Search engine algorithms are always changing, and it can feel impossible to keep up. But effective search engine strategy always strikes a balance between technical optimization and understanding the people behind the keywords. In this talk, I'll will show you a practical approach to human-centered SEO that you can use to make sure your content is helpful, relevant, and findable, too. In this session, you’ll discover how to: - Understand search intent - Use that understanding of intent to improve navigation, information architecture, tools, and functionality - Make content more helpful by answering questions - Use smart metadata and markup Download a guide of my tips and takeaways from this talk >> bit.ly/understandingintent

1. Empathy Behind
the Algorithms
CREATING PEOPLE-DRIVEN SEO
Confab 2018 by @CHRIS_CORAK

4. Difference between low and
high quality content

5. The entire
interconnected
experience

6. Voice, changing the tone
½ of teens + 41% of adults
use voice search daily

7. 15% of searches in Google have
never been searched for before

8. RankBrain, a machine learning
(artificial intelligence) technology

13. Google’s priority on mobile:
Mobilegeddon (AKA Mobile-friendly update)

14. Determining ranking factors
from your mobile UX first,
over desktop view

15. Behavioral data is
part of Google’s
algorithm and
increase in
importance over
time.
@RANDFISH

17. Google doesn’t just give you search results online, they
track real life actions offline, too.
The takeaway: real life actions can impact your search
visibility.

18. If Google’s #1 goal is to give
people what they want, then
why would we cater to
algorithms instead of working
harder to make users happy?
#CONFAB18 - @CHRIS_CORAK

19. 4 key steps
GETTING STARTED WITH HUMAN-
CENTERED SEO

20. 4 key steps
GETTING STARTED WITH HUMAN-CENTERED SEO
1 – Understand search intent
2 – Improve navigation, IA, tools and functionality
3 – Make content helpful by answering questions
4 – Use smart metadata and markup

21. Step 1: Understand search
intent
WHAT IS
WHAT’S POSSIBLE
LOOK FOR THEMES

22. Understanding intent:
One method to improve
content quality + UX

23. Using search data to gain empathy

24. “Active intent is the intent that is explicitly described
by the query syntax…You MUST satisfy active
intent immediately.”
@ajkohn
Active Intent

25. “Passive intent is the intent that is implicitly
described.”
@ajkohn
Passive Intent

26. Helps us understand from
where and on what device
Seeing what is
in current state analytics

27. Helps us understand from
where and on what device
Google Search Console
to see how users are finding you now

28. On-site search analytics
to see what’s common or hard to find

29. Seeing what’s possible
throughout an entire industry

30. Choose your weapon
Moz Keyword Explorer
http://answertheclient.com/assets/atp-dark-inline-9dc08e1790f7273b9aee6bcfa16580e9dda179dbea01081599f7d9a04f9ab112.png
Link: Keywordtool.io

31. My favorite,
KeywordTool.io

32. How they capture the long tail

33. Test scenario:
Imagine we’re an Insurance provider

34. Phrase here

35. Read for themes

36. Cost + Quotes

37. Validation

38. Taxable

39. Meaning

40. Local agents

41. Value

42. Themes we’ve identified
within “life insurance”
✓ Cost + Quotes
✓ Validation
✓ Taxable
✓ Meaning
✓ Local Agents
✓ Value

43. 4 key steps
GETTING STARTED WITH HUMAN-CENTERED SEO
1 – Understand search intent
2 – Improve navigation, IA, tools and functionality
3 – Make content helpful by answering questions
4 – Use smart metadata and markup

44. Step 2: Improve tools, features,
and navigation
HIGH LEVEL NAVIGATION
TOOLS + FUNCTIONALITY
CONTENT TOPICS

45. User intent data can help us win
budget, gain internal alignment, and
make changes that have the biggest
impact on our users.
#CONFAB18 - @CHRIS_CORAK

46. Search intent for “Insurance”
Summing up the search
volume for each theme can:
✓ Prove value
✓ Help prioritize topics
THEMES OF INTENT
1.8 MILLION MONTHLY SEARCHES

