Google Instant: Major Change for SEO
Transcript of Google Instant: Major Change for SEO
Google Instant: How SEO is Affected
Presenters:
Travis Low Kipp Bodnar
Director, Search Marketing Manager, Inbound Marketing
WebMarketing123 HubSpot
@TravisLowSEO @Kbodnar32
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways
Topics Covered
Where Searchers Click
Source: “iProspect Blended Search Results Study” by JupiterResearch, 2008
Site Content
Meta Content
URL’sInbound Links
Keywords
Content
Silos
SEO Fundamentals: The 6 Pillars
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways
Topics Covered
Searchers Don’t
Need “Enter”
Instant Did Not Include
Algorithm Changes
“Google is now taking a much
more active role in leading
searchers to not just the answer,
but also the question itself.”
– Search Engine Watch,
http://searchenginewatch.com/3641319
What is still going to change?
User Behavior
• Query construction patterns
• Click patterns
• Page-scanning behavior
Mobile Later This Year
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways
Topics Covered
Long-Tail Vs. Short-Tail
“First to show up as predicted query”
“First page rankings even more important
now”
Short-Tail/Headmatch
“Won’t be first results people see”
“Searchers will better understand how to
modify queries and can easily get more
specific with long-tail phrases and auto-
complete suggestions”
Long-Tail
Short-Tail vs. Long-Tail Keywords
617,296 Keywords50.20%
612,358 Keywords49.80%
# of Traffic-Driving Keywords
9/8 - 9/14 (Week After Google Instant)
9/1 - 9/7 (Week Before Google Instant)
SEO/Organic Search Implications
• No change to organic ranking algorithm
• More important to rank above the fold for more general terms
• Optimize for broader, more general headmatch terms
• Focus on Title/Meta Description
• Grab searchers’ attention and increase click-through rate
• Google’s auto-complete suggestions will get even more search
volume
PPC/Paid Search Implications
Impressions defined in 3 ways:
1. User begins a search query and clicks anywhere
on page
2. User chooses a particular query by clicking
search button, hitting enter, or selecting an auto-
complete suggestion
3. User stops typing and results are displayed for
minimum of 3 seconds
PPC/Paid Search Implications
Increase in Impressions means…
• Potential decrease in click-through rate
(but not necessarily clicks)
• Quality of clicks will increase as users
learn to search using terms that best
connect them with the answers that they
need
PPC/Paid Search Implications
Other Implications:
• A rise in CPC for the head terms that auto-complete
• As Advertisers get more savvy, competition for ads for these
terms will increase the CPC
• Because of the instant search drop-down box, ads in lower
positions get pushed below the fold
• Will increase CPC and competition for top positions
• As Searchers get lazy, long tail keywords will see less
impressions
• But the long tail keywords that receive clicks will be a more
relevant audience
1) SEO Overview
2) Google Instant – What Has Changed
3) Implications Moving Forward
4) Key Takeaways
Topics Covered
Key Takeaways
“Google Instant makes no
change to ranking algorithm,
but significantly affects user
experience”,
“Too early to tell exactly how
user behavior will change, but
first page rankings and auto-
complete suggestions now
more important”
“Impressions for headmatch
terms will increase, but quality
of search terms will improve
over time as users are given
more long-tail suggestions”
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