Mike Moran step by step search optimization

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Step-by-Step Search Marketing Success

Mike Moran
February 2008

***+,quot;#$,&'()+-&, © 2008 Mike Moran

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How can you drive demand for your products?
Increase your
conversion rate Increase your
traffic

Or both

Visitors 1000 1000 2000 2000

Conversion Rate 1% 2% 1% 2%

Conversions 10 20 20 40
Base
2 © 2008 Mike Moran

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Direct marketing is run by the numbers
Direct Mail Catalogs
Elements Envelope, letter, Cover, size, inserts, response
return envelope form
Segmentation Mailing lists are culled by demographics,
firmographics, RFM, and other factors

Message Editors and copy writers assure a consistent message

Testing ! Create multiple versions; analyze response
! Test responses to multiple designs
! Monitor over time and adjust

Response Conversion rates are low but costs are, too


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Search marketing is similar
Search Marketing
Elements Web design, navigation, function, images, textual
content
Segmentation Keyword lists are culled by demographics,
firmographics, RFM, and other factors

Message Editors and copy writers assure a consistent message

Testing ! Create multiple versions; analyze response
! Test responses to multiple designs
! Monitor over time and adjust

Response Conversion rates are low but costs are, too


!quot;#$%!&'()

Using search marketing to drive conversions

! How many search visitors come to buy?
! The right search result puts the visitor in the “Learn”
Search stage to view a product page.

! How many customers that view a
Learn product page put items in their
carts?
Use
! And how many check out?
Shop ! Multiply by your average revenue
and you have the impact of search
Get
on revenue.
Buy
Increasing the success rate at any stage
increases the overall conversion rate

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What are the kinds of search marketing?

Figure 2-1 Paid Search
Types of Search Results. The Google search results screen clearly separates paid from organic results; other search engines combine
them.

Organic Search

Organic search is editorial results
Paid search is advertising

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Organic Search Process

***+,quot;#$,&'()+-&, © 2008 Mike Moran

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Organic search marketing might be done cheaply

! You have no per-click fees to pay
! You control your own content, so you can write it to
match
! You control your Web site so you can let the search
spider discover and index
your pages
! But if your site is poorly
designed or has bad
content, repair can be
quite expensive


!quot;#$%!&'()

How does organic search work?

Match the
query
query

It starts with a query
entered query
The searcher enters a few words and
the search engine analyzes the query.
How many words?
What language is it?
Are the words spelled right?


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Match the
query
query

analyzed query

entered query Search
Index

The search engine consults its index
The search engine looks at its list of all the words to see which Web
pages each word is found on.
Then it compares the lists to see which pages contain all the words.


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Match the
query
query

analyzed query

entered query Search Rank the
Index matching matches
URLs

The search engine decides which pages are best
The search engine weighs each page to see which ones have best
combination of the searcher’s query words on the page and the best
links to them from other important pages.


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Match the
query
query

analyzed query

The search engine URLs
decides what to display titles and
snippets sorted
What are the titles of the best URLs
pages?
Display
What text should be extracted as results
the best “snippet” for each page?

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Match the
query
query

analyzed query

URLs
titles and
snippets sorted
search results URLs
The top 10 appear top 10
Display
results
Just like magic, right? results


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How do pages get into the search index?
Home page Interior pages

Spider

The search engine “spider” program:
! “Crawls” the home page of a site

! Stores the text on the page in the search index
Search
Index ! Follows links on that page to do the same with
other pages on that site—and other sites


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Step 1: Get your site’s pages into search indexes

Get Pages Choose the search engines to
Indexed
target and check them

Choose ! The Megastars
Keywords

Optimize ! The Specialists
Content

Attract ! The Locals
Links


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Get Pages Remove spider traps that
Indexed
prevent pages from indexing
! Improper redirects of URLs
Choose
Keywords ! Incorrect robots coding

! JavaScript and DHTML navigation
Optimize ! Flash or other rich media content
Content
! More than two dynamic variables in a URL

Attract ! Session parameters (“id=“ or “session=“):
Links


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Get Pages Create spider paths that help
Indexed
your pages be discovered
! Site maps
Choose
Keywords ! Country
maps

Optimize ! Product
Content lists, like
this one
from IBM
(PageRank
Attract 9 from
Links Google)


