SEO 101: Fast Track Your Membership Website’s SEO Google Ranking

What Does Optimizing for Google Mean? (00:00:18)

• Optimizing a site for Google means including keywords and phrases in the content on the website that informs Google about the industry and audience being served (00:00:18)
• The inclusion of keywords and phrases is crucial as it helps Google understand what the website is about, and without them, Google will not have this information (00:00:21)
• The content on the website should be designed to provide information to Google about the specific industry and audience being targeted, allowing Google to accurately categorize the website (00:00:23)
• If a website does not have keywords and phrases related to the industry and audience it is serving, Google will not be able to determine the website’s purpose or content (00:00:28)
• The presence of relevant keywords and phrases is essential for Google to comprehend the website’s subject matter and audience, which is vital for effective optimization (00:00:31)

Notes About SEO & Google (00:00:42)

• SEO is a marketing strategy that relies on searches in Google to show a website as a result, with the goal of driving traffic from Google search results to the website (00:00:42)
• When people have a website idea, they often ask if it’s possible to get their website on page one of Google, but there are several factors that affect the ability to achieve this ranking position (00:00:46)
• Understanding SEO as a marketing strategy is important, as it is one of several strategies that can be used to drive traffic to a website, with other options including social media marketing and paid ads (00:01:03)
• SEO is a specific strategy focused on getting Google search traffic to a website, and it is distinct from other marketing strategies that may be used to achieve this goal (00:01:16)
• The goal of SEO is to increase a website’s ranking position in Google, which can be influenced by various factors, and it is essential to understand these factors to develop an effective SEO strategy (00:00:58)

What Happens If You Don’t Optimize? (00:01:34)

• If a website’s SEO is not optimized, it will be really hard for Google to find the site or identify what keywords the website hopes to be found for in Google search results (00:01:34).
• As a result of poor SEO optimization, visitors will not be able to find the site, and instead, they will find the website’s competitors (00:01:46).
• The lack of SEO optimization also makes driving traffic to the website an expensive endeavor (00:01:51).

Identify Keywords & Phrases (00:01:53)

• To optimize a website’s SEO, the first step is to identify the keywords and phrases that the website should be found for, which is a crucial process that begins with understanding the target audience and their search queries (00:01:53).
• There are various tips and strategies available for finding diverse keywords and phrases that can strengthen the SEO power of a website, including using tools and techniques to discover relevant and high-traffic search terms (00:02:00).
• Identifying the right keywords and phrases to include on a website is essential, and there are strategies that can help with this process, such as conducting keyword research and analyzing competitors’ websites to determine the most effective keywords and phrases (00:02:09).

Example: Applying Targeted SEO Keywords to a New Website (00:02:14)

• The process of applying targeted SEO keywords to a new website is being demonstrated using a sample website, with the industry being targeted being dog grooming in New York City (00:02:14).
• The main areas to cover for improving homepage SEO include the general settings where SEO keywords can be added, and the homepage itself, which will be worked on to apply the necessary changes (00:02:36).
• A sample site is being used for demonstration purposes, which is similar to a new directory site, and the first step is to modify the logo and slogan, with the slogan being changed to “Best NYC Dog Groomers at the right price” (00:02:51).
• The slogan can be further modified to include words like “affordable price”, “any price”, or “priceless” to better optimize for SEO keywords, and the changes can be saved and refreshed to see the updated version of the website (00:03:07).
• The website being used as an example is “dotgroomernyc.com” with the slogan “Best NYC Dog Groomers at the right price”, which will be used to demonstrate the application of targeted SEO keywords (00:03:21).

General Settings (00:03:26)

• The general settings section is where the industry name and profession name are set, which are keywords that will be used throughout the site, including in meta tags and the footer, and will be updated in various places on the site (00:03:26).
• These keywords should be set to the main industry and type of profession being targeted, such as “dog grooming New York City” for the industry and “nyc dog groomer” for the profession (00:03:32).
• Setting these keywords is important because they will be used to update various small things around the site, including the title of the tab, and should be specific to the main industry and type of professional being covered (00:03:41).
• Examples of industry and profession keywords include “interior designer” and “nyc dog groomer”, and it’s helpful to be as specific as possible, such as using “nyc dog groomer” instead of a broader term like “local business” (00:03:50).
• Once the industry and profession names are set and saved, the changes will be reflected in various places on the site, including the title of the tab, which will update automatically (00:04:02).
• Using specific keywords like “nyc dog groomer” can help with search engine optimization (SEO) and make it easier for the site to be found by people searching for those terms (00:04:29).

