Search Engine Optimization Secrets: Do What You Never Thought Possible with SEO

Search Engine Optimization Secrets: Do What You Never Thought Possible with SEO

by Danny Dover
Released March 2011
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780470554180

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Book description

Tips, tricks, and little-known methods used by professional SEO consultants to rank in some of the most competitive search phrases

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of creating, formatting and promoting web pages in a manner that ensures that they are ranked highly for chosen keyword phrases after a user performs a Web search. This unique book taps the relatively unknown market of advanced SEO knowledge, and reveals secrets used by only the best SEO consultants.

You'll take your Internet marketing skills to the next level as you gain a thorough understanding of standard SEO techniques such as on-page optimization, off-page optimization, and link building. Packed with real-world examples, this essential guide demonstrates how real SEO consultants work with Fortune 500 companies to get the results they desire.

  • Explains the basics of search engine optimization (SEO) and how it enables a specific site to rank high in a Web search based on particular keyword phrases

  • Shares little-known tricks and tips of SEO consultants that work with Fortune 500 companies

  • Demonstrates how to perform a professional SEO Web site audit

  • Reveals the techniques that current SEO leaders use to remain high in rankings

  • Divulges secrets for spying on your competitors' ranking techniques

As the only book focused on the subject of SEO consulting, this must-have resource unveils secret tricks of the trade.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Authors
  3. About the Technical Editor
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Read This First
    1. WHO THIS BOOK IS FOR
    2. WHY THIS BOOK IS BETTER THAN OTHER SEO BOOKS
    3. HOW I LEARNED THE SECRETS SHARED IN THIS BOOK
    4. WEBSITE SUPPORTING THE BOOK
    5. FEATURES AND ICONS USED IN THIS BOOK
  6. 1. Understanding Search Engine Optimization
    1. 1.1. THE SECRETS OF POPULARITY
      1. 1.1.1. Domain and Page Popularity
    2. 1.2. THE SECRETS OF RELEVANCY
      1. 1.2.1. Text Is the Currency of the Internet
      2. 1.2.2. But Why Content?
      3. 1.2.3. Link Relevancy
      4. 1.2.4. Tying Together Popularity and Relevancy
    3. 1.3. SUMMARY
  7. 2. Relearning How You See the Web
    1. 2.1. THE 1,000-FOOT VIEW—UNDERSTANDING THE NEIGHBORHOOD
      1. 2.1.1. Action Checklist
    2. 2.2. THE 100-FOOT VIEW—THE WEBSITE
      1. 2.2.1. How Important Is a Domain Name?
      2. 2.2.2. Don't Fool Yourself, Looks Matter
      3. 2.2.3. Duplication and Canonicalization
      4. 2.2.4. Robots.txt and Sitemap.xml
      5. 2.2.5. Action Checklist
    3. 2.3. THE 10-FOOT VIEW—THE WEBPAGE
      1. 2.3.1. The Importance of Good Site Architecture
      2. 2.3.2. Evaluating Homepages
        1. 2.3.2.1. GOOD EXAMPLES OF GLOBAL NAVIGATION
        2. 2.3.2.2. BAD EXAMPLES OF GLOBAL NAVIGATION
      3. 2.3.3. Evaluating Category Pages
      4. 2.3.4. Evaluating Subcategory Pages
      5. 2.3.5. Evaluating Content Pages
        1. 2.3.5.1. GOOD EXAMPLE OF A CONTENT PAGE
        2. 2.3.5.2. BAD EXAMPLE OF A CONTENT PAGE
        3. 2.3.5.3. AN IDEAL CONTENT PAGE
      6. 2.3.6. Evaluating URL Structure
      7. 2.3.7. Action Checklist
    4. 2.4. THE 1-FOOT VIEW—INDIVIDUAL CONTENT PIECES
      1. 2.4.1. What Is Good Content?
      2. 2.4.2. Good Content with a Bad Haircut
      3. 2.4.3. Action Checklist
    5. 2.5. SUMMARY
  8. 3. Picking the Right SEO Tools
    1. 3.1. VIEW SOURCE
      1. 3.1.1. Key Data Points When Viewing Source
      2. 3.1.2. Common Questions Viewing Source Can Answer
        1. 3.1.2.1. IS THIS PAGE NOT GETTING INDEXED DUE TO ON-PAGE ERRORS?
