Microsoft Excel - Useful Shortcut Keys

Ctrl+A	Select All	None
Ctrl+B	Bold	Format, Cells, Font, Font Style, Bold
Ctrl+C	Copy	Edit, Copy
Ctrl+D	Fill Down	Edit, Fill, Down
Ctrl+F	Find	Edit, Find
Ctrl+G	Goto	Edit, Goto
Ctrl+H	Replace	Edit, Replace
Ctrl+I	Italic	Format, Cells, Font, Font Style, Italic
Ctrl+K	Insert Hyperlink	Insert, Hyperlink
Ctrl+N	New Workbook	File, New
Ctrl+O	Open	File, Open
Ctrl+P	Print	File, Print
Ctrl+R	Fill Right	Edit, Fill Right
Ctrl+S	Save	File, Save
Ctrl+U	Underline	Format, Cells, Font, Underline, Single
Ctrl+V	Paste	Edit, Paste
Ctrl W	Close	File, Close
Ctrl+X	Cut	Edit, Cut
Ctrl+Y	Repeat	Edit, Repeat
Ctrl+Z	Undo	Edit, Undo
F1	Help	Help, Contents and Index
F2	Edit	None
F3	Paste Name	Insert, Name, Paste
F4	Repeat last action	Edit, Repeat. Works while not in Edit mode.
F4	While typing a formula, switch between absolute/relative refs	None
F5	Goto	Edit, Goto
F6	Next Pane	None
F7	Spell check	Tools, Spelling
F8	Extend mode	None
F9	Recalculate all workbooks	Tools, Options, Calculation, Calc,Now
F10	Activate Menubar	N/A
F11	New Chart	Insert, Chart
F12	Save As	File, Save As
Ctrl+:	Insert Current Time	None
Ctrl+;	Insert Current Date	None
Ctrl+"	Copy Value from Cell Above	Edit, Paste Special, Value
Ctrl+’	Copy Fromula from Cell Above	Edit, Copy
Shift	Hold down shift for additional functions in Excel’s menu	none
Shift+F1	What’s This?	Help, What’s This?
Shift+F2	Edit cell comment	Insert, Edit Comments
Shift+F3	Paste function into formula	Insert, Function
Shift+F4	Find Next	Edit, Find, Find Next
Shift+F5	Find	Edit, Find, Find Next
Shift+F6	Previous Pane	None
Shift+F8	Add to selection	None
Shift+F9	Calculate active worksheet	Calc Sheet
Shift+F10	Display shortcut menu	None
Shift+F11	New worksheet	Insert, Worksheet
Shift+F12	Save	File, Save
Ctrl+F3	Define name	Insert, Names, Define
Ctrl+F4	Close	File, Close
Ctrl+F5	XL, Restore window size	Restore
Ctrl+F6	Next workbook window	Window, ...
Shift+Ctrl+F6	Previous workbook window	Window, ...
Ctrl+F7	Move window	XL, Move
Ctrl+F8	Resize window	XL, Size
Ctrl+F9	Minimize workbook	XL, Minimize
Ctrl+F10	Maximize or restore window	XL, Maximize
Ctrl+F11	Inset 4.0 Macro sheet	None in Excel 97. In versions prior to 97 - Insert, Macro, 4.0 Macro
Ctrl+F12	File Open	File, Open
Alt+F1	Insert Chart	Insert, Chart...
Alt+F2	Save As	File, Save As
Alt+F4	Exit	File, Exit
Alt+F8	Macro dialog box	Tools, Macro, Macros in Excel 97 Tools,Macros - in earlier versions
