webmaster's toolkit - seo & analytics
DESCRIPTION
A high-level introduction to SEO and web analytics resources for WordPress. Presented at WordCamp Toronto 2012.TRANSCRIPT
Webmaster’s Toolkit:SEO & Web Analytics
WordCamp Toronto 2012
Who is this guy?(I mean, seriously? That shirt? That hair?)
Andy McIlwainOrganizer, Toronto WordPress Group & WordCamp Toronto 2012
(Goes by @andymci everywhere on the internets.)
What are we talking about?
(Alternative title: “What is he prattling on about?”)
Improving + MeasuringHow is your site doing on the web?
I’m reading like a champ.
(That college degree needs to be good for something, right?)
Not clear? Ask questions!
“Who questions much, shall learn much, and retain much.” – Francis Bacon
Building a ToolkitEveryone needs their secret weapon.
Don’t Re-Invent the Wheel
Just adapt it to your purpose.
SEOSearch Engine Optimization
SEO: A Common GoalSearch engines want to direct users to relevant content.
You want your content to attract relevant users from search engines.
Building it doesn’t mean they’ll come.
Content isn’t king if nobody recognizes the kingdom.
Providing The Right Signals
Google’s algorithm is a complex, ever-changing secret recipe.
Where do we start?Don’t waste your time trying to outsmart Google.
1. SEOmoz’ Beginners Guide to SEOwww.seomoz.org/beginners-guide-to-seo
2. Google Webmaster Series on YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/user/GoogleWebmasterHelp
3. SEO News & Community Discussion
News & Blogs• SEOmoz
www.seomoz.org/blogwww.seomoz.org/ugc
• Search Engine Watchwww.searchenginewatch.com
• Search Engine Landwww.searchengineland.com
• Alltop SEO Headlinesseo.alltop.com
Community Forums• Webmaster World www.webmasterworld.com/home.htm• Digital Point
forums.digitalpoint.com• V7N Webmaster Forums
www.v7n.com/forums
The best way to stay up-to-date on what’s happening in search marketing.
4. Conducting a Technical SEO Audithttp://searchenginewatch.com/article/2200756/How-to-Conduct-a-Technical-SEO-Site-Audit
SEOmoz:http://www.seomoz.org/blog/how-to-do-a-site-audit
6. Scribe SEO Plugin for WordPresshttp://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/scribe/
7. Xenu Link Sleuth & Screaming Froghttp://home.snafu.de/tilman/xenulink.htmlhttp://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/
8. Webmaster Tools from Google & Binghttp://www.google.com/webmasters/http://www.bing.com/toolbox/webmaster
SEOmoz review of Bing tools: http://www.seomoz.org/blog/phoenix-rising-bings-new-webmaster-tools-whiteboard-Friday
Web Analytics is like an iceberg.Tip: Basic stuff. Visitors, popular pages.Middle: More useful. Referring sites, keywords.Below the Surface: Campaign tracking, A/B testing, Goals.
Analytics aren’t perfect.
Use them for trending, not precise measurement.
Source:
Two Kinds of Web MetricsSource: Brian Clifton @ http://www.advanced-web-metrics.com/blog/2009/02/22/improving-the-web-with-web-analytics/
Getting Started with Analytics
1. Sign up with Google Analytics @ www.google.com/analytics/ 2. Get the JavaScript tags installed on your site.
(Yoast’s Google Analytics plugin can help with this.)3. Set up your accounts on Bing & Google Webmaster Tools.
(Use the same Google account for Webmaster Tools & Analytics!)
Congratulations, your Google Webmaster Tools data will be linked to your Google Analytics account!
The Importance of Goals
If you don’t know what you’re aiming for, you’ll never score.
Avinash Kaushik’s Digital Marketing & Measurement ModelSource: http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/digital-marketing-and-measurement-model/
Free Custom Reports:http://www.kaushik.net/avinash/best-downloadable-custom-web-analytics-reports/
Beyond Google Analytics
Sometimes, you just need to kick it up a notch.
1. UserTesting.comFeedback from real people trying to use your website.
2. ChartBeatReal-time analytics, something that Google doesn’t do too well right now.www.chartbeat.com
3. OptimizelySimplified A/B testing. Covert your visitors!www.optimizely.com
TL;DR – In Review
1. Build a toolkit by making use of the resources available to you on the web.2. Use other people’s work as a starting point. Customize to fit your needs.3. Your site content is worth nothing if people don’t know that it exists.4. Don’t obsess over SEO. Not worth it. Learn the basics, play to Google’s rules. 5. Skim headlines/forums to learn from the successes (and mistakes) of others.6. Make your life easier by using plugins like WordPress SEO and Scribe.7. If you don’t have on-site analytics set up, you’re flying blind.8. On-site analytics are pointless if you don’t have goals.9. Define your goals!10. Google’s free products are great for many things, but sometimes it’s worth
spending money on specialized premium tools.
Questions? Comments?
Pitchforks? Torches?
…flying shoes?