!quot;#$%!&'()


Get Pages Make sure pages are in the right
Indexed
country indexes
! Use the top-level domain (.co.uk, .se, .dk, .no, etc.)
Choose of the country the page should be indexed for
Keywords OR

! Host your page on a server in that country
Optimize
Content OR

! Get links
from many
Attract country
Links pages


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Step 2: Choose your keywords and landing pages

Get Pages Capture customers at every
Indexed stage of the buying cycle
! Answer “research
Search
Choose questions” with
Keywords informational
content
Learn

Optimize Use ! Respond to
Content product queries
Shop with comparisons
Get ! Provide detailed
Attract
Links Buy model and
product pages for
buyers

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Get Pages Choose keywords Use all sources to
Indexed that are “just right” target your keywords
! Don’t target ! Brainstorm words
Choose keywords that are with your team
“too hot” (they
Keywords ! Check your
multiple meanings
search referrals
or are poor
Optimize matches for your ! Check your site
Content site) search facility
! Check your
! Avoid keywords
competitors
Attract that are “too
Links cold”—too few ! Use keyword
searchers look for tools
them

!quot;#$%!&'()


Get Pages Treat each language and
Indexed
country individually

Choose ! Don’t just translate the original words
Keywords
! Pick the must-win keywords and the
landing page for each country
Optimize
Content

Attract
Links


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Get Pages Choose a landing page for every
Indexed
keyword
! Where does your customer want to be?
Choose
Keywords ! Be careful when choosing the same page for
multiple keywords:

Optimize ! “Product Lifecycle
Content Management” and
“PLM” is OK

Attract ! “Aerospace PLM”
Links and “Automotive
PLM”—no!


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Step 3: Audit and optimize your landing pages
Start

Get Pages ! Every keyword
Indexed needs a landing
page Choose a Choose
landing the next
page for landing
Choose ! Examine rankings, keywords page

Keywords referrals, and
conversions yes
Analyze the
! Check your landing
OK?
Optimize page’s

Content keyword usage on metrics

your page no

! Focus on Improve the
Audit the
Attract keywords in titles landing
landing
page’s
Links and throughout content
page

your text

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Acronym
Get Pages e
Indexed an imag
i n
text is
Title
Choose The
Keywords Before
Picture
Optimize
Content
Uninteresting

Google
Attract Rank:
No real relevant links
Links
#175


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Full keyword in title
Get Pages
Indexed xt
te
is now
Title
Choose The
Keywords After
Picture
Optimize h
Content d-ric
wor
Key
Google
Attract Rank:
Many relevant links
Links
#1


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Get Pages
Optimize pages in their national
Indexed
languages, not original languages
! Most translation services are not trained in
Choose
Keywords search marketing
! A translation that does not contain keyword-
rich copy won’t give you high organic
Optimize
Content
search rankings
! You must communicate the exact variations
of keywords you want in the copy and
Attract must insist they are used
Links
with the proper density


!quot;#$%!&'()


Get Pages Code your language properly on
Indexed
your pages
! Search engines usually analyze your pages to
Choose identify the language
Keywords
! But, for vertical and smaller search engines,
encode your page properly:
Optimize ! Language meta tags--Here is the tag for
Content Japanese: <meta http-equiv=quot;content-
languagequot; content=quot;jaquot;>

! Character set meta tags—Again, the tag for
Attract Japanese: <meta http-equiv=quot;content-typequot;
Links content= quot;text/html; charset=shift-jisquot;>


!quot;#$%!&'()


Get Pages Translators must understand search
Indexed
copywriting
! Most translation services are not
Choose trained in search marketing
Keywords
! A translation that does not contain
keyword-rich copy won’t give you high
Optimize
Content organic search rankings
! You must communicate the exact
Attract
variations of keywords you want in the
Links copy and must insist they are used
with the proper density

!quot;#$%!&'()

Step 4: Make your site a link magnet

Get Pages
Attract one-way links with content
Indexed
people want to link to

Choose ! Make your content interesting and fresh
Keywords
! Blogs
Optimize ! Podcasts
Content
! Provide something
unique, such as a
Attract
Links
useful free tool


!quot;#$%!&'()


