In response to our rapid growth, we are currently hiring a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Specialist.

We only hire the best candidates, and then we let them do their jobs. We do our best to keep our workplace fun, exciting, unique and respectful. So, we want people with those same attributes.

SEO Specialists work closely with Senior WrightIMC Executives to ensure that sites have optimal external and internal linking strategies and adhere to the best practices for on-page optimization. If you don’t understand that last sentence, this position may not be for you.

We expect that our SEO Specialists:

• Have advanced knowledge of SEO processes and tools (Google Analytics certification is a big bonus)
• Can articulate, and train others in, SEO best practices
• Harbor a strong desire to learn and a passion for search marketing and interactive marketing in general
• Have at least 2 years professional working experience in internal- or client-facing online marketing positions, preferably in an agency
• Possess 2 or more years of advanced search engine marketing experience
• Can show experience setting up an SEO campaign that delivered measurable results (Results from large sites are the most impressive)
• Are excellent writers (writing samples required) and oral communicators
• Are up to date on industry news and trends

The Icing on the Cake:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism/Marketing/Communications
• Working knowledge of GWO, PPC, CMS and web development
• Experience working with content marketing and social media strategies
• A portfolio of past Internet marketing campaigns

You will be expected to spend time outside of work researching and staying current on industry trends. This means time researching, practicing and reading during your free time. For the right person that is a pleasure, rather than a chore. If you already have a lot of SEO experience, you must also have an open mind. We have our own process that may be different than what you learned somewhere else. And, it works well, so we expect our employees to follow it.

This position is based in our offices in Plano, Texas, and we will not consider candidates who need to work from home or other geographical locations. Any agencies or off-shore applicants will be wasting their time responding to this ad. Successful candidates must be able to work in the United States. For consideration, go to http://wrightimc.com/seo-account-executive/ to fill out an application.

WrightIMC offers full benefits to all full-time employees and is an equal opportunity employer.

Hiring Organization: WrightIMC

(Seeing the tweets in this post is dependent on the Twitter API, and we know how reliable that is. If all you see is links try refreshing the page.)

Location

We were at our usual location, but due to another large conference going on in the hotel we were relegated to the Spurs Room, which is right off the bar.

DFWSEM Secrets of Google Local SEO in 2013 Meeting

We’re in a different room this time. Just make your way to the bar and you’ll find us. #dfwsem

— DFWSEM (@dfwsem) January 24, 2013

Which inspired the following tweet.

Good news #dfwsem members! twitter.com/YoungbloodJoe/…

— Joe Youngblood (@YoungbloodJoe) January 23, 2013

And retweet.

Let’s just start there! RT @youngbloodjoe: Good news #dfwsem members! twitter.com/YoungbloodJoe/…

— Grant Wickes (@gwickes) January 23, 2013

A few people took Grant up on his suggestion

Attendance

The downside of meeting in this room is the size, and the first meeting of 2013 set a record for the number of attendees who registered online in advance. 117. (Thanks to each of you who did, it helps a lot.) Not to worry, that should not be a problem going forward.

Packed house #dfwsem listening to Chris Silver Smith talk about local search. @si1very thanks for presenting tonight. twitter.com/AtomicDC/statu…

— Atomic DC (@AtomicDC) January 24, 2013

Got to see some faces we hadn’t seen in a while. (Hope it’s not like the gym and we don’t see them again till next year.)

I’m headed to @dfwsem tonight. I can’t wait to see some old industry friends and learn some new stuff about #Local #SEO. #DFWSEM

— Neil Lemons (@Neil_Lemons) January 23, 2013

Attending #dfwsem meeting. (@ Hyatt Regency North Dallas w/ 4 others) 4sq.com/10SP7TW

— Clara Mathews (@Clarabela) January 24, 2013

@brianreagan @awebsitecheckup @dfwsem Can’t wait til #dfwsem tonight, I’m actually going to make an appearance!

— Bill Hartzer (@bhartzer) January 23, 2013

Before The Meeting

Before the meeting got started the crew from Globe Runner SEO stopped for a little pre-game activity.

Pre #dfwsem food. @ Twisted Root Burger Company instagr.am/p/U2G6bak9ZW/

— Cody Vaughan Sharp (@Cody_Sharp) January 23, 2013

Twisted Root before #DFWSEMGame face on.

