Understand The Past To Know The Present The Past To Know The Present . 2...
Transcript of Understand The Past To Know The Present The Past To Know The Present . 2...
1
SEO: Tactics are Out -- Strategy and
Experimentation are Paramount
Bill Sebald
Managing Partner
Greenlane
@billsebald
Act 1
Understand The
Past To Know
The Present
2
@billsebald #mpb2b @billsebald
Google happens
(1996)
SEO becomes a household
name
SEOs learn (and exploit) some “secret” ingredients
#mpb2b @billsebald
3
The playbook was out there!!!
#mpb2b @billsebald
SEOs
#mpb2b @billsebald
4
Footer Link
Spam
#mpb2b @billsebald
#mpb2b @billsebald
5
“Destroy what destroys you!” - Google *
*Disclaimer: Google may have never said this, but probably did.
#mpb2b @billsebald
Google gave us warnings, but some of us didn’t listen.
#mpb2b @billsebald
6
Act 2
The
Misconceptions
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for. Should we add more keywords?
7
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
Do you think just adding the keywords will do it? Do you think Google is that easy to game?
#@%!!!!
8
A keyword with 720 esv.
A company called Schneider is ranking well without the keyword anywhere in its code.
9
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
What kind of copy have you invested in?
We have a company writing 400 word blog posts everyday for $30 a post. It’s not driving any organic traffic.
10
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
You know, tactical SEO writing doesn’t usually impress Google these days.
Content is king…
11
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
…until content is noise.
#@%!!!!
12
“You don’t have a keyword problem, you have a marketing problem.”
#mpb2b @billsebald
In 2014, Google Hit Adolescence
#mpb2b @billsebald
13
Hummingbird brought us:
#mpb2b @billsebald
1. An improvement in contextual search 2. Semantic search 3. Voice search
(And marked the end of old school SEO as we knew it)
14
Are you refusing to allow your Google to grow up?
#mpb2b @billsebald
15
2017
#mpb2b @billsebald
People are expecting “G” to understand the intent of searches
#mpb2b @billsebald
16
We can’t just rank relevance on keywords alone anymore.
#mpb2b @billsebald
We need to get smarter and avoid being influenced so easily by tactics.
#mpb2b @billsebald
17
We need to read, learn, and think like humans. We need to mature like searchers have.
#mpb2b @billsebald
Act 3
Investments
Into Intelligence
For Strategies
18
What is your industry’s biggest source of new traffic and revenue? (For most of you, it’s organic search)
#mpb2b @billsebald
Affiliate 8%
SEO 64%
Display 4%
Email 13%
Social Media
7%
Organic search
traffic is not free traffic. There is always some kind of investment needed.
#mpb2b @billsebald
Affiliate 8%
SEO 64%
Display 4%
Email 13%
Social Media
7%
19
Time may be the largest investment! If SEO makes up X% of your traffic, are you investing X% into time and budget?
#mpb2b @billsebald
Affiliate 8%
SEO 64%
Display 4%
Email 13%
Social Media
7%
SEO has always been
about understanding the searcher.
#mpb2b @billsebald
(But now we have to practice what we preach!)
20
Characteristics of the B2B searcher
• 71% of B2B researchers start their research with a generic search. (Google, 2015)
#mpb2b @billsebald
(Source: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics)
Characteristics of the B2B searcher
• B2B researchers do 12 searches on average prior to engaging on a specific brand's site. (Google, 2014)
#mpb2b @billsebald
(Source: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics)
21
Characteristics of the B2B searcher
• 49% of B2B researchers who use their mobile devices for product research do so while at work. (Google, 2015)
#mpb2b @billsebald
(Source: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics)
Characteristics of the B2B searcher
• Customer journeys are more complex (compared to B2C). Longer cycles. Not impulse buyers.
#mpb2b @billsebald
22
Characteristics of the B2B searcher
• On average, B2B marketers allocate 28% of their total marketing budget to content marketing.
#mpb2b @billsebald
(Source: Content Marketing Institute, 2015: http://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/2016_B2B_Report_Final.pdf)
But these are general industry stats. What
are the differences
in your searchers? (SEOs must invest in analytics)
#mpb2b @billsebald
23
Biggest resource of all? Your own website data.
#mpb2b @billsebald
#mpb2b @billsebald
Analytics are your
24
#mpb2b @billsebald
SEO means Search Engine Optimization. Optimization means to take something
that is working, and make it work
better! Invest more into what is working.
#mpb2b @billsebald
http://bit.ly/url-performance-tool
25
#mpb2b @billsebald
#mpb2b @billsebald
26
Go past standard keyword research.
Invest in topic
research. #mpb2b @billsebald
#mpb2b @billsebald
27
#mpb2b @billsebald
Google knows the questions people are asking.
#mpb2b @billsebald
28
Click on, get more questions.