Alt+F11	Visual Basic Editor	Tools, Macro, Visual Basic Editor
Ctrl+Shift+F3	Create name by using names of row and column labels	Insert, Name, Create
Ctrl+Shift+F6	Previous Window	Window, ...
Ctrl+Shift+F12	Print	File, Print
Alt+Shift+F1	New worksheet	Insert, Worksheet
Alt+Shift+F2	Save	File, Save
Alt+=	AutoSum	No direct equivalent
Ctrl+`	Toggle Value/Formula display	Tools, Options, View, Formulas
Ctrl+Shift+A	Insert argument names into formula	No direct equivalent
Alt+Down arrow	Display AutoComplete list	None
Alt+’	Format Style dialog box	Format, Style
Ctrl+Shift+~	General format	Format, Cells, Number, Category, General
Ctrl+Shift+!	Comma format	Format, Cells, Number, Category, Number
Ctrl+Shift+@	Time format	Format, Cells, Number, Category, Time
Ctrl+Shift+#	Date format	Format, Cells, Number, Category, Date
Ctrl+Shift+$	Currency format	Format, Cells, Number, Category, Currency
Ctrl+Shift+%	Percent format	Format, Cells, Number, Category, Percentage
Ctrl+Shift+^	Exponential format	Format, Cells, Number, Category,
Ctrl+Shift+&	Place outline border around selected cells	Format, Cells, Border
Ctrl+Shift+_	Remove outline border	Format, Cells, Border
Ctrl+Shift+*	Select current region	Edit, Goto, Special, Current Region
Ctrl++	Insert	Insert, (Rows, Columns, or Cells) Depends on selection
Ctrl+-	Delete	Delete, (Rows, Columns, or Cells) Depends on selection
Ctrl+1	Format cells dialog box	Format, Cells
Ctrl+2	Bold	Format, Cells, Font, Font Style, Bold
Ctrl+3	Italic	Format, Cells, Font, Font Style, Italic
Ctrl+4	Underline	Format, Cells, Font, Font Style, Underline
Ctrl+5	Strikethrough	Format, Cells, Font, Effects, Strikethrough
Ctrl+6	Show/Hide objects	Tools, Options, View, Objects, Show All/Hide
Ctrl+7	Show/Hide Standard toolbar	View, Toolbars, Stardard
Ctrl+8	Toggle Outline symbols	None
Ctrl+9	Hide rows	Format, Row, Hide
Ctrl+0	Hide columns	Format, Column, Hide
Ctrl+Shift+(	Unhide rows	Format, Row, Unhide
Ctrl+Shift+)	Unhide columns	Format, Column, Unhide
Alt or F10	Activate the menu	None
Ctrl+Tab	In toolbar: next toolbar	None
Shift+Ctrl+Tab	In toolbar: previous toolbar	None
Ctrl+Tab	In a workbook: activate next workbook	None
Shift+Ctrl+Tab	In a workbook: activate previous workbook	None
Tab	Next tool	None
Shift+Tab	Previous tool	None
Enter	Do the command	None
Shift+Ctrl+F	Font Drop Down List	Format, Cells, Font
Shift+Ctrl+F+ F	Font tab of Format Cell Dialog box	Format, Cells, Font
Shift+Ctrl+P	Point size Drop Down List	Format, Cells, Font