— Damon Gochneaur (@DamonGochneaur) January 24, 2013

Wing style. ANd get the secret fries. For me. #getfit2013 RT @damongochneaur: Twisted Root before #DFWSEMGame face on.

— Matthew Decuir (@MattBasically) January 24, 2013

#dfwsem pregame @ Twisted Root Burger Company instagr.am/p/U2MraElXMB/

— Andy Odom (@AndyOdom7) January 24, 2013

A couple of people had issues getting to the venue, but persevered.

Stuck in traffic on 635 on my way to #dfwsem

— Aida Rojas : ) (@AidaDRojas) January 24, 2013

Two flat tires on my way to #DFWSEM couldn’t stop me from hearing @greggifford & @s1lvery speak about Local SEO tonight!

— Owen Nwanze (@TheBritishTexan) January 24, 2013

Social Media Club of Dallas

The President of the Social Media Club of Dallas (SMCDallas), Kendal Shiffler, graced us with her presence.

Excited to be at #dfwsem tonight! Congrats @brianmedina and the new board!!

— Kendall Shiffler (@KendallAnne) January 24, 2013

Lots of great #smcdallas supporters at #dfwsemtonight! @tonycecala @buzzshift @scottvann @dansturdivant @mattbasically @stnc & more!

— Kendall Shiffler (@KendallAnne) January 24, 2013

Awards

We honored the two of the gentlemen who founded DFWSEM, Bill Hartzer and Jim Gilbert, and the past president, Dan Sturdivant.

Bill Hartzer and Jim Gilbert were honored as the founders of DFWSEM.

Thank you @bhartzer and Jim Gilbert for pioneering #DFWSEM. And kudos to @dansturdivant for a great 2012. #dfwsem

— DFWSEM (@dfwsem) January 24, 2013

Presentations

The presentations by Chris Silver Smith and Greg Gifford, on Google Local SEO in 2013, provided a wealth of information as was witnessed by the massive amount of note taking.

This guy is serious about learning at tonight’s #DFWSEM meeting! twitter.com/dfwsem/status/…

— DFWSEM (@dfwsem) January 24, 2013

During The Meeting

At the same time THIS was going on.

.@stnc is taking my iPhone apart at #dfwsem. So weird.

— Matthew Decuir (@MattBasically) January 24, 2013

and he is so happy! “@mattbasically: .@stnc is taking my iPhone apart at #dfwsem. So weird.”

— Rani Monson (@RaniMonson) January 24, 2013

Its his thing. Hes at peace. RT @ranimonson: and he is so happy! “@mattbasically: .@stnc is taking my iPhone apart at #dfwsem. So weird.”

— Matthew Decuir (@MattBasically) January 24, 2013

@stnc has put said phone back together.#dfwsem

— Matthew Decuir (@MattBasically) January 24, 2013

After The Meeting

The real action at DFWSEM goes on at the hotel bar. This evening was no different. As soon as the bar opened the twitter chatter stopped, although there was almost no tweeting going on. Maybe their hands were busy holding something besides their smart phones?

Sarah Hodge and Kevin Adams at the bar after the DFWSEM Secrets of Google Local SEO Meeting.

Summary

All in all it was a great night.

Solid talks by both @si1very & @greggifford on local #seo tips @ #dfwsem. If you’re not attending these events, you’ve already lost.

— James Loomstein (@jloomstein) January 24, 2013

More updates coming soon that cover the two presentations that were given.

Keep up with all the DFWSEM happenings on Twitter and Facebook.

About the Author: Scott Vann (@ScottVann) is the Vice President of Communication for DFWSEM, and a Realtor serving the Dallas area from Downtown to points north. Search for homes at ScottVann.com.

One Blogger’s Story

Sean started the presentation telling us about a guy he knows named Jon. In 2006 the car Jon was in was hit by another car going 85 mph. During the next three months of recovery he evaluated his life, decided he didn’t like the way things were, and quit everything. When a friend asked him what he was going to do now his response was, “I don’t know, maybe start a blog.”

Van Jon Morrow was in when he was hit by a vehicle going 85 mph.

