Conference Buddies

Some of the best SEOs in the game will be on this panel. This is an expert-level session. There will be brief coverage of on-page items such as titles, tags, text and URLs. But the focus will be on the real money of SEO: off-page criteria. Links, links, links.

Moderator: Carolyn Shelby

Speakers:
Bruce Clay, President, Bruce Clay, Inc. @BruceClayInc
Scott Polk, Director of Operations, Search & Social Media, LLC @scottpolk
Jill Sampey, Director of Search Marketing, Blast Radius @uberjill
Jill Whalen, CEO, High Rankings @jillwhalen

Bruce Clay:

Key Points to Linking:

• Unidirectional = inbound links
• Direct links = followed
• Aim for supplemental / complementary content sites
• Do NOT go for javascript links
• Do NOT go for flash links (at least not yet)
• Paid Links – should be kept under the radar
• Link life – should be random  (1mo, 1yr, but if all links last exactly 6 months, then must be bought, vary up your footprint). If most of your links last exactly 6 months, then they must be bought, vary up your footprint
• PageRank – should be natural
• Random IP – should be varied
• Link Begging is a waste of time
• 100:1 link magnets vs. link begging (100 more links per hour of work with link magnets)
• Link Magnets – should be content that attracts links
• Social media – indirectly results in links
• International – ccTLD specific links
• Local – local region specific links
• Sequence matters – First link on that page anchor text counts, text over image – ALT, first counts, nofollow kills target, link stop words (next, back, home).   All other links on the page becomes nofollows.    Robots.txt can disallow iframe or other sections as nofollow.
• Make sure you have the right anchor text first on the page.

Jill Sampey @uberjill

Leveraging current assets

1. Logfiles

• 301/302 strings (find the one that don’t lead to a 200 response)
• 404 Pages
• Links without traffic

2. Optmizing for Conversions

• If it doesn’t convert, you don’t need it – generally ;-)
• Test before optimizing

3. Re-Use Past Sucesses

• Seasonal
• Revolving Product Line
• /2009-Holiday-Specials/   -> Use this instead /Holiday-Specials/
• /Madden08/ /Madden09/  -> Use this Madden-NFL (Archive under this)

Develop New Assets:

1. Listen and Learn

• Set-Up Listening Tool  (radian 6, google alerts, blog search engines, etc.)
• Engage in Industry
• Engage on Brand
• Engage on Competitors

2. Link Opps

• Twitter
• Domains  (buy links, acquire small sites)
• Partnering

3. New Social Strategies

• Off-Site, Unbranded, Comical, Satirical  (create microsite)
• i.e. GetyourBasketBallon.com
• Theleroysmith

Jill Whalen @jillwhalen

Who Checks Rankings?

• Users are served different content depending on some of the following:
• If they’re logged into google/yahoo/msn or not
• Their previous search history
• Their browser settings
• Their location
• Chrome and IE8 – whether or not if they use an incognito window (for less tracking)

What does this mean?

• Everyone sees something different
• Must know your target market
• Cater your site to them
• Go above and beyond others in your niche
• Use analytics
• Learn which words convert
• See where your buyers are located
• Measure success on more targeted visitors and conversions

Misc/Q&A

Bruce:

• If you nofollow 1 URL on a page, and have the URL 5 times, all 5 will automatically be treated with nofollow.   If you have 5 same URLs it will still be in the denominator and lower your score slightly (but not add value).
• First in first out, as encountered by the spider
• You can buy links for traffic / advertising, don’t buy links for SEO
• If you buy a link that is suspect, then all your links may be in jeopardy in being suspect or scrutinized – you’ll lose score and not know it
• Social Media works: The Will It Blend Video using the iPhone, outranked ATT for keyword iPhone

How to Run Your Business or Nonprofit on the Cheap
Moderator – Barbara Russo, Business Coach, Founder, Barbara Russo Strategies. Concept: CPR, Clarity & Confidence, Persistence, Resilience

Panelist: Kevin Reeth

Founder, outright.com

• Get a paying customer first
• Start off as a side business first, then start buying stuff
• Don’t buy any new equipment, get everything used if possible, go to Craigslist, warehouses, clearance sales
• Get on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, all the social networks, get personal referrals
• Get a web presence
• Get free tools, like Google analytics
• Big mistakes new businesses make: spending too much on details instead of focusing on getting more clients

