Search Engine Marketing Overview LOCAL SEM PROCESS

Transcription

1 Search Engine Marketing Overview LOCAL SEM PROCESS

2 Search Engine Marketing Overview Online marketing can integrate many different activities including search engine optimization, directory listings, cost-per-click (aka pay-per-click) advertising, social media, blogging, online public relations, banner advertising, and more. For the purposes of this document, we are focused mainly on how you, as a local company, can generate leads and exposure from people actively searching for your products/services using search engines like Google and Bing. Our Services CPC Advertising Paid Ads through Google AdWords and/or Bing Ads for Yahoo and Bing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Organic Listings for your company Local SEO Local Organic Listings for your company Third Party Advertising Ads or Listings on third party sites that rank well KEY: CPC Advertising Local Organic Listings Organic Listings Third Party Listings page 2

3 Table of Contents Research & Strategy Development The first step in our process is to research potential keyword phrases and analyze your existing website, SEO efforts, local listings, citations, third party placements, and CPC campaigns (if applicable). With this information, we then develop a strategy given your specific goals and budget. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Promoting a website by earning high Organic rankings is one of the primary forms of search engine marketing. We utilize best practices from over twelve years of experience with the Google search algorithm. Local Search Engine Optimization The major search engines have a separate local algorithm that factors in elements such as brick and mortar location, geo-modifiers, reviews, and third party listings. We have an entire team dedicated to researching the local algorithm to ensure your website is following best practices. Paid Search Management When implemented and managed properly, Paid Search Adverting, also referred to as CPC or PPC Advertising, is one of the most effective forms of SEM. As a certified Google Partner, we stay informed on the latest Paid Search updates and best practices. page 4 page 5 page 6 page 7-9 Citation Development As one of the key ranking factors in local search algorithms, citation development is an initiative that ensures your structured NAP (Name, Address and Phone Number) information is accurately referenced across the web on third party advertising sites, directories and other websites. Third Party Advertising Third Party Advertising is a great way to increase your site s visibility in the Organic rankings. These advertisements, also referred to as listings, are viewed as relevant content to local searchers looking to find information about a service or product available in their area. We provide objective data-driven analysis to measure the effectiveness of third party advertising. Online Reviews In addition to the word-of-mouth benefits, positive reviews are an essential part of the Google local algorithm. We can help establish a review acquisition strategy to engage your local customers so they are more likely to leave a positive review. Campaign Management One of the best aspects of online marketing is capturing data to measure the success of our advertising efforts. Using Google Analytics and other SEO tools like Google Webmaster Tools, BrightLocal, and Moz, we can provide information and help interpret a number of reports for measuring the effectiveness of an online marketing campaign. page 10 page 11 page 12 page 13 page 3

4 Research & Strategy Development Every solid marketing plan begins with research. This logic holds true in search engine marketing as well. Simply focusing on earning high rankings for a few keywords does not create the foundation for an effective search engine marketing campaign. At Captiva, we perform comprehensive keyword and website analysis to create a sound strategy that best fits your business. Research, brainstorm, and utilize keyword databases to determine how people are searching for your products and services determine how competitive they are, identify opportunities, and develop a proposed budget. SITE CONTENT & MESSAGE REVIEW Review content, imagery, marketing message, and calls to action to ensure pages will invoke the desired response. KEYWORD ANALYSIS ANALYTICS REVIEW LINK & CITATION ANALYSIS Analyze the link popularity of your site versus competitors and other sites ranking well for your desired search phrases. search engine marketing STRATEGY PROGRAM & BUDGETING Develop a comprehensive search engine marketing strategy that may include on-page optimization, link building, CPC advertising, and other online promotional programs along with estimated costs for implementation and ongoing management. TECHNICAL REVIEW Review source code to identify issues that may be impeding search engines, analyze site architecture to identify link building opportunities, and troubleshoot any other technical problems. DEFINE GOALS & OBJECTIVES Review your company's position in the market, its competitive advantages, primary products, goals, existing site optimization, and other advertising programs that may complement our SEM activities. Each of the above elements are performed by Captiva to create a comprehensive online marketing strategy that best fits your business specific needs. We understand that every business is different, so your business online efforts will be unique to your own goals. What works for one company, might not work for the next. page 4

5 Organic Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Promoting a website by earning high Organic rankings is one of the primary forms of search engine marketing. The two major search engines, Google and Bing, both rank sites based on complex mathematical algorithms that weigh the characteristics of not only the website and its pages but also by the quantity, quality, and structure of its inbound and outbound links. The search engines look for two main factors when ranking websites: relevancy and importance. Search engines index websites to identify all relevant pages for particular keyword phrases then rank these sites/pages based on their importance. What makes a website relevant is how optimized the on-page elements are in relation to the search being performed. To build importance, you need good, quality, websites linking back to yours. So, in a nutshell, all you need to do is ensure that your site can be indexed properly by the search engines, that its content and tags are relevant to the target keyword phrase, and that it is considered more important than the other relevant sites. On-Page Optimization Content Headlines (H1, H2, H3...) Geo-Modifiers File Names Title Tags Image ALT tags Meta Descriptions Meta Keywords Off-Page Optimization Inbound links Social Networking Citations HELLO Name Address Phone page 5