        2. 3.1.2.2. IS THAT PIECE OF CONTENT IN A FRAME?
        3. 3.1.2.3. ARE THESE NAVIGATIONAL LINKS PASSING JUICE?
    2. 3.2. USEFUL SEARCH ENGINE QUERIES
      1. 3.2.1. Key Data Points Search Engine Commands Can Generate
      2. 3.2.2. Common Questions These Queries Can Answer
        1. 3.2.2.1. IS THIS PAGE INDEXED?
        2. 3.2.2.2. DOES THIS PAGE SUFFER FROM DUPLICATE CONTENT PROBLEMS?
        3. 3.2.2.3. ABOUT HOW MANY PAGES ON THIS DOMAIN ARE INDEXED?
    3. 3.3. SEARCH ENGINE–PROVIDED TOOLS
      1. 3.3.1. Key Data Points
      2. 3.3.2. Common Questions These Tools Can Answer
        1. 3.3.2.1. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO WRITE A SPECIFIC KEYWORD?
    4. 3.4. GOOGLE WEBMASTER TOOLS
      1. 3.4.1. Key Data Points
      2. 3.4.2. Common Questions Webmaster Tools Can Answer
        1. 3.4.2.1. HOW DOES GOOGLE SEE MY SITE?
        2. 3.4.2.2. HOW DO I ASK GOOGLE FOR REINCLUSION IF I HAVE BEEN PENALIZED?
      3. 3.4.3. Dashboard
      4. 3.4.4. Messages
      5. 3.4.5. Site Configuration
        1. 3.4.5.1. SITEMAPS
        2. 3.4.5.2. CRAWLER ACCESS
        3. 3.4.5.3. SITELINKS
        4. 3.4.5.4. CHANGE OF ADDRESS
        5. 3.4.5.5. SETTINGS
      6. 3.4.6. Your Site on the Web
        1. 3.4.6.1. SEARCH QUERIES
        2. 3.4.6.2. LINKS TO YOUR SITE
        3. 3.4.6.3. KEYWORDS
        4. 3.4.6.4. INTERNAL LINKS
        5. 3.4.6.5. SUBSCRIBER STATS
      7. 3.4.7. Diagnostics
        1. 3.4.7.1. MALWARE
        2. 3.4.7.2. CRAWL ERRORS
        3. 3.4.7.3. CRAWL STATS
        4. 3.4.7.4. HTML SUGGESTIONS
      8. 3.4.8. Labs
        1. 3.4.8.1. FETCH AS GOOGLEBOT
        2. 3.4.8.2. SITE PERFORMANCE
        3. 3.4.8.3. VIDEO SITEMAPS
    5. 3.5. RELEVANCY DETERMINING TOOLS
      1. 3.5.1. Key Data Points
      2. 3.5.2. Common Questions Relevancy Determining Tools Can Answer
        1. 3.5.2.1. HOW RELEVANT IS A GIVEN PAGE TO A GIVEN KEYWORD?
        2. 3.5.2.2. WHAT DOES A GIVEN PAGE LOOK LIKE FROM A METRIC-BASED PERSPECTIVE?
    6. 3.6. SEO TOOLBARS
      1. 3.6.1. Key Data Points
      2. 3.6.2. Common Questions SEO Toolbars Can Answer
        1. 3.6.2.1. WHY IS PAGE A RANKING OVER PAGE B?
        2. 3.6.2.2. HOW LIKELY IS IT THAT THIS PAGE IS BEING PENALIZED BY GOOGLE?
    7. 3.7. HTTP HEADER ANALYZER
      1. 3.7.1. Key Data Points
      2. 3.7.2. Common Questions an HTTP Header Analyzer Can Answer
        1. 3.7.2.1. IS THIS REDIRECT A 301 OR A 302?
        2. 3.7.2.2. WHY IS IT TAKING SO LONG FOR THIS PAGE TO LOAD?
    8. 3.8. FIREFOX USER AGENT SWITCHER
      1. 3.8.1. Key Data Points
      2. 3.8.2. Common Questions the Firefox User Agent Switcher Can Answer
        1. 3.8.2.1. IS THIS WEBSITE CLOAKING?
        2. 3.8.2.2. IS THIS WEBSITE SENDING ME CUSTOMIZED RESULTS BASED ON MY USER AGENT?
