The Art of Seo / Eric Enge, Stephan Spencer, Rand Fishkin and Jessie C. Stricchiola ; foreword by John Batelle.

cover image

Where to find it

Information & Library Science Library

Call Number
HF5418.126 .E65 2009
Status
Available

Summary

Four acknowledged experts in search engine optimization share guidelines and innovative techniques that will help you plan and execute a comprehensive SEO strategy. This second edition brings you up to date on recent changes in search engine behavior--such as new ranking methods involving user engagement and social media--with an array of effective tactics, from basic to advanced.

Comprehend SEO's many intricacies and complexities Explore the underlying theory and inner workings of search engines Understand the role of social media, user data, and links Discover tools to track results and measure success Recognize how changes to your site can confuse search engines Learn to build a competent SEO team with defined roles Glimpse the future of search and the SEO industry

Visit www.artofseobook.com for late-breaking updates, checklists, worksheets, templates, and guides.

Contents

  • Foreword p. xix
  • Preface p. xxi
  • 1 The Search Engines: Reflecting Consciousness and connecting Commerce p. 1
  • The Mission of Search Engines p. 2
  • The Market Share of Search Engines p. 2
  • The Human Goals of Searching p. 2
  • Determining Searcher Intent: A Challenge for Both Marketers and Search Engines p. 5
  • How People Search p. 9
  • How Search Engines Drive Commerce on the Web p. 14
  • Eye Tracking: How Users Scan Results Pages p. 14
  • Click Tracking: How Users Click on Results, Natural Versus Paid p. 16
  • Conclusion p. 22
  • 2 Search Engine Basics p. 23
  • Understanding Search Engine Results p. 21
  • Algorithm-Based Ranking Systems: Crawling, Indexing, and Ranking p. 30
  • Determining Searcher Intent and Delivering Relevant, Fresh Content p. 41
  • Analyzing Ranking Factors p. 49
  • Using Advanced Search Techniques p. 53
  • Vertical search Engines p. 65
  • Country-Specific Search Engines p. 74
  • Conclusion p. 78
  • 3 Determining Your Seo Objectives and Defining Your Site's Audience p. 79
  • Setting SEO Goals and Objectives p. 79
  • Developing an SEO Plan Prior to Site Development p. 84
  • Understanding Your Audience and Finding Your Niche p. 85
  • SEO for Raw Traffic p. 91
  • SEO for E-Commerce Sales p. 91
  • SEO for Mindshare/Branding p. 92
  • SEO for Lead Generation and Direct Marketing p. 93
  • SEO for Reputation Management p. 93
  • SEO for Ideological Influence p. 95
  • Conclusion p. 96
  • 4 First Stages of Seo p. 97
  • The Major Elements of Planning p. 97
  • Identifying the Site Development Process and Players p. 101
  • Defining Your Site's Information Architecture p. 102
  • Auditing an Existing Site to Identify SEO Problems p. 106
  • Identifying Current Server Statistics Software and Gaining Access p. 116
  • Determining Top Competitors p. 118
  • Assessing Historical Progress p. 122
  • Benchmarking Current Indexing Status p. 124
  • Benchmarking Current Rankings p. 126
  • Benchmarking Current Traffic Sources and Volume p. 127
  • Leveraging Business Assets for SEO p. 131
  • Combining Business Assets and Historical Data to Conduct SEO/Website SWOT Analysis p. 132
  • Conclusion p. 134
  • 5 Keyword Research p. 135
  • The Theory Behind Keyword Research p. 135
  • Traditional Approaches: Domain Expertise, Site Content Analysis p. 136
  • Keyword Research Tools p. 138
  • Determining Keyword Value/Potential ROI p. 166
  • Leveraging the Long Tail of Keyword Demand p. 171
  • Trending, Seasonality, and Seasonal Fluctuations in Keyword Demand p. 176