#mpb2b @billsebald
https://www.greenlanemarketing.com/tools/topic-opportunity-finder/
#mpb2b @billsebald
29
#mpb2b @billsebald
Invest in your shiny, happy sales team!
#mpb2b @billsebald
30
Your sales force can be your biggest allies. Educate them on why you’re taking their time from the phones.
#mpb2b @billsebald
31
Invest in understanding what Google wants post-Hummingbird.
#mpb2b @billsebald
Make sure your content is triggering semantic search models. #mpb2b @billsebald
32
#mpb2b @billsebald
The Knowledge Card might be a clue.
#mpb2b @billsebald
33
#mpb2b @billsebald
#mpb2b @billsebald
34
Look at the SERP landscape. What query intent is Google seeing? How do you fit?
#mpb2b @billsebald
Invest in mobile. After 10+ years, the future-of-mobile is finally upon us, and we must evolve (per Google).
#mpb2b @billsebald
35
Characteristics of the B2B searcher
• 49% of B2B researchers who use their mobile devices for product research do so while at work. (Google, 2015)
#mpb2b @billsebald
(Source: https://www.hubspot.com/marketing-statistics)
Our customers don’t use mobile…
36
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
Google doesn’t care. They will be valuing you based on your mobile presentation.
#mpb2b @billsebald
37
#mpb2b @billsebald
https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly #mpb2b @billsebald
38
Invest in new technologies.
#mpb2b @billsebald
Our customers don’t actually talk to Google, or Alexa, Cortana, Siri, Bixby.
39
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
Maybe not yet. But when it comes to SEO, history proves it’s unwise to miss the wave.
Our customers don’t use VR, AR, or any of that hocus pocus!
40
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
Maybe not yet. But all signs point to a likely adoption shift. Want to impress Google? Be first and gain buzz.
Competitors
Voice Search
- Made better by Hummingbird
#mpb2b @billsebald
41
Competitors Google feels confident they can better
understand intent in a search…
…and they can better comprehend
meaning in content.
#mpb2b @billsebald
They also believe they can have a reasonable conversation with searchers.
#mpb2b @billsebald
42
Invest in figuring out the unknowns that specifically impact your site.
#mpb2b @billsebald
43
RankBrain
“RankBrain leverages the historical performance of essentially, or nearly, identical queries, to see what worked and what didn’t, and then leverages that information to adjust and improve the delivered results for the current query.”
http://searchengineland.com/learned-danny-sullivangary-illyes-keynote-smx-advanced-278272
- Eric Enge on SEL
#mpb2b @billsebald
RankBrain
My translation: Make sure your webpage “works well” by creating for searchers’ needs. If your content and funnel doesn’t match the users’ expected result, they will bounce. Test your usability / CRO, messaging, recall, clickpath, and get a lot of feedback!
#mpb2b @billsebald
44
It’s starting to seem like great digital marketing is in sync with great SEO.
And I need to be treating my SEO like a full-fledged digital marketing channel.
45
We want to rank for the keywords our competitors rank for.
#!@% Yes!
Act 4
Invest In The
Strategy
46
Go back home and put all of this together to build the master plans.
#mpb2b @billsebald
“I believe people make their own luck by great preparation and good strategy.” – Jack Canfield
Despite all the tools, learnings, and areas of opportunity we discover, there is no true SEO silver bullet...
#mpb2b @billsebald
47
…but we have the groundwork to build an SEO strategy that can succeed.
#mpb2b @billsebald
And hey… strategies work for digital marketers. Why not SEO
marketers?
#mpb2b @billsebald
48
I wrote about it on Moz.
https://moz.com/blog/seo-strategy
#mpb2b @billsebald
#mpb2b @billsebald
strat·e·gyˈ stradəjē/ - A method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem. - A plan of action or policy designed to achieve an overall aim. - The art and science of planning and marshaling resources for their most efficient and effective use.
49
#mpb2b @billsebald
The purpose of a strategy is to identify goals and build a plan of attack towards achieving those goals. The purpose of tactics are for smaller goals that could feed something bigger.
#mpb2b @billsebald
50
#mpb2b @billsebald
Think of your strategy as a “connect-the-dots”.
#mpb2b @billsebald
51
Prepare to be flexible… Like Google
#mpb2b @billsebald
Every part of your strategy is experimental. All of marketing is experimental.
#mpb2b @billsebald
52
Think through and list out:
• Dependencies • IT requirements • Target customer demographics • Data Trends • Different B2B customer funnel entry points • Other marketing channels (how can they support
and benefit)
#mpb2b @billsebald
53
Every Strategy
Needs Goals
#mpb2b @billsebald
SMART GOALS
#mpb2b @billsebald
54
Document It. Make it real.
#mpb2b @billsebald
Take Time,
Think It Through
55
Take Time,
Think It Through
The team with the best strategy can rule the world.
Act 5
DOMINATION
56
Ask me anything at the Post-Presentation Huddle!
Bill Sebald
@billsebald I’m very active