- CTRL combination shortcut keys -

- Key Description -

CTRL+( Unhides any hidden rows within the selection.
CTRL+) Unhides any hidden columns within the selection.
CTRL+& Applies the outline border to the selected cells.
CTRL+_ Removes the outline border from the selected cells.
CTRL+~ Applies the General number format.
CTRL+$ Applies the Currency format with two decimal places (negative numbers in parentheses) .
CTRL+% Applies the Percentage format with no decimal places.
CTRL+^ Applies the Exponential number format with two decimal places.
CTRL+# Applies the Date format with the day, month, and year.
CTRL+@ Applies the Time format with the hour and minute, and AM or PM.
CTRL+! Applies the Number format with two decimal places, thousands separator, and minus sign (-) for negative values.
CTRL+- Displays the Delete dialog box to delete the selected cells.
CTRL+* Selects the current region around the active cell (the data area enclosed by blank rows and blank columns).
In a PivotTable, it selects the entire PivotTable report.

CTRL+: Enters the current time.
CTRL+; Enters the current date.
CTRL+` Alternates between displaying cell values and displaying formulas in the worksheet.
CTRL+' Copies a formula from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the Formula Bar.
CTRL+" Copies the value from the cell above the active cell into the cell or the Formula Bar.
CTRL++ Displays the Insert dialog box to insert blank cells.
CTRL+1 Displays the Format Cells dialog box.
CTRL+2 Applies or removes bold formatting.
CTRL+3 Applies or removes italic formatting.
CTRL+4 Applies or removes underlining.
CTRL+5 Applies or removes strikethrough.
CTRL+6 Alternates between hiding objects, displaying objects, and displaying placeholders for objects.
CTRL+7 Displays or hides the Standard toolbar.
CTRL+8 Displays or hides the outline symbols.
CTRL+9 Hides the selected rows.
CTRL+0 Hides the selected columns.
CTRL+A Selects the entire worksheet.
If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+A selects the current region. Pressing CTRL+A a second time selects the entire worksheet.

When the insertion point is to the right of a function name in a formula, displays the Function Arguments dialog box.

CTRL+SHIFT+A inserts the argument names and parentheses when the insertion point is to the right of a function name in a formula.

CTRL+B Applies or removes bold formatting.
CTRL+C Copies the selected cells.
CTRL+C followed by another CTRL+C displays the Microsoft Office Clipboard.

CTRL+D Uses the Fill Down command to copy the contents and format of the topmost cell of a selected range into the cells below.
CTRL+F Displays the Find dialog box.
SHIFT+F5 also displays this dialog box, while SHIFT+F4 repeats the last Find action.

CTRL+G Displays the Go To dialog box.
F5 also displays this dialog box.

CTRL+H Displays the Find and Replace dialog box.
CTRL+I Applies or removes italic formatting.
CTRL+K Displays the Insert Hyperlink dialog box for new hyperlinks or the Edit Hyperlink dialog box for selected existing hyperlinks.
CTRL+L Displays the Create List dialog box.
CTRL+N Creates a new, blank file.
CTRL+O Displays the Open dialog box to open or find a file.
CTRL+SHIFT+O selects all cells that contain comments.

CTRL+P Displays the Print dialog box.
CTRL+R Uses the Fill Right command to copy the contents and format of the leftmost cell of a selected range into the cells to the right.
CTRL+S Saves the active file with its current file name, location, and file format.
CTRL+U Applies or removes underlining.
CTRL+V Inserts the contents of the Clipboard at the insertion point and replaces any selection. Available only after you cut or copied an object, text, or cell contents.
CTRL+W Closes the selected workbook window.
CTRL+X Cuts the selected cells.
CTRL+Y Repeats the last command or action, if possible.
CTRL+Z Uses the Undo command to reverse the last command or to delete the last entry you typed.
CTRL+SHIFT+Z uses the Undo or Redo command to reverse or restore the last automatic correction when AutoCorrect Smart Tags are displayed.

- Function keys -

F1 Displays the Help task pane.
CTRL+F1 closes and reopens the current task pane.

ALT+F1 creates a chart of the data in the current range.

ALT+SHIFT+F1 inserts a new worksheet.

F2 Edits the active cell and positions the insertion point at the end of the cell contents. It also moves the insertion point into the Formula Bar when editing in a cell is turned off.
SHIFT+F2 edits a cell comment.

F3 Pastes a defined name into a formula.
SHIFT+F3 displays the Insert Function dialog box.

F4 Repeats the last command or action, if possible.
CTRL+F4 closes the selected workbook window.

F5 Displays the Go To dialog box.
CTRL+F5 restores the window size of the selected workbook window.

F6 Switches to the next pane in a worksheet that has been split (Window menu, Split command).
SHIFT+F6 switches to the previous pane in a worksheet that has been split.

CTRL+F6 switches to the next workbook window when more than one workbook window is open.

Note When the task pane is visible, F6 and SHIFT+F6 include that pane when switching between panes.

F7 Displays the Spelling dialog box to check spelling in the active worksheet or selected range.
CTRL+F7 performs the Move command on the workbook window when it is not maximized. Use the arrow keys to move the window, and when finished press ESC.

