How to be an SEO Ninja and Avoid the Cookie Monster!

The Chamber regularly run Bite Sized Learning Events in the sunny Chamber Rooms, which do 'exactly what they say on the tin' – offer bite sized introductions to topics useful for business owners.

 "How to be an SEO Ninja and Avoid the Cookie Monster" probably seemed a baffling title when it was announced in the Chamber newsletter a few months ago. Let me explain: SEO or search engine optimisation is how to get your website ranked higher in (mainly) Google searches. "Cookies" are small bits of code on websites that collect data from site visitors – and around which there has been much debate since the implementation of a new European Law in May 2012.

At first, it might appear to be a strange choice for someone who runs a web design and social media company – after all shouldn't I already know about SEO and "cookies"? To be honest I went mainly because of the cookie law – I've followed various discussions online about it and was still confused as to how it would affect my clients – so now was the time to find out!

Fellow Chamber member, Nick Lazar from 8 Bits Media, was the event host. He had a massive task to impart a lot of information relevant to all attendees – from small business owners, a local arts organisation, and a recent hire at a digital media agency – within a 90 minute session.

Nick's lively presentation included SEO basics; an exercise which had us scrambling under our chairs to scan QR codes with our smart phones to win a business book. (QR or Quick Response codes, are those funny-looking square bar codes that are appearing on shop windows, flyers and even at the Chelsea Flower Show, that allow you to access a web page instantly from your phone when you have a QR code reader app installed). A very handy tool if you want easy access to a web page from printed marketing materials – just remember that your website should be mobile friendly for easy viewing on a smart phone.

Most importantly for me at least, was Nick's clear description of how the new cookie law has impacted business. It was set up to stop unscrupulous collection of data from websites but, if a site visitor "disables" cookies in a pop-up window that many web developers are installing on client sites, it renders any collection of data for analytics purposes useless. This might not seem important if you are not building websites, but as a business owner if you don't have Google Analytics set up to measure what visitors to your site are doing, you will have no idea if people are simply clicking on your site and leaving immediately – not what you want if you are selling a product or service.

In the final analysis, Nick stated "if it's good enough for No. 10, then it's good enough for everybody else" - referring to the small link on the Prime Minster's website that explains the cookie law but doesn't give anyone the option to "disable" cookies themselves.

All in all, another great opportunity to learn provided by the Chamber in a lively and engaging format. (The biccies were good as well!)

Kate Bacon: Communications Genius
http://www.katebacon.com
 

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