Search Engine Optimization and the Web Work of Technical Communicators

1. Search Engine Optimization and the Web Work of Technical Communicators Applying Research in Practice STC Virtual Conference November 9, 2011 John B. Killoran Long Island University, Brooklyn http://myweb.brooklyn.liu.edu/jkillora/ john.killoran@liu.edu

2. What is your SEO knowledge? On a scale from 1-10, how knowledgeable are you about search engine optimization (SEO)? • 1 = Novice: “Huh? What is SEO?” • 10 = Expert: “I wrote Google’s search ranking algorithm.” ►Please type a number from 1 to 10 in the chat window.

3. Issues and Questions • How is an “audience” of search engines like or unlike technical communicators’ human audiences? • How is a search engine’s ranking of a page/site related to technical communicators’ work on that page’s/site’s architecture, navigation, content, design? • How can we break through search engines’ alleged “political” biases that promote a “rich-get-richer” hierarchy among websites?

4. Outline • Review of search engine optimization research findings • Results of a study of independent technical communicators’ websites

5. Scenario #1: Keywords on your webpages You are fully responsible for all aspects of a set of webpages on your employer’s or client’s website. You have researched the most likely search terms that your target audience would use and so now you want to place those terms (keywords) in the best spots associated with your pages to achieve the best Google rankings. Where is one of the best spots to place those keywords? • In the title element/tag • In the meta keywords tag • Other (please specify) ► Please type your response in the chat window.

6. Acronyms and Definitions • SEO – Acronym for Search Engine Optimization. This is the process of editing a web site’s content and code in order to improve visibility within one or more search engines. When this term is used to describe an individual, it stands for "Search Engine Optimizer” or one who performs SEO. • SEM – Acronym for Search Engine Marketing. A form of internet marketing that seeks to promote websites by increasing their visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs). SEM methods include: search engine optimization (SEO), paid placement, contextual advertising, digital asset optimization, and paid inclusion. When this term is used to describe an individual, it stands for "Search Engine Marketer" or one who performs SEM. • SERP – Acronym for Search Engine Results Page, the page delivered to a searcher that displays the results of a search query entered into the search field. Displays both paid ad (sponsored) and organic listings in varying positions or rank. Source: Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization. SEM Glossary. Retrieved from http://www.sempo.org/?page=glossary

7. Most influential page-level keyword factors in Google’s ranking algorithm Source: SEOmoz. (2011). Search Engine Ranking Factors 2011. Retrieved from http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors

8. More research on titles, etc. • Jansen, B. J., & Molina, P. R. (2006). The effectiveness of Web search engines for retrieving relevant ecommerce links. Information Processing & Management, 42, 1075–1098. • Malaga, R. A. (2007). The value of search engine optimization: An action research project at a new e-commerce site. Journal of Electronic Commerce in Organizations, 5(3), 68–82. • Zhang, J., & Dimitroff, A. (2005a). The impact of Webpage content characteristics on Webpage visibility in search engine results (Part I). Information Processing & Management, 41, 665–690. • Zhang, J., & Dimitroff, A. (2005b). The impact of metadata implementation on Webpage visibility in search engine results (Part II). Information Processing & Management, 41, 697–715.

9. Scenario #2: Other characteristics of your webpages Again, you are fully responsible for all aspects of a set of webpages on your employer’s or client’s website. To achieve the best Google rankings, what is one of the best things you can do--aside from placing keywords in key spots--as you write, design, maintain, and update your webpages? • Include video on the pages • Revise or update the pages frequently • Other (please specify) ► Please type your response in the chat window.

10. Most influential page-level non-keyword factors in Google’s ranking algorithm Source: SEOmoz. (2011). Search Engine Ranking Factors 2011. Retrieved from http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors

11. Scenario #3: Other characteristics of your employer’s or client’s website Whereas you are fully responsible for your webpages on your employer’s or client’s website, you don’t yet have responsibility over the whole website and its marketing. But to claim more responsibility and respect, you want to advise your employer or client on how to achieve the best Google rankings for both your pages and the whole site. What general area of search engine optimization and marketing would you advise they make a top priority? • Keyword placement on webpages (from scenario #1) • Other page-level features (from scenario #2) • Links from other sites (quantity, quality, relevance) • Other (please specify) ► Please type your response in the chat window.

