Search Engine Optimization - WM138

Instructor: Arlyn J. Hubbell

Required Text:

• Website Optimization
  Author: Andrew B. King
  O'Reilly & Associates, Sebastopol, CA; ISBN: 978-0-596-51508-9

Class Nights:

11/9

11/16

11/23

11/30

12/7

12/14

12/21

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Class I

• Course Requirements
• Searching the Web
• How Search Engines Work
• SEO Best Practices
• Organic vs. Paid
• Homework: Read Text Chapters 1 & 2
  Brainstorm topic for course project & be ready to discuss next week. As alternatives, you may use one of your existing sites and rework it to meet SEO standards OR write an SEO recommendation paper for one of your favorite web sites. Come up with a list of ten keywords for your site without software help. Conduct searches using your selected keywords using at least two search engines and note the results. Are they what your expected? Be prepared to discuss your keyword choices and search results next week.

Class II

• Keywords Generation & Selections
• Keyword Software
• How to Incorporate Keywords
• Homework: Read Chapters 3 & 4
  Conduct keyword searches using Google and at least one other keyword generator/analyzer starting with the keyword list you compiled last week. Revise your keyword list accordingly. Conduct searches using your new keywords and note the results. Are they what your expected? Do they show any improvement over your results from last week? Bring and be prepared to discussed your refined list, including software used and the reasoning for your choices, next week.

Class III

• Conversion Rate Optimization
• Best Practices
• Conversion Rate Maximization
• The CRO Campaign
• In-Class Exercise: TBA
• Homework: Read Text Chapter 5
  Apply the theories and techniques discussed thus far to your project. Be prepared to show and discuss your progress next week. If you are revamping an existing site, it would be great if you could point out differences between the new and old sites.

Class IV

• Site Presentations & Discussion
• Web Performance Optimization
• Homework: Read Text Chapters 6 & 7
  Apply HTML and/or CSS optimization to your site.

Class V

• Website Optimization Metrics
• Factors
• Web Analytics Software - Focus on Google
• SEM: Search Engine Marketing Metrics
• Web Performance Metrics
• Homework: Read Text Chapter 10
  

Class VI

• Google Site Maps
• Homework: Complete Final Project for next week.

Class VII

• Final Project Presentations
• Questions, Thoughts, Comments, Etc.

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Grade Determination
Per the requirements of Merrimack College, participants in this class will receive a letter grade upon completion of this course. Grades will be based on:

• class attendance and participation (25%)
• successful and timely completion of the assignments (25%)
• the final project (50%)

Please email arlyn@panix.com when homework assignments are ready for review. All assignments, as well as the final project, must be done with Dreamweaver and must be saved in the class' Unix account or on another appropriate Unix server that is accessible via the web.