Transcript to attract and serve users well

How to Gain Traffic and Conversions on your Websites
Beyond SEO-Search Engine Optimization
SEO-Search Engine Optimization
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SEO is used in two senses on the Web
1) Methods used to get first page placement in Google searches
using keywords that point to your website
2) More broadly, designing your website and its supporting Web
media to attract and serve users well
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Google owns 66%+ of the search market – so high placement on
Google's first page is vital to your website.
But current results are finding that a website's total package –
social links, convenience, design appeal, ease of use determine
the overall and sustained level of traffic.
Conversion is the process of changing traffic and clicks into live
visitors and paying customers.
Your Goal: Website Appeal and Utility
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Too much emphasis has been almost exclusively on SEO
first page placement for the first 10 years of Web usage.
SEO tactics were the most effective way to achieve initial
website traffic.
But now sustaining website traffic requires much broader
website appeal and usefulness for site visitors:
1) Pervasive use of social media like Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn,
Twitter, etc to highlight your websites and its services.
2) Capture increasing numbers of mobile users by making your website
responsive and attractive on mobile devices.
3) Go beyond your website being an advertising billboard on the Web.
4) Provide unique & useful services to visitors/customers at the website.
5) Design website for attractive and easy use by visitors.
Multiple Factors Determine Website Success
Our Goals
1) Define the purpose of your website
Is it primarily to inform, entertain, or sell?
2) What type of tools help to achieve your goal:
a magazine blog for informing
a portfolio website for entertaining
a online store for selling products and/or service
3) How to make each of these different types of websites
attractive and productive for visitors and users – the strategies
are different.
4) Because the design of the website varies as well as the
methods of promoting websites
Do Web Pages Right
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Cq=Content Quality means good grammar, spelling and
overall writing. It also meas careful use of images and
video. No “DirtyDog” images nor amateur videos.
Cw/Cr – Content keywords mean 2 things. How do people
search for your website/services using what key words?
2nd, how do you describe your key goals & purpose?
Make those two key words close if not the same.
Ce – Content engagement describes the layout and styling
that attract and keep users. Sliders, image grids, videos,
popup helpers and overall thoughtfull ease of website use.
Cf – Content freshness = Blog News, up to date notices,
your website is the place to go to get the latest events,
results, surprises.
Do Website Architecture Right
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Ad – Architecture Design means the website is easy to use
and navigate regardless of the device used. This includes
new need for responsive design for mobiles. Also
accesible by visual/hearinng handicapped.
Ac – Architecture Crawl-setup. Make your website easy to
scan by users and and major search engines. Thus
meaningful URL addresses, a Visual Sitemap, a XML
sitemap, etc. If you are a new site tell Google & Bing that
you are open for business.
As – Architecture Speed recognizes the following Web
stat- if users have to wait more than 8 seconds for a page
to begin to display – they are gone. Google ad Bigg both
lower rank for slow response time.
Do SEO Right
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Use of tags and keywords is like attaching a brand or
identifying message to all the pages on your website.
Select keywords that convey the key message and identity
that you want your website associated with
For theOpenSourcery.com the key words are:
Web development, IT insights, web mentoring & tutorials
Use these concepts and keywords in your Posts and Pages as
often as possible
Free WordPress plugins like Greg's High Performance SEO or
Yoast SEO, guide the user on SEO for every Page and Post in
WordPress. But many of the methods apply to HTML pages
also
Do SEO Right - II
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Selling your website and brand requires substantial effort
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Fixed or onetime costs are:
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1)
Identifying your websites plan, goals and keywords
2)
Decide what are the immediate, must have features for your
new or to-be-modified website
3)
Create a website design and styling that matches your goals
– but realize with WordPress change is comparatively easy
Ongoing costs are 4 fold
1)
Adding SEO meta-descriptions for every post and page
2)
Maintaining image, video, and page titles and descriptions
3)
Updating mini-blogs on Twitter, Facebook and other media
4)
Requires about 25-35% more effort on maintaining content
Do SEO Right - III
VIP - Register your website with the key Search Engines
Bing Webmaster Tools is the place to register
Google Webmaster Tools has other help too
Yahoo Open Directory
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For your Blogroll sites negotiate an exchange of links
If you have multiple sites include links between sites
especially for common keyword stories
If you see a story on another blog site that relates to your web
pages – add a comment which links back to your post or page
Avoid using pay for links scams – Google and Bing penalize
your website if you are found on such link-farms
Use Social Media Well
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Social media are where you potential clients are – court them.
Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Tumblr, Digg, StumbleOn,
LinkedIn etc - all allow you to create your own special Pages,
Groups, or Communities.
Some of the look and feel of your special page can be
customized.
And there are WordPress/Joomla plugins that allow you to
write excerpts of your posts to many of these social media.
However, many recommend targeting posts to specific Pages
or Communities by manual adds– where the fit of your post
message matches the community interest much more closely
6 SEO Inspired User Experiences
1) Deliver all the goods/message on a single page using tabs,
expand/collapse accordions, popouts, step through wizards
2) Provide a website overview with sitemap, full screen splash
pages and dynamic menus
3) Provide assured navigation with breadcrumbs, dropdown
menus and consistent return-to-home-page title/button
4) Provide help popups, examples, or wizards for hard to navigate
or complete sections of the website
5) Use charts, graphics, interactive maps, animations and/or
video to clearly explain options
6) Use chat/video windows to help a client needing immediate aid
Use Web Media Effectively
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The Big Six of Web Media
1) Layout and design that fits your brand/message
2) Well made and finished images
3) Videos that explain and sell well
4) Animations and image sliders that attract
5) Judicious use of audio and sound
6) Avoid live chat except for selling but not live online
meetings
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Doing these well creates the unique and attractive web
experience that brings users to and then back again to your
website.
SEO Summary
1) SEO is more than links and high page ranks
2) SEO is about aligning your Website design and content with
your brand and core messages.
3) Like running the organization, SEO means constantly shaping
your websites content, layout and connections.
4) SEO is about maintaining good connections with visitors,
customers, and other sites and stakeholders via the Web.