Start a blog he did, but he wasn’t just a casual blogger, he dedicated himself to his new task from first thing in the morning, till the wee hours of night. He didn’t watch TV. He didn’t see friends. He just worked on his blog.

In the first 30 days Jon had his blog off the ground, by the second 30 days he had over 2,000 visitors per month. A couple of months after that he was asked to be the Associate Editor of CopyBlogger, one of the most successful blogs in the world, so he sold his blog for five figures and went to work for them.

One day he realized he didn’t like living in cold Chicago any longer, and since all of CopyBlogger’s employees work from home, he wasn’t tied to living there. He was a blogger. He could live anywhere in the world he wanted to. Long story short, one year later he had moved to a beach front condo in one of the finest resorts in Mazatlan, Mexico.

So now he works for one of the most successful blogs in the world, writes on several other high profile blogs, lives in a beachfront condo, and blogs while watching dolphins play in the ocean. All while earning a high six figure income.

Jon Morrow’s Office in Mazatlan, Mexico

One detail has been left out of this story. Jon has a fatal disease, can’t move from the neck down, and has round the clock nursing assistance. His hands have never touched a keyboard.

Pro Blogger Jon Morrow

You can read the true story of Jon Morrow (@JonMorrow), in his own words, in this blog post, How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise And Get Paid to Change the World.

What is Your Excuse?

So here’s the question that hit me hard, and I quote Sean directly (sans the salty language), “What is your excuse?”

Are You Ready to Go Pro?

First let’s define what pro means. Once Brian Clark, founder and CEO of CopyBlogger, was asked, “What’s the one measurement that matters?” His answer, “Money.” Sean said it this way, “If you’re not making money you’re not a professional blogger.” Pro means you’re getting paid, and if you want to get paid you must tell stories that move people to take action.

What Does it Take to Go Pro?

A pro has three qualities: discipline, focus, and detail.

Discipline

Sean described discipline as “Doing the same thing all the damn time.” As a blogger that means writing all the time. Seth Godin was asked, “Do you write every day?” His answer, “Do you talk every day?” When Jon was starting out he worked on his blog every day from the time he got up, till the time he fell asleep. There was no time for TV. There was no time for friends. Every waking minute was spent working on the blog.

Focus

Did you know that every time someone interrupts you it takes fifteen minutes to regain your concentration? Malcom Gladwell, in his book Outliers, defined the 10,000 hour rule. Anyone who has truly mastered their craft – think Tiger Woods, Michael Jordon, and Jon Morrow – has spent 10,000 hours getting to that level of excellence. If that’s the case, we don’t have any fifteen minute increments to spare. Brian Clark, CEO of CopyBlogger, has certain times set aside to focus on his writing, during which the whole company knows not to disturb him.

Detail

Sean said you have to “Focus on little things, not be consumed with everything.” At CopyBlogger they obsess over details. Change seemingly minor things and test the response. As an example: the button used to subscribe to their e-mail list no longer says “Subscribe,” but now says “Join Us.” Look at the social share buttons on any of their blog posts. Their location and size have been tested and refined based on the response. (I would suggest copy this idea exactly.)

Build an Audience

The CopyBlogger mantra has been, “Build an audience and sell them what they want.” This is in stark contrast to most businesses who build the product first, then go looking for an audience.

Top Three Ways To Build an Audience

The top three methods for building an audience are magnetic headlines, guest blogging, and e-mail. Notice what isn’t included on this list: search engine optimization, website design, or social media, etc.

Magnetic Headlines

The single most important piece of your blogging success is writing headlines that grab someone’s attention, and make them want to keep reading. This one surprised me, but shouldn’t have, especially when you consider the following.

“Your headline is the first, and perhaps only, impression you make on a prospective reader. Without a compelling promise that turns a browser into a reader, the rest of your words may as well not even exist.” CopyBlogger

“On average, 8 out of 10 people will read headline copy, but only 2 out of 10 will read the rest. This is the secret to the power of your title, and why it so highly determines the effectiveness of the entire piece.” CopyBlogger

“Your headline is the first, and perhaps only, impression you make on a prospective reader. Without a compelling promise that turns a browser into a reader, the rest of your words may as well not even exist.” CopyBlogger

Ever sent out an e-mail, through a service such as MailChimp, later looked at your stats, and wondered why more of them weren’t opened? You now have an answer. Write a better subject line.