    9. 3.9. FIREFOX RENDERING MODIFIER
      1. 3.9.1. Key Data Points
      2. 3.9.2. The Common Question Firefox Web Developer Can Answer
        1. 3.9.2.1. HOW WOULD THE SEARCH ENGINES SEE THIS FEATURE?
    10. 3.10. SUMMARY
  9. 4. Finding SEO Problems
    1. 4.1. THE 15-MINUTE SEO AUDIT
      1. 4.1.1. Preparing Your Browser
        1. 4.1.1.1. DISABLING YOUR BROWSER COOKIES
        2. 4.1.1.2. SWITCHING YOUR USER AGENT TO GOOGLEBOT
        3. 4.1.1.3. DISABLING JAVASCRIPT
      2. 4.1.2. Assessing the Homepage
      3. 4.1.3. Checking a Website's Global Navigation
      4. 4.1.4. Checking for Optimized Category Pages and Subcategory Pages
      5. 4.1.5. Auditing Content Pages
      6. 4.1.6. Analyzing the Links
      7. 4.1.7. Checking a Website's Search Engine Inclusion
    2. 4.2. THE 5-MINUTE BRAND REPUTATION AUDIT
      1. 4.2.1. Using the Brand Search Engine Result Page
      2. 4.2.2. Brand Searching in the Social Media
    3. 4.3. IDENTIFYING SEARCH ENGINE PENALTIES
      1. 4.3.1. Algorithmic Penalty Symptoms
      2. 4.3.2. Manual Review Penalty Symptoms
      3. 4.3.3. Meeting with Clients Suffering from Penalties
    4. 4.4. SUMMARY
  10. 5. Solving SEO Problems
    1. 5.1. FIRST THINGS FIRST
    2. 5.2. FIXING POPULARITY PROBLEMS
      1. 5.2.1. Page Not Indexed
        1. 5.2.1.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.2.1.2. SOLUTIONS
      2. 5.2.2. Page Indexed but Not Ranking Well
        1. 5.2.2.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.2.2.2. SOLUTIONS
      3. 5.2.3. Page Indexed and Ranking Well
        1. 5.2.3.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.2.3.2. SOLUTIONS
    3. 5.3. FIXING RELEVANCY PROBLEMS
      1. 5.3.1. Fixing Duplicate Content
        1. 5.3.1.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.3.1.2. SOLUTIONS
      2. 5.3.2. Fixing a Page That Ranks for the Wrong Term
        1. 5.3.2.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.3.2.2. SOLUTIONS
    4. 5.4. FIXING PENALTIES
      1. 5.4.1. Page with a Penalty
        1. 5.4.1.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.4.1.2. SOLUTIONS
      2. 5.4.2. Domain with a Penalty
        1. 5.4.2.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.4.2.2. SOLUTIONS
      3. 5.4.3. Poison Links
        1. 5.4.3.1. SYMPTOMS
        2. 5.4.3.2. SOLUTIONS
    5. 5.5. LINK BUILDING TECHNIQUES
      1. 5.5.1. Low-Risk Link Building Techniques
      2. 5.5.2. Riskier Link Building Techniques
    6. 5.6. SUMMARY
  11. 6. SEO Best Practices
    1. 6.1. PAGE-LEVEL INFORMATION HIERARCHY
      1. 6.1.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.1.2. Reasoning
    2. 6.2. DOMAIN-LEVEL INFORMATION HIERARCHY
      1. 6.2.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.2.2. Reasoning
    3. 6.3. URL
      1. 6.3.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.3.2. Reasoning
    4. 6.4. TITLE TAG
      1. 6.4.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.4.2. Reasoning
    5. 6.5. META DESCRIPTION
      1. 6.5.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.5.2. Reasoning
    6. 6.6. HTML HEADINGS (H1 – H6)
      1. 6.6.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.6.2. Reasoning
    7. 6.7. IMAGES
      1. 6.7.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.7.2. Reasoning
    8. 6.8. NOFOLLOW
      1. 6.8.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.8.2. Reasoning
    9. 6.9. REL CANONICAL LINK ELEMENT
      1. 6.9.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.9.2. Reasoning
    10. 6.10. META KEYWORDS
      1. 6.10.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.10.2. Reasoning
    11. 6.11. JAVASCRIPT AND FLASH
      1. 6.11.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.11.2. Reasoning
    12. 6.12. 301 REDIRECTS
      1. 6.12.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.12.2. Reasoning
    13. 6.13. BLOCKING PAGES FROM SEARCH ENGINES
      1. 6.13.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.13.2. Reasoning
    14. 6.14. TRAFFIC AND RANKINGS
      1. 6.14.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.14.2. Reasoning
    15. 6.15. PARAMETER-DRIVEN URLS
      1. 6.15.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.15.2. Reasoning
    16. 6.16. FOOTER LINKS
      1. 6.16.1. Best Practice
      2. 6.16.2. Reasoning
    17. 6.17. SUMMARY
  12. 7. The SEO Consulting Process
    1. 7.1. ANSWERING HARD QUESTIONS FROM CLIENTS
      1. 7.1.1. Why Should I Care about SEO?