6 Local Search Engine Optimization (Local SEO) Local SEO is the act of trying to influence the results that appear in set of listings with the balloons or pinpoints by them. These are called local results and are triggered by searches with geo-modifiers. In Google, local listings are different from Organic SEO results in that they list the address, phone number, reviews and Google+ page. They also feature a red balloon that links to Google Maps. Bing and Yahoo have similar results. Key Local Ranking Factors: Consistency of your Structured NAP data Proximity of Location to User Proper Category Associations Quality/Authority of Structured Citations Quantity of Structured Citations Domain Authority of Website HTML NAP Matching Google+ Page NAP Geo-modifiers on Website page 6

7 Paid Search Management Paid Search advertising, also known as CPC (Cost-Per-Click) Advertising or PPC (Pay-Per-Click) Advertising, is another Search Engine Marketing strategy that we typically recommend for clients. Although there are ongoing costs associated with Paid Search, it has some huge benefits, especially for campaigns targeting local markets: Top positions on the page are typically reserved for Paid Search ads It is often the only way to target non-geo-modified searches Visitors can be easily sent to ANY relevant page on your website Start-up costs are low Quick processing time allows it to be used for promotions and time sensitive campaigns Allows one to inexpensively target lower search volume phrases In addition, Organic and Local SEO often take many months before producing results and Google Analytics does not provide as much keyword Captiva Account Managers at Googleplex for Annual Google Allstar Summit data as Google AdWords and Bing Ads. Therefore, a Paid Search program allows us to see what keywords are driving traffic and converting much better than Organic and Local SEO. We can also create mobile specific ads with click-to-call functionality to make it easier for mobile users to contact your business. Once the CPC account is live, we monitor what keywords are ranking well and adjust bids for specific keywords. We also have a lot of control for what keywords the ads are displaying for as we can exclude poor converting or irrelevant keywords. Similar to all forms of SEM, a Paid Search account is an ongoing process that involves consistent monitoring and updating. Our Process Our work typically involves utilizing the keyword research from step one in our process to create a Google AdWords account and Bing Ads account (depending on the budget). Building out these accounts may include the following: review extension location extension sitelink extensions call extension Developing the campaign settings Building out the ad groups Selecting target keyword phrases Writing ad copy Selecting proper landing pages Adding negative keywords to maximize ROI Implementing ad extensions for complete optimization Once complete, we will monitor activity and work toward increasing the amount of leads while decreasing the cost per lead. page 7

8 Paid Search Management (continued) Google AdWords In addition to Paid Search, there are three other advertising opportunities that are available within the Google AdWords platform: Google Display Network Remarketing/Retargeting Gmail Sponsored Promotions (GSPs) 1) Google Display Network Display advertising allows businesses to create all types of ads that are displayed on a variety of websites. We typically recommend a managed placements approach where we work with our clients to find the most relevant and cost-effective websites to advertise on. Display advertising is a great tool for branding as the average CPM tends to be relatively inexpensive compared to more traditional advertising and branding efforts. The Google Display Network also operates on the cost-per-click budget model. 2) Remarketing/Retargeting Remarketing allows businesses to show ads to users that previously visited their website. We can customize remarketing lists based on user behavior such as visiting a contact page and not submitting a form or spending over two minutes on a specific page; the possibilities go on and on. Remarketing ads are another great tool for branding and they also operate on the cost-per-click budget model. 1 Visitor Browses Vehicles Detail Page Watches REMARKETING BANNER Spends time on the site but DOES NOT BUY Reaches to the website 5 AND SUBMITS A LEAD! page 8

9 Paid Search Management (continued) 3) Gmail Sponsored Promotions (GSP) This is a unique and relatively new campaign type that displays ads only in the Gmail Promotions tab (see screenshot below). The ad has two parts; the yellow subject ad and the creative (see below). There are multiple methods to targeting users including keywords, demographics, or even domains based on the content in the user s Gmail account. GSP ads also operate on the cost-per-click budget model. Yellow Subject Ad Ad Creative page 9

10 Citation Development As one of the key ranking factors in local search algorithms, citation development is an initiative that ensures your structured NAP (Name, Address and Phone Number) information is accurately referenced across the web on third party advertising sites, directories and other websites. Search engines rely on the accuracy of this information to display localized search results to users. To monitor your websites current citation alignment and look for potential opportunities, we use a program called BrightLocal. This program allows us to track, monitor and manage your business s citations. Citation development is an ongoing initiative that we recommend to determine the accuracy of your listings and to acquire new, relevant citations for your business. We run a citation tracking report that shows the number of citations gained each month. This allows us to track the progress of our efforts and find additional opportunities for your website. Moz Local We use a program called Moz local that syndicates your NAP data to the top data aggregators in the industry. This aligns your NAP data to help local directories and users pull accurate and consistent information. Thousands of other quality local directories and websites then pull from these main aggregators to fill their database and reference your business. Top Citations As a starting point to ensure your NAP data is distributed accurately, we recommend claiming and optimizing several of the top citations. These citations have the most SEO value and can also rank well within the search engines: Google My Business (also referred to as a Google Plus Page) Bing Places For Business Yahoo Local Yelp Citysearch Manta Industry specific directories and other relevant citations page 10

