writing for semantic search

Writing for Semantic SearchZara Altair – Actation now!

actationnow.com zara@actationnow.com

Old SEO and New SEO

Before, you just had to write about something. Now you have to say something useful.

Richard HusseySEO and Semantic Search Google+ Community

Goal

Drive people to your websiteAnswer a questionSolve a problemTake action

Writing for SEO is dead and buried. However, editing for visibility, authority and discoverability is not. Write for humans, edit for search engines and you won't go far wrong.

Jason Darrell

SEMANTIC SEARCHConcepts and Questions

Semantic

• Relating to meaning in language or logic

Semantic Search

• advanced data searching technique

• search query targets to determine the contextual meaning of the search words

• intent of the searcher rather than focusing on finding just the keywords

http://www.business2community.com/seo/seo-future-predictions-next-year-2016-01398135#r3LBHd2YRE2wEpJi.97

Algorithms for meaning

• Penguin - spam & link bombing• Panda - quality• Hummingbird - understand verbose queries• RankBrain - interprets languages and interprets meanings

Query

• Connect the dots• Find meaning in text

THEORIAThe What

Writing for machines is over

• Write for people• Use natural language

Search has changed

• Natural language• Answer a question• Think concept not keywords• Not how much content, but

quality• Find meaning in text• Connect the dots of your content

Change your content strategy

Relationships among concepts

Everything you say is connected to your business

KEY CONCEPTThought, Text, and Relevancy

Preempt the query

Lead towards a goal - shared understanding, ultimate goal

Answer a question

Initiate dialogue

?

Be the piece of the puzzle your customer is searching for

Goal: Content Writing that connects the dots

Resonate with your reader

Visitor• Solve a problem• Discover new ways of

thinking• Collaborate

Your Content• Win a place in visitor’s

attention• First place to enter a win-

win relationship• Every page a landing

page

interconnectedWebsite + blog + social media

Digital footprint

• Website• Social Media• Blog

RELEVANCE ABOVE RANKINGYour business niche

Retrain your Brain or…

Relevance

Google isn't going to openly tell you what the relevant ingredients are in your particular niche (nor is anyone else ) they've just levelled the playing field for everyone. Now you need to search out that relevancy for yourself especially if you want to produce higher quality content than your competitors.

Peter Hatherley

Get Ready Now

Quantum Computing

In order to be able to take full advantage of search now and in the future you need to:

• Have information on your website that is practical, accessible and rich in detail.

• Maintain an active presence across social networks that creates a consistent, persistent breadcrumb trail leading to your website.

• Use social networks to build and maintain your reputation (sentiment mining is going to play an increasing role here).

• Use the online world with the same care and attention to detail that you use the offline one.

David Amerland

http://davidamerland.com/seo-tips/1058-quantum-computing-search-and-the-web.html

USER FRIENDLYTalk to your visitor

User Friendly Writing

• Answer a question• Use natural language • Structure from concept introduction to details

SEARCH FRIENDLYShow search your details

Google Webmaster Guidelines

• Quality Guidelines• Make pages primarily for users, not for search engines.

PRAXISHow to write semantically

Search Optimization

Low and slow…Way to go.

Answer At Least One

• Does it answer a specific question the reader may have?• Does it create a challenge for the reader?• Will it leave them feeling enriched?• Is this content that helps establish your company’s authority?• Is it going to help generate greater equity for your brand?

Google Semantic Search, David Amerland, p. 103

Choose your theme

• One keyword/topic/theme per article• Keyword research• Word bank collection of related “companion” words (the

vocabulary)

VocabularyBuilders

Your school teacher was right

Keep It Simple

Title or Headline

• Clear• Relevant to topic • Include on focused keyword• Keep it short (Maximum 70 characters)• One H1 per page

Headings

• Clear• Relevant to topic • Set off next section • Keep it short 45 – 60 characters(Maximum 70)• Easy to skim the logic (get the idea from reading just the

headers)• Easy to skim for targeted answer (shows where to find

the answer)• Descending order of importance (except for summary)

Sentences

• Clear and short• Avoid heavy vocabulary or industry jargon• Easy to skim the logic• Allow reader to quickly read

Paragraphs

• Clear and short• Avoid heavy syntax and advanced rhetoric• Aim for three sentences per paragraph• Main point in first sentence• 180-210 characters including spaces and

punctuation• 6th grade reading level (Yes, I know.)

Sequence

• Topic/Overview - Clear and focused• Romance but not bombast• Pertinent details explained – focus on benefits• Special features• Additional features/you may want to know• Summary with a little more romance• Call to action

Tone

• Conversational• Avoid promotional text and hype• Don’t talk down to the reader

Keep In Mind

• What question being answered• User experience• Detail and thoroughness• Visuals• Quality of writing• Information and data elements

Don’t do this!

Do this

• Give an example of overcoming a problem.

Seth was struggling with bounce rate on his site until we redesigned his page and helped him write the introductory content for his landing page.

Kathy has lots of followers but no sales. We taught her the three key questions to ask her prospects and how to develop a conversation. List the three questions.

Keith wants to give his girlfriend a beautiful and unique gift. A really one-of-a-kind item. Describe the labor, intensity, and unique material that go into your beaded basket.

Joanne thinks she needs SEO for her self-hosted website but doesn't know what that really means. You have an evergreen article that explains, What is SEO and Why You Need It.

Use natural language

About Us• The Special Dentistry Center® (SDC)

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Dentistry, we have put together a team of people that we think you’re going to LOVE.  We know you expect professionalism, empathy, and kindness, and that’s what we strive for, as well as the ability to really listen to your concerns.  So we’d like to introduce you to the wonderful people who will be taking care of you, along with Dr. Payet:

Used with permission.Fictitious name, real wording

Clarity and Focus

Proof your work

• Grammar, spelling, and punctuation count (grammarly.com)• Reading level (Hemingwayapp.com)• Internal relevance (cise.info/semantics)

Structured Data

• schema.org• Search Console: Data

Highlighter• developers.google.com/

structured-data/testing-tool/

Rich Snippets

• Mark up articles for headline, images, publish date and description.

• Google may use your rich snippet markup to power features like “In the news” and content carousels.

• Use most specific applicable schema.org type: a news article should be marked up as schema.org/NewsArticle and a blog post as schema.org/BlogPosting.

https://developers.google.com/structured-data/rich-snippets/articles

FOLLOW UPKeep track of visitor action.

Quick check

Site visitor behavior

Google Search Console

More Tools To Add Semantic Value

• Yandex, Rambler, Yandex Checker, AlchemyAPI, Schema Creator, Gruff

Goal

Drive people to your websiteAnswer a questionSolve a problemTake actionGive them a reason to return

One-visit conversions (without trust) are as rare as rocking horse poop. Jason Darrell

Empathy

It's not about Google, SEO or indexing... it's about empathy and your customers. Empathy for more customer focused content marketing.

Omi Sido

Find a Semantic Writer

Basic Qualities

• Takes time to know your business• Researches your industry and competitors• Asks about your current customer base and any desired

changes to the demographic• Understands your products and services• Is current on search optimization

WHO TO FOLLOWKeep up with the conversation.

Contextual Thought Leaders

• David Amerland• Jason Darrell• Peter Hatherley• Teodora Petkova• Omi Sido

Alphabetical Order

Search Engine Thought Leaders

• Bruce Clay, Inc. • Ammon Johns• John Mueller• Bill Slawski• Google Webmasters• Google Webmaster Hangouts

THANK YOU!Questions?

actationnow.com zara@actationnow.comGoogle Me

Zara Altair – Semantic Writing