Header / Main Menu (00:04:38)

• The main menu can be customized with various options, such as adding “dog groomer” and “login” to the header, and this example is used to illustrate the different places where keywords can be potentially placed (00:04:39).
• The “contact us” option can be removed from the main menu and placed in the footer instead, as it is already present there, and this change can help to declutter the main menu (00:05:05).
• The main menu and mini nav can be managed and customized using the menu manager, where options can be toggled and keywords can be added to different sections, such as the “dog groomer login” example (00:05:26).
• The logo, which is part of the design settings, has already been covered, and the general settings and header have also been discussed, and now the focus can shift to the design settings (00:05:41).
• The goal is to provide ideas on the various places where keywords can be added, and the main menu and header are just a few examples of the many areas where customization and optimization can be applied (00:05:38).

Design Settings (00:05:50)

• To optimize a membership website’s SEO, it’s essential to choose a suitable color scheme and layout for the homepage, and in this case, a “yelpy red” color is selected, and the home page layout is modified to better showcase the website’s purpose (00:05:56).
• When selecting an image for the homepage, it’s recommended to avoid images with a lot of white background, choose an image where the subject is on the left or right side to allow for text overlay, and use an appropriately sized rectangle image, preferably 1800 by 600 pixels (00:06:31).
• The main title text should include relevant phrases found in Google, such as “best dog groomers in New York City” or “affordable dog groomers,” to improve the website’s search engine ranking (00:07:54).
• The subtext should be concise and informative, and in this case, it’s changed to “search NYC dog groomers” to provide a clear call-to-action for visitors (00:08:24).
• The search type can be modified to include relevant keywords, and it’s essential to keep the search combinations streamlined and easy to use, such as using “top category and location” (00:08:50).
• The website’s text labels can be easily modified without requiring complicated code changes, and it’s possible to inject more keywords into the text to improve the website’s SEO (00:09:25).
• Changing the text labels, such as the “what do you need” label, to include more relevant keywords, like “select dog grooming,” can help improve the website’s search engine ranking (00:09:31).
• The process of optimizing a membership website for PageRank involves incorporating relevant keywords, such as “nyc dog grooming services” and “search nyc locations,” to improve search engine optimization (SEO) (00:09:38).
• A search module can be created with a “search now” button and text label, allowing users to find dog groomers near their location, and this module can include various keywords to enhance SEO (00:10:16).
• The hero divider section can be utilized to separate the home page and draw attention to the hero section, with the option to add keywords such as “search dog groomers” and “dog groomer services” (00:10:58).
• The hero divider can be updated to include a description, such as “add your dog grooming services” or “list your grooming services,” and can also include location-based keywords like “New York City” (00:11:14).
• Mobile optimization is crucial, and the website can be designed to be mobile-friendly, with features like font awesome icons and a list view for services (00:12:14).
• The website can include links to various services, such as “dog shampoo” and “nail clipping,” and can also have a list view for services, making it easier for users to find what they need (00:12:55).
• The colors and design of the website can be customized, and a before-and-after comparison can be made to see the changes, with the new design including features like a “new york city dog groomer search” and “dog groomer services” (00:13:01).
• The website can be optimized for SEO by adding relevant keywords and phrases, such as “search dog groomers” and “dog groomer services,” and by using the hero provider to drive traffic to specific categories (00:13:37).
• The primary categories of a website are crucial for SEO purposes, as they drive a lot of traffic, and having three or four impactful categories can be a great strategy for the hero divider section, which can help improve the user experience and encourage visitors to click into the website (00:14:07).
• By default, a website starts with two boxes that can be removed or utilized to add SEO content, and editing these boxes can be done through the design settings, specifically in the home page layout section (00:14:31).
• The “are you a local business” section can be updated to include specific keywords, such as “are you an New York City dog” or “find the best dog groomers in NYC”, to improve the website’s SEO (00:14:53).
• Adding pre-made content to the home page, such as top-level categories, can be done through the member category section, and adding images to these categories can enhance the user experience (00:15:14).
• The home page layout can be customized by rearranging the order of different sections, with 15 options available, but it is recommended to stick with three or four sections to avoid overwhelming the home page with too much content (00:16:07).
• The top category section can be added as the second section on the home page, followed by other sections such as newest members, blog articles, and top categories, to create a well-structured and user-friendly home page (00:16:21).
• The blog articles with sidebar section can be added as another element on the home page, providing more content and options for users to engage with the website (00:16:38).
• The titles of the different sections on the home page can be modified through the design settings, specifically in the home page layout section, to better reflect the content and improve the user experience (00:17:22).
• The active sections are limited to three options, which can be configured, and the rest of the options are not active (00:17:41).
• The top-level categories can be utilized to add more SEO content, such as text labels, and even the “join our newsletter” section can be optimized with relevant keywords (00:19:32).
• The blog articles on the homepage add good SEO value, and Google loves to see fresh content on the homepage, which can be achieved by utilizing streaming widgets that show recent content (00:19:55).
• Adding custom homepage content is another way to optimize the homepage for SEO, and this can be done by editing the homepage itself and adding the desired content, such as text from Wikipedia (00:21:03).
• The custom homepage content can be added between any of the sections on the homepage, and it can be edited by going to the “content” and “edit webpages” options, where the homepage is the first option (00:21:06).
• The custom homepage content section can be used to add a body of text, such as a sample text from Wikipedia, which can be pasted into the section and saved to display on the homepage (00:21:21).
• After adding the custom homepage content, the page can be refreshed to display the new content, which can include text, images, and other media, and can be used to add more SEO value to the homepage (00:21:35).