Panelist: Matt Jordan

Enterprise Development Manager, Skype for Business

• Get used stuff
• Skype: 500 million unique suscribers
• Skype has solutions for business on the cheap
• Use eBay and PayPal
• More Skype promotional talk……..(blah, blah, blah)

Panelist: Jonathan Rochelle

Product Manager, Google Apps, Jrsays.com, @Jrochelle

• E-Mail (G-Mail) to get your own domain, IM’s video chat
• Shared calendars, post calendars and create meeting events
• Collaborative documents, spreadsheets, presentations, create and share documents
• Forms and websites, manage shared data on spreadsheets
• Company video library
• E-Mail security and archival
• Used by 2 million businesses with 20 million users

Panelist: Mark O’Leary

Comcast, Regional VP of Business Services, California

• Metrics: to get money from investors, give your metrics.
• Know the following: conversions, click thrus, customer acquisitions, which customers are profitable, pathways to cash flow, do you understand your finances?, every business should have a scorecard, always know your financial and marketing data, where are you spending your money?, where are you making your money?
• Advisors: bring an advisor into your business, some are free, most are financially successful people who are interested in helping people: Google local financial advisors, some advisors want equity, go to legal zoom.com. Set up a cap table, a contract for services in exchange for equity

Questions from audience:

1) How is Google’s confidentiality? Jonathan: Google employees use Google, too. So, they trust their own privacy policy. They are very strict on how they treat your property, your property belongs to you, and they are regularly audited
2) What is the going market rate for advisors? Mark: It depends on the scope of the engagement. If you can convince your advisor that your expected time period to make x amount of money, give them an hourly rate based on that math. Keep tight records
3) For Skype and Google, what is the best video recording device? Matt: DV cam and consumer grade webcams. Jonathan: Logitech webcam would do.
4) The sexiest metrics to quote for VC’s? Mark: Customer traction, finding adoption in the market, cash flow, Do you understand what’s driving sales?, What are your most effective channels?, Do you know your business well enough to make it successful? What’s you return rate?, Don’t use a selective metric unless you are ready to tell the truth, Don’t cherry pick, really understand your metrics and be prepared to go deep on your metric
5) What are the most unexpected expenses in small businesses? Kevin: Where to set the budget, trying marketing that does not match ROI. Spend a little bit of money at a time, test what works first.
6) How do you define a little bit of money? Kevin: Not 10’s of thousands of dollars, a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand, get data first before spending too much.
7) Do Google’s free accounts give the same level of service as paid accounts? Jonathan: No, paid accounts get more dedicated support. Paid accounts get 24/7 support.
8) Why are there so many Google threads out there unanswered? Jonathan: Google cannot answer everything and has to dedicate more time to paid accounts.
9) Why is Google Voice not discussed? Jonathan: Google Voice is not mature enough to discuss at this point
10) Any federal or state taxes on internet sales/communications happening soon? Mark: They are keeping an eye on that, don’t know yet.
11) Are there any plans for Skype to have video conferencing for multiple party users? Matt: They only have 25 audio users, but not video conferencing, Only A to B conferencing right now. They are working on it.
12) Will Google Wave be used for Google Apps? Jonathan: It’s too early to put apps into it.

How to Build a Business Brand on Yelp, LinkedIn, Facebook, & Google
Moderator: Shawna Causey, Comcast Business Class

Google

Panelist: Ryan Hayward, Product Development & Marketing, Local Business Center, Google

• 80% + are looking for businesses through Google & Google maps
• Business Listing is free
• Helps you get more business
• Can see a daily report of your traffic
• Anatomy of your listing on Google: Business name, business hours, description of business, photos, reviews of that business, location on Google maps and Google street view, photos are provided by the business, Google pulls info from City Search and other websites
• To optimize your business on Google: add photos, keep all info up to date, add a thorough business description, select all appropriate categories and describe specific products sold, give unique details and use specific keywords
• google.com/lbc, add your business, verify that it’s really your business

Yelp

Panelist: Michelle Broderick, Marketing Director, Yelp, Seattle, michelle.yelp.com