Get Pages
Remove roadblocks that stop
Indexed
people from linking to you

Choose ! Long weird URLs:
Keywords http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/dpp.do?vertical=Buying
%20Guides&cat=Televisions&BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&splash=true&n-
state=http://www.live.bguides.webcollage.net/_wc/televisions_1.html~~~G!0B6765CD4
C51!XRHzYAguDp1SwH5C~~~~@http://guides.sears.com/server/sears/bguides-
televisions-showcase
Optimize
Content ! Forced registration
before allowing
someone to view
Attract your page
Links


!quot;#$%!&'()


Get Pages
Get your site listed by partners and
Indexed
by Web directories

Choose ! Get your suppliers, customers, partners, dealers,
Keywords and other companies to link to you
! Use Yahoo! Directory ($299 per year) and Open
Directory (free)
Optimize
Content ! Use specialty directories for your industry or for
specialized content, such as podcasts:

Attract
Links


!quot;#$%!&'()

Paid Search Process

***+,quot;#$,&'()+-&, © 2008 Mike Moran

!quot;#$%!&'()

Paid search is the fastest way to get traffic

! Organic search can take months but paid search
can happen in minutes
! And, done properly, you’ll get a great return
! But if you don’t know
what you’re doing
! You can lose a lot
of money in
a hurry


!quot;#$%!&'()

How does paid search work?

Match the
query
query

It starts with a query
entered query
The searcher enters a few words and
the search engine analyzes the query.
How many words?
What language is it?


!quot;#$%!&'()


Match the
query
query

analyzed query

entered query Ad
Database

The search engine consults its database
The search engine looks at its list of all the words to see which ones
have ads associated with them.


!quot;#$%!&'()


Match the
query
query

analyzed query

entered query Ad Rank the
Database matching matches
ads

The search engine decides which ads are best
The search engine weighs each ad to see which ones have best
combination of the clickthrough rate and per-click bid.


!quot;#$%!&'()


Match the
query
query

analyzed query

ads
The search engine ad
copy sorted
decides what to display ads
What is the copy of the best ads?
Display
results


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Match the
query
query

analyzed query

ads
ad
copy sorted
search results ads
The top ones appear top
Display
results
Just like magic, right? results


!quot;#$%!&'()

Local search is taking off

! Local search allows
searchers to qualify their
keywords with locations.

! And lists the businesses
found in the phone book
for that location.

! Searchers can even get
their results shown on a
map to see the location
closest to them.


!quot;#$%!&'()

Contextual advertising works for many advertisers

Conversion rates may be lower, so make sure
per-click costs are lower, too

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Shopping search might top all the opportunities

The highest conversion rates, but per-click costs
are often lower, too

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But paid placement is where most marketers play

! Bid on any keyword what you’ll pay for each click

! If your profit exceeds your click fees, you win

! It sounds simple, but…

Paid placement bidding is really a
personality test

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Step 1: Choose your targets

! Shopping search products
! Paid placement:
! Choose deeper keywords
than for organic
! Choose your match types
! Choose your location


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Step 2: Choose your placement bidding strategy

! Profit is good, but what about Lifetime Value?

! Bid management tools can automatically adjust
your bids based on some metrics but not profit or
lifetime value


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Step 3: Optimize your clickthrough rates

! Emphasize the keywords in your title and your
description

! Test different variations of the copy to find the one
with the most clickthrough

! Ensure that your
Display URL is short
and readable

! Use automated
keyword insertion
to reduce workload Anatomy of a Google ad

!quot;#$%!&'()

Step 4: Optimize your conversion rates

! Which keywords results in the highest
conversions?
! Track every conversion and report on it
! Test different copy variations:
! Ad copy
! Landing page copy
! Copy on every other page in your
conversion path
! Change it, change it, and change it
again—don’t stop trying to improve, ever

!quot;#$%!&'()

Read all about it
! “Buy this book, read it, and then
read it again.”
!quot;#$ --Chris Sherman, Search Engine Watch

%#&'(quot;$ ! Updated at each printing
)&'*#+,-.$
/#%+$%#00#'

Available now
! “Great book.”
--Robert Scoble, Scoblizer blog

For more information about the ! “Act now and read
books, and for the free Biznology it.”
newsletter and blog: --Bryan Eisenberg, Author of #1 best
seller Waiting for Your Cat to Bark?
www.mikemoran.com

Mike Moran step by step search optimization

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