Search Marketing TrendsWhat happened since May ’11?

9h30 – 09h50

2

Gérald CLAESSENSCEOgerald@knewledge.eu+ 352 691 122 436

Wouter SCHIKHOFPerformance Managerwouter@knewledge.eu+ 32 492 62 96 79

Knewledge S.A.R.L4, Rue d’Arlon Windhof Business Center8399 WindhofLuxemburg

Knewledge Brussels60, Rue du Trône1050 BrusselsBelgium

Timeline overview

3

09/2

011

10/2

011

Encrypted Search

11/2

011

Freshness Update

YouTube

Street view

12/2

011

Parked Domains

02/2

012

Panda 3.3 Update

01/2

012

Google launches Search Plus

Search Alliance (Bing+Yahoo!)

03/2

012

Google.be in https

05/2

012

Google Places merges with

Google+

04/2

012

Penguin Update

Misspellings automatically

matched

More QS transparency

10/2011 - Encrypted Search

• What happened? -> Google begins to encrypt:

1. Searches conducted by logged in Users,

2. Referrer data.

But only on Google.com for now!

• How did this affect Search Marketeers? Loss of data and insights through WebAnalytics (or other third party tools)

• Information on search query used prior to a website visit is no longer available,

• Data on which page was visited prior to a visit to your website is no longer available!

4

• What happened? Content Freshness is more rewarded!

Affects 35% of the Search queries.

• How did it impact Search? Recent events or Hot topics by Authority Sites appear on Top!

Content on regular events by Authority Sites appear on Top!

Date of updates are mentioned in the SERP’s

11/2011 - Freshness Update

5

• How did this affect me?

Fresh content on High Authority Domains will be rewarded

One more thing! • Ever since July’11, Google no longer shows Twitter streams in SERP’s• Google depended on Twitters “Firehose”!

• How to Benefit from Freshness Update? Fresh Content = Opportunities to connect with “Trending Topics” (news jacking)

Pitfall(s): • Extremely Short Timings,• Requires domain authority and relevant content related to the topic!

11/2011 - Freshness Update

6

11/2011 – Adspent Trends 2011

• Google controls 46% of ALL Online Spending

7

* Source : Businessinsider.com

11/2011 – Launch of YouTube Belgium

8

* Source : Metrixlab, research study November 2011 – 2000 Interviews T 15-54

2,2M Home page impressions,

1,1M Unique visitors/day*

11/2011 – Launch of YouTube Belgium

9

Ratecard Based: -> Premium Placements / Volume Based• Where: Home page, Watch page and Search Page Formats (non-skippable!)• What: 20-30 seconds video + optional banner,• CPM based.

Auction Based -> Performance Based (optimized through Adwords for Video)

• Where: Watch page and Search Page Formats (Skippable after 5 sec!)• What: 20-30 seconds video + optional banner,• Cost per View!

11/2011 - Google Street View in Belgium

10

12/2011 – Parked Domains

• What happened? -> Search Algorithm has been altered on 9 points!

1. Related query result refinements,

2. Comprenensive indexing,

3. New Parked Domain Classifier!

4. More autocomplete predictions

5. Fresher and more complete Blog Search Results,

6. Original content

7. Live Resuts For Major League Soccer and Canadian Football League

8. …….

11

• How did this effect me?

Parked Domains won’t show up in the search results anymore! -> parked domains can no longer be exploited through the Adsense network.

• What’s in for me?

1. Better quality of Natural Search Results,

2. For Advertisers:

• Big improvement towards the inventory of the GDN,

• Less chance of wasted adspent!.

Personal Results for Your Circles now appear in your results (G+ Only)

01/2012 – Search + Your World

• What happened? Personal Results extended,

G+ Profiles appear in Search,

People, Related Topics and Google+ Pages are linked!

• How did it impact Search?

12

Google+ Profiles and related activities are now pushed in Search People and Related Topics are linked to Google + Pages

Source: Search Engine Land.com

01/2012 – Search Alliance Bing & Yahoo!

• Search Alliance (Microsoft + Yahoo) begins first AdCenter testing In Europe

• Microsoft adCenter ads are coming to Yahoo pages in France, Ireland and the United Kingdom

• What’s in for me?

You can now target users of Bing in Belgium with the AdCenter.

• Tip

Import your best performing campaigns from AdWords using the AdWords editor and then the bulk upload.

13

02/2012 – Panda 3.3 Update

15

• What happened ?

1. New method of Link Evaluation

2. Local Search Rankings

3. …... 40.

• How did it impact Search? Re-evaluates Link characteristics such as:

• Link Title tags;, • Texting around links, • Link Type,• General backlink profile,• Link Velocity,• …..????

02/2012 – Panda 3.3 Update

16

• How did this effect me?

Your organic rankings might have been effected if your back link profile has flaws.

• What should have done ? Monitor your rankings (Webceo, Woorank, etc.)

Monitor Organic Traffic: • Compare Q4/2011 with Q4/2010• Top Content pages (Organic Traffic)

Conduct a back link investigation• Analyze your incoming links: type, domain(s), page(s)• Build a plan to optimize!

04/2012 – Adwords Updates

• More Transparency on Quality Score parameters

• Adwords will automatically Match for Misspellings and other variants,

17

04/2012 – Penguin Update

18

• What happened ? New Search Algorithm to fight webspam

• How did it impact Search / Me? Decreased Rankings for over optimized pages applying:

• (Meta) Keyword stuffing,

• Link schemes (excessive link exchange),

• Purposeful Duplicate content,

• Black hat SEO (“Cloaking”, “Doorway pages” etc.),

• What should I be doing ? (on top of Panda 3.3 checks)

Re-Analyse Organic Traffic: • Compare the period Before and After 24/04 Compare Q4/2011,

Check your Google Webmaster Central for possible notifications,

Check your On Page Optimization with Google’s Guidelines• Unique content, no keyword stuffing or over optimization of anchor text links,

Check for Duplicate content issues,• Content availabe with or and without www. or,• Duplicate on serveral domains .be vs. nl .

04/2012 – Penguin Update

19

• I am hit, what now?! Remove over-optimized elements / get rid off bad links,

Apply for reconsideration -> GWC,

Monitor your rankings and natural traffic.

05/2012 – Google Places merges with G+

20

• What happened? Google Places Page -> Google + Local Pages

Integration into Google + Interface!

• What does it look like?

Appearance in Search

What’s up Next ?

• Launch of Google Shopping Merchant Center in Belgium?

• Google Search compagnion

• New Google Adwords Interface

• Local Business Blog Solutions

21

22

Questions?