FireBootCamp Introduction to SEO by XEN Systems
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The document is a presentation by Craig Bailey on search engine optimization (SEO), covering essential SEO concepts, tools, and strategies to improve website rankings on Google and Bing. It emphasizes the importance of high-quality content, effective keyword usage, and tools like Google Analytics and Google Webmaster Tools for tracking site performance. The presentation also includes practical checklists and tips for optimizing web pages and monitoring site health.
FireBootCamp Introduction to SEO by XEN Systems
- 1. FireBootCamp Introduction to SEO PRESENTER: CRAIG BAILEY 7 MARCH 2014
- 2. Learn&Apply Quick presentations on the key SEO items Aiming for the 80% (from the 80/20) 07 MAR ?? MAR Introduction to SEO An overview of the basics of SEO, plus tools every web developer should be using. Advanced SEO A look at link building, social and other channels for improving your traffic. xen.com.au 2
- 3. TheBlokePresenting Craig Bailey XEN Systems o o o o o Digital Agency Online strategy SEO and SEM Social Analytics Training Developer background • • • Database developer Web developer Microsoft MVP 2007-2009 xen.com.au 3
- 4. Today’s Goals Introduction to SEO Overview of how Google and Bing rank sites Recommended Tools Tools you should use The Importance of Content Why writing good quality content helps your rankings xen.com.au 4
- 5. Your Outcomes o Understand the basics of SEO o Set up Google account (if you don’t already have one) o Set up Google Analytics o Set up Google Webmaster Tools o Set up Bing Webmaster Tools o Understand the value of good content o Understand keywords and start thinking about your ‘customer’ xen.com.au 5
- 6. What is SEO? Search engine optimisation… ie optimising your site so that Google will rank it higher Maximise the number of keywords the site can rank for in Google Increase traffic to the site Matching the site to the right kind of visitors Actively monitoring the site for improvements, threats, issues, gains, opportunities xen.com.au 6
- 7. Why Build A Web Site? Drive Traffic Traffic comes from a variety of sources including: • Organic (Google, Bing) • Paid (AdWords, Facebook, LinkedIn) • Social (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Tumblr, Pinterest) • Referral (other sites) • Direct • Email campaigns Convert Customers Conversions can include: • New leads • New customers • Pageviews (engagement) • Awareness (branding) • Registrations Make Money Although there are exceptions, most web sites have a financial component to them. They are commisioned with the aim of making money for the company. If a client has paid a premium for a web site, they are usually expecting a premium return. xen.com.au 7
- 8. Marketing Marketing Online Offline Paid SEO (Organic is ‘Free’) Direct Social On-Page xen.com.au Off-Page 8
- 9. Google Algorithm o Uses hundreds of inputs/factors (for fun read this Moz blog post) o Constantly changing o Personalised (eg results are different depending on location and device) o On-page items: Page Titles o Off-page items: Good quality links o High quality content is important o Being a big brand is a big help! xen.com.au 9
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- 13. SEO Checklist Item System Required 01 Page Titles Code or CMS Yes 02 Page META descriptions Code or CMS Yes 03 Headings - H1, H2, H3 Content Yes 04 Configure Google Analytics Google Analytics & Code Yes 05 Check robots.txt Server Yes 06 Configure Google Webmaster Tools Google Webmaster Tools Yes 07 XML Sitemap Code or CMS Priority Optional xen.com.au 13
- 14. On-page Items Page items 1 Page Title 2 META Description Include most valueable keywords at the start Aim to make this a ‘Call to action’ statement. Avoid using terms like ‘Home’ in the page Title This is your chance to make people click on a search result. Include brand terms xen.com.au 14
- 16. robots.txt Used to block Googlebot 1 Staging 2 Go Live Block everything Block specifically User-agent: * Disallow: / User-agent: * Disallow: /login.aspx xen.com.au 16
