Recent Google algorithm updates have stressed the importance of both quality and authority as key considerations of search results. Take a walk inside a modern SEO kitchen where we’ll explore the opportunities and risks of the strategic recipes you might be cooking up! At the end of this session, you’ll be able to: Get a taste for Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines Dig into EAT – Expertise, Authority & Trust as ranking factors Serve Google & users a satisfying search experience Actionable & valuable tips to align your website with Google’s goals.

1. @simmonet #ISUM18

2. @simmonet #ISUM18
Hell’s SEO
THE GORDON RAMSAY
GUIDE TO EATING YOUR
WAY TO SEARCH SUCCESS

3. @simmonet #ISUM18
Hell’s SEO
GRANT SIMMONS
VP SEARCH MARKETING
@simmonet #ISUM18

4. @simmonet #ISUM18
TWEET THIS SESSION
@simmonet #ISUM18
WIN!!
All expenses paid trip to hear me speak at Internet
Summit in Raleigh, November 15th 2018

5. @simmonet #ISUM18
TWEET THIS SESSION
@simmonet #ISUM18
WIN!!
All expenses paid trip to hear me speak at Internet
Summit in Raleigh, November 15th 2018
Yes… You’re all WINNERS!
*Not a real content. Many will enter, no one will win.

6. @simmonet #ISUM18
HOW GOOGLE THINKS

7. @simmonet #ISUM18

8. @simmonet #ISUM18
Search Quality Raters’ Guidelines

9. @simmonet #ISUM18
http://go.homes/QRG
Search Quality Raters’ Guidelines

10. @simmonet #ISUM18

11. @simmonet #ISUM18
http://go.homes/QRG

12. @simmonet #ISUM18
Leaked 08/11
Updated Lots
Last Update 7/18

13. @simmonet #ISUM18

14. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
Main Content
“Main Content is any part of
the page that directly helps
the page achieve its purpose.”

15. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
Main Content
“Main Content is
(or should be!) the reason
the page exists.”

16. @simmonet #ISUM18
OR TO PUT IT MORE RAMSAY

17. @simmonet #ISUM18

18. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
PURPOSE

19. @simmonet #ISUM18
Satisfy the user query /
intent as perfectly as
possible, and better than
anyone else on the web?

20. @simmonet #ISUM18
BAM!

21. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
PURPOSE?

22. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
PURPOSE?

23. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
PURPOSE?

24. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
PURPOSE?

25. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
PURPOSE?

26. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
PURPOSE?

27. @simmonet #ISUM18
Satisfy the user query /
intent as perfectly as
possible, and better than
anyone else on the web?
Intent to Content

28. @simmonet #ISUM18
Does your page
serve the
right food
content to satisfy
users‘ hunger?
Intent to Content

29. @simmonet #ISUM18

30. @simmonet #ISUM18

31. @simmonet #ISUM18
Needs Met

32. @simmonet #ISUM18
… is based on both the query
and the result. (Rater) must
carefully think about the
query and user intent when
assigning a Needs Met rating
Needs Met Rating

33. @simmonet #ISUM18
… is based on both the query
and the result. (Rater) must
carefully think about the
query and user intent when
assigning a Needs Met rating
Needs Met Rating

34. @simmonet #ISUM18
… is based on both the query
and the result. (We) must
carefully think about the
query and user intent when
creating a page’s content
Needs Met Rating

35. @simmonet #ISUM18
BAM!

36. @simmonet #ISUM18
Page-level assessment

37. @simmonet #ISUM18
MAIN CONTENT
QUALITY & AMOUNT

38. @simmonet #ISUM18

39. @simmonet #ISUM18
Looks Good… But…

40. @simmonet #ISUM18
English Breakfast

41. @simmonet #ISUM18
English Breakfast
2 bacon, 2 sausage,
mushrooms, fried egg, fried
potatoes, beans, toast,
tomato, tea.

42. @simmonet #ISUM18
English Breakfast
2 bacon, 2 sausage,
mushrooms, fried egg, fried
potatoes, beans, toast,
tomato, tea.
Works out to roughly 1000
calories and a whopping 75
grams of fat.

43. @simmonet #ISUM18
FYI
This is not
“thin content”

44. @simmonet #ISUM18
FYI
This is not
“thin content”
Quality over Quantity

45. @simmonet #ISUM18
Quality = Satisfy User Expectations

46. @simmonet #ISUM18
3 Golden Quality Questions
• How well does a page
achieve its purpose?
• Does it answer the
users’ query?
• Is the user satisfied by
the page experience?

47. @simmonet #ISUM18
BAM!

48. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
When was
Gordon Ramsay Dash
released?

49. @simmonet #ISUM18 @simmonet #ISUM18
When was
Gordon Ramsay Dash
released?
June 2016

50. @simmonet #ISUM18

51. @simmonet #ISUM18
“QUALITY
CHARACTERISTIC”

52. @simmonet #ISUM18
Food is Content / Site Quality
Gets Consumed:
Best food is “E.A.T.”
• Expert
• Authoritative
• Trustworthy

53. @simmonet #ISUM18
Attributes:
• Friends’ recommendations
• Reputation
• Looking from outside
• Grade in the window
• Neighborhood
• Interactions / Experience
How We Choose Restaurants

54. @simmonet #ISUM18
Food / Service Quality
• What does it look like?
• What does it taste like?
• How was it delivered?
• Ambiance
• Cleanliness
• Met expectations?
How We Judge Restaurants

55. @simmonet #ISUM18
Food / Service Quality
• What does it look like?
• Do others like the taste?
• How was it delivered?
• Ambiance
• Cleanliness
• Met expectations?
How Google Judges ‘Restaurants’

56. @simmonet #ISUM18
“PAGES WITHOUT
BENEFICIAL
PURPOSE… SUCK”

57. @simmonet #ISUM18
“PAGES WITHOUT
BENEFICIAL
PURPOSE… SUCK”

58. @simmonet #ISUM18

59. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
Levels of Quality

60. @simmonet #ISUM18
High Quality
• Quality Main Content
• Super service
• Great reputation
• Manager who cares
• High E.A.T.

