SEO for Google in 2016

David Taylor Webmedia trading eight years in Chester Web design, SEO, digital marketing, training Visiting lecturer at University of Chester

A little about you Why are you here today? What's your experience of SEO?

You can download these slides later today

What is SEO? A manipulation process that enables a specific web page to rank highly for a search query or queries that are regularly searched by those persons seeking that type of business

Why do SEO? Part of a business visibility strategy 89% of purchasing decisions involve the Internet at some stage SEO is one tactic for online visibility Pay per click, social media, display, video

Understanding Google in 2016 Google's job is to return, for any given search query, the most relevant and trusted web pages It is constantly changing to become better at this and to avoid those trying to cheat it Your job is to make it easy for Google to put your web page in the top 10

A little insight into SEO companies You've all had the s “first page of Google guaranteed” The key issue that you need to ask is “for what keywords?”

Some examples of our seo work – keyword: vw campervan hire Chester

So what does success online look like? Someone wants their antique chair restoring by a local craftsman. They go onto Google and search 'antique furniture restoration Chester'

They go through to the website Is this what I expected? Do they do what I want? Is it credible? Does it have track record? Is it affordable? Is it accessible?

Please be under no misapprehension Getting your website into the top 10 organic Google results has never been more difficult This is a long term strategy It requires commitment and dedication

If you want Google to think you're worthy... give Google what it wants Authority Relevance Originality Trust Credibility

How Google used to assess these Authority Relevance Originality Trust Credibility On-page factors In-bound links

Where do you start? If you want to rank Google page 1 for a specific search query then start by making your website one of the best 10 websites in the UK for that phrase

Absolute clarity You must make it absolutely clear to Google (especially on your home page) what your website is about Optimise for one keyword phrase

Example.. 'solid wood kitchen worktop maintenance' I crafted this client website (especially home page) around that phrase

Look..at the top 20 organic ranking sites for your target phrase Is your site one of the 10 best?

I hear you ask.. “but how do I know which phrase to target?” The answer is keyword research

Let's look at a recent example.. Luxury self catering apartments on Lake Windermere

You can't just target the phrase with the highest search volume.... You have to consider competitor analysis Domain age Domain activity Number and quality of in bound links Content authority Social signals Choosing the right keyword phrase(s) to target is critical. Do not rush. It can take weeks

Competitor analysis This new domain website ranked #1 on Google for 'racket restringing Chester' is less than 2 weeks

Your action point number 1 Use the Googe Adwords keyword research tool to decide what your target keyword is for each of your web pages

So now you have your home page target keyword.. How do you apply it? Each page of your site should be crafted around a target phrase: Meta data H1 tag has target phrase Target phrase in narrative text Minimum content amount on page Full contact details in footer Keyword attached to images Associated on-page keywords

Your action point number 2 Benchmark your site for your target keywords

Your action point number 2 Benchmark your site for your target keywords Google Analytics

What else gives your page Google points? Blog posts or new content (summary link) Embedded video Embedded map Embedded reviews Internal site links Links out to other authority sites Content authority

Your action point number 3 Check your own site against this checklist and make an improvement plan

What else is Google interested in? Content authority ie. indicators around the web that you are an expert authority in relation to a specific subject

How do you build your authority with Google? Fresh published content (why blog?) In-bound quality links Reviews Social signals – share, like, comment, +1 Consumer time on site Citations Google My Business – Verified Back linked marketing Optimise your content so Google understands it

Your action point number 4 Get active on social media (don't miss Google+) Post value content with links back to website

Your action point number 5 Encourage sharing of your web pages content by providing a social share tool

Google is interested in good user experiences So first and foremost create the best possible page for your visitors

Keys to a good user experience First impressions count – design quality Load speed Users are looking first for authority, credibility, relevance, and trust Your home page should have short items, lists and 'fast to understand' content Your pages should be crafted around the needs of your target audience Mobile responsive

Your website's job is to identify your prospects pain and tell them how you are going to take it away Example Worktops By Crown What's the client's pain? How does WTBC take it away?

Google recognises click back on search results Your page has less than 5 seconds to impress Load speed Quality Ease of finding what they wanted Fulfilment

Your action point number 6 Look through the top 20 websites for your target keywords. See what content they provide and how it is organised. How can you apply this on your site?

Your action point number 7 Add business directory citations (yell.com) Google My Business (verified) Webmaster Tools – (see if Google is happy with everything it finds on your site) Seek new in-bound links (business directories, Slideshare, YouTube, Forums, Partner sites) Check the load speed of your site at Google Insights

Local Search Results Vs Organic What's the difference?

Congratulations, you got qualified traffic to your website... Now what?

Now you have to convert that traffic into goals... Our next free seminar Turn more visitors into buyers

Any questions?

SEO for Google in