Footer Menu (00:21:46)

• The footer area of a website can be modified to include relevant information, such as a variable that displays the site’s name, which can be edited in the general settings of the site (00:21:47).
• The footer menu can be managed through the menu manager toolbox, where links can be added, edited, or deleted, and sub-links can be created to form drop-down menus (00:22:07).
• The footer menu can include links to important pages on the website, such as the about page, website search, and support, and these links can be customized to include relevant keywords (00:22:28).
• The text labels of the links in the footer menu can be changed to make them more relevant to the website’s content, and custom text can be added to the home page and footer to improve the website’s SEO (00:24:40).
• The footer menu can be optimized to include relevant keywords and phrases, such as “affordable New York City dog grooming” and “dog grooming services”, to improve the website’s search engine ranking (00:23:13).
• The website’s design and layout can be modified to make it more aesthetically pleasing and to include important keywords and phrases, such as adding a search box and custom text to the home page (00:24:28).
• The modifications made to the footer menu and the website’s design can help to improve the website’s SEO and make it more visible in search engine results (00:24:50).

Homepage Meta Tags (00:24:58)

• Homepage meta tags are crucial for search engine optimization and should be written in a way that is both appealing to users and optimized for search engines, including a title and description that accurately represent the content of the webpage (00:24:59).
• The title of the homepage meta tags is the text that Google will read and display in search results, and it should be short, concise, and include relevant keywords (00:25:04).
• The description of the homepage meta tags is the text that will be displayed in search results below the title, and it should be easy to read, include good keywords, and provide a brief summary of the webpage’s content (00:25:09).
• To edit the homepage meta tags, users can go to the “content” section, select “edit web page”, and then click on “seo meta tags” on the right-hand side, where they can enter their title and description (00:25:28).
• When writing the title and description, it’s essential to keep them short and sweet, using four to six keywords, and avoiding unnecessary words like “for” and “the” (00:26:10).
• The title and description will not be visible on the public website but will be visible in the page’s source code and will be used by Google in search results (00:26:02).
• The description should include relevant keywords and be written in a way that is easy to read and understand, providing a brief summary of the webpage’s content (00:26:31).
• After saving the changes, users can view the page’s source code to verify that the title and description have been updated correctly (00:26:51).