F8 Turns extend mode on or off. In extend mode, EXT appears in the status line, and the arrow keys extend the selection.
SHIFT+F8 enables you to add a non-adjacent cell or range to a selection of cells by using the arrow keys.

CTRL+F8 performs the Size command (on the Control menu for the workbook window) when a workbook is not maximized.

ALT+F8 displays the Macro dialog box to run, edit, or delete a macro.

F9 Calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks.
F9 followed by ENTER (or followed by CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER for array formulas) calculates the selected a portion of a formula and replaces the selected portion with the calculated value.

SHIFT+F9 calculates the active worksheet.

CTRL+ALT+F9 calculates all worksheets in all open workbooks, regardless of whether they have changed since the last calculation.

CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+ F9 rechecks dependent formulas, and then calculates all cells in all open workbooks, including cells not marked as needing to be calculated.

CTRL+F9 minimizes a workbook window to an icon.

F10 Selects the menu bar or closes an open menu and submenu at the same time.
SHIFT+F10 displays the shortcut menu for a selected item.

ALT+SHIFT+F10 displays the menu or message for a smart tag. If more than one smart tag is present, it switches to the next smart tag and displays its menu or message.

CTRL+F10 maximizes or restores the selected workbook window.

F11 Creates a chart of the data in the current range.
SHIFT+F11 inserts a new worksheet.

ALT+F11 opens the Visual Basic Editor, in which you can create a macro by using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA).

ALT+SHIFT+F11 opens the Microsoft Script Editor, where you can add text, edit HTML tags, and modify any script code.

F12 Displays the Save As dialog box.

- Other useful shortcut keys -

ARROW KEYS Move one cell up, down, left, or right in a worksheet.
CTRL+ARROW KEY moves to the edge of the current data region (data region: A range of cells that contains data and that is bounded by empty cells or datasheet borders.) in a worksheet.

SHIFT+ARROW KEY extends the selection of cells by one cell.

CTRL+SHIFT+ARROW KEY extends the selection of cells to the last nonblank cell in the same column or row as the active cell.

LEFT ARROW or RIGHT ARROW selects the menu to the left or right when a menu is visible. When a submenu is open, these arrow keys switch between the main menu and the submenu.

DOWN ARROW or UP ARROW selects the next or previous command when a menu or submenu is open.

In a dialog box, arrow keys move between options in an open drop-down list, or between options in a group of options.

ALT+DOWN ARROW opens a selected drop-down list.

BACKSPACE Deletes one character to the left in the Formula Bar.
Also clears the content of the active cell.

DELETE Removes the cell contents (data and formulas) from selected cells without affecting cell formats or comments.
In cell editing mode, it deletes the character to the right of the insertion point.

END Moves to the cell in the lower-right corner of the window when SCROLL LOCK is turned on.
Also selects the last command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible.

CTRL+END moves to the last cell on a worksheet, in the lowest used row of the rightmost used column.

CTRL+SHIFT+END extends the selection of cells to the last used cell on the worksheet (lower-right corner).

ENTER Completes a cell entry from the cell or the Formula Bar, and selects the cell below (by default).
In a data form, it moves to the first field in the next record.

Opens a selected menu (press F10 to activate the menu bar) or performs the action for a selected command.

In a dialog box, it performs the action for the default command button in the dialog box (the button with the bold outline, often the OK button).

ALT+ENTER starts a new line in the same cell.

CTRL+ENTER fills the selected cell range with the current entry.

SHIFT+ENTER completes a cell entry and selects the cell above.

ESC Cancels an entry in the cell or Formula Bar.
It also closes an open menu or submenu, dialog box, or message window.

HOME Moves to the beginning of a row in a worksheet.
Moves to the cell in the upper-left corner of the window when SCROLL LOCK is turned on.

Selects the first command on the menu when a menu or submenu is visible.

CTRL+HOME moves to the beginning of a worksheet.

CTRL+SHIFT+HOME extends the selection of cells to the beginning of the worksheet.