Ever wrote a blog post, put it out on Facebook, and wondered why more people didn’t click through to read it? You now have answer. Write a better status update.

“Remember, every element of compelling copy has just one purpose — to get the next sentence read. And then the sentence after that, and so on, all the way down to your call to action. So it’s fairly obvious that if people stop at the headline, you’re already dead in the water.” CopyBlogger

CopyBlogger has a great resource on writing Magnetic Headlines.

Guest Blogging

Why should you be actively looking for opportunities to guest blog? It gives you an opportunity to reach an audience you wouldn’t be able to reach otherwise.

Here is an example. Jon has a website where he teaches people about guest blogging. If you Google “guest blogging” you’re likely to find his site, but how does he reach people who haven’t even considered the possibility of guest blogging?

Well Jon has his gig at CopyBlogger, and at the end of every one of his posts, which generally aren’t about guest blogging, you’ll see the following message.

About the Author

How many people do you think have gotten to Jon’s site on guest blogging by reading one of his articles on CopyBlogger? I think it’s safe to assume a very significant number.

The second reason for guest blogging is because of Google’s move into Google Authorship, which is a process for ranking articles based on who has written them. Imagine a future where people are no longer worried about how well their site ranks with Google, but how well an author ranks on their site. If you have a high ranking as an author, your services might soon become valuable to someone.

“Rel=Author is the biggest thing in SEO in a long time.” Sean Jackson

E-mail with Auto-Responders

E-mail is the most cost effective way of reaching someone who has visited your site before, getting them back for repeat visits, and one day taking action on something you’ve offered. How do you get people to join your email list? Give them a good reason to sign up, something of value, and make sure it’s free.

Sean shared with us that the method CopyBlogger has perfected is the no-pitch e-mail series. If you visit CopyBlogger you can find several tutorials on various subjects relevant to bloggers. Once you sign up for them, every few days you will get an email with the next installment in the series. At the end of the e-mail you might be softly invited to take another action with them, but whether you do or do not, in a few more days you will get another email with more information.

The auto-responder keeps your name in front of them, and when they need something you are offering, they know right where to get it. And the ultimate prize is when they forward your e-mail to one of their friends, or everyone in their address book, and suddenly you’ve been referred to a whole new group of people.

My favorite quote of Sean’s regarding email was this, “Real friends don’t send HTML e-mail.” When you are setting up your emails make sure they are short, and text based.

The Goal of Audience Building

When your audience trusts you they will do business with you. The formula for building trust is:

Frequency + Likability = Trust

Of those two, frequency is the most important. With enough frequency I can get you to like me.

E-mail gives you the ability to frequently communicate with your audience, so that they start to like you, then trust you, and eventually do business with you.

Dallas Design District

Let’s take a look at a real life example of trust.

In Dallas there is an area called the Dallas Design District. A developer bought up some of the property with the goal to, “breathe new life into a historic area and to raise the sea level for the entire neighborhood, not just its properties.” An ambitious goal, to say the least.

As part of their plan they included a social media component and hired a blogger, Kendall Shiffler (@KendallAnne). She created a blog that is now known as DallasDesignDistrict.com. It took some Jon Morrow type of determination to develop, but let’s look at the results.

• Over 60% of the apartments leased in the development were a direct result of the blog.
• Apartments were leased at rates 30% higher than the competition.
• Commercial property rates increased 50% over four years.

And kudos to Kendall. The marketing budget for the social and content marketing platform has stayed in place, while other marketing initiatives that didn’t produce have been cut.

Kendall Shiffler of DallasDesignDistrict.com

Whatever business you’re in, wouldn’t you like to have the trust factor built up that generates these types of response rates?

The Five Things People Want To Buy

When it comes time to sell your audience a product, your product needs to have one or more of the following five characteristics:

1. Ease
2. Comfort
3. Mental Stimulation
4. Ego Reinforcement
5. Social Acknowledgment

Sean says, “People will spend outrageous amounts of money to buy one or all of these.”

