How Social is Changing the Search Landscape
The Social House that Google Built
Sean McGinnisPrincipal: 312 Digital
Founder: 12 Most VP Sales & Marketing: DotCO
The Social House that Google Built
Before we begin…..
What do you do? Show of hands
Focus on tactics can lead to distortion fields
Now and then step back and appreciate the whole
And see things from a different point of view…
3 Components of Great Buildings
Engineering
Raw Materials
Engineering
Design
Raw Materials - Data
Engineering - Algo
Design – Interface/UI
Social is affecting all of these areas of
search!
Engineering - Algo
What is Google’s Objective?
$$$
What is Google’s Objective?
$$$
???
How many searches?
How many searches?
What is Google’s Objective?
$$$
???
???
Relevance• Text• Meta Data• Relation to search terms• Key words in text (and
location of those terms)• Etc, etc, etc….
Authority• # of inbound Links• Source of IBL• Authority of linking sites• Keywords in url• Etc, etc, etc…
Which factors yield best results?
Algorithm Over Time
Web Page Web PageLink
What does this really tell Google?It hints at some relationship
Web Page Web Page
Provides context, defines relationships, gives meaning.Imagine what search will look like next!
Compare
Context
Social Signals in Algo
In December 2010, Google & Bing confirmed they are using social signals
when determining search result ranking.http://searchengineland.com/what-social-signals-do-google-bing-really-count-55389
Studies Find Correlation
Two SEOmoz studies uncovered a correlation between Facebook shares and
+1 votes and traffic/rank.
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/facebook-twitters-influence-google-search-rankings
http://www.seomoz.org/blog/do-social-signals-drive-traffic
Chicken or Egg?Correlation does not equal causation
Social signals driving search results and traffic
Shareable content is also linkable content
One of two things…
Does it matter which?
Raw Materials - Data
Let’s take another step back….How do you use the web?
Data
Data
Data
Data
Data
Let’s take another step back….Data, data, data, data, data
In the OLD days, internet was about these data
Text
Images
Sound
Video
People Places
Types of data
Text
Images
Sound
Video
People Places
Types of dataThese types of data represent real things….
Article
Picture
Song
Movie
Person City
Article
Picture
Song
Movie
Person CitySang
Loved
Taken in
AboutWrote
These things have relationships with each other!
Types of data
What is your “context”?• Husband• Father• White• Bald• Blue eyed• Athletic• Social Networker• Sales• Marketing• Elmhurst College• USD Law School• Hiring Manager• Boss• Employee• SEO• Internet Marketer• Consultant• Executive
• Son• Mentor• Mentee• St. Edward HS• 12 Most• Author• Owner• Illinois• New Hampshire• Arizona• California• Minnesota• Pennsylvania• Indiana• Regional Sales Mgr• Director• Friend• Social Media
• Uncle• Nephew• Cousin• Neighbor• Blackberry Creek• Cub Scout Leader• Elburn, IL• Elgin, IL• Geneva, IL• Elmhurst, IL• Chicago, IL• Wheaton, IL• Bolingbrook,IL• Ikea Luvr• Caffeine addict• Shelly Kramer
#Fanboi
• DotCO Law Marketing
• Lawyer• Thomson Reuters• Findlaw• West Publishing• West Group• West, a Thomson
Reuters Business• BARBRI• MicroMash• Multistate Edge• DVD Verdict• Meta Software• Main Control• Home Theater• Blogger• Traveler
• Brother• Fraternity Brother• Tau Kappa Epsilon• Golfer• Tennis player• Basketballer• Gardener• Landscaper• Steeler fan• Handyman• Foodie• Wino• Critic• California• San Diego• Skittles• Photographer• Storyteller
Platforms provide context
Just think what G can do…
Realtime Search Results
Suspended, but….
Design – Interface/UI
Google +1 Button
Share your stuff!
Compare
Social affecting search…
Social : Search / Steel : Building
Specific Recommendations
• Ensure your content is shareable, both literally & figuratively.
• Connect with thought leaders in your space, both online and off.
• Resist the urge to sell…be social instead. Content that “sells” is simply never shared. Awesome social content is shared CONSTANTLY.
Questions?
Sean McGinnis312.970.1185
Principal 312 DigitalFounder 12 Most
VP Marketing DotCOhttp://Linkedin.com/in/SeanMcGinnis
http://Facebook.com/smcginnis