      2. 7.1.2. What Is the Advantage of Outsourcing SEO to a Consultant?
        1. 7.1.2.1. FOCUSING TIGHTLY ON SEO
        2. 7.1.2.2. REMAINING CURRENT ABOUT INDUSTRY TRENDS
      3. 7.1.3. Why Do I Need SEO if I Already Rank Number 1?
      4. 7.1.4. My Nephew/Cousin/Hosting Provider Already Does SEO, so Why Don't I Just Use Them?
      5. 7.1.5. What Do Google and Bing Think about SEO?
      6. 7.1.6. If You Are Such a Good SEO, Why Don't You Rank #1 for "SEO"?
      7. 7.1.7. What Is Google's Algorithm?
      8. 7.1.8. How Do I Improve My PageRank?
      9. 7.1.9. Why Don't I Just Buy Links?
      10. 7.1.10. Are Links Really That Important?
      11. 7.1.11. Do You Offer a Guarantee?
      12. 7.1.12. How Much Will My Traffic Improve?
      13. 7.1.13. Switching from Parameter-Driven URLs Is Hard; Is it Really Worth All of the Work?
      14. 7.1.14. Is Company XYZ a Google Killer?
    2. 7.2. PREPARING FOR THE FIRST MEETING
      1. 7.2.1. Learning about the Client
      2. 7.2.2. Presenting Yourself to the Client
      3. 7.2.3. Communicating What You Can Do for the Client
      4. 7.2.4. Explaining SEO Concepts to Clients
    3. 7.3. PAPERWORK: SETTING EXPECTATIONS
      1. 7.3.1. Master Services Agreement
      2. 7.3.2. Nondisclosure Agreement
      3. 7.3.3. Statement of Work
    4. 7.4. DELIVERABLES
      1. 7.4.1. Quick Hit List
      2. 7.4.2. Comprehensive Site Audit
    5. 7.5. ESTABLISHING PRICE POINTS
      1. 7.5.1. Your Skill Level and Reputation (Multiplier)
      2. 7.5.2. Report Price Ranges
        1. 7.5.2.1. QUICK HIT LIST
        2. 7.5.2.2. COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATIONAL WEBSITE AUDIT
        3. 7.5.2.3. COMPREHENSIVE E-COMMERCE WEBSITE AUDIT
        4. 7.5.2.4. LINK BUILDING
        5. 7.5.2.5. REPUTATION MANAGEMENT
        6. 7.5.2.6. SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT
        7. 7.5.2.7. KEYWORD RESEARCH
        8. 7.5.2.8. MISCELLANEOUS TASKS
    6. 7.6. WHAT TO GIVE AWAY FOR FREE
      1. 7.6.1. Site Audits
      2. 7.6.2. Lunch Meetings
      3. 7.6.3. Interviews
      4. 7.6.4. General Advice
    7. 7.7. SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS
      1. 7.7.1. E-mail
      2. 7.7.2. Phone Calls
      3. 7.7.3. Wrap-Up Meeting
      4. 7.7.4. Follow-Up Meeting
    8. 7.8. SUMMARY
  13. 8. Comprehensive Site Audit (Informational Website)
    1. 8.1. HOW TO READ THIS CHAPTER
    2. 8.2. SAMPLE WEBSITE
      1. 8.2.1. Informational Website
      2. 8.2.2. SEO Scorecard
    3. 8.3. SAMPLE REPORT
      1. 8.3.1. Steps Before Writing the Report
      2. 8.3.2. Cover
      3. 8.3.3. Table of Contents
      4. 8.3.4. SEO Scorecard
      5. 8.3.5. Most Pressing and Valuable Changes
        1. 8.3.5.1. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
      6. 8.3.6. On-Page/Content Optimization
        1. 8.3.6.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.6.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.6.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.6.3.1. KEYWORD TARGETING
          2. 8.3.6.3.2. TITLE TAGS
          3. 8.3.6.3.3. META DESCRIPTIONS
          4. 8.3.6.3.4. H1 TAGS
          5. 8.3.6.3.5. BODY TEXT KEYWORDS
          6. 8.3.6.3.6. SUBSTANTIVE & UNIQUE CONTENT