12. Weight Google’s ranking algorithm assigns to clusters of factors Source: SEOmoz. (2011). Search Engine Ranking Factors 2011. Retrieved from http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors

13. More research on links, etc. • Evans, M. P. (2007). Analysing Google rankings through search engine optimization data. Internet Research, 17, 21–37. • Fortunato, S., Boguna, M., Flammini, A., & Menczer, F. (2006). How to make the top ten: Approximating PageRank from in-degree. Paper presented at the 14th International World Wide Conference, Edinburgh. Retrieved from http://arxiv.org/abs/cs/0511016v1 • Vaughan, L., & Zhang, Y. (2007). Equal representation by search engines? A comparison of Websites across countries and domains. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication,12(3). Retrieved from http://jcmc.indiana.edu/vol12/issue3/vaughan.html

14. Scenario #4: Future priorities for SEM of your employer’s or client’s site To maintain ongoing responsibility and respect, you want to advise your employer or client on how to maintain the best Google rankings for both your pages and the whole site in the future. What area of search engine optimization and marketing would you advise that they increasingly emphasize? • Quantity and efficacy of paid links • Links / tweets / comments from social networking sites • Other (please specify) ► Please type your response in the chat window.

15. How the relevance of Google's ranking factors might change in the next year Source: SEOmoz. (2011). Search Engine Ranking Factors 2011. Retrieved from http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors

16. Methods • Survey of 240 independent contractors, consultants, and small businesses maintaining a website to market their technical communication services • Interviews by email with half+ • Analysis of their sites • Tallies of inbound links to their sites Source: Killoran, J. B. (2010). Writing for robots: Search engine optimization of technical communication business Web sites. Technical Communication, 57, 161–181.

17. Results: A success story “[My site] was originally set up (around 1998) as an advertisement for my writing/editing/publishing services, with the intention of positioning myself as *the* authoritative website on [my specialty], and thus attracting paying clients—which it did. [A]t the time there were few other sites providing this type of information; now there are many…. [M]y website was the first site to focus on [this specialty]. It’s a big site, with lots of relevant content. It has incoming links from many, many related websites, and many of those links have been in place for years. Most of the pages have good metadata, and are generally structured for search engine optimization. And, of course, the site’s name contains the phrase [naming the job title of one who performs this service].” — participant based in Australia, whose site ranks first in a Google search for her particular technical communication service specialty

18. Human vs search engine audiences “I try to keep up with the latest trends in the SEM industry. This includes reading newsletters, blogs, and forums – almost on a daily basis. I also study my server logs to find out how people get to my sites and whether they leave or dig deeper. . . . Although I write primarily for my readers and not SE bots [search engine robots, also known as Web crawlers or spiders], knowing how to place keywords in proper syntax (headings, bold, italics) and in links makes more attractive spider food.” —participant based in the US, who rated search engines as very helpful in leading people to his site

19. Frequently-updated, quality content “We focus on getting quality content from our company out on the Web. Some examples are press releases, blog entries, comments on other blogs, event postings, and articles. Having continual, keyword-rich, high-quality content helps us.” — participant based in the US, whose company’s services included such SEO specialties as web design and online marketing, and who gets about half of her clientele through her website

20. Monitoring search queries for keywords “We do test various terms in an effort to a) get the right term and b) hook into the latest buzz words. For example, 2 years ago no one wanted a technical author, they wanted an Information Designer. Now they want technical authors (don’t ask me why—they’re the same people).” — participant based in the UK (where the term “technical author” is much more commonly used than “technical writer”)

