Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Class Slides

Niche Research

• Google Adwords Keyword Planner: https://adwords.google.com/KeywordPlanner
• README: http://moz.com/beginners-guide-to-seo/keyword-research
  • Part of Moz Tools (some are free): http://moz.com/tools
  • Moz blog on this topic: http://moz.com/blog/category/keyword-research
• Moz Keyword Tool: http://moz.com/tools/keyword-difficulty
• Yahoo Answers: http://answers.yahoo.com
• maybe http://www.keywordspy.com ($)

On-page Optimization

• Moz visual guide: https://moz.com/blog/visual-guide-to-keyword-targeting-onpage-optimization
• Google: Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide
• ..and support.google.com/webmasters/answer/35624
• avoid keyword stuffing
• maybe Rich Snippets aka Structured Data
• Facebook’s OpenGraph
• Twitter Cards
• PageSpeed Insights
• Mobile-Friendly Test

Notifying Google

• XML Sitemaps
  • create using raw code or generator
  • post on site, then submit to Google
  • or just use the WordPress Plugin
• http://www.google.com/addurl
• Excluding pages: robots.txt

WordPress Plugins

• Security: WordFence
• Analytics: Google Analytics for WordPress
• Social: AddThis or Sharexy or Social Media Widget
• Search Engine Optimization (pick ONE):
  • WordPress SEO by Yoast: the gold standard
  • All-In-One SEO Pack: slightly less complex
• If you aren’t using all-in-one or Yoast:
  • Google XML Sitemaps (also hits Bing, Yahoo)
  • Easy Facebook Share Thumbnail

Track Search Position

• http://www.whatsmyserp.com/serpcheck.php
• http://www.opensiteexplorer.org/
• http://www.prchecker.net/
• http://moz.com/google-algorithm-change

Google Analytics and Webmaster Tools

• HTML: instructions
• WordPress: Google Analytics for WordPress and Google Publisher Plugin