Why the "New Keyword = New Page" Approach is Bonkers
- 1. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 Why the “new keyword = new page” approach to SEO is . @epiphanysearch
- 3. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch The Old Approach “vintage bike insurance” “classic bike insurance” Two keywords, two sets of content, two URLs If it’s an important term, let’s make a page for it!
- 4. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch But Google Thinks They’re the Same … We searched for vintage bike insurance … We got back results for classic bike insurance Google thinks they’re the same thing – even though they’re actually slightly different
- 5. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 Keyword cannibalisation + catch-all pages for similar, smaller terms Many terms which were targeted with individual landing pages were semantically very similar – however separate pages were necessary as the policies differed. When dealing with many variations of similar terms with low search volume – a page targeting the umbrella term can often work as a “catch-all” page. classic bike insurance vintage bike insurance scooter insurance moped insurance offroad bike insurance mx bike insurance Motocross insurance pit bike insurance trials bike insurance @epiphanysearch
- 6. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch The Options <meta name="robots" content="noindex, follow" /> <link href="http:/www.example.com/canonical-version-of-page/" rel=canonical" />
- 8. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch Results Within 3 weeks of implementing the fix terms moved for the first time onto page 1, where they have remained since, and now share the same higher ranking with the same ranking page – no more flip- flopping 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 1st Jan 5th Jan 8th Jan 12th Jan 14th Jan 21st Jan 28th Jan 2nd Feb Current scooter insurance moped insurance
- 9. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 Is All My Content Really Necessary? @epiphanysearch
- 10. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch And that doesn’t even cover … 2015 2016
- 11. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 How do I increase my search relevance now? @epiphanysearch
- 13. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 How Do I Find Out About My Audience? Internal site searches Focus groups Analytics information Sales people & call centres @epiphanysearch
- 14. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch No site should be limited to a finite set of “money keywords”. Growing relevance for more terms lessens the dependency on a small set of keywords. We want to be visible at every possible organic touch-point as a potential customer starts their discovery journey, narrows it, compares and chooses. Content Strategy Aim: Broaden your organic visibility Purchase Decision Research problem Research solutions
- 15. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch Content & UX • Who is the best answer to the query I’m attempting to answer? • How do I become the best answer? • How can I appear at all stages of a customer’s potential journey through searching? • Will my content do what I need it to? Stage Step Example Search Phrases Goals Informational Researching ways to cover costs How can I tell when I need a new car battery Replacing a car battery Fitting a car battery What does a car battery look like? Sessions Guide / information downloads SignupsHigh level browsing Which car battery do I need? Car battery for Mazda Seeking opinions Best car batteries Quality car batteries Transactional Gathered the specifics Exide car battery Lion car battery Buy car battery Cheap car battery Purchases Post-sale Managing Car battery working correctly Car battery guarantee Sessions
- 16. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch Long Tail = More Accessible SERP
- 17. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch Search is a journey We need to ensure our content covers multiple touch points while serving the needs of the user at every stage. It often takes multiple visits to convert, individual channels all contribute
- 19. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch Is Your Blog Still Valuable? • What are you posting? • How often are you posting it? • Who is responsible for it?
- 20. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch Where Can You Host Content? How connected is it to your main content?
- 21. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 @epiphanysearch Can It Lead to Conversion?
- 22. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 Can You Make Your Content Work Harder? Find that content’s audience and work to gain coverage for it Can you be a resource for another site? Can you attach a survey or valuable data to gain headlines? Think about how many purposes your content can serve before you write it @epiphanysearch
- 24. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 20% Of Google searches now have voice intent @epiphanysearch
- 28. COPYRIGHTJAYWINGPLC2015 Key Points Check Your Keyword Targeting Consider the journey Become a useful resource @epiphanysearch
Editor's Notes
- #8: Robots tag removes the element of choice from Google – they can choose whether or not to use a canonical tag, but a robots noindex tag is far clearer
- #10: Scour your site for search terms where Google doesn’t see the difference – and even if Google still does, ask whether they are really necessary or if two pages are serving the same purpose. If needed, the noindex tag is your best friend, but every site is better served by thinking about what content is necessary and making sure only that content is accessible.
- #17: 0 above the fold to 4 above the fold, plus a video and an instant answer box, neither beyond the reach of any client or requiring paid media spend
- #21: If that content can fit alongside your main content, it’s going to work harder for you – fit more naturally into the conversion journey while funnelling search authority via earned media links & coverage due to its value
- #22: No matter the content – make sure it’s easy and obvious to move on to a conversion path
- #29: Check your keyword targeting! Don’t target words that are semantically similar on the same pages – if you need to have those separate pages, think about which one should be in the index Think beyond keywords with your content – what does your audience want from you? What should you be telling them that isn’t specifically focused around the product or service that you offer, but which plays a part in their journey to you? Keep your eye on being the most useful resource online – only then will you be in a good place for the future