11 Third Party Advertising Online Advertising through third party websites is a substantial way to increase your sites visibility in the Organic search results. Third party advertisements, also referred to as listings, are viewed as relevant content to local searchers looking to find information about a service or product available in their area. The most prevalent third party advertisers that show strong placement in the search results include Yelp, Houzz, BBB, Yellow Pages, and Angie s List. With a multitude of advertising opportunities, it is essential to select the appropriate opportunities to pursue based on your business industry and target market. At Captiva, we work with numerous clients on establishing advertising through third party websites and have witnessed significant results. It is also important to note that the majority of these websites place significant weight on the inclusion of customer reviews into their listings. Benefits Listings on third party sites show up Organically in the search engine results pages and allow your brand to take up more space in the Organic rankings. Customers are able to find more information about your business including reviews and location details. Because of the significant role third party advertisers play in Local SEO, we often monitor advertising programs to gauge the return on advertising spend. page 11

12 Online Reviews In a recent study conducted by BrightLocal, a Local SEO tool, over 88% of customers refer to online reviews when deciding the quality of a local business and trust the reviews as much as personal recommendations. Therefore, establishing trust through credible reviews online is essential when acquiescing new local customers. At Captiva, we have researched and maintained best practices for interacting and engaging local customers by implementing a multitude of review building strategies. Online Review Acquisition We will work with you to determine the appropriate tactics for implementing a wide range of online review strategies in order to engage your local customers over a multitude of platforms including website, , and print. Website Print It is important to realize that when seeking online reviews, you are not able to cherry pick only good reviews. A recent Harris poll showed customers actually trust businesses more when they receive bad reviews, as long as they are responded to correctly by the business. It allows customers to see how you handle the criticism and take on the complaint first hand. At Captiva, we have established best practices for responding to negative reviews and handling the accusations appropriately and professionally. The primary goal of online reviews is to create engagement between your customers and your brand. Implementing an online review campaign is a necessary component of Local SEO and we are capable of providing you with the necessary tools and information to successfully implement an online review campaign. page 12

13 Campaign Management Key Performance Indicator Report The KPI Report highlights the important data from Google Analytics to determine and track the Key Performance Indicators of your website. In this report, we measure the effectiveness of your overall SEM efforts by analyzing traffic and leads generated by various online sources and mediums. This allows us to provide valuable recommendations and action items specific to your online marketing campaign. Google My Business Report The Google My Business report provides insight to the visibility of your local business information within the Google local algorithm. This report tracks the number of impressions and actions your Google My Business page generates on a monthly basis. Technical Analysis The Technical Analysis involves monitoring your website through various platforms to ensure everything is running at maximum efficiency. This report checks for any technical errors so we can fix these on a monthly basis. Paid Search Keyword Report The CPC Keyword Report is used to track the performance of the keywords within your CPC account(s). This report highlights the important data for the keywords we are bidding on. We also analyze the relevance of targeted keywords by comparing them to the actual search queries that users are searching for when triggering your ads. This data allows us to track any trends and make recommendations based on high or low performing keywords to maximize the budget and overall effectiveness of your CPC campaign.. Monthly Dashboard The Monthly Dashboard provides a clean overview and highlights the overall website performance for that specific month. In this report, we break out the work completed during the previous month and create a schedule of action items or recommendations for the next month so you are always aware of our ongoing efforts. Ranking Report The Ranking Report is a custom report that we create through BrightLocal to track the rankings of the specific keywords that we target. We monitor this report on a monthly basis and highlight any significant fluctuations. This helps evaluate our ongoing SEO efforts and allows us to detect any ranking decreases before they become significant. Overall Website Performance Traffic Summary Medium Sessions Pages Viewed Bounces Bounce Rate Organic 4,340 (9%) 15,233 1, % Paid Search 1,076 (<1%) 3, % Direct 1,267 (<1%) 3, % Referral* 1301 (14%) 3, % Totals* 7,984 26,297 3, % Percentages are a comparison to the previous month *Excluded spam referral traffic Leads Contact Form = 20 Search Form = 10 Quick Submit = 418 Contact Visits = 375 Total = 823 Traffic / Lead Highlights There has been a recent spike in spam traffic from referral sites that is skewing the Google AnalyIcs data I manually removed a majority of this traffic from the April reports We are working to exclude this traffic from Google AnalyIcs but it is affecing almost every site The Total Leads chart above also includes visits to the contact page page 13