Optimizing a Website for Google Search

Learn the ins and outs of optimizing a website, from conducting an initial audit to presenting your findings and recommendations. Hands-on activities include learning how to select and apply appropriate keywords throughout a website, incorporating keyword research in a content marketing strategy, and optimizing a site for local search. You will also learn strategies for setting goals and client/stakeholder expectations, building effective analytics and reports, and communicating SEO improvements.

• Introduction to Optimizing a Website for Google Search
• Welcome to week 1! As you may remember from Module 4 within the last course, Search Engine Optimization Fundamentals, keywords are an extremely important tool for helping your customers find you in an often crowded field. Effective use of keywords on your optimized website can result in free targeted traffic to your site, helping you to reach your business goals. In this module, you will use the keyword research you conducted in the last course and you will learn a process for selecting the best keywords to optimize your website in search results. We will look at concepts like relevancy to the site, keyword intent, how competitive the keyword is in organic search, and how well that term might convert once it receives traffic. We’ll also discuss how to identify and evaluate competitors, how to map keywords to pages, and how to create a keyword map for your clients and your own site. There is a lot to discuss in our first module, so if you are taking this course without learning the materials of module 4 within the SEO Fundamentals course, I highly recommend you complete that module before diving into this one. So, let’s get started learning how to apply keyword research!
• Advanced SEO Strategies
• Welcome to module 2! While keywords help users locate relevant web pages, it’s the content itself that determines whether a click converts to a sale or increased site traffic. In many corners of the SEO world, the expression “Content is King” is a generally accepted rule, and in this module we’ll examine content from many perspectives: how to analyze it, organize it, create it, make it great and build it into our strategies. You’ll also learn how to conduct effective competitive content analysis and internal content audits. You’ll learn how to create a site-wide content strategy building on the data we uncover in our study and analysis of content. And finally, you'll review the topic of local SEO, what local SEO is, and how it is both similar to and different from regular SEO tactics and best practices. Let's get started!
• Mobile/App SEO and Metrics & KPIs
• Welcome to module 3! We will go over mobile/app SEO and Metrics and KPIs. You will learn how to optimize your app in app stores and incorporate keywords and keyword tags. You will also understand what A/B testing is and how it applies to app optimization. We will discuss the value of screenshots and how they play a role in user downloads. We will then review reasons why KPIs impact SEO efforts and how ROI is used to determine if a project was profitable. Lastly, we will discuss survey findings and how they help prepare you for successes and challenges in a career in SEO and why forecasting SEO impact is vital. We have a lot to cover, so let's get started!
• Creating an SEO Campaign
• Welcome to module 4! In this module, we are going to discuss the human factor of SEO - how to manage your relationship with clients. We’ll talk about what should be discussed in the critical first meetings, how to manage your client’s expectations, and how to track and report on progress toward your client’s goals. By the end of this module, you’ll have developed a solid approach for achieving a productive and successful relationship with your client.