2017/2018

Buyers Guide to Enterprise Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

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Contents

1. Executive Summary ..............................................................................................................5

2. Rethinking Sustainable SEO ..............................................................................................8

3. Implementing a Foundation-First Approach ..............................................................10

4. Strategic SEO Servicing & Delivery ................................................................................15

5. 2017/2018 SEO Trends .....................................................................................................19

6. Flagship Attributes of Reliable SEO Providers ..........................................................26

7. Key Criteria to Address During Supplier Selection at RFP/RFI ..........................30

8. In Summary ..............................................................................................................................33

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1. Executive Summary

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1. Executive Summary

2017 is shaping up to be another challenging year for marketing professionals

that wish to stay on top of digital strategy. The realm of organic search is no

exception – its breadth and influence in the field of marketing continues to grow

from year to year.

But what is organic search at its essence?

Organic search is when your customers/stakeholders ask a question. It can be

any type of question – i.e. one that helps a customer find information, one that

helps a customer locate a store, or one that helps a customer buy a product. A

robust search strategy understands (and maps out) what information is required

to address the customer’s needs and positions its content to address those needs

accordingly. A solid organic search strategy provides critical touch points for

customers at every stage of their journey – and this is integral to successfully

elevating a brand’s digital presence.

With many considerations to take into account, it can be overwhelming to know

what tactics (and partnerships) will provide the best returns. So this report aims

to educate marketing executives about how search engine optimisation (SEO) can

best be implemented for long-term gain.

Firstly, the report defines sustainable SEO (i.e. what tactics facilitate a long

term, useful search engine presence). It also advises how best to implement a

sustainable SEO strategy in line with upcoming 2017/2018 SEO trends.

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Secondly, the report provides practical, valuable advice for marketing

professionals seeking a SEO partner. Choosing the right SEO partner has become

more challenging than ever; the convergence of SEO with content marketing

has shaped a landscape of divulging opinions and contradictory advice. To help,

this guide covers flagship attributes of reliable SEO providers and outlines key

questions you should ask when sourcing a SEO partner.

This guide was developed with the understanding that marketing executives are busy. We hope this guide will help you develop a strong organic search strategy for 2017/2018 – one that is adaptable and flexible in a constantly changing landscape – as well as provide key insights on what SEO partners are best suited to meet your needs and goals.

SEO is a vital component of digital strategy. Get it right and you’ll benefit from positive outcomes, both now and in the future.

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2. Rethinking Sustainable SEO

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2. Rethinking Sustainable SEO

While customers continue to search for information, products and services

online, SEO will be relevant to your online strategy. But jostling for that coveted

‘top spot’ when it comes to search rankings is difficult. Competition is fierce, and

Google’s priority (or any search engine, for that matter) is to create algorithms

that best address customer needs. That means answering questions with the

most relevant information possible. Marketing executives are responsible for

understanding this and adapting their SEO approach to suit.

Organic search can’t be influenced through cheap tricks or cut corners. Search

algorithms are constantly getting smarter and results can only be influenced by

a sustainable SEO strategy. A sustainable SEO strategy is one that complements

Google’s efforts (i.e. is customer-centric, purposeful, and acknowledges SEO is

about answering questions and providing meaningful information).

Businesses that invest in such best-practice SEO tactics will reap the rewards long-term.

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3. Implementing a Foundation-First Approach

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3. Implementing a Foundation-First Approach

A foundation-first approach to SEO is all about understanding – and answering

– your customers’ questions. By addressing what they really need and want,

you enhance the search experience and make more of an impact. Such benefits

support long-term business resilience and growth.

Give search a marketing channel budget

Don’t take organic search for granted. As a channel, search should

be given the same fiscal respect as any other marketing channel.

Marketers should seriously consider allocating as much budget

(if not more) to a dedicated SEO strategy as traditional media

campaigns – particularly now that media is becoming progressively

more expensive.

Businesses that choose to invest in sustainable SEO choose to

invest in a non-PPC model that will shelter them from increasing

media costs. As such, businesses that take search channels

seriously now are the ones that will have an advantage in the

near future.

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Integrate teams and work together

In the past, traditional SEO was a purely technical mechanism that

could generate results from the work of SEO specialists alone.

However, today’s SEO is more akin to good marketing, which

requires a multi-pronged approach across a number of marketing

functions. A sustainable SEO strategy requires research, insights

and planning – and that involves organising internal teams into

functional groups that work under the same strategy. Integrate

everyone from PR to IT, and give them the same KPIs to work

towards. Aligning metrics and goals empowers each team member

to understand their contribution to the strategy’s success.

