At the BarCamp Nashville Un Conference, I led an impromptu session on SEO. It was great to see about 30 people show up to see a couple website reviews and talk SEO. Our internet connection was a little random but we managed to do 2 quick SEO website reviews in the session.

Tabitha Hawk of Nashville Computer Guru asked for a review of her website first. Tabitha ranks on the 1st page of Google for Nashville computer repair but wants to be higher. She’s not showing up at all on the Local Search results (the little pinpoints next to the map). Since the audience was mostly Nashville web designers & website owners with a limited knowledge of SEO, we spent a good bit of time on the main Google results page for her top keyword phrase and discussed the 3 main ways that you can show up on the 1st page of Google. For a good overview, see my video on the 10 Ways to Get on the 1st page of Google.

She’s not doing AdWords so we looked at her #5 organic listing 1st. She’s done a real good job with her home page title in targeting Nashville computer repair but it would help if she’d add that phrase prominently on her homepage. It currently only appears in some micro text in her footer and that’s not helping her relevancy as much as she needs. I also suggested that she needs more links.

Nashville Computer Guru has already claimed their Google Place page and I recommended encouraging some consumer reviews on Google or on trusted sites. Quantity and quality of reviews along with some citations should help her break into the Google Local 7-pack next to the map. It’ll also help if Google shows Place Search results for her main keyword phrase. In last month’s Nashville SEO group meeting, I explained how Google Places factors into SEO.

The 2nd SEO website review we did was Robin Thorpe Piano Studio. Robin’s working on a new web design so some of the input we offered might soon be moot but it was a good interactive review with lots of questions from Robin and others in the crowd. Robin wants to rank well for Nashville piano lessons and we discussed the uphill challenge that she faces since she’s based in Franklin. I suggested that she focus her organic SEO efforts on that phrase but that her Local SEO & Place Search goals should probably revolve around “Franklin TN piano lessons” based upon the current way that Google works.

Many in the audience came to chat afterwards and I really appreciate Alex Davie who even offered to do a quick video testimonial for me. Alex is an attorney in Nashville focusing on business law for entreprenuers, startup companies and the investment management industry.

This was my 1st BarcampNashville and it really lived up to the high expectations that had been set. Already looking forward to next year’s Barcamp!

If you’d like to learn more about SEO or get a free review of your website, checkout the Nashville SEO group. We meet every month to help website owners, designers and developers learn more about SEO.