          7. 8.3.6.3.7. IMAGE ALT ATTRIBUTE
      7. 8.3.7. URL Conventions
        1. 8.3.7.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.7.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.7.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.7.3.1. KEYWORD INCLUSION
          2. 8.3.7.3.2. URL LENGTH
          3. 8.3.7.3.3. URL PARAMETERS
      8. 8.3.8. Information Architecture
        1. 8.3.8.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.8.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.8.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.8.3.1. CONTENT HIERARCHY/ORGANIZATION
          2. 8.3.8.3.2. INTERNAL ANCHOR TEXT
      9. 8.3.9. Robots Control Protocols
        1. 8.3.9.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.9.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.9.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.9.3.1. META DIRECTIVES
          2. 8.3.9.3.2. ROBOTS.TXT
          3. 8.3.9.3.3. XML SITEMAP
      10. 8.3.10. Technical Issues
        1. 8.3.10.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.10.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.10.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.10.3.1. SERVER RESPONSE CODES
          2. 8.3.10.3.2. 404 FILE NOT FOUND
          3. 8.3.10.3.3. 404 PAGE
          4. 8.3.10.3.4. 302 MOVED TEMPORARILY
          5. 8.3.10.3.5. 500 SERVER ERROR
          6. 8.3.10.3.6. CRAWLING PROBLEMS
      11. 8.3.11. Search Guidelines and Spam Protocols
        1. 8.3.11.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.11.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.11.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.11.3.1. CANONICALIZED SITE VERSIONS
          2. 8.3.11.3.2. CANONICALIZED DUPLICATE CONTENT
          3. 8.3.11.3.3. "SEARCH RESULTS" PAGE EXCLUSION
          4. 8.3.11.3.4. LINK ACQUISITION PRACTICES
      12. 8.3.12. Inbound Links
        1. 8.3.12.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.12.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.12.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.12.3.1. OPEN SITE EXPLORER
      13. 8.3.13. Link-worthiness
        1. 8.3.13.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.13.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.13.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.13.3.1. DESIGN QUALITY
          2. 8.3.13.3.2. USER EXPERIENCE
          3. 8.3.13.3.3. VALUE OF CONTENT
          4. 8.3.13.3.4. SHARE-ABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY
      14. 8.3.14. Metrics
        1. 8.3.14.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.14.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 8.3.14.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 8.3.14.3.1. LINKSCAPE LINKS
          2. 8.3.14.3.2. GOOGLE PAGERANK
          3. 8.3.14.3.3. MOZRANK
          4. 8.3.14.3.4. MOZTRUST
      15. 8.3.15. Conclusion
        1. 8.3.15.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.15.2. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
      16. 8.3.16. Addendums
        1. 8.3.16.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 8.3.16.2. WHAT ADDENDUMS DO YOU USUALLY INCLUDE?
