Silver Arc Search Marketing's SEO training manual

1. Search Engine Optimization Training

2. Table of Contents

4. SEO: The Facts

6. WHERE ARE THEY SEARCHING? Source: Advertising Age, “Search Marketing Fact Packet” August, 2007

7. Exponential Increases Possible with SEO Implementation Source: ClickZ, “Tracking Organic SEO Benefits”, February 2005

9. THE “GOLDEN TRIANGLE” AND THE GOAL Researchers call this a "golden triangle" at the top of result pages. The triangle extends across the top paid search result, then angles back to the left of the page down to the bottom-most "above the fold" result, typically in the third or fourth position on the page. Enhance page position and rank in organic search results to secure placement within the “golden triangle” The Goal of SEO:

10. What is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

11. What is SEO? Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is strategy undertaken to lift the “organic” rank of a website or website pages in the search engines for given keywords. This is done by selecting targeted keywords and phrases which are valuable to the client, changing site structure and usability. SEO is distinct from Search Engine Marketing (SEM) in that Search Engine Marketing encompasses ALL aspects of marketing on search engines: paid search campaigns, banner advertisements, internet yellow pages, and SEO. Organic Business Results Organic Results Paid Search Results

12. What is an Algorithm? An algorithm is a complex mathematical formula that search engines use to assess a website’s on-page factors and off-page factors in order to determine the relevance of a website or page in relation to a keyword or phrase.

13. Each search engine has a completely unique algorithm. However, as all websites have standard elements within them, we know that algorithms are set to look for these standard elements. Unfortunately, the technology of the web evolves quickly, and websites and pages follow suit just as quickly, causing algorithms to change to incorporate these new technologies. But the standard elements never change, and that is the base on which we begin SEO for websites and pages. It suffices to say that algorithms determine how search engines see the world wide web and is the formula used to determine what is relevant, how relevant it is, and what is not relevant at all. These algorithms are closely guarded and no one except the creator(s) knows what specific values they search for. All Major Search Engines Use Different Search Algorithms

14. Why do Search Engines Display Some Websites/Pages Higher Than Others for a Given Keyword? Search Engines rank web pages based on relevance in relation to the keywords/phrases users are searching for. Each search engine bases what is deemed relevant on a variety of factors on the website or web page being considered. Search engines factor in elements of a page in determining a page’s relevance to the keywords and phrases being searched for. Some pages leverage these factors optimally , in keeping with what a given search engine considers important, while other pages do not. This is why some pages “rank” higher in Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) than others.

15. When gauging relevance, not all search engines give the same weight to on-page elements and off-page elements to assess importance and relevance of a page in relation to specific keywords and phrases. So what one search engine uses to assess the relevance of a given website or page can be completely different for another search engine. If www.anywebsite.com ranks #5 in Google for keyword “X”, this does not necessarily translate into the same rank on Yahoo! and MSN, where www.anywebsite.com might rank higher or lower based on the search engine’s algorithm. Why do Websites/Pages Rank Differently on Different Search Engines?

16. What Can be Optimized to Increase Organic Rank? (The Basics)

18. Page <Title> Tags Where Page Title Tags Are Found (Source Code and Website):

20. Where Meta-Descriptions Are Found (Search Engines and Source Code): Meta-Page Descriptions

22. Where Meta-Page Keywords Are Found (Source Code): Meta-Page Keywords

24. Where Alt-Tags Are Found ( Website and Source Code): Alt-Tags on Images

27. What Can be Optimized to Increase Organic Rank? (Advanced)

37. “ Link Juice” Illustration 1 2 3 4

38. Questions?