How to Use Search Data to Build Content that Drives Value at Scale
Transcript of How to Use Search Data to Build Content that Drives Value at Scale
CONTENT MARKETING INTELLIGENCE
#C3NY
HOW TO USE SEARCH DATA TO BUILD CONTENT THAT DRIVES VALUE AT SCALE
VP, Search MarketingGrant Simmons
#C3NY @simmonet
Grant SimmonsVP of Search MarketingSearch marketer, father, sailor. Though not necessarily in that order when there’s a fair wind.
Hello
@simmonet/in/simmonetwww.grantisms.com
#C3NY @simmonet
• Real Estate Portal(ahem… we’re not Zillow)
• 10M+ Visits / Month• Private company• Norfolk, VA
@simmonet/in/simmonet
Hello
www.grantisms.com
#C3NY @simmonet
Let’s Go Back to the Future (2015)
#C3NY @simmonet
Let’s Go Back to the Future (2015)cat
NEW YORK CITY | OCTOBER 28-29, 2015
C3 2015 BREAKOUT SESSION
IT AIN'T OVER TILLTHE CAT LADY SINGS
CONTENT-BEYOND-KITTENS & OTHER SEARCH STRATEGIES
VP of Search Marketing& Consumer Engagement
Grant Simmons
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The Cat LadyContent Conundrum
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Content to somecontent marketersis like...
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…cats to a cat lady
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…cats to a cat ladyi.e. you can never
have enough
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The cat lady content conundrum
More Better
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More is not better
(unless you want to fill a litter box)
http://unop.me/crap
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Let’s Go Back to the PRESENT (2017)cat
CONTENT MARKETING INTELLIGENCE
#C3NY
HOW TO USE SEARCH DATA TO BUILD CONTENT THAT DRIVES VALUE AT SCALE
VP, Search MarketingGrant Simmons
Tweet this session!
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How Do We Scale Quality?
#C3NY @simmonetBigger Cats?
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Big & Small DataTells StoriesContent Marketing isabout telling a branded story
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Data Itself is Not Smart
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Data Itself is Not SmartBut it does help tell smart storiesStories = content differentiation
“Every brand is unique. But if you cannot tell that uniqueness through it’s stories, it
will spend it’s whole life being a fish.”Grant Simmons
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• Leverage data• Tell unique stories• Smart• Different• Interesting
• Align with your brand
Don’t be a Fish
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Data Cat-egoriesDifferent strokes for different folks
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3 Typesof Data
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Core SiteData
• Listings• Parts• Products• ‘Free’ datasets
Business | Interaction | Search
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UserGenerated
Data
Business | Interaction | Search
• Internal clicks• Purchases• Time on page• Surveys
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Site / SearchData
Business | Interaction | Search
• Search engines• Site search• Filters
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3 Typesof Data
Business | Interaction | Search
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2 Typesof Data
Business | Interaction | Search
today
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Business DataStuff you own and / or have access to
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Yeah it can be kinda boring raw• But key differentiator• Cat-alog what you have• Cat-alog relevant available data• Align with search intent• Align with search engine opportunities
Business Data
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Homes.com
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• Listings data• Census data
Data Sources
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• Lists• Long tail queries• Interesting facts
What are People Looking For?
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• Lists• Long tail queries• Interesting facts
What are People Looking For?
Did You Know?A cat’s tail contains approximately 10% of the bones in its body
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• Lists• Long tail queries• Interesting facts
What are People Looking For?
Did You Know?A cat’s tail contains approximately 10% of the bones in its body
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The “FACETs” ProjectLeveraging Data for the Long Tail
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Fully Responsive (Presentation is Key)
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City / State Coverage – Census + Listings Data
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Lists / List Pages
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State-Level Pages / Facets
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State-Level Pages / Facets
Auto generated ranking data, dynamic, random
and interesting
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State-Level Pages / Facets
Auto generated ‘facets’ based on frequency, listing
counts & user interests
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City-Level Pages / Facets
Auto generated ranking data, dynamic, random, relevant and interesting
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Descriptive / Phrase Facets
Parsing of descriptionsMapped against phrase set
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Descriptive / Phrase Facets
Parsing of descriptionsMapped against phrase set
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• Phase 1• Basic internal linking• Limited cities (thin content)
• Phase 2• Expand value of pages (more data)• Add user interaction cues
• Phase 3• Combos
• Based on data
The Long Tail – in Action
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The Long Tail – In Action• Lists• Top 10s
• Attributes• Price• Size• Features
#C3NY @simmonetScales Nicely
#C3NY @simmonetScales Nicely (& Intelligently)
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• What public data exists?• What unique data exists?• What would be worthy?• How can you present it?