• How Yelp can help your business: to connect people to great local businesses
• 20 to 25 million people coming to Yelp monthly
• 5 million local reviews
• 85% of reviews are positive
• Make sure you claim your page
• Connect with your reviewers for free to respond to reviewers
• Flesh out you business page, put in your promos, put a photo, about your business
• Make sure your business is engaging

Facebook

Panelist: Hazel Grace Dircksen, Founder, Socialbees, Silicon Valley, @socialbees, Facebook.com/socialbees

• Helps small businesses develop a social presence on Facebook
• 300 million people on Facebook
• 10 million are connecting with businesses
• Use a Facebook page instead of a Newsletter
• Create a custom tab for ads
• Make it fun, engage and connect with your fans

Questions from the moderator:

1) How do you get started on getting listed on Google? Ryan: Check for your own business on Google, see what’s on there already.
2) How do you set up your business on Yelp? Michelle: Go to yelp.com/business, unlock your business page, join the conversation about once a week, put your URL in, add fun facts about your business, how and why you started your business,
3) How do you set up your business on Facebook? Hazel Grace: Start with a personal profile, then add a fan page (for businesses) by clicking on the advertising button at the bottom or join/start a group.
4) Give an example of a successful viral campaign on Facebook. Hazel Grace: Feel your Boobies, an organization that promotes breast cancer awareness.
5) Give an example of a successful campaign on Yelp. Michelle: A café business blew up a gigantic sign of Yelp and stuck it in her window, people asked her about it, and she explains that she’s well-loved on Yelp. She has all her specials and promos on it.
6) Give an example of a successful campaign on Google. Ryan: A 12-location business was on the verge of bankruptcy. Employee used Google Analytics & enhanced content on Google, business started to flourish. She became the manager of all 12 locations.
7) What kind of data/statistics do you see on Google? Ryan: How many times your business was viewed by people, how many people clicked on your website, from what zip codes people are looking for you, Google alerts you on when your business is mentioned, Google Adwords can promote your business.
8) What stats do you get from Yelp? Michelle: How many people viewed your page, an alert every time you get reviewed, check feedback from all reviews to get data.
9) What stats do you get from Facebook? Hazel Grace: Demographics of fans, how they interact with your business, who’s interacting with your business, compare yourself with other fan pages, see what people are saying about you.
10) What’s next for Google? Ryan: Local Business Center: more enhancements on data collected, more info on how to use your data, more social aspects
11) What’s next for Yelp? Michelle: International focus, launched UK and Canada, mobile
12) What’s next for Facebook? Hazel Grace: Fan pages to replace company newsletters, local business focus, new iPhone update.
13) One thing businesses are doing wrong?
Hazel Grace: Facebook: businesses abandon their fan pages, no new updates or flair, overusing and double posting.
Michelle: Yelp: abandoning their profile, come across too desperate, faking their own reviews.
Ryan: Google: outdated data, not having enough content.

Question from audience via Twitter:

How do you use these channels to connect with B2B? Build a community of people that are looking for your type of business, make sure you are connected because business owners need services/products, too. Not too different from B2C.

Google for Technophobes: How to Secure Your Number One Spot on Google
David Rodnitzky, Founder, PPC Associates

SEM vs. SEO

SEM is not magic, best practices in SEM can improve your business, but cannot cure your business. If you don’t have a competitive business, no amount of SEM will help you.

The seven habits of highly effective SEM:

1) Search engines.

The big 3 are Google (78%), Yahoo (11%), Bing (8%), the 2nd tier, AOL & Ask.

Google search:

Good: easy, reliable, and large.
Bad: competitive, direct-response, quality score

2) Content:

2 types: content & placement.

Google:

Good: easy, less competitive, latent demand, no quality score.
Bad: inconsistent, complex, requires effort

Google makes 1/3 of their revenue from their content network

Yahoo & MSN (Bing):

Advantages: no as much people are using using it, so it is less competitive. Focus on Google first, then use these (if you have time)

3) Keywords

2003: keywords are king. Long live the long tail
2005: Google introduces “quality score”. Non-relevant keyword buys will cost you a lot
2006: Google expands “broad match’ algorithms

4) Ad text:

Call to action:

• Four human emotions (fear, greed, exclusivity, vanity)
• Targeted to specific ad group
• Test, test, test – CTR x conversion rate, CTR cannot be ignored, Google looks at those
• Do not be clever, it does not work. Tell people exactly what you want them to do

Advanced Ad Text:

• Dynamic keyword insertion
• Display URLs & custom 404 pages
• Google Checkout & PayPal
• Tell the user what to do
• Geo-targeting, maps out your location on Google

5) Landing Pages:

• Never use your homepage as a landing page.
• Always create a specific page, down to the keyword level.

