Focusing on quality content rather than churning out blog post after blog post appears to be agreed upon by most, yet when it comes to action, a different story often emerges. SEOs still receive requests to, “find a keyword that we can create a blog for” and slightly more evolved, “tell me how many blogs it will take to rank for this one keyword.”
Instead of following these requests it’s time we explore the needs of our clients and develop the strategies that will deliver on them. To do this, I share five methods I’ve used with clients to move from a keyword based approach to a topic and intent strategy.
2. Nicole Hess
Director of Strategy
Greenlane Search Marketing
Demographic Research
Digital Marketing
SEO
Co-organizer, Content Strategy Philly
Meetup
Digital Marketing Office Hours
University of Arts, Philadelphia
@nicolecherieh
3. What We’re Covering
➔Faults of Traditional Keyword
Strategies
➔How To: Find Topics (New and
Competitor)
➔How To: Uncover Search Intent
➔How To: Other Data for SEO Content
➔Resources
9. @aaronfriedman
70% of all
searches
are for
long-tail
keywords.
skirts
skirts with pockets
cheap skirts
long skirts with pockets
pleated skirts with pockets
cotton pleated skirts with pockets
10. Topics Rule the
SERPs
● 2 of the top 5 didn’t include
“infant” in any content
(onpage or metadata)
● 3 of the top 5 didn’t include
“infant” in metadata
# of instances of “infant” in page copy
11.
12. Scenario 1.
Our site offers products tailored to specific
dog breeds.
We didn’t have content for different dog
breeds and how our products relate to
them.
#topicsnotkeywords
13. Use Google Suggest
Find out what people are searching for about their breeds
But how long will it take to find all Google suggests?
18. Action:
- Aggregate topics and search volume per breed
- Develop per breed outline of the topics to cover and in what order
19. Don’t leave 70% of potential
searches untapped.
Do topic based research to
uncover these long-tail
keywords.
20. Scenario 2.
Need new content for a client who already
has half a million pieces of content.
They knew competitor sites ranked above
them for a lot of keywords.
How to find them all?
And deliver actionable writing prompts?
#topicsnotkeywords
21. 80 / 20 Rule
20% of your content likely drives 80% of engagement.
Probably even less than 20%, like these 3 clients:
Analysis of 3
client’s
content and
organic traffic
patterns.
22. “The quality of your content
has an exponentially
greater impact than
quantity.”
@janessalantz
26. Topic Opportunity
Finder
Automates finding ranking topics
of competitors by providing:
Competitor ranking topic
Total search volume for topic
Best ranking competitor URL for topic
Keywords competition ranks for
Search volume by keyword
Ranking URL @seanmalseed
27.
28. How to use
1. Make a copy
2. Export competitor rankings
from SEMrush (yes, one by one)
3. Paste into worksheet
4. Input API key
5. Wait.
6. Enjoy!
Topic Opportunity Finder
(Link)
29. 581,000 monthly searches
We identified 4 topics representing over 600 keywords and 581,000
monthly searches.
31. Target topics not keywords.
Find out the variations people are
searching for.
32. Scenario 3.
Page moved from pos. 1 to 3 for the targeted head term.
And stayed there for a year.
This caused the company to lose a lot of $$$ in revenue.
We helped them get back to #1.
#searchintent
33. Search Intent
Top 5 results for
“plan trip with infant”
● 2 of the top 5 didn’t include
“infant” in any content (onpage
or metadata)
● Only 2 of the top 5 included
“infant” in metadata
34. Search Intent
Top results for “childcare”
● Day care centers local results
● Day care center PPC
● Only 1 result for a page
about “child care” without
meaning “day care”
35. How to Identify Search Intent
1. Look at the SERPs for specific and different intents
2. Find the long-tail keywords that align to the intent
E.g. “buy dress with pockets” vs “reviews of dresses with pockets” vs “cheap
designer dresses”
3. If trying to outrank competitor, see what long-tail intent
keywords your competitor’s target page(s) rank for.
4. Compare competitor long-tail intent keywords to your own
38. How to Identify Search Intent
1. Look at the SERPs for specific and different intents
2. Find the long-tail keywords that align to the intent
E.g. “buy dress with pockets” vs “reviews of dresses with pockets” vs “cheap
designer dresses”
3. If trying to outrank competitor, see what long-tail intent
keywords your competitor’s target page(s) rank for.
4. Compare competitor long-tail intent keywords to your own
39. Compare Our Site to Competition
Both competitors rank for
nearly double the search
volume for "buy" related
searches.
We overperformed for
“reviews” - a search intent
more for information than
purchasing.
Us Ranking #1 Ranking #2
All Related Pages
40. Optimization Plan
Reviewed competitor content and intent keywords
used
Changed the order of copy on page to showcase buying
information before additional reviews.
Included “buy” in H2 and first paragraph of content.
41. #1
Target keyword moved up from position 3 to position 1 within 2 months,
after 1 year of its drop to position 3.
42. Google is matching head-term
searches to intent.
Use long-tail keywords to
discover different search intent.
45. Mapping PPC to Organic Rankings
Steps:
1. Review successful PPC keywords
2. Identify relevant organic keyword
3. Note if organic keyword ranks
4. Note if organic landing page for keyword
has conversions
46. SEO from PPC Data
Noted if organic keyword ranked
Identified other relevant organic keywords
Identified content that the keyword relates to
Optimized page + conversion element
50. Your Audience
1.Who is your audience for the
particular thing you are
promoting?
2.Who are the extremes in the
audience?
1.What are the needs (not
wants) of the audience?
56. See. Learn. Do.
Don’t be the generic yet
widely familiar SEO guy.
See what other’s are doing.
Learn why it worked for
them.
Do your own strategy based
on your client’s needs.
57. It’s time we move past
simple keyword research.
We can research topics
and search intent.
58. Resources
➔ Good Riddance Keyword Planner
➔ Answer the Public
➔ Keywords Everywhere
➔ SEMrush Keyword Magic (Beta)
➔ Topic Opportunity Finder (Beta)
➔ Search Intent Tables
➔ Onpage Optimization Template
➔ Brand to Audience Survey
➔ 80/20 Content Marketing Power Law
@nicolecherieh
Hinweis der Redaktion
Survey Qs- Works in house vs agency?- Is responsible for content creation?- Writes content themselves?- Thinks Kristen Wiig is hilarious?