SEO best practice and customer search behaviour must be

understood and integrated into a company’s larger digital

marketing strategy. Forward-thinking companies have already

restructured how they operate to take advantage of organic search

(i.e. changing how teams operate and how they hire). A sustainable

strategy requires managers to assign people from all relevant

teams and grant them both the time and financial resources to

focus on SEO.

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Create a detailed content strategy

Today, SEO involves creating a brand that is a trusted authority

for customers at all stages of the customer journey. And a large

consideration is creating great content.

Great content does a lot more than talk about a product. It can

grow market share, cement a brand as a thought leader, propel

customers through to conversion and boost organic search

rankings. Most importantly, it answers a customer’s question;

it meets their needs. It is crucial that marketing professionals

understand this and structure their content strategies to suit.

Marketing professionals should think of their content strategy as

part of their sustainable SEO strategy. Content can take advantage

of keywords and answer key consumer questions – irrespective

of which channels or devices they use. This means websites must

be optimised for all devices and all platforms with the front-end

customers as the most important factor.

Optimise for users, not search engines

Not only must web content be usable, it must also meet customer

needs. So optimising for customers first and search engines second

will yield the best results. But what does that mean? It means

creating content that answers customers’ questions. When content

is crafted with the customer in mind, businesses benefit from

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longer page views, more back-links, and ultimately more value – all

of which contribute to better organic search results. A strategy that

has customer needs at its core is the most sustainable strategy one

can implement.

Adopt a share mentality

SEO isn’t just about rankings. It’s about overall brand visibility.

That’s why it’s important to look at search rankings as just one KPI

and not the ultimate goal of a SEO strategy.

There are other ways to increase brand visibility. One key way to

do this is through sharing. The entire organisation should be on

the same page when it comes to sharing content with its audience.

That means sharing the best, most relevant information widely and

ensuring it gets seen. Social and commerce platforms are being

used to purchase products and services, solve problems and answer

questions; they are a significant and integral part of the search

landscape.

SEO doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Organic results can contain social

results and social signals can influence organic results. That’s why

it’s crucial to take a big-picture approach and build an organisation-

wide sharing culture.

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4. Strategic SEO Servicing & Delivery

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4. Strategic SEO Servicing & Delivery

Strategically promoting and distributing content is integral to boosting your

SEO. But how do you effectively plan, produce and publish? You need a solid

framework – one adds value beyond the creation of simple product pages. Below

we outline a reliable, repeatable framework that is founded on four key functions:

research, creation, promotion and conversion.

4.1 Research

Failing to invest substantial time in understanding every aspect

or variable of one’s SEO strategy before kick-off is a common

pitfall for marketers. By diving in, one can easily be led to execute

strategies that don’t address the core goals a business is trying to

achieve (and cause strain by wasting precious resources).

Consequently, never underestimate the research phase. What

organisations uncover during the research phase of their SEO

strategy determine its tactics down the line. While it may seem like

a lot of groundwork, rigorous research is crucial. Ensure you

look at:

· User behaviours and needs (e.g. field research, surveys, focus

groups)

· Audience analysis (e.g. persona development, customer journey

maps

· Channels of distribution (e.g. marketplaces, search engines)

· Keyword research (i.e. Google Keyword Planner)

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· Competitive assessments (e.g. SEM Rush)

· Content gap analysis (e.g. website auditing, moderated or online

user testing)

· Subject matter and content format (e.g. card sorting, IA

validation)

· Media and influencer analysis (e.g. Klout, Hootsuite).

4.2 Creation

When it comes to the content creation phase, marketing executives

must consider what’s been unearthed during the research phase.

For example, where do various channels fit within the context of

their customer’s journey? Or what are the most popular keywords,

and how can we create content that strategically speaks to them?

Content must address these findings; if not, the content will not

provide value and consequently, businesses will not benefit in the

long-term.

4.3 Promotion

Relevant ‘off-page’ promotion positively impacts SEO. But what

does relevant ‘off-page’ promotion mean? It signifies being featured

or mentioned online, but somewhere that is not a company’s own

website (or digital asset such as Facebook account). For example, a

business may have an article published in a trade journal instead of

its own blog.

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Reputable off-page signals drive a domain’s authority and search

visibility – so it pays to have a strong ‘off-page’ page promotion

strategy in place. Off-page promotion also amplifies credibility

and market exposure (proving very beneficial to organisations that

don’t have a large existing audience). To capture off-page signals, an

organisation should deploy a three-pronged approach to content

promotions: earned, owned and paid. Such a promotion strategy

is vital to earning links that build brand relevance online. The end

result is increased traffic, engagement and conversions.