PAGE DOWN Moves one screen down in a worksheet.
ALT+PAGE DOWN moves one screen to the right in a worksheet.

CTRL+PAGE DOWN moves to the next sheet in a workbook.

CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE DOWN selects the current and next sheet in a workbook.

PAGE UP Moves one screen up in a worksheet.
ALT+PAGE UP moves one screen to the left in a worksheet.

CTRL+PAGE UP moves to the previous sheet in a workbook.

CTRL+SHIFT+PAGE UP selects the current and previous sheet in a workbook.

SPACEBAR In a dialog box, performs the action for the selected button, or selects or clears a check box.
CTRL+SPACEBAR selects an entire column in a worksheet.

SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects an entire row in a worksheet.

CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects the entire worksheet.

If the worksheet contains data, CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects the current region. Pressing CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR a second time selects the entire worksheet.
When an object is selected, CTRL+SHIFT+SPACEBAR selects all objects on a worksheet.
ALT+SPACEBAR displays the Control menu for the Excel window.

TAB Moves one cell to the right in a worksheet.
Moves between unlocked cells in a protected worksheet.

Moves to the next option or option group in a dialog box.

SHIFT+TAB moves to the previous cell in a worksheet or the previous option in a dialog box.

CTRL+TAB switches to the next tab in dialog box.

CTRL+SHIFT+TAB switches to the previous tab in a dialog box.

Source

.Net Article

.NET Defined

Before getting deeply into the subject we will first know how Businesses are related to Internet, what .NET means to them and what exactly .NET is built upon. As per the product documentation from a Business perspective, there are three phases of the Internet. The First phase gets back to the early 1990's when Internet first came into general use and which brought a big revolution for Businesses. In the First phase of the Internet Businesses designed and launched their Website’s and focused on the number of hits to know how many customers were visiting their site and interested in their products, etc. The Second phase is what we are in right now and in this phase Businesses are generating revenue through Online Transactions. We are now moving into the Third phase of the Internet where profit is the main priority. The focus here is to Businesses effectively communicate with their customers and partners who are geographically isolated, participate in Digital Economy and deliver a wide range of services. How can that be possible? The answer, with .NET.
What is .NET ?
Many people reckon that it's Microsoft's way of controlling the Internet, which is false. .NET is Microsoft's strategy of software that provides services to people any time, any place, on any device. An accurate definition of .NET is, it's an XML Web Services platform which allows us to build rich .NET applications, which allows users to interact with the Internet using wide range of smart devices (tablet devices, pocket PC's, web phones etc), which allows to build and integrate Web Services and which comes with many rich set of tools like Visual Studio to fully develop and build those applications.
What are Web Services?
Web Services are the applications that run on a Web Server and communicate with other applications. It uses a series of protocols to respond to different requests. The protocols on which Web Services are built are summarized below:
UDDI: Stands for Universal Discovery and Description Integration. It's said to be the Yello Pages of Web Services which allows Businesses to search for other Businesses allowing them to search for the services it needs, know about the services and contact them.
WSDL: Stands for Web Services Description Language, often called as whiz-dull. WSDL is an XML document that describes a set of SOAP messages and how those messages are exchanged.
SOAP: Stands for Simple Object Access Protocol. It's the communication protocol for Web Services.
XML, HTTP and SMTP: Stands for Extensible Markup Language, Hyper Text Transfer Protocol and Simple Message Transfer Protocol respectively. UDDI, WSDL and SOAP rely on these protocols for communication.
The image below shows the order of the protocols on which Web Services are built:


Example of a Web Services Application
Let's say a customer accesses a Website and buys something. The Web services of the business will communicate with the inventory system to see if there is enough stock to fulfill the order. If not, the system can communicate with the suppliers to find one or all of the parts that make up the order before filling the order. At all stages the customer will be kept informed via messages. The end result is a seamless system communicating and exchanging information easily regardless of the platform they are all running on. The business don't need to worry about going to the wrong supplier because it asks the Web service running on the supplier system what it does. And the business doesn't have to worry about the other system's methods of handling data because they communicate via SOAP and XML.
Real World Application
Microsoft's passport service is an example of a .NET service. Passport is a Web Based service designed to make signing in to Websites fast and easy. Passport enables participating sites to authenticate a user with a single set of sign-in credentials eliminating the need for users to remember numerous passwords and sign-in names. You can use one name and password to sign in to all .NET Passport-participating sites and services. You can store personal information in your .NET Passport profile and, if you choose, automatically share that information when you sign in so that participating sites can provide you with personalized services. If you use Hotmail for your email needs then you should be very much familiar with the passport service.
To find out more about how Businesses are implementing Web Services and the advantages it is providing please visit Microsoft's Website and check out the case studies published.
What is .NET Built On?
.NET is built on the Windows Server System to take major advantage of the OS and which comes with a host of different servers which allows for building, deploying, managing and maintaining Web-based solutions. The Windows Server System is designed with performance as priority and it provides scalability, reliability, and manageability for the global, Web-enabled enterprise. The Windows Server System integrated software products are built for interoperability using open Web standards such as XML and SOAP.
Core Windows Server System Products include :
SQL Server2000: This Database Server is Web enabled and is designed with priority for .NET based applications. It is scalable, easy to manage and has a native XML store.
Application Center 2000: This product is designed to manage Web Applications.
Commerce Server 2000: This powerful Server is designed for creating E-Commerce based applications.
Mobile Information Server: This Server provides real-time access for the mobile community. Now Outlook users can use their Pocket PC's to access all their Outlook data while they are moving.
Exchange Server 2000: This is a messaging system Server and allows applications on any device to access information and collaborate using XML.
BizTalk Server 2000: This is the first product created for .NET which is XML based and allows to build business process that integrate with other services in the organization or with other Businesses.
Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000: This Server provides Security and Protection for machines. It is an integrated firewall and Web cache server built to make the Web-enabled enterprise safer, faster, and more manageable.
Host Integration Server 2000: This Server allows for the Integration of mainframe systems with .NET.
When developing real world projects if you don't know how to use the above mentioned Server's which are built for .NET based applications do not worry. Your System Administrator is always there to help you.
.NET and XML
There is a lot of connection between XML and .NET. XML is the glue that holds .NET together. XML looks similar to HTML which is readable and text-based. XML is a method of putting structured data into a text file. XML is the specification for defining the structure of the document. Around this specification a whole family of optional modules are being developed. The reason why XML is linked so much to .NET is, it's platform independent and is well supported on any environment. To move the data contained in an XML file around different organizations using different software on different platforms it should be packed it into something. That something is a protocol like SOAP.
About SOAP
SOAP, Simple Object Access Protocol is a simple, lightweight protocol for exchanging information between peers in a decentralized, distributed environment. It is an XML based protocol that consists of three parts: an envelop that describes what is in the message and how it should be processed, a set of encoding rules and a convention for representing remote procedure calls and responses.
.NET vs Java
Many of us wonder what .NET has to do with Java. Is there any relation between them? Are they similar? and so on. I even hear some people say .NET is Microsoft's answer to Java. I think every language has its own pros and cons. Java is one of the greatest programming languages created by humans. Java doesn't have a visual interface and requires us to write heaps of code to develop applications. On the other hand, with .NET, the Framework supports around 20 different programming languages which are better and focus only on business logic leaving all other aspects to the Framework. Visual Studio .NET comes with a rich visual interface and supports drag and drop. Many applications were developed, tested and maintained to compare the differences between .NET and Java and the end result was a particular application developed using .NET requires less lines of code, less time to develop and lower deployment costs along with other important issues. Personally, I don't mean to say that Java is gone or .NET based applications are going to dominate the Internet but I think .NET definitely has an extra edge as it is packed with features that simplify application development.
I hope the information above puts some light on the technology aspects behind .NET and helps you in getting started.

