A user-centric SEO strategy helps business owners attract consumers who will interact with website content and convert into buyers of the products and services offered, this is at the heart of what search engines like Google are looking for today. The session will provide a practical approach to create this winning SEO strategy. Key takeaways 1) Winning the Top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) has changed. Optimise for Google's KPIs and you will win 2) Don't just think of optimising your website think about optimising the user experience 3) Measure SEO KPIs that reflect long term business success not short term quick wins.

1. Omar Kattan
CSO & MANAGING DIRECTOR,
SANDSTORM DIGITAL
DUBAI, UAE ~ OCTOBER 22 - 23, 2019
DIGIMARCONMIDDLEEAST.COM | #DigiMarConMiddleEast
DIGIMARCONDUBAI.AE | #DigiMarConDubai
Search Marketing
Master Class
MASTERCLASS

2. A User-
Centric
Approach to
Better SEO
O M A R K A T T A N - C S O
SANDSTORM DIGITAL FZE

3. 02
@OmarKattan
C O N N E C T W I T H M E

4. 02
3 KEY TAKEAWAYS ...
• Winning the top of the search engine results page
(SERP) has changed. Think like Google: Optimise
for Google's KPIs and you will win.
• Don't just think of optimising your website,
optimise for the user experience.
• Adopt SEO KPIs that reflect long term business
success not short term quick wins.
*KPI = Key Performance Indicator

5. WHAT ARE GOOGLE'S KPIS?
•If you understand them you will succeed at SEO

6. Think of Google as
a digital librarian
Their entire business model is to provide their
searchers with the most useful result based on their
query and location

7. UNDERSTANDING THE INTENT BEHIND
THE SEARCH QUERY IS KEY TO SEO
SUCCESS
TRANSACTIONAL
INTENT = PURCHASE
INFORMATIONAL
INTENT = RESEARCH

8. UNDERSTANDING THE
PURCHASE FUNNEL IS
ALSO KEY!

9. 1. Focus on the
user and all else
will follow.
source:
https://www.google.com/about/philosophy.html

10. START BY IDENTIFYING
YOUR BUYER PERSONAS

11. 2. There’s
always more
information out
there.
source:
https://www.google.com/about/philosophy.html

12. CREATE CONTENT FOR THEIR
ENTIRE JOURNEY
• RESEARCH LANGUAGE AROUND YOUR BUSINESS*
• MAP LANGUAGE "KEYWORDS" TO WEBSITE PAGES
• IDENTIFY GAPS IN YOUR CONTENT & FILL THEM
• STRUCTURE CONTENT INTUITIVELY
• MAKE NAVIGATION SIMPLE
• INTERLINK PAGES
*Free Keyword Research tool provided by Google: https://ads.google.com/intl/en_ae/home/tools/keyword-planner/

13. MAP YOUR WEBSITE CONTENT TO THE
PURCHASE FUNNEL
Source: https://www.crazyegg.com/blog/website-conversion-funnel/

14. EXAMPLE: GETTING A CREDIT
CARD
AWARENESS
GUIDES CONTENT
EVALUATION
COMPARISON CONTENT
PURCHASE STAGE
PRODUCT CONTENT

15. User experience
starts on the
search results page
Make your listing as comprehensive and useful as
possible.

16. YOUR TITLE AND META
DESCRIPTION ARE THE FIRST
IMPRESSION. MAKE THEM
COUNT

17. TIPS FOR META DATA
OPTIMIZATION
• ADHERE TO LENGTH RESTRICTIONS
• USE KEYWORD ONCE IN TITLE & ONCE IN META DESCRIPTION
• INCLUDE BRAND AND LOCATION AT END OF TITLE TAG
• INCLUDE YOUR USP IN THE META DESCRIPTION
• INCLUDE CALL TO ACTION IN META DESCRIPTION

18. UTILISE SCHEMA TAGGING TO MAKE
YOUR LISTING STAND OUT

19. EXAMPLE SCHEMA IN ACTION
FOR A CLIENT...

20. USE GOOGLE'S STRUCTURED
DATA TESTING TOOL
https://search.google.com/structured-data/testing-
tool/u/0/

21. 3. It’s best to do
one thing really,
really well.
source:
https://www.google.com/about/philosophy.html

22. BE AUTHORITATIVE
• RESEARCH FEATURED SNIPPETS IN YOUR NICHE
• CREATE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS SECTION
• WRITE QUESTIONS SIMILAR TO WHAT GOOGLE IS
SHOWING FOR YOUR TARGET KEYWORDS
• PROVIDE THOROUGH RESPONSES IN FORM OR
PARAGRAPHS OR LISTS (BASED ON RESEARCH)

