Class Exercise • Write down several keywords you assume are being used to search for your business or products ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

14. Participant Examples • Live searches and discussion ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

15. Determine Strength of Competition • Install MozBar on Firefox or Chrome • Monitor bars under each site listed on thefirst page of Google • DA = Domain Authority • PA = Page Authority • Look for results that have both DA and PA = or < than 40 • If two or more results meet this criteria, good chance of getting ranked on page one of Google(assuming you use best practices of SEO) ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

16. Using MozBar (Firefox & Chrome) • Search Google for “install Mozbar” • Will deliver PA and DA results for each result on the first page of Google (BOTH must be = or < 40) • Need 2 or more qualifiers from 10 results on 1st page ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

17. Participant Examples • Live searches and discussion ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

18. On-Page Elements of SEO-or- What to Do with Keywords • Meta tags (fields in code specifically added for search engines) • Title tag (meta title) MOST important – by far • Description field important as verbiage in Google / search engine results • Meta keywords NOT important at all • Title tag and description used in Google results • Example for keyword: Missoula Italian restaurant ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

19. On-Page Elements of SEO (cont.) • Page title (headline on website page) – different than the Meta Title TAG • H1, H2, H3 headers • Page URL (www.sitename.com/keyword) • Use of keyword in page content (1-2% density) • Photo titles and alt tags ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

20. Inbound Links • Quality of inbound links more important than quantity • Links from important sites provide credibility to yours • Large, well-respected sites • Government sites (.gov) • Education sites (.edu) • Links from link exchanges / low quality / brand new sites offer little value • Links from plethora of article sites, directory sites, etc. not helpful ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

21. Social Signals • Content shared socially from your website / blog • Traffic from social sites into your website / blog • Time on site / time on pages (Google Analytics) • Page views (Google Analytics) • Bounce rate (Google Analytics) ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

22. “Sleuthing” to Check Competitor SEO • What are your main competitive sites? • Which sites own the first page of Google for your KWs? • Which keywords are they trying to optimize? • What are they not doing well? • You can capitalize on things they are missing • After doing keyword research: • Visit sites that are ranking well for your best keywords • Visit those sites’ source code to “sleuth” ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

23. Sleuthing Source Code • On any website: • In white space on page, do a right click > drop-down • Select “View Source” or “View Page Source” option • If on Google, see clickable link (this is page’s Title Tag) ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

24. Keywords: for More Than Just Web Sites Examples of Using Keywords on Social Sites(Quick tips for getting found via keywords – and possibly ranked) • Facebook – keywords vital in short and long page descriptions • Linkedin – keyword use in summary and profile is how others will find you for your skills and expertise • YouTube – keyword use in channel name, video name, video description is critical to coming up in YouTube search (and in Google search) ImpactOnlineMarketing.com

25. Thank You! It has been my pleasure to share with you! • Please visit the webpage for this course • http://ImpactOnlineMarketing.com/sell-keywords • Visit the SELL page to see my upcoming courses • http://umt.edu/ce/extended/noncredit/profdev/default.php • Share the new 20 week Online & Social Media Marketing certificate program offered January-May with anyone you know who may be interested • Offer course suggestions and provide feedback! ImpactOnlineMarketing.com