Predicting the ROI for Future SEO Efforts

Predicting Future SEO Campaign ROI: The Challenge

Can we confidently predict the ROI for future SEO campaigns? Well, maybe. The simplest possible formula that could be used to predict ROI for proposed SEO campaigns may look like this:

Predicted ROI = (Anticipated revenue from SEO efforts) – (Proposed cost of SEO project)

Unfortunately, it is not that easy to come up with these variables. Tackling "anticipated revenue" first, we encounter a variety of problems. Revenue should take into account all conversions from traffic derived from organic listings, as when we measure current SEO.

One problem is predicting the number of searches for each organic listing to be optimized. The next major issue is predicting the actual ranking – number one, two or five – and how to match the potential click-through rate (CTR) based on unknown positions. It is highly likely that a number one ranking returns a greater CTR than number five, but the number five must nevertheless not be ignored. Additionally, how can you assign a specific value to some types of conversions? Lastly, the effects of SEO may not be fully realized until well into the second year or beyond. How are these "latent" conversions accounted for in the prediction?

Predicting Future Search Behavior

Although there are many keyword prediction tools, the primary tool used by our team is WordTracker, which provides an estimate of daily searches for specified terms. We know that this is not the most dependable prediction, but it can act as a guideline for many general terms. Some account managers choose to ignore these numbers, especially when analyzing SERPs for terms and finding multiple paid search competitors that are bidding exact or standard match instead of broad match. If there are people bidding on a long tail term, chances are that it drives traffic, regardless of the fact that WordTracker may claim zero searches per day in its predictive function.

There are other more robust keyword estimators, a category known as "competitive intelligence tools," such as Keyword Max, Trellian, Hitwise, and qSearch from ComScore. It would likely be a wise investment to buy a license for one or more of these products should you attempt to predict ROI for a proposed SEO campaign. The more predictions you use to develop an average, the more accurate your number of predicted searches will be.

Using paid search reports has proven to be one of the most reliable forms of determining high-value terms to target for SEO. Unfortunately, not all clients will have the luxury of running full-exposure budgeted campaigns for a significant length of time to gather the amount of data needed, especially for waves of searches for products or services that ebb and flow with the seasons.

Another thing to consider is that after the discovery phase, some of the unidentified long tail terms may end up getting ranked, thus driving conversions. These rankings should rightly be considered a result of the SEO campaign, even though all terms were not identified in advance. Thus, padding should be added to the potential aggregate ROI in order to improve accuracy.

Predicting Click-Through Rate

The next problem in predicting anticipated revenue is that it is hard to assume a CTR. As discussed last time, the possibility of additional listings for the same site within paid or local results, affects its actual position in the top ten, etc. skewing the click-through rate dramatically. Without established rankings and a track record of click-through percentages, there may be a large gap between predicted CTR and actual CTR. Simply taking an average CTR for the number one through ten results on the first page of the SERP may be the only solution for this part of the equation.

It may be wise to consider researching aggregate CTRs for clients that are maintaining rankings in the top ten. This would be possible if the paid search impression data for the particular term were available and compared to the referrals from organic listings for each of the same keywords. If we did this for a statistically valid sample, we could probably come close to predicting CTR based on actual position within the top ten. Of course, we can probably pay for this kind of data as well.

Predicting the Value of a Conversion

Some conversions are more valuable than others. In the case of an eCommerce site, should a conversion that yields a $100 sale be considered more valuable than a conversion yielding a $10 sale? The obvious answer to this question is "yes." This brings us back to the choice of predicting ROI on a per-keyword-phrase level versus an aggregate prediction, which would force assumptions of how many $100 conversions were achieved versus $10 conversions. We could base this on an average sale, but may end up short-selling ourselves.

If a site's conversion event is a signup for a newsletter or an insurance quote, the site owner needs to assign a value to each visit. Again, this is difficult, as some searches are more likely to yield conversions than others. Using an insurance lead as the example, the same search for "health insurance Philadelphia" could yield a family of four buying the best available individual plan, or a single person buying a low-cost health plan.

