1. ASSESSMENT RECAP

Search Engine Marketing Application Report

The assignment requires selecting a website, analysing its audience and keywords, optimising its on-page elements like title tags and headings, improving its backlink profile and site speed, and making recommendations to improve its SEO - all while following the specified report structure and referencing format. The analysis and recommendations should be supported by research and justified.

Structure:

1. Introduction
2. Audience Analysis
3. Keyword Research
4. On-page Optimisation
5. Off-page Optimisation
6. Conclusion

2. KEYWORDS EXPLANATION

1. Traffic Sources:

Direct (direct URL visits), Organic (search engine), Social (social media referrals), Referrals (other sites), Email, Display Ads etc. Shows the main channels driving traffic.

2. Short-tail vs Long-tail keywords:

Short-tail keywords consist of 1-2 words, often broad and high search volume terms (eg. "shoes", "hotel deals")

Long-tail keywords consist of 3 or more words, more specific and niche with lower search volume (eg. "black running shoes for women", "boutique hotel deals in Vietnam")

3. Stage of search: Refers to the stage in the buyer's journey that a keyword represents

(eg. Awareness - Broad informational queries/Consideration - More specific research queries /Decision - Highly specific queries with intent to purchase)

4. Type of search query:

-        Informational - Seeking knowledge, data, or advice

-        Navigational - Looking for a specific website or page

-        Transactional - Ready to purchase a product or service (highest conversion value)

5. On-page optimisation

-        Page URL - The unique web address that leads to a specific page on a website. Usually contains keywords relevant to the content.

-        Title Tag - HTML element that specifies the title of a web page. Displays in search engine results. Optimised title tags contain key keywords and compel clicks.

-        Meta Description - A short summary of a web page used in search results snippets. Concise descriptions optimise for chosen keywords.

-        Headings - HTML elements like <H1>, <H2> used to structure content into headings and subheadings. Help search engines understand topic and keywords.

3. OUTLINE

1. Introduction

-        Brief background of chosen company

-        Purpose and overview of report

Example:

Guardian, established in 1972 in Singapore, has emerged as a prominent health and beauty retail chain, offering a wide array of products encompassing categories like skincare, cosmetics, health supplements, and personal care (Guardian, 2023). This analysis focuses on Guardian's online platform, "Guardian Online", which strives to deliver an immersive shopping experience in the health and beauty sector. The objective of this assessment is to scrutinise Guardian's online presence and search engine marketing tactics, aiming to devise a more effective strategy for the brand.

The primary goal of Guardian's website is to facilitate online sales of its diverse product range, while simultaneously enhancing brand awareness and attracting organic web traffic. Primarily, the platform serves as a digital storefront to showcase products, engage with specific customer segments, and enrich the overall customer experience.