47. Intent analysis informs
information architecture

48. Priority on Me, low priority on “Local Agent” intent

49. Higher priority on User, including “Local Agent” intent

50. High priority on “Local Agent” intent

51. “Local Agent” level content
boosting visibility in local search

52. 45% + in Organic traffic since
New strategy

53. Satisfying “Value + Cost” intent
through interactive tools

54. 4 key steps
GETTING STARTED WITH HUMAN-CENTERED SEO
1 – Understand search intent
2 – Improve navigation, IA, tools and functionality
3 – Make content helpful by answering questions
4 – Use smart metadata and markup

55. Step 3: Make content
more helpful
ANSWER QUESTIONS
SATISFY PASSIVE INTENT
CREATE SEMANTIC RELEVANCE

56. Questions uncover
more intent

57. 41% of questions trigger a
featured snippet
Tips on structuring your content
to win snippets: > bit.ly/tips-from-ann-smarty

58. Gathering questions
Moz Keyword Explorer
http://answertheclient.com/assets/atp-dark-inline-9dc08e1790f7273b9aee6bcfa16580e9dda179dbea01081599f7d9a04f9ab112.png
Link: Keywordtool.io

59. Great for presentations

60. Click this tab

61. Satisfying passive intent +
answering questions in content

62. Content for special circumstances

63. Content for special circumstances

65. Visibility for passive intent
#1
Local pack
+ #1

66. 28% improvement in bounce rates
+ 53% increase in people asking for a quote

67. 4 key steps
GETTING STARTED WITH HUMAN-CENTERED SEO
1 – Understand search intent
2 – Improve navigation, IA, tools and functionality
3 – Make content helpful by answering questions
4 – Use smart metadata and markup

68. Step 4: Use smart metadata
and markup
TITLES
META DESCRIPTIONS
STRUCTURED DATA

69. Of traffic comes from
Organic Search. While
29% start directly on
your site.47%
CONDUCTOR, ENTERPRISE ANALYTICS STUDY

70. Not readable or helpful
Reads well and is extremely helpful
Make sure it’s readable and helpful
Doesn’t even
make sense
63,000+ reviews,
price, in stock,
trial period

71. Lacks clarity
Straight forward + helpful
Make sure it’s readable and helpful
This is about
“ life insurance? ”
Passive intent A+ :
quotes, validation,
taxes

72. Structured data

73. How “entities” are formed

75. Entity optimization
How Google understands your brand

77. Schema.org
Wells Fargo ~
Showing relevance to a Bank location

78. Schema.org by type
Product
Local business
Reviews
Organization
Images & videos
More…
Healthcare & Medical
Finance & Banking
Real estate
Travel & tourism
Arts & music
Software
More…
Schema.org by industry

79. Ratings / Reviews + Product markup
Event markup
Structured data enhancing UX + CTR

80. Logo
Step #1: Markup your home page
with Schema.org/Organization
Official profiles
Points of contact
Parent organization

81. Knowledge Graph
Official social properties
Official logo
Parent organization
“Organization” markup can influence
the Knowledge Graph

82. Download code + implement on home page:
> bit.ly/sample-organization-markup
Name
Logo
Official profiles
Start with the basics

83. Link to Google’s testing tool
> bit.ly/structured-data-test-tool
Paste your code here to test

84. Step #2: Add semantic relevance
Research in-depth markup on Schema.org

85. People-driven SEO
THE WRAP UP

86. 4 key steps
GETTING STARTED WITH HUMAN-CENTERED SEO
1 – Understand search intent
2 – Improve navigation, IA, tools and functionality
3 – Make content helpful by answering questions
4 – Use smart metadata and markup

87. Takes a team to achieve a success SEO outcome
Successful
SEO
Outcome
Content
Dev / IT
UX
Design
Creative
Digital
Marketing SEO
Expertise
Executive
Stakeholders
Analytics
Social Media
+ PR

88. Staying up to speed in SEO
For latest news
www.seroundtable.com
Google patents + implications
@ bill_slawski on Twitter
www.seobythesea.com
@badams on Twitter
www.polemicdigital.com/blog
Technical SEO, Barry Adams

89. Real world application
Moz Blog
https://moz.com/blog
Whiteboard Friday
https://moz.com/blog/category/whiteboard-friday

90. SEOs with human considerations
Rand Fishkin
@randfish
sparktoro.com/blog
AJ Kohn
@ajkohn
blindfiveyearold.com

91. Confab 2018, “Empathy Behind the Algorithms,” @CHRIS_CORAK
Questions?
www.onwardand.co