Once again, an arbitrary estimate would be required for the average sale. The insurance example is even harder to predict due to the fact that some clients signing up may stay with the broker for years, continuously increasing the ROI from that one lead. Others may drop the plan and its commissions after just a few months. There are probably many other similar scenarios that could skew predictions based on a highly variant lifetime value of the client.

In the case of sites that do not have an online conversion mechanism, we can't overlook the branding factor in discussions of ROI derived from SEO. This is particularly important and would require a complete analysis on its own merit.

Identifying Competition

On a positive note, we are able to identify and research Web site competitors, enabling us to estimate the degree of difficulty in attaining top ten rankings. The problem is that it takes at least three or four hours of solid research to accurately predict how difficult it may be to eclipse the sites in the top ten. It can be done, but would this be justified as a discovery cost?

Latent Conversions

The idea of an "assist" exists, where someone may search a more general term and find it organically, early in the buying cycle, and then end up searching a branded term and finding a paid listing, converting on that. This is similar to the leaky bucket theory discussed last time. Should half or more of the credit be given to the organic result that the visitor first found, or even other results found within subsequent searches -- all of which arguably reinforced the brand?

This leads nicely to the question of "latent conversions." What happens if we SEO a site and the client ends the relationship after a year, subsequently gaining considerable rankings in months 13-24 and beyond, and the site is driving previously unrealized conversions as a result of the SEO work? This is why many top SEO consultants are moving aggressively toward a pay-per-performance clause within contracts.

Incentive clauses would really be the easiest solution to the problem of predicting ROI, especially if the deal hangs on the client wanting such an estimate. If the client and agency are willing, the frontloading of costs could be minimized to reflect actual setup work completed, and ongoing work could be paid for – after a certain time frame – by conversion-driven incentives. The most likely scenario for moving toward this model would require at least a two-year commitment and verbiage in the contract calling for a buy-out.

To recap, the major problems with predicting ROI for SEO include the uncertainty of most data sets and the inability to determine the actual ROI over the life of the Web site. Following is a list variables that should be considered in order to predict ROI.

Variables in the SEO ROI Predictor Formula

We started with the following formula:

ROI = (Anticipated revenue from SEO efforts) – (Proposed cost of SEO project)

Breaking this down further, we have:

(Anticipated revenue from SEO efforts) = Conversions derived from Organic search visits

The unknown and known variables that can help solve the formula are:

Unknown:

• Total number of keyword phrases
• Possible searches for each keyword phrase
• Ranking for each keyword phrase
• Average CTR for each top ten position
• Traffic for each keyword phrase
• Assigned average value or arbitrary absolute value of each visit

Known:

• Previous site performance, if available
• Level of competition (if time is dedicated to this research)
• Level of paid keyword competition, which may indicate future efforts to SEO

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Top 20 Quetions for SEO(Search Engine Optimization)

How can you tell if your site adheres to current SEO best practices? Let's start with some honest answers to the following questions:

1. Are the keywords you're targeting relevant to site content?
2. Are targeted keywords popular phrases used in search engine queries?
3. Do page titles start with your targeted keywords?
4. Does your site employ H1 header tags for prominent content titles?
5. Is your permanent body copy contextually sufficient and keyword-rich?
6. Do text links include targeted keywords that point users to pages within your site?
7. Do you use CSS (define) image replacement in graphical navigation on the site?
8. Do graphics used in the site have descriptive, keyword-rich alternative attributes that are useful for visitors?
9. Does your Web site have a site map with text links?
10. Do the URLs of your dynamic, database-driven pages look simple and static?
11. Does your site have a flat directory structure?
12. Do your site's home page and other key category pages have PageRanks?
13. Is your site listed in Open Directory?
14. Do you routinely list your site in other trusted, human-reviewed online directories?
15. Do all the pages in your Web site have keyword-rich meta descriptions?
16. Does your site have a custom error page?
17. Do the site's filenames and directory names include targeted keywords?
18. Does your site avoid using pop-ups?
19. Is the exact same content visible to both users and search engine spiders?
20. Do you avoid free-for-all linking offers?

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