Take for example the iPhone. Is it necessary to have one? No, but it does have ease of use, it is comfortable to hold, and there is a certain amount of ego reinforcement and social acknowledgement that goes with owning it. Since it meets more than one of these requirements people pay a premium to have it.

After you build your audience, then start looking to build a product or service that meets these characteristics. When you accomplish that, selling it to your audience is easy.

Summary

What’s keeping you from going pro? What’s keeping you from living your dreams? For most people fear holds them back from doing what needs to be done, so they can live the way they want. If you’re not happy where you’re at, do something different.

“When you recognize your gifts, you can change anything for yourself that you wish to change. If you don’t like how something is going for you, change it. If something isn’t enough, change it. If something doesn’t suit you; change it. If something doesn’t please you, change it. You don’t ever have to be the same after today. If you don’t like your present address, change it—you’re not a tree!” Jim Rohn

In the Dallas area there are several resources you can tap into for learning more on what it takes to go pro.

The DFW WordPress Meetup (@DFWWP) meets on the fourth Saturday of the month and is a valuable resource for learning about WordPress, the most popular blogging platform.

The Dallas Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association (@DFWSEM) meets once a month and covers topics related to getting ranked in the search engines.

About the Author: Scott Vann (@ScottVann) is the Vice President of Communication for DFWSEM, and a Realtor serving the Dallas area from Downtown to points north. Search for homes at ScottVann.com.

Chris is the President of Dallas based Argent Media, based in Dallas, Texas. He works with clients across the country as a consultant in the areas of SEO, social media, and reputation management. He writes frequently for Search Engine Land, and is the Vice President of Programming for DFWSEM.

Semantic Markup for Local SEO

What Is Semantic Markup?

In the context of web pages, Semantic Markup uses the HTML and page coding to not only instruct the web browser on how to display the page, but also on how to convey meaning so that machines can better interpret the content.

The traditional use of the HTML code is to define how content is presented by the browser to the reader. For example the <h1> code is used for primary titles of articles, such as the one at the top of this page, and makes the text appear larger and bolder. The <i> tag would make text appear in italics. Semantic HTML is the use of code to tell search engines exactly what a piece of information is, not just how it appears.

#dfwsem semantic markup tells the search engine what the pieces of content are and how they relate to one another. #si1very

— Laura Mitchell (@lcjdot) January 24, 2013

Why Use Semantic Markup?

1. Helps search engines to interpret your site correctly, increasing their confidence in assessing the meaning of your information.

   If you have a business with a storefront, you would want to include the address of where it is physically located. If all addresses were as simple as 123 Main Street this would not be an issue, but what if your address is 456 Memphis Avenue? Memphis in this case is a street name, but it can also be a city name, or a type of barbecue. This creates confusion for search engines. What Memphis is this site referring to? Using a snippet of semantic HTML you can tell Google that Memphis is a street name, eliminating the confusion.

2. Increases the chances of getting Rich Snippets to appear with your web page results.

   Rich snippets, according to Google, “provide webmasters with the ability to add useful information to their web search results. The purpose is to present users with more information about the content that exists on a page so they can better decide which result is most relevant for their query.”

   Key takeaway: This may result in additional traffic to your site.

Setting up rich snippets like google authorship tag produces min 15%+ in click thru @si1very #dfwsem twitter.com/gwickes/status…

— Grant Wickes (@gwickes) January 24, 2013

Rich Snippets for Local SEO

What Type of Rich Snippets Are Available?

There are several forms of rich snippets available for use, depending on what your site is about. Google Authorship is the most popular, and is applicable across all types of sites, followed by Breadcrumbs. You can also markup reviews, videos, events, coupons, among other unique identifiers. In depth detail can be found at Schema.org.

Rich Snippets help makes listings stand out in search #DFWSEM

— Frankie De Soto (@franklogic) January 24, 2013

Google Authorship

The Holy Grail of rich snippets today is Google Authorship. When Google Authorship is enabled it has the potential to increase your rankings with Google. Not only does your site come up in the search engine results page (SERP), but your name and picture are shown as well – increasing your click through rate potential.

When Google Authorship is enabled it has the potential to increase your rankings with Google, and your picture and name will show up in search results increasing your click through rate.

Have you set up your Google Authorship yet?

