I think people have been drinking Google Juice lately because I’ve received several questions relating to SEO, specifically Corporate SEO Training.
Corporate SEO training appears to have gained some traction in the last few months. Companies, especially large organizations, have started to pull their SEO in house as a way to control their online reputation (insert embarrassing JCPenny reference here). So I felt it was important to cover/disclose some of the key features I believe should be included in all Corporate SEO Training sessions.
1. The History of SEO
To know where you are going you need to look at where you came from. This reigns true in the SEO industry as well. By examining the history of SEO you are able to understand and identify how the industry has evolved over the last 15 odd years. Examining the history of SEO also means examining techniques that were successful in the past, are successful today, and will most likely be successful in the future.
2. Ranking Factors
What factors translate into positive rankings? That’s the big questions. Evaluating ranking factors is extremely important to creating an effective SEO campaign. Building the right links from the right sources, and avoiding sources that provide little value is the key to success.
3. Keyword Research
The power of an “s” is amazing. One little “s” added or subtracted from a word can equate to millions of lost or gained search results (iphone = 151,000,000 results, iphones = 3,350,000 results). The subtle and not so subtle differences make keyword research absolutely vital. The problem is where to start, which tools to use, and how to build a campaign on piles of ranking data. A corporate training session should answer these questions and provide detailed information on the Keyword Research tools that are available.
4. Onsite Factors
Onsite factors are easy to control and can generate excellent results for a website. Long gone are the days of keyword stuffing and meta data manipulation. Today it is about creating a well structured website that abides by Google’s best practices, freely flows Google Juice to key pages, is relevant for specific keywords and oh ya… is speedy fast.
5. Link Building
Link building is awesome. It is one of the most fun and exciting parts of the SEO process as each link is like a little “Cha Ching” for your website. Much like onsite factors, link building has changed significantly over the last few years. The use of directories, article hubs, blog commenting, and forum spam, while still effective, can lead to penalties in the long run. The old adage “Content Is King” has continued to reign true. Today, developing a strategy for gaining organic links is the most effective way to not only increase your website’s rankings but also build mind-share within the online community.
6. Social Networking Strategies
Social networking is the thorn in many SEO’s side, and it refuses to be go away. Both Google and Bing have publicly released statements confirming that Twitter and Facebook influence organic rankings. The integration of social signals within the Google Algorithm, in particular, has been realized with the release of Google Plus and the Google +1 button. The main take-away is that social interactions between friends, family, colleagues, ect. are going to have a continued impact on organic search rankings in the future.
7. SEO Tools
What is a carpenter without his hammer or a mechanic without his wrench? Having the right set of tools at your disposal ensure you maximize the effectiveness of your campaigns while at the same time maximizing your ability to track them. The tools we teach in our training programs cover four main areas:
- Keywords Analysis
- Link Building and Management
- Tracking and Analysis
- Website Health
Conclusion
Corporate SEO Training and SEO in general seem to be popular buzzwords today. However, investing time in building a successful web presence can have a significant impact on your business in the future. As more and more users come online each day, and as traditional forms of advertising continue to slide, search engines will strive to fill the gap. The big question as always is “Are you getting found?”
Visit our Corporate SEO Training Page, for more information on our training programs.