21. Possible search queries for a technology-oriented copywriter “writing white papers, white paper writer, white paper writing, white paper writers, white paper development, copy writer, design white paper, design white papers, format white paper, format white papers, high tech copywriter, high tech copywriters, high tech copywriting, high tech copywriting services, high tech writer, high-tech copywriter, high-tech copywriters, high-tech copywriting, high-tech copywriting services, high-tech writer, high-tech writers, high-tech writers, how to white paper, how to white papers, how to write a white paper, how to write a white papers, how white paper, how white papers, marketing copy writer, marketing copy writing, marketing copywriter, marketing copywriting, tech copywriter, tech copywriters, tech copywriting, tech copywriting services, tech writer, tech writers, technical copy writer, technical copy writing, technical copywriter, technical copywriting, technology copywriter, technology copywriters, technology copywriting, technology copywriting, what white paper, what white papers, white paper copy writer, white paper copy writers, white paper copy writing, white paper copywriter, white paper copywriters, white paper copywriting, whitepaper copy writer, whitepaper copy writers, whitepaper copy writing, whitepaper copywriter, whitepaper copywriters, whitepaper” — one US participant’s meta tag keyword list

22. Long tail of search “Our Web site tends to be ranked highly by the search engines . . . especially queries that include “[city], PA.” . . . I think it helps enormously that we provide somewhat specialized services (e.g., services in the areas of XML, FrameMaker). If we provided, for example, generic technical writing services, I think it would be more challenging to achieve a high search engine ranking. . . . We have noticed that companies often prefer local technical writers, but don’t have the same preference for consultants and trainers (e.g., it is common to bring in a consultant or trainer from a different geographic region). Fortunately, our Web site also ranks highly in geographically-constrained searches (like “technical writer [city]”), so we have been successful in drawing local and international clients from the Web site.” — participant based in the US, with 25-35% of his company’s clientele originating through the company’s website

23. On-site vs off-site SEO factors “It is increasingly difficult to get a “fair” ranking on Google. Mine used to be much higher when it [Google’s ranking algorithm] was based more on content, but now that it is based primarily on incoming links I rank poorly. . . . This suggests the Google ranking is not an accurate measure of relevance or quality.” — participant based in Australia, with 10-20% of his clientele originating through his website

24. How participants generated good-quality inbound links • Submitting links to professional organizations they were affiliated with • Creating their own sources of inbound links • Creating useful content that invites inbound links

25. 1. Submitting links to professional organizations • Regional or specialized technical communication organizations: • STC chapter sites (www.stc.org/about-stc/communities/professional-chapters) • Institute of Scientific and Technical Communicators and its Independent Authors Special Interest Group (www.qualityauthors.co.uk) • Northwest Science Writers Association (www.nwscience.org) • European Medical Writers Association (www.emwa.org) • General communication-related organizations: • Colorado-based Boulder Writers Alliance (www.bwa.org) • Association of Professional Communication Consultants (www.consultingsuccess.org) • Various general business organizations: • local chambers of commerce • organizations of women business owners

26. 2. Creating their own sources of inbound links • Designing Web sites for other organizations and including a webmaster’s link back to their own • Posting writing on other sites, such as articles, wiki contributions, and comments on others’ blogs • Posting to Web-based discussion boards • Being quoted as an expert in someone else’s article

27. 3. Creating useful content that invites inbound links “My site gets promoted passively because many prominent and reputable organizations, institutions, businesses and business sites link to my site—too many to list; I think there are several hundred. I know there are many universities, non-profit organizations, and public libraries, for example. I did not ask them to link; I assume they linked because they found my content useful. Very few of them asked permission, but some did. I do monitor my search rankings but rarely change any aspects of my site—it ranks very highly for many of my keywords. I have never really done anything to affect my search engine rankings. They have always been pretty good, so I don’t see any point in messing with them. I haven’t changed my keywords or meta descriptions in years.” — participant based in the US, whose site has among the highest number of inbound links in the sample

28. Recommended SEO Sites • Search Engine Watch: http://searchenginewatch.com • Search Engine Marketing Professional Organization: http://www.sempo.org • Google’s Webmaster guidelines: http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=35769 • This presentation: http://myweb.brooklyn.liu.edu/jkillora/research/2011stc.pptx