- 17. XML Sitemap ‘Guides’ Google • • • • Guides Google to important content Include important content Exclude admin sections, Site Layout folders, protected membership areas Set to recreate regularly Google Webmaster Tools xen.com.au 17
- 18. Tools o Google Analytics o Google Webmaster Tools o Google AdWords o Keyword Tools o Other Tools xen.com.au 18
- 19. Google Analytics o Track visitor sources, behaviour, conversions o http://www.google.com.au/analytics/ o You need to have a Google account – set up a Gmail account if easiest xen.com.au 19
- 20. Take a look at Analytics Analytics xen.com.au 20
- 21. Google Webmaster Tools o Check Site issues, XML sitemaps, robots.txt o https://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/ xen.com.au 21
- 23. Take a look at GWT Google Webmaster Tools xen.com.au 23
- 24. Bing Webmaster Tools o Check Site issues, XML sitemaps o http://www.bing.com/toolbox/webmaster o Use your Live ID (Microsoft Account) xen.com.au 24
- 25. Take a look at BWT Google Webmaster Tools xen.com.au 25
- 26. Other Tools o Google Places for Business o Bing Places for Business o Should I set up a Google+ account? o Search operators: site:firebootcamp.com xen.com.au 26
- 27. Keyword Tools o Uber Suggest (good, but tends to break a lot - http://ubersuggest.org/) o Term Explorer (has a limited free option - http://termexplorer.com/Public/) o Google Keyword Tool (requires an AdWords account) o Bing Webmaster Tools Keyword research (good, but limited to Bing search volumes) o SEObook Keyword Tool (free registration http://tools.seobook.com/keyword-tools/seobook/) xen.com.au 27
- 28. Other Stuff o Links o Redirects o META robot tags xen.com.au 28
- 29. Links Links are the currency of the web Links are huge indicator to Google as to what a page is about and what it should rank for ‘Click here’ example Click here xen.com.au 29
- 30. Redirects 301 Redirects are super important! 301s redirect old URLs (that probably no longer exist) to the new site URLs. Eg: From: mysite.com/about.php To: mysite.com/about/ They can be added: 1. individually in IIS, OR 2. in bulk using IIS rewritemap.config files. Why Redirects are important Using IIS for implementing redirects xen.com.au 30
- 31. Redirects 301 Redirects are super important! Here’s the organic traffic graph for a site that went live and didn’t implement 301s. Why Redirects are important xen.com.au 31
- 32. META tags Meta Robot tags help keep pages out of Google’s index Set the Site Layout folder to: • Private Set the Site Layout Meta Tags to: • noarchive (ticked) • noindex (ticked) • nofollow (usually leave this unticked) Noindex = Google won’t include it in the Google search results Noarchive = Google won’t keep a cache copy of the page Nofollow = Google won’t follow links on the page xen.com.au 32
- 33. Questions o Can I buy links? (Don’t!) o What should I start with? (Brand terms) o Do social signals help rankings? (Yes, but minor) o Is blog commenting OK? (Yes, depending on quality) o Do meta keywords help? (No) o What are redirects? And are they important? (Yes) o Can I track conversions in Google Analytics? (Yes) o What about using JavaScript libraries? (Can be problematic, use ?_escaped_fragment_=, see this) xen.com.au 33
- 34. QuickSummary o Most sites are ultimately focussed on increasing their financial return o SEO is the process of optimising a site to improve its Google rankings o Page titles are important o Good content is important o Links are important o Use Google Analytics to measure what is working o Use Google Webmaster Tools to monitor site issues and queries xen.com.au 34
- 35. ContactInformation XEN Systems is a digital agency based in Sydney, Australia. We focus on the 4 S’s of digital: Strategy, SEO, SEM and Social, with an integrated approach to help your company reach and engage its target customers. XEN Systems PO Box 527 Chatswood NSW 2057 Tel : 02 8006 4428 Mobile: 0413 489 388 Email: craig@xen.com.au @XENsystems Helpdesk helpdesk@xen.com.au xen.com.au Facebook.com/XENSystems 35