23. EXAMPLE GOOGLE MY
BUSINESS FOR A CLIENT

24. YMYL: ACCURACY OF CONTENT IS KEY
TO SUCCESS
YOUR MONEY YOUR LIFE

25. 4. Fast is better
than slow.
source:
https://www.google.com/about/philosophy.html

26. PAY ATTENTION TO
WEBSITE LOAD TIME

27. TEST USER EXPERIENCE ON
YOUR MOBILE AND DESKTOP
https://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/

28. 5. The need for
information
crosses all
borders.
source:
https://www.google.com/about/philosophy.html

29. IS YOUR WEBSITE OPTIMISED
FOR ALL MARKETS AND
LANGUAGES?
• ADD LOCATION SIGNALS WITHIN YOUR CONTENT
• UTILISE HREFLANGS TO TELL GOOGLE WHICH PAGES SHOULD BE SERVED IN
WHICH MARKETS
• SECURE BACKLINKS & CITATIONS FROM YOUR WITHIN YOUR LOCAL MARKET
• CLAIM & OPTIMISE YOUR GOOGLE MY BUSINESS LISTING

30. 6. You don’t
need to be at
your desk to
need an answer.
source:
https://www.google.com/about/philosophy.html

31. Source: https://www.tune.com/blog/global-mobile-why-2016-is-the-global-tipping-point-for-the-mobile-economy/
MOBILE ADOPTION INFLUENCED SEO
DEVELOPMENTS OVER TIME

32. 61% of online
users in UAE use
smartphone to
access internet
source:
https://www.globalmediainsight.com/blog/uae-
internet-and-social-media-usage-statistics/

33. TIPS FOR MOBILE
OPTIMISATION
• KEEP YOUR MOBILE SITE SIMPLE
• KEEP IT CONSISTENT & EASILY NAVIGABLE
• PROVIDE AN EASY SCROLL EXPERIENCE
• KEEP FONT SIZE LEGIBLE & LARGE
• TALK IN SOUND BITES
• LET THE IMAGERY SPEAK FOR ITSELF

34. Google has moved to
AI & conversational
search
Understanding more what the user is asking and what
they mean in their search, rather than just interpreting
individual words and phrases.

35. OPTIMISATION TIPS FOR
VOICE SEARCH
• OPTIMIZE YOUR BUSINESS LISTINGS AND RESPOND TO QUESTIONS
• USE NATURAL LANGUAGE OVER KEYWORDS
• AND NEW FAQ CONTENT ON YOUR WEBSITE PROVIDE ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY
ASKED QUESTIONS
• WRITE MORE LOCAL CONTENT
• TARGET LONG-TAIL KEYWORDS
• MARKUP YOUR CONTENT TO SHOW GOOGLE WHAT IT MEANS

36. 7. Democracy on
the web works.
source:
https://www.google.com/about/philosophy.html

37. Are you
winning the
popularity vote?
Contextual backlinks determine the
authority and relevance of your website
content

38. YOUR CONTENT RANKING DEPENDS ON
OTHERS AGREEING IT IS THE BEST
•Best = Most Popular

39. AUTHENTIC BACKLINKS
SUPPORT YOUR RANKING

40. Source: https://moz.com/blog/my-personal-opinion-90-of-the-rankings-equation-lies-in-these-4-factors
BACKLINK "ANCHOR TEXT" IS KEY

41. Final thoughts...
Always be guided
by the data
Adopt SEO KPIs that reflect long term business success
not short term quick wins.

42. MONITOR USER
BEHAVIOUR AND OPTIMISE
TO IMPROVE IT!
• CHECK YOUR WEBSITE BOUNCE RATE
• MONITOR AVERAGE SESSION DURATION
• MEASURE "MICRO" NOT JUST "MACRO" CONVERSIONS
• A/B SPLIT TEST PAGE COPY
• EXPERIMENT WITH CALLS TO ACTION
• ADD FEEDBACK FOR ON YOUR WEBSITE

43. O M A R K A T T A N
CSO & MD, SANDSTORM DIGITAL FZE
•PHONE NUMBER
+ 971 (0) 4 4549772
•EMAIL ADDRESS
omar@sandstormdigital.com
•MAILING ADDRESS
Concord Tower P.O. Box 329595
Media City Dubai, UAE
@OmarKattan
THANK YOU!