Metamorphosis of Keywords and SEO

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@katemorris #smx #13C

The Metamorphosis of

Keywords & SEO



Keywords (aka queries, key phrases): The query a search engine user inputs to get a set of results (SERPs).

marriage license round rock



Concepts (aka Topics) The information a user is looking for when they choose to search.



There can be multiple keywords per concept and multiple concepts/topics for one keyword.

Find an au pair from the country Georgia

Family in Georgia, USA looking for an au pair

An au pair looking for a job in Georgia, USA

Family in Georgia, USA looking for an au pair already in Georgia, USA

au pair in Georgia



Search engines are moving from relying on just the query to using a number of data points to determine the best results.

Results Location

Past Search History

Device Type

Word Order

Knowledge Base

Site Popularity

Content Relevance



SEO Process Then and Now

http://moz.com/blog/the-new-seo-process-quit-being-kanye

Site Structure

Onsite Optimization

Audience Research

Content Analysis

Industry Analysis

Content Development





SEARCHING BEHAVIOR



Mobile Internet Usage



Mobile Searching

This was me looking for statistics on how many people search via

mobile versus desktop.

Nothing Google. Nothing Bing. NOTHING!



Mobile Searching: Self Made Stats

Mobile Search Average: 43% Desktop Search Average: 57% B2B Mobile Search Average: 17% Consumer Mobile Search Average: 50% Mobile Search with Mobile Optimization: 45% Mobile Search without Mobile Optimization: 19% Small sample of 14 client sites. Stats from January 2015 via Google Analytics using Organic Search Channel and pulling mobile traffic using the Mobile and Tablet segment. About the companies: Two are B2B Focused, one didn’t have a mobile site, and the rest did with a consumer focus (11 total).



Google Knowledge Graph Usage

"Google won’t say officially what percentage of queries evoke a Knowledge Graph

answer but appears comfortable with a ballpark

estimate of about 25 percent.” Steven Levy

https://medium.com/backchannel/how-google-search-

dealt-with-mobile-33bc09852dc9



Questions to Ponder: Where did you do your last search?

Where did your target market last search?



SERPS



Longer Results Pages

“Outsourcing Software” has

100 Organic Results on the 1st page



Integration is not just about images anymore.

26% of first page results are informational

40% of Top 10 results

are informational



“Buy a House”

89% of first page results are informational

70% of Top 10 are

informational



Answer Boxes and Knowledge Graph



ON PAGE TARGETING



KEYWORDS ON PAGE



Multiple Keyword Versions

Auto Refinance Car Refinance Vehicle Refinance Auto Loan Refinance Car Loan Refinance Vehicle Loan Refinance Refinance Auto Loan Refinance Car Loan Refinance Vehicle Loan Refinance Car Refinance Vehicle Refinance Auto Refinancing a Car Refinancing an Automobile Refinancing a Vehicle



Testing 10 Terms

Auto Refinance Car Refinance Auto Loan Refinance Car Loan Refinance Refinance Auto Loan Refinance Car Loan Refinance Car Refinance Auto Refinancing a Car Refinancing an Automobile Refinancing a Vehicle Vehicle Refinance Vehicle Loan Refinance Refinance Vehicle Refinance Vehicle Loan



Capital One

10/10 Page One Rankings One keyword variation in title

Three keyword variations on page



Bank of America Calculator


Eight keyword variations on page



Bank of America Product Page

3/10 Page One Rankings Three keyword variation in title Six keyword variations on page



Bank Rate Article


Two keyword variations on page



Conclusion (for now): You still need to know keywords as a professional, but on page keyword

optimization isn’t as necessary.



SCHEMA MARKUP



Search engines need data for this to work. You have to supply that to be included.

Help Them, Help You



Google doesn’t use markup for ranking purposes at this time—but rich snippets can make your web

pages appear more prominently in search results, so you may see an increase in traffic.

https://support.google.com/webmasters/answer/1211158?hl=en





Searchmetrics: Sites with Schema on average have better positioning in SERPs.*

* Meaning there are tons of other things like site structure, awesome content and great promotion that can influence this. http://www.searchmetrics.com/news-and-events/schema-org-in-google-search-results/

http://www.searchmetrics.com/news-and-events/schema-org-in-google-search-results/



















The key is to help search engines answer questions.



The key is to help search engines answer questions.



ANALYTICS



(not provided)

Marketers

Search Engines



(not provided) – Average 85% of US traffic

• 85.66% - Not Provided Count, 60 Sites • 86.26% - SERPs.com, 5,000 Sites • 84% - Analytics SEO, April 2014, 4,000 Sites



Slowly Changing Analytics Interface



Demographics, Interests, Cohort Analysis .... Hmmmm

Keywords … It went missing. (It’s under Campaigns)



Interests Area

Demographic and Interests data is where the good information is going to be, when there is more of it.



WHY?



They are trying to give all of the results that would match the user’s needs

for that query.



Keep People Using Them



http://www.techlila.com/google-hummingbird-and-google-algorithm-updates/

Spam Fighting



http://kcseopro.com/google-stock-price-vs-algorithm-updates-positive-correlation/

And money, of course.



MOVING FORWARD



Take a deep breath.



Define goals based on company goals and centered on traffic and conversions.

Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely



Watch this.

Seen this? Watch it on Moz.

No, I am not paid to say this.



Don’t stop doing keyword research.



Think about user intent.



Add audience research to your audits.



Markup All The THINGS!

Help Them, Help You



Test Your Funnel

Search (for what and how?)

Visit Site (what landing page?)

Leave (with information)

Find Brand on Social Media

Read Article/Watch Video

Browse Services

Purchase

$



Know and love content audits.

Get Help Here: http://www.content-inventory.com/content-inventory-templates/

Content Inventory (crawling)

Content Quality

Metrics and Categorizing

Mapping Content to Concepts

Identifying Gaps

Prioritize New Content

and Edits

Plan for Continuing

Strategy and Process



Email Me: [email protected]

Marketing

Metamorphosis of Keywords and SEO