1. Fred Dirkse CEO, OIC Group, Inc.
Getting Your Website to the Top!
Increase Your Audience, Grow Your Business
Fred Dirkse CEO, OIC Group, Inc.

2. Agenda: Definitions How Search Engines Work Types of Search Results
Action Items
Q&A

3. Definitions:
Search Engine = A searchable database of content that returns a weighted result of search (SERP). Google, Yahoo, Bing, Ask, Dogpile, etc.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) = the process of getting a website to the top of the search engines for particular keyword searches – and keeping it there.
“SEO is not an exact science. It's not operating with a scalpel, it's making bigger moves with a machete that make the most impact.”
Keyword / Keyphrase = one or many words that a user types into a search engine. Example: “peoria car mechanic”
SERP = Search Engine Results Page. This is the result that a search engine gives a user after performing a search, generally a list of websites ranked in order of relevancy (according to the search engine!).

4. Definitions:
Relevancy = how closely related a website’s content is to a keyword.
Authority = in SEO, authority means a “powerful” website.
Meta Data = information in the coding of a website that “describes” the website. Not as important in SEO as it once was, but should be addressed in any SEO plan.

5. Definitions:
On-Site Optimization = optimization work performed directly ON your website.
Off-Site Optimization = optimization work performed on OTHER websites – generally building backlinks to your website.
Backlink = a link FROM another website TO YOUR website.
Social Media =  websites and applications use for interaction among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks. Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn

7. Curious Facts
In 1999, it took Google one month to crawl and build an index of about 50 million pages.  In 2012, the same task was accomplished in less than one minute. 
Google now processes over 40,000 search queries every second on average, which translates to over 3.5 billion searches per day
16% to 20% of queries that get asked every day have never been asked before. 
A single Google query uses 1,000 computers in 0.2 seconds to retrieve an answer.

8. Search Engine Myths:
Myth: “Submitting” your site to the search engines will get your site to the top.
Truth: Wrong. Search engines find sites on their own and rank them using a complex formula. Especially bad is PAYING a company to “submit” your site – waste of money and may very well HARM you.
Myth: SEO services can “guarantee” your site will rank.
Truth: ½ wrong. No one can truly guarantee search engine placement, as it is 100% dependant on the search engines. A GOOD SEO agency can estimate where they think you will end up; a SHADY SEO agency will make guarantees to get your business, and then provide results with inadequate keywords.

9. How Search Engines Work: Spiders
Small programs called spiders…job is to crawl, or spider, websites.

10. How Search Engines Work: Crawling

11. How Search Engines Work: Follow Links
SEO Bootcamp: How to Get To #1 On Google
How Search Engines Work: Follow Links

12. Without links, the engines might never find this page
Crawling & Indexing
Without links, the engines might never find this page

13. How Search Engines Work: Search
SEO Bootcamp: How to Get To #1 On Google
How Search Engines Work: Search

14. How Search Engines Work: Search
SEO Bootcamp: How to Get To #1 On Google
How Search Engines Work: Search

15. How Search Engines Work: SERP
SEO Bootcamp: How to Get To #1 On Google
How Search Engines Work: SERP

16. Type of Search Results:
SEO Bootcamp: How to Get To #1 On Google
Type of Search Results:
Organic, or Natural
Paid – PPC, or Pay-Per-Click
Shopping
YouTube Video
* Google+
* Local
Images, News, Discussions, Blogs
Not a comprehensive list
Sometimes you get only one, usually a blend – rarely all of them.

17. At least 9 general areas just on Google alone

22. How Do We Build a Flywheel?

24. SEO Action Items: Get Your Site Right
Do Keyword Research, the Right Way
Optimize the Content of Your Web Pages
Build Links: 3 Ways to Build Links by Yourself
Get Your Message Out: Blog, Social Media

25. Algorithmic Ranking Factors

26. Algorithmic Ranking Factors
You have to do these right, before you can do these right
Algorithmic Ranking Factors

27. Install Google Analytics

28. Install Webmaster Tools

29. Shallow folder structure with relevant words
Search Friendly URLs
Keywords in page name,
separated by hyphen
Single domain
Shallow folder structure with relevant words

30. Title Tags

31. Meta Descriptions

32. Search UN-Friendly URLs
Xyz3.nationalgeographic.com/a/?q=31z&mg=vv7z&sd=8
No keywords in the URL string
Unnecessary
Subdomain
Dynamic URLs don’t perform as well as static and engines recommend against more than two parameters

33. XML Sitemaps

34. Good keyword usage in the alt tag
Image Alt Attributes
Good keyword usage in the alt tag

35. Search Engine “Submission”
Things that do not matter much
Meta Keywords Tag
Search Engine “Submission”

36. Keyword Research: Keyword Planner

37. The Long Tail of Keyword Demand
Keyword Research
The Long Tail of Keyword Demand

41. Salespeople & Customers

42. On Page Content Optimization

43. Link Building The #1 Long-Term Strategy for Ranking your Website
Who is this for..?

44. Submit to Directory Listing Sites
Visit one of our blog posts for a huge list of directory sites:

45. Publish Online Content: Articles

46. Create Your Own Blogs – On-Site and Off
Your Blogs
Links
Links
Your Site

47. 343mm 1.1B+ 250mm 225mm 33mm 25mm 43mm 517mm 170mm 48mm
Engage In Social Media
Users:
343mm
1.1B+
250mm
225mm
33mm
Users:
25mm
43mm
517mm
170mm
48mm

48. Engage In Social Media
Social Media is ALL ABOUT BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS

49. Other Tips
Make your Site Secure: In the summer of 2014, Google declared that HTTPS is now a ranking signal. Although its immediate impact on the search landscape is marginal, we can expect this signal to grow stronger as time goes on.
Use optimized videos and images ‘above the fold’
Create an Image Sitemap
Implement Schema on your site everywhere possible – ‘Structured Data Markup’

52. Thank You!
Q&A
Who is this for..?
Fred Dirkse CEO, OIC Group, Inc.