Most Valuable Markup: Author Tag. Have you established yours yet? #BeHonest #DFWSEM @si1very

— DFWSEM (@dfwsem) January 24, 2013

There still seems to be a great deal of confusion on how to do it.

@cody_sharp I tried. Need a good how to article or some help! #DFWSEM

— Kendall Shiffler (@KendallAnne) January 24, 2013

We will explore that further in a future post, but the first thing you must do is setup a Google +, if you’ve not already done so.

Click here for a how-to set up the reciprocal link if you’re running a site on the WordPress/Genesis framework, or here for information, from our friends at Atomic Design & Consulting, on how to do it on other sites.

Breadcrumbs

In the children’s fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel, Hansel leaves a trail of bread crumbs on their trip into the forest so they can find their way back home. In the fairy tale world of Google, breadcrumbs help a user know where they are going on your site or where they are at on your site. In addition they provide additional navigation opportunities, which will in turn increase your click through rate.

Google Rich Snippet Breadcrumbs Help Users Know Where In Your Site They Are Going.

Breadcrumbs appear on a site, as well as in the search results, making it easier to navigate.

Breadcrumbs for local website are highly recommended. It’s a navigation feature for your site that Google likes vey much #DFWSEM

— Frankie De Soto (@franklogic) January 24, 2013

Google explains them this way.

Reviews

Favorable product reviews appearing in search results increase your click through rate as well.

Google Rich Snippet Reviews Help Users Know How Others Have Rated a Product.

Testimonials provide a human voice and element to your local listings and can influence potential customers #dfwsem @si1very

— DFWSEM (@dfwsem) January 24, 2013

Other

There are several other semantic markups that you could potentially take advantage of. Chris wrote on article on Search Engine Land, 13 Semantic Markup Tips for 2013: A Local SEO Checklist, that is an additional great resource.

One Final Thought

Google wants to know you better. Is it to your advantage? Well, how much you share relates to how much you’re shared. #dfwsem #localseo

— Marya Sherwin (@marketingmarya) January 24, 2013

Job Summary

The SEO Services Program Manager will be responsible for designing and implementing custom SEO solutions for national brand customers, then assigning work to a team of SEO analysts and while monitoring the work completion and results. The Program Manager will assist the sales organization acquire clients and draft statement of work (SoW) documents.

Key Competencies

Analytical abilities

• Can quickly analyze issues to identify root cause
• Able to evaluate large volumes of data to make inferences and recommendations

Customer Focus

• Demonstrates dedication to meeting client expectations and requirements
• Establishes and maintains effective relationships with clients
• Seeks client feedback and incorporates it into future activities

Presentation Skills

• Can draft and deliver customer presentations
• Can draft and deliver presentations to internal leaders and stakeholders

Managing through System & Process

• Can design practices, processes, and procedures to assist in search campaign management
• Can work with other team members to accomplish common goals
• Demonstrates dedication to meeting client expectations and requirements

Technical SEO skills

• Understanding of W3C standards, schema.org and Google webmaster guidelines
• Determine and correct on-site issues such as broken links, page errors, etc.
• Proven methodologies and tactics for generating off-site SEO signals
• Perform page updates within content management systems

Managing and measuring work

• Create, assign, and measure work completion across internal external teams

Manage direct reports

• Conduct 1-on-1 assessment of individual employees
• Conduct staff meetings to set team and organization goals
• Discipline employees who do not comply with work requirements

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Management Information Systems, Computer Science or related fields
• 5+ years of demonstrated experience as an SEO Specialist with web development experience
• 1+ year of experience managing direct reports
• Experience drafting and delivering sales and marketing materials to prospective clients such as sales presentations and SoWs
• Strong technical understanding of industry standard content management systems such as WordPress, Drupal, SharePoint, SiteCore, etc.
• Very strong oral and written business communication skills, including the ability to interact with customers and present concepts clearly to your audience
• Solid understanding of web protocols, web application architectures and frameworks
• Expertise in HTML, CSS, and cross-browser development and other SEO related technologies
• Expertise in Schema.org and Google Webmaster guidelines
• Expertise in web analytic technologies and tools such as Google Analytics and Google Webmaster tools

Primary Location
Dallas, Texas

Organization
Global Services

Schedule
Full-Time

Apply at Reach Local