  • Conclusion p. 179
  • 6 Developing An Seo-Friendly Website p. 181
  • Making Your Site Accessible to Search Engines p. 181
  • Creating an Optimal Information Architecture p. 187
  • Roof Domains, Subdomains, and Microsites p. 201
  • Optimization of Domain Names/URLs p. 207
  • Keyword Targeting p. 211
  • Content Optimization p. 222
  • Duplicate Content Issues p. 226
  • Controlling Content with Cookies and Session IDs p. 234
  • Content Delivery and Search Spider Control p. 238
  • Redirects p. 254
  • Content Management System (CMS) Issues p. 263
  • Optimizing Flash p. 269
  • Best Practices for Multilanguage/Country Targeting p. 275
  • Conclusion p. 278
  • 7 Creating Link-Worthy Content and Link Marketing p. 279
  • How Links Influence Search Engine Rankings p. 279
  • Further Refining How Search Engines judge Links p. 289
  • The Psychology of Linking p. 295
  • Types of Link Building p. 296
  • Choosing the Right Link-Building Strategy p. 309
  • More Approaches to Content-Based Link Acquisition p. 314
  • Incentive-Based Link Marketing p. 319
  • How Search Engines Fight Link Spam p. 319
  • Social Networking for Links p. 321
  • Conclusion p. 330
  • 8 Optimizing For Vertical Search p. 333
  • The Opportunities in Vertical Search p. 333
  • Optimizing for Local Search p. 338
  • Optimizing for Image Search p. 346
  • Optimizing for Product Search p. 352
  • Optimizing for News, Blog, and Feed Search p. 355
  • Others: Mobile, Video/Multimedia Search p. 366
  • Conclusion p. 372
  • 9 Tracking Results and Measuring Success p. 373
  • Why Measuring Success Is Essential to the SEO Process p. 374
  • Measuring Search Traffic p. 376
  • Tying SEO to Conversion and ROI p. 388
  • Competitive and Diagnostic Search Metrics p. 397
  • Key Performance Indicators for Long Tail SEO p. 435
  • Conclusion p. 437
  • 10 Domain Changes, Post-Seo Redesigns, and Troubleshooting p. 439
  • The Basics of Moving Content p. 439
  • Maintaining Search Engine Visibility During and After a Site Redesign p. 444
  • Maintaining Search Engine Visibility During and After Domain Name Changes p. 445
  • Changing Servers p. 447
  • Hidden Content p. 449
  • Spam Filtering and Penalties p. 455
  • Content Theft p. 467
  • Changing SEO Vendors or Staff Members p. 470
  • Conclusion p. 472
  • 11 Honing The Craft: Seo Research and Study p. 473
  • SEO Research and Analysis p. 473
  • Competitive Analysis p. 482
  • Using Search-Engine-Supplied SEO Tools p. 487
  • The SEO Industry on the Web p. 500
  • Participation in Conferences and Organizations p. 504
  • Conclusion p. 506
  • 12 Build An In-House Seo Team, Outsource It, Or Both? p. 507
  • The Dynamics and Challenges of Using In-House Talent Versus Outsourcing p. 507
  • Solutions for Small Organizations p. 509
  • Working with Limited Resources/Budget p. 511
  • Solutions for Large Organizations p. 514
  • Hiring SEO Talent p. 517
  • The Case for Working with an Outside Expert p. 519
  • Selecting an SEO Firm/Consultant p. 521
  • Mixing Outsourced SEO with In-House SEO Teams p. 528
  • Building a Culture of SEO into Your Organization p. 529
  • Conclusion p. 530
  • 13 An Evolving Art Form: The Future of Seo p. 531
  • The Ongoing Evolution of Search p. 532
  • More Searchable Content and Content Types p. 533
  • Search Becoming More Personalized and User-Influenced p. 541
  • Increasing Importance of Local, Mobile, and Voice Recognition Search p. 546
  • Increased Market Saturation and Competition p. 552
  • SEO As an Enduring Art Form p. 554
  • Conclusion p. 555
  • Index p. 557

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