    4. 8.4. AFTER COMPLETING THE REPORT
      1. 8.4.1. Formatting the Report
      2. 8.4.2. Final Client Meeting
    5. 8.5. SUMMARY
  14. 9. Comprehensive Site Audit (E-Commerce Website)
    1. 9.1. HOW TO READ THIS CHAPTER
    2. 9.2. SAMPLE WEBSITE
      1. 9.2.1. E-Commerce Website
    3. 9.3. SAMPLE REPORT
      1. 9.3.1. Steps Before Writing the Report
      2. 9.3.2. Cover
      3. 9.3.3. Table of Contents
      4. 9.3.4. Most Pressing and Valuable Changes
        1. 9.3.4.1. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
      5. 9.3.5. Search Engine & Third-Party Statistics
        1. 9.3.5.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.5.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.5.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.5.3.1. SEARCH ENGINE INCLUSION DATA
          2. 9.3.5.3.2. LINK POPULARITY DATA
          3. 9.3.5.3.3. LINKSCAPE METRICS
          4. 9.3.5.3.4. BRAND & DOMAIN MENTIONS IN SEARCH ENGINES
          5. 9.3.5.3.5. THIRD-PARTY TRAFFIC METRICS (MONTHLY)
      6. 9.3.6. Technical On-Page/On-Site Issues
        1. 9.3.6.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.6.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.6.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.6.3.1. REGISTRATION WITH SEARCH ENGINES
          2. 9.3.6.3.2. REVIEW OF ROBOTS.TXT
          3. 9.3.6.3.3. SERVER RESPONSE CODES
          4. 9.3.6.3.4. SITE CANONICALIZATION
          5. 9.3.6.3.5. USE OF SITEMAP FILES
          6. 9.3.6.3.6. DUPLICATE CONTENT ISSUES
          7. 9.3.6.3.7. CRAWLING PROBLEMS
      7. 9.3.7. Individual Section Reviews
        1. 9.3.7.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.7.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.7.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.7.3.1. HOMEPAGE
          2. 9.3.7.3.2. CATEGORY PAGES
          3. 9.3.7.3.3. PRODUCT PAGES
      8. 9.3.8. Keyword Targeting
        1. 9.3.8.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.8.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.8.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.8.3.1. TARGETED KEYWORDS
      9. 9.3.9. Visitor & Search Analytics
        1. 9.3.9.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.9.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.9.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.9.3.1. IMPORTANT METRICS TO TRACK DAILY
          2. 9.3.9.3.2. TERMS & PHRASES LEADING TO CONVERSIONS
          3. 9.3.9.3.3. HIGH SEARCH VALUE TERMS AND PHRASES
      10. 9.3.10. Information Architecture & Internal Link Structure
        1. 9.3.10.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.10.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.10.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.10.3.1. INFORMATION HIERARCHY
      11. 9.3.11. Content Analysis
        1. 9.3.11.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.11.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.11.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.11.3.1. UNIQUE CONTENT
          2. 9.3.11.3.2. USER NEED FULFILLMENT
      12. 9.3.12. User Experience
        1. 9.3.12.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.12.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.12.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.12.3.1. DESIGN QUALITY
          2. 9.3.12.3.2. USER EXPERIENCE
      13. 9.3.13. Link Building Opportunities
        1. 9.3.13.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.13.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.13.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.13.3.1. CURRENT INBOUND LINK TYPES
          2. 9.3.13.3.2. CONTENT CURRENTLY ATTRACTING LINKS
      14. 9.3.14. Vertical Search Opportunities and Inclusion
        1. 9.3.14.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.14.2. HOW DO YOU DO THE ANALYSIS FOR THIS SECTION?
        3. 9.3.14.3. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
          1. 9.3.14.3.1. IMAGE SEARCH
          2. 9.3.14.3.2. BLOG/FEED SEARCH
      15. 9.3.15. Glossary
        1. 9.3.15.1. WHY IS THIS SECTION NECESSARY?
        2. 9.3.15.2. WHAT ARE THE COMMON SUGGESTIONS YOU MAKE IN THIS SECTION?
    4. 9.4. SUMMARY
  15. 10. Understanding the SEO Industry
    1. 10.1. A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEO
      1. 10.1.1. In the Beginning
      2. 10.1.2. Coming of Age
    2. 10.2. WHO ARE INTERNET MARKETERS AND WHERE CAN I FIND THEM?
      1. 10.2.1. Understanding the Differing Views on SEO
        1. 10.2.1.1. BLACK HAT VS. WHITE HAT
        2. 10.2.1.2. SEPARATING THE SPAMMERS FROM THE SEOS
      2. 10.2.2. Getting Involved
    3. 10.3. THE SEO PYRAMID AND WEARING MULTIPLE HATS
      1. 10.3.1. Search Engine Optimizer (SEO)
      2. 10.3.2. Paid Search Marketer (Also Referred to as an SEM or PPCer)
      3. 10.3.3. Social Media Marketer (SMM)
      4. 10.3.4. Conversion Rate Optimizer (CRO)
      5. 10.3.5. Affiliate Marketer
    4. 10.4. SEO LEADERS
      1. 10.4.1. Danny Sullivan (Search Engine Land)
      2. 10.4.2. Matt Cutts (Google)
      3. 10.4.3. Rand Fishkin (SEOmoz)
      4. 10.4.4. Vanessa Fox (Nine By Blue)
      5. 10.4.5. Aaron Wall (SEOBook.com)
      6. 10.4.6. Barry Schwartz (Search Engine Roundtable)
      7. 10.4.7. Todd Friesen ("Oilman")
      8. 10.4.8. Michael Gray (Atlas Web Service)
      9. 10.4.9. Bruce Clay (Bruce Clay, Inc.)