4.4 Conversion

Organic search must be tethered to tangible results to prove a

return on investment. But SEO is not only about traffic and leads.

The fact a business is generating more enquiries and/or sales does

not necessarily equate to long-term business success. One size

does not fit all; a company must carefully consider and set its own

digital metrics that measure success. Think about time on site,

overall brand awareness, customer engagement, reputation…

There is a myriad of targets a company can aim for as part of its

SEO strategy.

ENQUIRE

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5. 2017/2018 SEO Trends

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5. 2017/2018 SEO Trends

Google has instituted major changes to search algorithms in the last few years

– changes that factor in social signals, bounce rate, time on page, quality and

frequency of content and link profile. It is vital that marketing professionals

understand such changes to stay at the top of their game. The following outlines

recent changes to technology and customer behaviour – and how they will

influence search in the future.

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Google AMP

An upcoming trend in SEO is Google’s AMP (Accelerated Mobile

Pages) project. AMP is designed to allow mobile-optimised pages

with rich content such as video, graphics and advertising to load

instantly. It’s also allows the same code to work across different

devices and platforms.

Mobile usage eclipsed desktop internet usage in 2014. Searching

on mobile devices continue to rise, so it is vital for brands and

businesses to provide the fastest and most effective experience

to customers possible. In the future optimising for mobile will not

be enough; AMP by Google is now the standard and websites that

make use of AMP’s coding are already ranked higher by Google.

Websites that do not use AMP will start falling behind.

If your website isn’t already doing this, get onto it now. Google added webpages to mobile search results in July 2016. Given that the majority of Australian websites have between 30-60% of traffic coming from mobile searches, it is vital that your website uses AMP to optimise the user experience and ensure your website is ranked highly in Google search listings.

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Voice search

Put simply, voice search, like SIRI, Cortana and Google Voice

Search, is the act of people searching the internet on their

smartphones via voice control. Voice search is similar to typing

keywords into a search engine, but the critical difference is that

users don’t talk the way we type. This means websites should to be

optimised to capture keywords framed as a spoken question or a

statement (known as semantic search strategy or conversational

search strategy).

Research indicates that more than half of searches will be done via voice by 2020. This means that the way customers find brands is dramatically shifting and a brand’s search strategy needs to reflect that.

Keyword targeting is broadening, so on-page content strategy

needs to capture these new searches. Ensure keywords are

question-based rather than fragment-based.

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Move your site to HTTPS

The main benefit of migrating your site to HTTPS is to make your

site more secure for users. But it also has performance advantages

and SEO benefits.

HTTPS is more secure because there are multiple layers to protect

users’ sensitive data, such as encryption, data integrity and SSL

authentication. In contrast, HTTP sites send usernames and

passwords in clear text, which means security is compromised on

unsecured connections. This is great news for users wanting to

protect themselves, especially for sites that require personal or

financial information.

If you move to HTTPS Google will reward your site with better search ranking. On the flip side, if you neglect to make the switch you can be demoted. Google wants all sites to be HTTPS sites by 2018, so now is the best time to do this, if you haven’t already. HTTPS websites perform between 50-70% better in rankings than HTTP sites, so don’t wait to switch over.

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Optimise for rich answers

Ever searched for something only to have the answer displayed at

the top of the results page? That’s a rich answer. Google answers

some search queries at the top of search results in a box of text

rather than requiring a user to click through to a website. This

short snippet of content lets users find the information they need

without having to trawl through a website.

While the rich answer box has been around for a while, it’s

becoming popular as the demand for fast and relevant content

increases as mobile searches continue to rise. Having your website

featured in a rich answer will improve your website’s click-through

and brand awareness. People now want the option of seeing what

content a page offers before they click it – rich answers save time

searching through pages and pages of content.

The key thing to remember is that information on your website must be concise and direct. It’s also vital for you to identify specific questions your users want to know and use relevant and targeted keywords. If your content is too generic or can be found on other sites, it is unlikely your site will feature in a rich answer search box.

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RankBrain

RankBrain is an obscure artificial intelligence program run by

Google. It identifies what people are searching for, why they’re

searching for it and how they’re searching for it. Its algorithms are

created from the billions of searches that happen daily – essentially,

the more searches that occur in Google, the more RankBrain is able

to learn, decipher patterns and filter results based on what it has

learnt.

Although complicated, RankBrain is an excellent program. Any

business committed to a sustainable SEO strategy (focused on

answering customers’ questions) will benefit. RankBrain validates

and rewards your efforts. But given RankBrain’s complexity, it’s

best to commission an expert for advice on how to adapt your SEO

strategy to RankBrain’s fluid algorithms ASAP.

