Upload
keith-goode
View
287
Download
2
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
#pubcon
The History of Content: How SEO Ruined the Internet, and How We Can Save It
Keith L GoodeSEO Manager, IBM
#pubcon
Introduction to the Session
• Writing content is an art and a science, but not the way you think
• It’s going to take a team effort to succeed• Google is working harder than ever to enforce their
vision
#pubcon
Introduction to Me
20 years of Online Experience• AMD• HomeAway.com• Builders Digital Experience• SpareFoot.com• Dell• seoClarity
Currently• SEO Manager, Watson Customer
Engagement, IBMwww.linkedin.com/in/keithlgoode
@keithgoode
Keith L. Goode, SEO Manager
#pubcon
A Little Self-ProtectionKeith
Is NotIBM
…and neither is Patrick
#pubcon
Content and SEO
#pubcon
A History
#pubcon
Confession: Most of the Internet Sucks Because of SEO
#pubcon
Crappy Content Won the DayKeywords:• Fort Lauderdale vacation
rentals• Fort Lauderdale
accommodations• Fort Lauderdale hotels• Fort Lauderdale condo rentals• Fort Lauderdale beach house
SEO Copy:Title: Keyword 1, Keyword 2 | Sitename
On-page copy:Fort Lauderdale vacation rentals are the perfect Fort Lauderdale accommodations. Rather than expensive Fort Lauderdale hotels, try one of our Fort Lauderdale condo rentals or Fort Lauderdale beach house rentals instead.
#pubcon
It sucked! … But it worked, and it worked well.
#pubcon
This was due to Google’s technical inability to enforce its vision
#pubcon
SEOs had to manipulate content in order to rank, and we broke the Web
#pubcon
Algorithm Changes to Get to Better
#pubcon
Panda, which is now fully integrated into the algorithm, will eat your lunch if you try to write like this now
#pubcon
RankBrain, Hummingbird and TensorFlow
#pubcon
RankBrain, Hummingbird and TensorFlow
• Patrick will get into more detail• Allow conversational queries• Follow the logic of successive searches• Uses history and location for context• Adapts to the evolution of language
#pubcon
Redefining the Long Tail of Search
Sea
rch
Volu
me
Query Length
Head and Body Terms: Sweet Spot for Keyword Research
Traditional Long-Tail
Conversational Queries
Head Terms: Laptops
Body Terms: 15 inch laptops
Long-Tail Terms: 15 inch gaming laptop with 64GB memory
Conversational Queries: What is the best gaming laptop for Modern Warfare?
#pubcon
Now With Voice SearchS
earc
h Vo
lum
e
Head and Body Terms: Sweet Spot for Keyword Research
Traditional Long-Tail
Conversational Queries
Head Terms: Who sells Laptops?
Body Terms: Where can I buy a 15 inch laptop?
Long-Tail Terms: 15 inch gaming laptop with 64GB memory
Conversational Queries: What is the best gaming laptop for Modern Warfare?
Query Length Specificity
#pubcon
Stop focusing on keywords and focus on Topics instead
#pubcon
User Engagement
• Ranking is just the first step• You’re relevant for the
keyword, but are you relevant for the user’s need?
• Dig deeper into your metrics
• Reduced Bounce Rate• Increased Dwell Time• Increased Conversion Rate
• Better engagement can help your rankings
#pubcon
Alignment with Google’s Vision
#pubcon
First things first: Reverse the damage of your old content schemes
#pubcon
Nix Flat Content• Is your existing content
too flat?• Media-heavy?
• Use alt-text• Provide transcripts for
videos• Be willing to cut content
off altogether, using a 301 of course
#pubcon
For New Content: Get intimate with your users
#pubcon
Who Are They? What Do They Want?
Sea
rch
Volu
me
Specificity
Awareness Consideration Decision Post-
Purchase
#pubcon
Content’s Place in the Grand Scheme
#pubcon
It’s King, but…
#pubcon
More than ever, requires a solid technical foundation and information architecture
#pubcon
The Search Experience Framework
Great content on a crappy platform is pointless
#pubcon
Content Drives More Than Ever
• User Engagement• Social Interaction• Industry Buzz
#pubcon
The Art of Dating … Your Customers
#pubcon
Have You Built User Personas and the Customer Journey Models?
#pubcon
Are You Talking to the Right People?
#pubcon
Some Questions to Consider• What usually drives a decision?• Who makes the decision to buy?• Who does the initial research?• Who will be using your product/service regularly?• What are their positions?• What types of content speaks to each of their needs?• What steps lead up to the purchase decision?
#pubcon
Map Out Their Journey
#pubcon
Then Match Your Content to that Journey
#pubcon
Competitor Analysis and Reverse Engineering a SERP
Competitive Intelligence
#pubcon
Wisdom of the Crowds
Keywords You
Rank For
Keywords Competitor B
Ranks For
Keywords Competitor A
Ranks For
Might be branded
terms that you can’t
possibly rank for
Very likely that these are keywords you
should be interested in
pursuing
#pubcon
Using SERPs to Understand Content Preferences
#pubcon
Does Google prefer
articles over products?
What is this guy doing well that I
can emulate?
#pubcon
A/B and Multivariate Testing Model
#pubcon
Holistic Model• Creating a delightful
experience for the users should be the goal of the whole company
• IT/Dev• UX/UI• Content Strategy• PR/Marketing
Executive Leadership
#pubcon
Don’t Chase Google; Pursue Your Users
#pubcon
Conclusion
• Don’t Add Bad• Pursue Approaches that you don’t have to fix later• Act like you care about your customer, because you
should