    5. 10.5. THE PEOPLE AND TECHNOLOGY BEHIND GOOGLE AND BING
      1. 10.5.1. Google
        1. 10.5.1.1. COMPANY CULTURE
        2. 10.5.1.2. PEOPLE
        3. 10.5.1.3. TECHNOLOGY
      2. 10.5.2. Microsoft
        1. 10.5.2.1. COMPANY CULTURE
        2. 10.5.2.2. PEOPLE
        3. 10.5.2.3. TECHNOLOGY
    6. 10.6. LONG-TERM PERSPECTIVE IN SEO
    7. 10.7. SUMMARY
  16. 11. Search Engine Verticals
    1. 11.1. UNIVERSAL SEARCH
    2. 11.2. LOCAL SEARCH
      1. 11.2.1. Determining Locality
        1. 11.2.1.1. SEARCH ENGINE TLD
        2. 11.2.1.2. IP ADDRESS
        3. 11.2.1.3. USER-PROVIDED INFORMATION
        4. 11.2.1.4. WIRELESS ROUTERS AND GPS
      2. 11.2.2. Ranking Factors
        1. 11.2.2.1. LOCAL BUSINESS LISTING ADDRESS IN CITY OF SEARCH
        2. 11.2.2.2. CITATIONS FROM MAJOR DATA PROVIDERS
        3. 11.2.2.3. ASSOCIATING LOCAL BUSINESS LISTING WITH PROPER CATEGORIES
        4. 11.2.2.4. GENERAL IMPORTANCE OF CLAIMING LOCAL BUSINESS LISTING
        5. 11.2.2.5. PRODUCT/SERVICE KEYWORD IN LOCAL BUSINESS LISTING TITLE
        6. 11.2.2.6. GENERAL IMPORTANCE OF OFF-PAGE/OFF-LISTING CRITERIA
        7. 11.2.2.7. VOLUME OF CUSTOMER REVIEWS ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS LISTING
        8. 11.2.2.8. GENERAL IMPORTANCE OF ON-PAGE CRITERIA
        9. 11.2.2.9. INCLUDING FULL POSTAL ADDRESS ON A WEBSITE CONTACT PAGE
    3. 11.3. IMAGE SEARCH
      1. 11.3.1. Is Image Search Traffic Useful?
      2. 11.3.2. Bing Is Winning
      3. 11.3.3. Ranking Factors
        1. 11.3.3.1. ALT ATTRIBUTE (ALT TEXT)
        2. 11.3.3.2. SURROUNDING TEXT
        3. 11.3.3.3. FILENAME
        4. 11.3.3.4. TRADITIONAL ON-PAGE SEO FACTORS FOR IMAGES
    4. 11.4. VIDEO SEARCH
      1. 11.4.1. Who Cares If It's Not YouTube?
      2. 11.4.2. Ranking Factors
        1. 11.4.2.1. TITLE
        2. 11.4.2.2. DESCRIPTION
        3. 11.4.2.3. ENGAGEMENT
        4. 11.4.2.4. INBOUND LINKS
        5. 11.4.2.5. VIDEO SITEMAP
    5. 11.5. INSTANT SEARCH
      1. 11.5.1. Ranking Factors
    6. 11.6. SUMMARY
  17. 12. Optimizing for Alternative Search Engines
    1. 12.1. AMAZON
      1. 12.1.1. What Niche Is it Helpful For?
      2. 12.1.2. Ranking Factors
        1. 12.1.2.1. PRODUCT NAME
        2. 12.1.2.2. TAGS
      3. 12.1.3. How Does This Alternative Engine Affect Primary Search Engines?
    2. 12.2. YOUTUBE
      1. 12.2.1. What Niche Is it Helpful For?
      2. 12.2.2. Ranking Factors
      3. 12.2.3. How Does This Alternative Engine Affect Primary Search Engines?
    3. 12.3. FACEBOOK
      1. 12.3.1. What Niche Is it Helpful For?
      2. 12.3.2. Ranking Factors
      3. 12.3.3. How Does This Alternative Engine Affect Primary Search Engines?
