Frederick Townes gave a presentation at WordCamp NL on optimizing websites for search engines, conversions, social media, and performance. He emphasized defining goals, focusing content, competitive analysis, developing traffic drivers and brand, and measuring success through analytics. Townes recommended techniques like enabling gzip compression, using sharing plugins, analytics segmentation, and Open Graph tags. He highlighted useful WordPress plugins and websites and took questions.

1. FIRST!
WordCamp NL, 6/11/2010
By Frederick Townes

2. ABOUT ME
 Founder: W3 EDGE, W3 MARKUP
 CTO: Mashable
 Husband
 Co-host: WordPress Community Podcast
 Geek: In General

3. POLL, HAVE YOU OPTIMIZED FOR….
 search engines?
 conversions?
 social media (to drive page views,
engagement, etc)?
 performance?

4. BUILDING BLOCKS
 Success is relative: define goals
 Focus: set limits, make your site a destination
 Competitive Analysis: differentiate yourself,
determine what you are not
 Traffic Drivers: practice, discover + develop
techniques
 Develop your brand: connect with readers,
network
 Measure: track, analyze + remain cautiously
optimistic

5. GREAT USER EXPERIENCE *IS* SUCCESS
 Progressive enhancement across devices
 Consistent brand experience across devices
 Don’t make users think
 Create rich user experiences
 Make your content load first, do whatever it
takes
 All of the above means lower bounce rates,
more page views per visit and each new visitor
is more likely to return

6. QUICK TIPS
 Enable gzip compression (and minify)
 Use XFBML implementation for facebook plugins
 Use ShareThis and Tweetmeme, they provide
analytics
 Segment Traffic using Google Analytics Campaigns
to URLs you share and use FeedBurner if you don’t
already
 Add Facebook Open Graph meta tags to your posts
(plugin?)
 Want more? click WordPress Podcast link when you
see it each week right from your WordPress
Dashboard

7. PLUGINS OF NOTE
 http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/buddypress/
 http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/post-revision-
display/
 http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/ultimate-
taxonomy-manager/
 http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/shrimptest/
 http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wordpress-seo/
 http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/google-analytics-
for-wordpress/
 http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/w3-total-cache/

8. SITES OF NOTE
 http://wpcandy.com/
 http://yoast.com/
 http://andybeard.eu/
 http://www.wpbeginner.com/
 http://wordpress.tv/
 http://www.wpjedi.com/
 http://www.wptavern.com/

9. THOUGHTS?
 Quick Questions?
Ask. 
 Long Questions?
Meet me @ the Genius Bar or save them for
the “SEO & Website Optimization” session
with Roy Huiskes

10. THANK YOU
 Need more help?
Hire Me!
ftownes@w3-edge.com
http://twitter.com/w3edge