Landing page Success factors:

• Avoid scrolling
• Establish credibility
• Important data should be placed above the fold
• Function over form
• Test, test, test
• Quality score: contact us, privacy policies, about us, site map, load time
• Multiple methods of communication
• Highly targeted to your keyword and ad text

Basic Bidding Calculation:

Reverse engineer to actual profit for every click. If 5% conversion, 1% downloads, with revenue of $5000, margin goal is 20% on advertising. 2000 clicks get 100 downloads = $4 CPC

6) Reporting:

The more data you can get from your campaigns, the better

Search Engines

• API’s are available
• Google desktop editor

Log Files

• Time stamp
• Raw search query

Web Analytics:

• Click path
• Click overlay

7) CRM and Sales Team

• Phone calls
• Offline conversions

What metrics matter for SEM?

Search engine metrics

Targeting:

• Excludes certain areas so you can focus on your neighborhood
• Create negative keywords, (words you don’t want) i.e. people who sell night stands should exclude the word “one”
• Demographic targeting
• IP address exclusion, your own salesperson is clicking on your ad, exclude your own company

Consequences on not targeting:

Competitors will get the traffic instead of you

Bonus: SEO Best Practices

Meta Content:

Meta title, Meta description, Meta keywords

• Title= 145 characters, description = two sentences
• Search engines read from left to right
• Each page needs a separate meta-content
• Be reasonable about the word you are trying to rank for

Relevant Content:

• Write unique content relevant to your business
• Consider keyword density
• Avoid duplicate content
• 150 to 250 words minimum per page

Relevant Linking:

• Get relevant websites to link to your site
• Ask them for specific “anchor text”
• Avoid reciprocal links; trading links is not good practice
• Avoid “link farms” or “text link ads”, avoid buying links because they’re too spammy
• Create good internal linking structure

David Rodnitzky

David@ppcassociates.com
Company: www.ppcassociates.com
Conference: www.CRSconference.com
Networking Group: www.onlineleadgen.org

Questions from audience:

1) Any advice on click fraud? Google can find out and exclude them
2) How much should you spend on a campaign? Not a quick answer. Ask yourself: What is my expected conversion rate? Use a statistical significance calculator.
3) Is it true that if you have a blog, you get ranked higher? Yes, if you provide fresh, updated content that’s relevant. Use Google Webmaster Tools to see how often you are spidered
4) How does Google handle keywords on blogs vs. a regular website? You can create custom meta keywords for your blog to rank. WordPress is better for SEO than Blogger.com

Speakers
Danny Sullivan
Matt Cutts
5:00 – 5:45PM on Tuesday, June 2 in International Promenade Room

What’s a You&A? That’s where you, the audience, put your questions directly to the head of Google’s web spam team, Matt Cutts. As an engineer in search quality, Matt’s been dealing with webmaster issues for Google since 2000 and is well known to many advanced search marketers from his blog and public speaking.

How do you know if your website is in the penalty box?

• Look for a sustained drop in rankings
• Hidden Text, maybe hacked
• You can find some data in the Webmaster console
• Can contact them through the Google Forum

PageRank sculpting less effective

• No penalty for “no follow” to change how page rank flows in your website, but less effective to do.
• You can try, but it will not be as useful as before.
• Spend your time in building new content.

Google Bowl?

Google tries to prevent competitors from buying bad links – bad links can’t hurt you.

AJAX

To be SEO safe, use common mouse over code when using AJAX.

Duplicate content

Private label their content
i.e. Job listings to multiple websites

To avoid duplicate content penalty for co-branded sites, ask yourself what is the value being added? If it doesn’t provide a good user experience, it may be penalized.

Javascript

Javascript is more likely to be crawled and executed now a days by search engines