Search Engine Optimization Guides
SEO for beginners & advanced website optimizers.
SEO 101: Basic SEO Principles
Time to start learning the basics of Search engine optimization (SEO)! The guides below will help you start with a ground-up, foundational knowledge-base from which to begin to understand how to optimize websites.
It is very important to understand these concepts before you start implementing any type of website optimization strategies; so that you can begin to wrap your head around some of the most basic principles at the heart of every SEO campaign.
SEO 201: Conducting SEO Research
High-quality research is at the heart of every good SEO campaign. In fact, this area is where many SEO strategies succeed or fail – even before they get off the ground.
Conducting extensive research on everything from keywords to competitors, as well as making good decisions about what to do with your research can literally make or break your strategy.
Follow the guides below to learn how to conduct effective research to support your SEO efforts:
- Keyword Brainstorming for SEO
- Expanding Your Target Keyword List
- Using KEI to Make Keyword Choices (Coming Soon)
- Identifying Your Competition
- Spying on Your Search Competition
- Assessing Your Competitors On-Site SEO & Keyword Strategy
- Researching Your Competition’s Keywords (Coming Soon)
- Conducting a Competitive Link Analysis (Coming Soon)
- How To Estimate Traffic Gains Through Increased Rankings
- How To Use Google Analytics & Click Distribution Data To Project Traffic Boosts
- Making Sense of Your Research (Coming Soon)
- Understanding What Makes Your Competitors Good (Coming Soon)
- Trimming & Finalizing Your Keyword List
- Avoiding SEO Stop Words
SEO 301: Benchmarking & SEO
Benchmarking is one of the most important aspects of any Search Engine Optimization campaign. Establishing benchmarks at the beginning of your campaign can provide you with a baseline from which to measure your strategy’s relative success or failure.
Follow the guides below to get started on benchmarking your SEO campaign:
- Why You Should Set Benchmarks (Coming Soon)
- Gathering Better SEO Baselines for Measuring Future Results
- Setting Traffic Benchmarks (Coming Soon)
- Setting Keyword Rankings Benchmarks (Coming Soon)
- Other Important SEO Metrics to Benchmark (Coming Soon)
SEO 401: On-Site SEO
On-Site Optimization refers to everything you do and everything happening directly on your website that affects how it behaves with regards to search engines. This could involve anything from editing title tags, to making adjustments to your site’s content, to adding tags to images.
Follow the strategies below to learn the fundamentals of On-Site SEO:
- Website Tiering, SEO Workflow, and Keyword Funnels
- Title Tag Optimization: A Comprehensive Guide to Writing Effective Title Tags
- Meta Description Optimization: Writing Effective Meta Descriptions for SEO
- Optimization of Your Website’s Content (Coming Soon)
- Copywriting for Search Engine Optimization (Coming Soon)
- Optimizing Your Website’s Images for SEO
- Making Sure Your Website’s Architecture is Search-Friendly (Coming Soon)
- Creating a Good Link Architecture Within Your Website (Coming Soon)
- SEO for Flash Websites
- All About Redirects (Coming Soon)
- SEO Tips for Moving to New URL
- SEO Tips for to Follow During a Website Re-Launch or Redesign
SEO 501: Off-Site SEO
Off-Site Optimization refers to everything happening away from your website that affects how it may rank within the search engines. This can include several things such as building links, submission to general and local directories, and even social media.
Review the strategies below to get started with the fundamentals of Off-Site SEO:
- Ultimate Guide to Link Building
- Ultimate Guide to Local Directories (Coming Soon)
- Learning Top General & Niche Directories (Coming Soon)
SEO 601: After Implementation & Maintenance
Your website’s optimization doesn’t end when you send it off on it’s maiden voyage. Theoretically, you could work on your SEO strategy forever and never run out of things to do.
In fact, your SEO campaign is only as good as the time and dedication that you put into it. As algorithms change, you might find the need change your plan.
There are several things that you can continue to work on after you’ve launched your initial SEO strategy. Do these things, and you’ll find that your site should continue to move up the search engine rankings and pull more traffic bit-by-bit. Get lazy, and you’ll find that your competition will stay on top (or pass you by).
Remember, the competition never sleeps, and you shouldn’t sleep on them!
- 5 Ways to Measure SEO Success
- Quick Steps to Performing SEO Maintenance (Coming Soon)
- How Off-Site SEO Plays Into Your SEO Maintenance Strategy (Coming Soon)
- Analyzing Your Site’s Performance Long-Term (Coming Soon)
- Estimating Traffic Gains/Losses Associated With SERP Ranking Changes
- Understanding How Seasonality Can Affect Results (Coming Soon)
- Keeping Your SEO Strategy Up-To-Date With Current Trends (Coming Soon)
- Search Engine News
SEO 701: Local Search Marketing & Optimization
Local search engines such as Google Maps, Yahoo! Local, and Bing Maps have been increasingly integrated into the Search Engine Results Pages, and have become an important aspect of every Internet Marketing and Search Engine Optimization strategy.
Follow the local search guides below in order to understand and implement your own Local Search Optimization strategy:
- Local Search Ranking Factors
- Ultimate Guide to Local Directories (Coming Soon)
- Submitting & Optimizing Your Google Places Listing
- Submitting & Optimizing Your Yahoo! Local Listing (Coming Soon)
- Submitting & Optimizing Your Bing Maps Listing (Coming Soon)
