21. Focus on users
• Content for audience, not search engines
• Have clear hierarchy
• Include relevant links
• Quick load time
• Readable URL structure
22. Behind the scenes
• Meta data
• Alt tags
• Avoid content in images, flash, etc.
24. General Process
1. Needs information
2. Formulates thoughts into a query
3. Enters query to a search engine
4. Browses results
5. Picks a link
6. Scans page for solutions
7. Unsatisfied goes back to search
8. Refines query for more information
25. Typical Queries
• Do - Transactional
– Buy tickets
– Listen to a song
• Know - Informational
– Find information
• Go - Navigational
– Use to get somewhere, ex. NFL.com homepage
27. On the run
• Always changing
– Algorithm regularly updated
– Customizing based on users
• Can’t login
– Content behind walls
• Easily confused
– Duplicate pages
– Base link structure
– Too many links is overwhelming
29. Ensure Google Can Read
• Alt tags on images
• Include transcripts for videos
• Supplement flash or Java plugins
• Supplement search boxes with navigation and crawlable
links
– Anatomy of a link
• <a href=http://www.site.com/>anchor link</a>
30. Play Nice
• Don’t be a bully
– Stuffing keywords
– Irrelevant links
– Scrapping content
• Follow the crowd
– Give it something to talk about, new content
– Social sharing value
– Know it picks favorites
• Make friends
– Get links
31. Good On-Page Optimization
• Broad keyword use in page title
• Accessible to search engines
• Only one canonical URL
• Avoid keyword stuffing in document,
title, and URLs
• Avoid multiple page title elements
• Exact keyword use in page title
• Keywords in meta description
• Sufficient characters in content
• Use static URLs
• Sufficient words in content
• Use meta descriptions
• URL uses only standard characters
• Keyword in image alt attribute
• Exact keyword used in document at least once
• Use keyword in URL
• Keyword placement in page title
• Avoid too many internal and external links
• Minimize URL length
• Optimal page title length
• Only one meta description
• Optimal use of keywords in H1 tags
• Use external links
• Optimal meta description length
• Include a Rel Canonical tag
33. Play Nice
• You can’t buy rankings
• Search engines are getting smarter, learn with them
• It’s an ongoing battle
• You can get blocked
• It’s hard to come back
35. Start with yourself
• Is it relevant?
• Will users be happy with the results?
• Will users who care benefit from our efforts?
36. Analyze Metrics
• Ad reaches 5,000
• 100 clicks
• 3 converted for $300 profit (not revenue)
• Means each visitor is worth $3 to your business
• Find out possible click-through rate for #1 ranking
• In this case 18-36%
• With 5,000 reached, 900-1800 visits per day
• At $3 per visitor = $1-2 million per year
41. Now What
• Writing strong ads
• Landing pages
• Conversions
• Own your branded searches
• Prevent news outlets/other sites from controlling your story
• Make it easy to find everything
43. Content Marketing
• Any marketing that involves developing content to
acquire and retain customers
• Distributed through a variety of channels
• Very time consuming
• Use to guide through sales process
Awareness Consideration Research Validation Purchase Loyalty
45. Challenges
• Being engaging
• Producing enough
• Budget
• Understanding ROI
• Lack of executive buy-in
• Producing variety
46. Too much for an hour
Keep learning through Towson University’s
continuing education digital marketing program.
47. Things We Skipped
• More details on everything covered
• Understanding your audience
• Planning a campaign
• Setting a budget and schedule
• Choosing outlets
• Evaluating effectiveness
• Reputation management
• …and that’s just my class.
48. Course Overview
• Three courses:
– Digital marketing strategy
– Web and mobile design, usability and optimization for the
practitioner
– Conversion optimization for the practitioner
49. Details to know
• Class at Towson University building
• Free parking
• Each class:
– Twice a week for three weeks
– Monday and Wednesday 6-9
• February 15 to April 13
• No homework
• Tuition: $2,599
50. Find out more & register
continuingeducation.towson.edu/digital-marketing
Jennifer Dodson
Chief Creative Officer
Adashmore Creative
jennifer@adashmorecreative.com
410-252-7879