Course Description
Google Search Engine Optimization Boot Camp
Learn how to get your business noticed by improving your SEO strategy with keywords, KPIs, Analytics and more.
Understanding the purpose of SEO means that you can concentrate of producing a great site, with great content. Not understanding the fundamentals means you worry about how to show up in the search results.
Search Engine Optimization is not a trick or a one time process; it's a way of life for the most successful sites on the web. It's moved far beyond keyword stuffing and link building. When done properly, search engine optimization seamlessly tracks alongside all the other marketing initiatives the same way "good writing" or "compelling graphics" does.
Ignoring SEO has the same impact as ignoring any other crucial part of your marketing plan. If you want to grow your online marketing program, making sure it's optimized is a foundational step.
Importance of Search Engine Optimization
Search engine optimization has been an important part of online marketing since the late 1990's. In the last few years its importance has skyrocketed.
Appearing on the first page of Google is now the goal of millions of companies and thousands of marketing managers. Getting there is in some ways harder than ever, yet in other ways, it's never been easier.
For brands trying to manipulate Google's ranking signals to trick them into ranking them higher than they normally would, the hill is inhumanly steep. For brands who put their resources into helping their community, making their customers smarter and offering help in a transparent way, the doors are wide open.
This is the time to pivot your old online marketing ideas to align with the new reality of search engine optimization.
What You Will Learn in SEO Boot Camp
- What search engine optimization is, what it isn't and where it's headed
- Things you did in the past that may be hurting your site right now
- How to assess where your site is from an SEO perspective
- What actions are necessary to thrive online
- How to put together a timeline for estimated results
- How to pick the right keywords for your business and industry
- How to attract high quality and authoritative backlinks
- How to become an industry thought-leader
- How to see what your competition is doing online
- What tools and services will make your life easier
Substitution & Cancellation Policy:
You may cancel or reschedule up to 21 days prior to the start date of the class at no penalty. For any cancellation or reschedule requests within 21 days, the full course tuition is still due and not eligible for refund. Any paid tuition will be credited towards a future class and must be used within 12 months.
*Partner delivered courses may be subject to different cancellation terms
Agenda
Course Outline
1. What is SEO
History of SEO
Google vs. everyone else
2. Current Situation
Where is your site today
On-Site factors
Off-Site factors
Social Factors
Personalization
Assessing what's working and what's not
Where are conversions coming from and why
What parts of your site are dead
Activity - Looking at the tools that can help you access what your current situation is. Each participant will have their site put into a different tool so the entire group can see how they work.
3. Setting Goals
Activity - Deciding what are good key performance indicators. Starting with poor assumptions can lead to faulty goals.
Activity - Ranking with and without personalization. With personalization now "always on" we'll go over how to spread they way you influence personalized search.
Choosing KPI's
Ranking position is a poor KPI
What is achievable when
Business goals
Traffic
How to estimate traffic for keywords
Good traffic vs. Bad Traffic
Ranking
Personalization
What happens when you rank higher
Pros and cons
Reputation
How to protect your brand online
Buzz
How to keep your brand active on the web
4. Competitive Analysis
Who are your real life competitors vs. Online competitors
What to compare
When to attack and when to stay put
Activity - How to find your online competitors. Anyone can be an online competitor, even Wikipedia.
5. Visitors
Rent vs. Own
Attracting the right kind of traffic
Head vs. long tail traffic
Viral Traffic
Activity - Figuring out what your traffic strategy is.
6. Keywords
How Google views keywords
Estimating traffic
Estimating competitiveness
Choosing keywords
Short term vs. Long term keywords
Keyword strategy
Activity - How to pick the right keywords. With keyword data going away, it's crucial that you understand what pages are for what keywords on your site.
7. Content Audit
Every page a King
Evergreen content
Content lifecycle
8. Analytics
Data based decisions
Why "Visitors" isn't a KPI
Conversion Funnel
Tracking events
Activity - Finding the right analytics. A base install of Google Analytics is almost useless. We'll go over how to build a funnel and how to track it.
9. Search & Social
Social signals
Engagement as a signal
Google+
Activity - Stop choosing your social strategy by platform, choose your social strategy by the outcome you desire and the people you hope to influence.
10. Online Reputation Management
Perception is reality
Your employees are your business
Staying in control of the SERPs
Crisis plan
Activity - Google yourself, your brand and the executives. You are in control of your online reputation more than you imagine. You must learn to leave behind a trail.
Who should attend
Interactive Directors
Marketing Managers and Specialists
CMOs, VPs and Directors
Brand Managers
Product Managers
Account Executives
Creative Directors
Art Directors
Copywriters
Web Designers
Web Developers
Programmers
Small Business Owners