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6. Flagship Attributes of Reliable SEO Providers

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6. Flagship Attributes of Reliable SEO Providers

Passion

Good SEO providers have an innate passion for the fact that search

is – first and foremost – is there to serve the searcher (and not the

brand they are doing SEO for). They are genuine advocates of the

customer experience; they do not see SEO as a challenge to be

exploited.

Furthermore, good SEO providers that don’t mince words in telling

a company what it will really take to get the job done are the

providers to watch. These partners will be looking at the long-term,

not at quick, short-lived success. They respect the organic channel

enough to pursue a strategy that is sustainable and give the best

results.

There are so many SEO providers currently in the market. Choosing between

them can be like choosing between chalk and cheese. Some are quality while

some are questionable, and the level of expertise, knowledge and experience they

offer will differ – and so will their price.

It’s important you make a good, well-informed decision. Below are some

characteristics to look out for when choosing your next SEO partner.

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Proven success

Past behaviour is the best indicator of future behaviour. Any SEO

provider worth their salt will be able to show an impressive track

record across multiple brands and how they continually adapt and

stay on top of current trends.

Long-term vision

SEO partners invested in your vision will align search as a strategy

with your commercial objectives and customer needs; trust them to

truly care about your long-term success more than your immediate

search rankings. They will understand the entire journey your

customers go through, making your content complements it, as

well as measure and update campaigns accurately, report analytics

effectively, make necessary changes and learn from data on an

ongoing basis. Customer experience, opportunities, challenges,

competitors, market trends and big-picture marketing objectives

are always front-of-mind.

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Multi-disciplinary approach

SEO providers that only specialise in one technical area should

set alarm bells ringing. You should look for a SEO partner that

comprehends the interplay between content, technical elements,

internal company resources, search, media outreach and social

factors. A partner that understands the various skills sets required

for robust success will be more valuable than one that can only

contribute to one piece of the puzzle.

Proven ROI and execution

Look for a SEO partner that has experience developing and

executing strategy in your business category. In plain English, they

should be able to demonstrate case studies and articulate ROI

they’ve created for clients in a similar space. Furthermore, question

their commitment to research, creation, promotion and conversion.

They should understand the tactical expertise and resources

needed to carry out each phase, as well as how to measure success.

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7. Key Criteria to Address During Supplier Selection at RFP/RFI

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7. Key Criteria to Address During Supplier Selection at RFP/RFI

SEO agencies may not provide direct answers to vital questions unless you

specifically ask them. Understand where they position themselves in this

volatile industry by asking pointed and direct questions about their capability,

differentiating factors and philosophy.

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The following ten questions are examples aimed at unearthing the

affinity between you and a SEO partner.

1. What are some results you’ve had with a client in my business

category in the last year?

2. How do you report on the effectiveness of your SEO

campaigns?

3. How do you use content promotion as part of your SEO

strategy?

4. How do you evolve your SEO strategies over time?

5. What strategies do you take to produce quality, recommended

content?

6. What approach would you take to earn media and develop off-

page SEO?

7. How do you wrap around our internal resources with your

external SEO strategy?

8. What experience have you had with different marketing

functions for clients in the past?

9. What’s your opinion of / how do you attribute value to ‘soft

conversions’ of SEO?

10. How do you define metrics of ‘search success’ throughout the

customer journey (and consequently hold these accountable)?

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8. In Summay

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8. In Summary

Customers are getting smarter; today they’re more discerning and know how to

ask better questions. For this reason, SEO is increasingly growing in importance

– and the dependency on good SEO will rise as this trend continues. Cheap SEO

tactics won’t make the grade. Instead, businesses need to invest in long-term

approaches that put the customer first.

Along with being a challenge in a volatile and competitive landscape, these

changes also present a great opportunity. Consumers search with commercial

intent and by creating an exceptional user experience, businesses can capitalise

on that intent. So long as organic search produces commercially viable results,

SEO will be a critical component of any marketing strategy.

Well-executed SEO will impact every brand’s digital presence and every stage of

a customer’s purchasing cycle. A sustainable strategy that focuses on long-term

ROI is an essential part of organic search. While the role of SEO specialists has

changed to encompass an organisation-wide approach, the importance of SEO

specialists has only grown.

How well is your organisation positioned to tackle the challenges of SEO in 2017?

Get in touch and let us know

Get In Touch1300 058 520

www.gmgdigital.com.au

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Melbourne

130 Chestnut St, Cremorne, VIC 3121

Sydney

Level 1, 377 New South Head Road,

Double Bay NSW 2028