Lunametrics workshop.

The Worldwide Web turned 25 this year and broke the 1 billion mark for the number of websites, a number that grows each second. While the key to a website’s success is having good Search Engine Optimization (SEO), many organizations, especially nonprofits with limited resources,  don’t have the means to implement it.

Lunametrics, a Southside-based digital marketing company, wants to help change that.

On October 18 and 19, Lunametrics is offering a free SEO workshop for nonprofits and students. The Google Analytics-certified partner aims to provide training as well as pro bono services to nonprofits during the workshop.

Chris Vella, Search Analyst at Lunametrics will conduct the workshop and facilitate the weekend. Chris learned to navigate the world of online marketing from his time with a SEO Company in Gold Coast, and his methods are internationally acclaimed. Participants will learn SEO basics and gain practical experience when paired up to create an SEO audit and plan for the organization. Each deliverable will be reviewed by Lunametrics’ experts before presentation to the client.

The session is an opportunity for nonprofits to avail of much-needed services with the vetting of experts from a company whose clients include Fortune 1000 companies and the United Nations. According to Vella, traditional SEO training costs $500 a day and up, not including audits and plans. And for most nonprofits that cost is challenging.

“There are 3 billion searches a day just on Google alone—so SEO is really important if you want to reach your market,” says Vella. “SEO is about making your website accessible to search engines—it’s about knowing what search engines require.”

Vella offers a couple of tips to get the ball rolling for nonprofits. “Start by using the resources available online. There are many great resources out there—it just takes some time to figure out.” He adds, “Keep your website dynamic—continuously add quality content. A great place to start is by adding a blog to your site and publish industry-related posts.”

What’s in it for the students? “It’s important for students because SEO is now a preferred skill on many job postings. It’s also important for anyone who want to create content and community online – from journalists to marketing practitioners.”

Lunametrics started in 2004 and is one of Pittsburgh’s fastest growing companies. The company is also consistently voted as one of the best places to work in the city.

“This is one important way that Lunametrics tries to foster community in Pittsburgh,” Vella says. “We held the first workshop for nonprofits last year and found that it is a really valuable resource for organizations. It is, in turn, valuable to us to be able to make a small but significant contribution to these organizations that do such great work for our community.”

Nonprofits and students can apply for a spot on the Lunametrics website.

Leah Lizarondo is a food advocate, writer and speaker. She is also the co-founder of 412 Food Rescue, an organization that seeks to eliminate food waste to make an impact on hunger and the environment. She is the Chief Veghacker, recipe creator and curator at The Brazen Kitchen, where she writes about food and food policy. She writes about the intersection of food, health, innovation and policy.