Web Developers often have to deal with their client's expectations of how their new or improved website will perform in the search engines AND occasionally do the hands on work. This presentation gives a general understanding of the issues related to SEO and how to determine if an SEO job is simple or requires outside help.

1. The 4 Quadrants of SEO
(that every web dev needs to know)

2. Basics -Why People
Search Online:
The Pain Point
People want solutions to problems. Now.
Consumer searches don't fit yellow page categories.
This is the challenge of creating great content and
succeeding in SEO.
If your client’s online presence
(content/design/function/testimonials/reviews) makes
visitors confident that your client can solve their
problem, they will give them their money.

3. Understanding
Search & Visitor
Behavior
Google is 70%+ of the search market. In most cases,
when I refer to search engines, I mean Google.
Mobile devices have fundamentally changed search.
10 years ago < 10% of search was local. Current
percentages given are between 20 - 40%.
50% of local mobile searches end with the searcher
at the business location in less than 1 day.

4. The 4 Quadrants
of SEO
Onsite vs. Offsite
Local vs. Competing with everybody else on the
Internet - Everywhere Search

5. On-site SEO Vs.
Off-site SEO
On-site SEO are the changes you can make to a website.
Content, page titles and descriptions, image tags, site speed,
recency of changes, etc. There are estimated to be over 200
“signals” that Google uses to determine search engine result
placement (SERP).
Off-site is any site other than your own that either links or refers
to you in some way. Review sites, business listings, articles,
blog post mentions, etc. These are also referred to as citations.
And yes, social media counts (somewhat).

6. Onsite SEO - How Search Engines
Know What A Website Is About
Each page needs a unique title that explains what the page
is about in less than 65 characters, preferably using
keywords.
Each page needs a description that explains what is on the
page in a low-key but “sales” style since this is what is
shown on the search results page.
Each page should be unique (no duplicate content),
complete and work within the context of all other pages.
This is known as the website “Taxonomy”. Search engines
want to see as complete of a taxonomy as possible.

7. Keywords, Categories
& Content
You or your client control your website’s content, so it’s the
best place to start in SEO.
Rule # 1: Be Consistent. For the website as a whole and
on each individual page. Each should be about something.
Something that is part of a logical, consistent whole, which
is the website.
If your pool supply website suddenly has information on
“dog training”, how can Google consider you an authority
on “pool supply”?

8. What Are Your Customers
Looking For?
Rule #2: People are looking for your client’s products and
services right now. Your SEO’s job is to tell Google that
your website is the best place to send them to.
That means you need to know what people are searching
for (keywords), create content for those keywords and give
Google all the clues they need to know what your site
content is about.
This is one of several places that a blog is helpful for SEO.
It allows creation of content to round out the site’s
taxonomy, keep the site fresh, etc.

9. Leaving Clues for Google
The content of the page and the site as a whole.
MetaTags: Title, description and “keywords”. Keywords are
not used by the search engines, but should be the
framework for other SEO work on the page.
Title, descriptions are important. Description used in
Google results so use it to sell your site. This should be
both descriptive and sales copy.
An updated website is a loved website. Another reason to
have a blog.

10. It’s harder to get links, reviews and mentions on other
websites, which is why they have real value.
Reviews are currently one of the most important signals in
Local Search results.
Reviews can also remove the “risk” of doing business and
move site visitors further down the buying cycle.
The best way to create a link strategy is to look at who is
linking to your competitors.
Offsite SEO -
Respect Your Authority!

11. Say Where You’re At - Local Search
20%+ of Google Searches are for local businesses.
Local is Google’s future. Google is verrry interested in
where a business is located.
Include their city name, neighborhood, state and
region names in your metatags and content. Address
information should be formatted in a “schema”.
Example Description: “Our Concord, CA customers get
delivery to their door in less than 30 minutes.”
Getting on the front page for local search (7 box) is far
easier than for organic search.

12. Or why it’s easier to get on
the front page of Google than you think...
The Lion Joke

13. Top 7 businesses to
show based on: claimed
and optimized G+ Local
page, reviews &
citations (7Box).
Citations are listings for
your business.
Reviews are people who
have reviewed you on
either the G+ Local page
or elsewhere.
Local 7 UP

14. Building A Referral / Review
Machine

15. The best way to generate referrals is to ask. Duh.
Ask for “shares” in social media and “reviews” on review
sites. Their friends may be your next customers (Local
Reach).
Email followup with clients after the work is done for
feedback. This is a good time to get them referring /
reviewing.
Getting the most bang requires controlling review site and
social media accounts. This is the best reason for most
small businesses to use social media. Top 3 review sites
are Google My Business Pages, Yelp and Facebook.
It’s Alive!

16. Why Review Sites
Matter
They serve two purposes: positive testimonials and
positive votes for your client’s Google My Business page
in the Search Engines through Name, Address and
Phone (NAP).
How many here have decided to skip or go to a business
based on a review?
Review sites appear in search engines. AND review sites
influence placement in the search engines.

17. Reviews = Sales
According to a Harvard study, 1/2 star on a Yelp review
translates into 9% more business and for restaurants, a
30% greater chance they will sell out evening seating.
72% of consumers surveyed said they trusted online
reviews as much as personal recommendations. 70%
say they trust businesses more with >6 reviews.
Recent reviews are trusted more than older reviews.

18. Social Media: The Local Angle
Yelp is the info data source for Siri on the iPhone,
which will push it’s importance up (Reviews).
FourSquare is free and offers a lot of promotional
tools to businesses.
Facebook will eventually decide what it wants to do
with local.
Twitter can be a great local tool to broadcast
specials, end-of-day deals, etc.

19. What You Need To Do ASAP To Be
Found In Google (Local Search)
Claim and optimize Google My Business webpage.
Add a description that includes keywords for your
business. Pay close attention to your categories.
Add at least 5 images and videos and make the
header attractive.
Start asking for reviews on Google My Business
page and other review sites.

20. When you want to be found everywhere, you
compete with everyone who wants your search term.
Including national retailers, brands and internet companies
with dedicated SEO staffs.
Winners are often determined by who makes the least
mistakes.
Analyzing Everywhere sites requires specialized tools and
usually requires someone with a background in SEO.
Everywhere Search: The
Thunderdome of SEO

21. Succeeding & Surviving In the
Thunderdome of SEO
Your client must do well in organic search to succeed.
Organic search results is primarily determined by the
amount and quality of content, on-site SEO and the
authority of a website.
Authority is primarily determined by the quality & number
of citations. Almost all authority sites have thousands of
citations from quality websites.
Did I mention that an Everywhere search site really needs
to have an outside SEO consultant?

22. Q & A For 4 Quadrants of SEO
I want this to be a
“No Riddle” zone.

23. Thank you for your time today
Contact me at:
stormy@net101.com
http://www.net101.com
707-490-4542
http://www.net101.com/facebook
http://www.net101.com/twitter