writing for semantic search
TRANSCRIPT
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
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About Us• Here at Smiles by Payet Family
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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