Business Data Recap
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• How many dog people?• How many cat people?
Quick Survey
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• How many dog people?• How many cat people?
Yes. I was a cat.
Quick Survey
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Search DataStuff you create and / or is createdfor you through searcher’s behavior
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Search Data Is:
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Your users telling you stories - You just need to listen
Search Data Is:
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Search Data Elements
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More Interesting (generally)• Collection & storage• Summarization• Analysis & extraction• Align with user interest• Present with paw-pose
Search Data Elements
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Search Data: Your DataCan be a lot of it• But key differentiator• Cat-alog what you have• Analyze the crap outta it• Find interesting stories
#C3NY @simmonetIt Can Be Imperrfect…
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• Demand-side• Intent
Site Search Data
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Always Start With ContextContent without Context is Likea Cat Without a Tail
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Always Start With ContextWhat’s the breed of cat with no tail?
a question
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Always Start With ContextWhat’s interesting?What’s are the goals?
questions
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• Start with largest dataset• Easier to see patterns• Validate results
Context – Reference Listing Type
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Simple Math
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Simple Math
Not Perfect Math.
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Popularity (Searches / Habitant)
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Map Data Over Time For Trends
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Dig Into Data Trends
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Overlay otherdata sets formore insights /interesting info
What is your userlooking for??
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• Buyers understand offer potential• Sellers understand time to sale• Pricing considerations• Inventory availability
A TON of cool info:• For every city, state, county with data• We call that…
Homes.com “Scarcity Index”
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• Buyers understand offer potential• Sellers understand time to sale• Pricing considerations• Inventory availability
A TON of cool info:• For every city, state, county with data• We call that…
Homes.com “Scarcity Index”
SCALE
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• No need to stop there!• More analysis can create more insights• You never know what you can find
• Locations over time• Attributes against attributes
Hold On Cowboy!
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Keep Digging Into Other Data Points
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There is no bad data,
there is only bad
analysis of good data* I’m Innocent
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There is no bad data,
there is only bad
analysis of good data* I’m Innocent
*and some bad data
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If Content is King
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If Content is King
Then datais the crown
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Presenting Data
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It’s All About Presentation• Know your audience• Provide value• Targeting• Customization
• Keep It Simple
Or as simple as your audience
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• Search data• Survey data• Census data• Jobs data• Housing trends
Simple Visualization of Complex Datasets
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• Survey data• Census data
Simple Visualization of Complex Datasets
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#C3NY @simmonet
More is Not Better
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• Leverage data• Tell unique stories• Smart• Different• Interesting
• Align with your brand
Better is Better
Thank you!
#C3NY @simmonet
#C3NY @simmonet
Grant SimmonsVP of Search MarketingSearch marketer, father, sailor. Though not necessarily in that order when there’s a fair wind.
Thank you
@simmonet/in/simmonetwww.grantisms.com
#C3NY @simmonet
Grant SimmonsVP of Search MarketingSearch marketer, father, sailor. Though not necessarily in that order when there’s a fair wind.
Thank you
@simmonet/in/simmonetwww.grantisms.com
#C3NY @simmonet
• Real Estate Portal(ahem… we’re not Zillow)
• 10M+ Visits / Month• Private company• Norfolk, VA
@simmonet/in/simmonet
Hello
www.grantisms.com
#C3NY @simmonet@simmonet
Homes.com Content StrategyOur Content / Messaging aspires to / should be:• Different & unique• Position Homes.com as home-buying resource• Valuable• Something fun or a little amusing• Non-lethal• Pass authority• Mobile-friendly
Homes.com Content Guidelines• Different• Position• Valuable• Fun• Non-lethal• Pass authority• Mobile-friendly
Keepingit simpleIs it / Does it?
Content Strategy• Guidelines• Planning• Ideation• Scheduling• Execution
Guidelines
Plan
IdeateSchedule
Execute