    4. 12.4. DELICIOUS
      1. 12.4.1. What Niche Is it Helpful For?
      2. 12.4.2. Ranking Factors
        1. 12.4.2.1. NUMBER OF BOOKMARKS IN THE LAST 3600 SECONDS
        2. 12.4.2.2. NUMBER OF BOOKMARKS OVERALL AND GENERAL SITE AUTHORITY
      3. 12.4.3. How Does This Alternative Engine Affect Primary Search Engines?
    5. 12.5. FLICKR
      1. 12.5.1. What Niche Is it Helpful For?
      2. 12.5.2. Ranking Factors
        1. 12.5.2.1. PHOTO TITLE
        2. 12.5.2.2. PHOTO TAGS
        3. 12.5.2.3. PHOTO DESCRIPTION
      3. 12.5.3. How Does This Alternative Engine Affect Primary Search Engines?
    6. 12.6. TWITTER
      1. 12.6.1. What Niche Is it Helpful For?
      2. 12.6.2. Ranking Factors
        1. 12.6.2.1. RELEVANCY
        2. 12.6.2.2. TIME
      3. 12.6.3. How Does This Alternative Engine Affect Primary Search Engines?
    7. 12.7. SUMMARY
  18. 13. Test, Test, Test
    1. 13.1. SETTING UP A TESTING PLATFORM
      1. 13.1.1. Picking a Web Server
      2. 13.1.2. Domain Name
      3. 13.1.3. Basic Information Architecture
      4. 13.1.4. Code
    2. 13.2. RUNNING A TEST
      1. 13.2.1. Planning a Test
      2. 13.2.2. Setting Up the Test
      3. 13.2.3. Changing One Variable
      4. 13.2.4. Redundancy
    3. 13.3. RECORDING RESULTS
    4. 13.4. THE IMPORTANCE OF SHARING KNOWLEDGE
      1. 13.4.1. Building a Reputation
      2. 13.4.2. Holding Search Engines Accountable
    5. 13.5. SUMMARY
  19. 14. SEO Resources
    1. 14.1. SEO CHEAT SHEET PART 1: ON-PAGE OPTIMIZATION
    2. 14.2. SEO CHEAT SHEET PART 2: CANONICALIZATION ERRORS
    3. 14.3. SEO CHEAT SHEET PART 3: META ROBOTS AND ROBOTS.TXT
    4. 14.4. SEO CHEAT SHEET PART 4: SITEMAPS
    5. 14.5. SEO CHEAT SHEET PART 5: USER AGENTS
    6. 14.6. SWITCHING DOMAINS CHECKLIST
    7. 14.7. SEO QUICK HIT LIST
    8. 14.8. SUMMARY
  20. A. Attending SEO Conferences
    1. A.1. PICKING THE RIGHT CONFERENCE
      1. A.1.1. SMX
        1. A.1.1.1. PROS
        2. A.1.1.2. CONS
        3. A.1.1.3. BOTTOM LINE
      2. A.1.2. SES
        1. A.1.2.1. PROS
        2. A.1.2.2. CONS
        3. A.1.2.3. BOTTOM LINE
      3. A.1.3. Pubcon
        1. A.1.3.1. PROS
        2. A.1.3.2. CONS
        3. A.1.3.3. BOTTOM LINE
      4. A.1.4. SXSW Interactive
        1. A.1.4.1. PROS
        2. A.1.4.2. CONS
        3. A.1.4.3. BOTTOM LINE
      5. A.1.5. Other Conferences
        1. A.1.5.1. PROS
        2. A.1.5.2. CONS
        3. A.1.5.3. BOTTOM LINE
    2. A.2. WHAT TO EXPECT
      1. A.2.1. The People
      2. A.2.2. The Venue
      3. A.2.3. The Sessions
      4. A.2.4. The After Parties
    3. A.3. PREPARING TO GO
    4. A.4. WHAT TO BRING
      1. A.4.1.
        1. A.4.1.1. CLOTHING
        2. A.4.1.2. RESOURCES
    5. A.5. WHAT TO DO
      1. A.5.1. Show Time
      2. A.5.2. Parties
      3. A.5.3. Before Sleeping
    6. A.6. AFTER THE CONFERENCE
    7. A.7. SUMMARY

Product information

  • Title: Search Engine Optimization Secrets: Do What You Never Thought Possible with SEO
  • Author(s): Danny Dover
  • Release date: March 2011
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780470554180