61. @simmonet #ISUM18
Highest Quality
• VERY high quality
Main Content
• Very positive
reputation
• Very high E.A.T.
5 star food / experience

62. @simmonet #ISUM18
Low Quality
• Low quality Main
Content
• Unsatisfying amount of
Main Content
• Negative Reputation
• Lacking E.A.T.

63. @simmonet #ISUM18
Lowest Quality

64. @simmonet #ISUM18

65. @simmonet #ISUM18
Lowest Quality
• Harmful, malicious or deceptive
• Lowest quality Main Content
• Lack of purpose
• No website information
• Highly untrustworthy, unreliable,
un-authoritative or inaccurate
• Hacked, defaced, spammed
• Extremely negative reputation

66. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
Warning (YMYL)
Pages that Google deems:
“May impact the
future health,
happiness or financial
stability of users”

67. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
• Financial transactions
• Information:
–Financial
–Medical
–Legal
Warning (YMYL)
“Very high standards”

68. @simmonet #ISUM18
1754
“Your Money or Your Life!”

69. @simmonet #ISUM18
Site (Food) Quality
10-second Recap
• Sites must have E.A.T. – more is better!
• High quality Main Content is a must!
• Sites should contain ‘who’ behind the what
• Reputation is key consideration
• Very high standards for YMYL pages

70. @simmonet #ISUM18
BAM!

71. @simmonet #ISUM18
We are Search Chefs
Our job is to:
• Deliver quality ‘food’
– Understand customer needs
• Build our reputation
– Be the expert authority
• Provide great service
– Ensure delivery

72. @simmonet #ISUM18
Too many Search Chefs
& not enough reputation builders

73. @simmonet #ISUM18
BUILDING REPUTATION

74. @simmonet #ISUM18
Reputation is Key!
“When the website
says one thing about
itself, but reputable
external sources
disagree with what the
website says, trust the
external sources.”

75. @simmonet #ISUM18

76. @simmonet #ISUM18
REVIEWS

77. @simmonet #ISUM18
REVIEWS
PARTNERSHIPS

78. @simmonet #ISUM18
REVIEWS
PARTNERSHIPS
LINKS / CITATIONS
/ MENTIONS

79. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
ARE YOU
WITH ME?

80. @simmonet #ISUM18
Who you associate with is key

81. @simmonet #ISUM18
Who you associate with is key

82. @simmonet #ISUM18
Who you associate with is key

83. @simmonet #ISUM18
Who you associate with is key

84. @simmonet #ISUM18
Who you are associated with too!

85. @simmonet #ISUM18
Expert? Sure!

86. @simmonet #ISUM18
Expert with *Your* Data!

87. @simmonet #ISUM18
Survey Data + Spin = Expert

88. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
Search:
grant simmons nfl stadiums
grant simmons the bachelor
ahem

89. @simmonet #ISUM18
Content & Connections
• Authentic content by real people
• Don’t use auto ‘crap’ spinners
• Mentions in news, Wikipedia,
blog posts, magazines, forum
discussions, + ratings from
independent (credible) orgs
• Independent (expert) sources of
information.

90. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
Negative Reputation Too!
Monitor What’s Out There

91. @simmonet #ISUM18
Reputation
10-second Recap
• Build an authentic reputation
• Partner with the right sources
• Earn mentions / reviews (and links)
• Monitor your rep!
• Don’t toot your own horn
(others should toot it for you!)
Trust me
on this!

92. @simmonet #ISUM18
BAM!

93. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
E.A.T.
• Expert
• Authoritative
• Trustworthy

94. @simmonet #ISUM18
FINALLY…

95. @simmonet #ISUM18
FINALLY…
HELL’S SEO
IS BRUTAL

96. @simmonet #ISUM18

97. @simmonet #ISUM18
USE THE RIGHT TOOLS

98. @simmonet #ISUM18
READ THIS!

99. @simmonet #ISUM18
READ THIS!
http://go.homes/QRG

100. @simmonet #ISUM18@simmonet #ISUM18
EAT YOUR
WAY TO
SEARCH
SUCCESS

101. @simmonet #ISUM18
Thank you!

102. @simmonet #ISUM18
Questions?

103. @simmonet #ISUM18
Thank you!

104. @simmonet #ISUM18
NO…
YOU’RE
THE
MAN OR
WOMAN!

105. @simmonet #ISUM18
WHO’S
THE SEO
GURU?
YOU!

106. @simmonet #ISUM18
Hell’s SEO
GRANT SIMMONS
VP SEARCH MARKETING
HOMES.COM
@simmonet #ISUM18

107. @simmonet #ISUM18
HELLS SEO: THE GORDON RAMSAY GUIDE TO EATING YOUR
WAY TO SEARCH SUCCESS
• Recent Google algorithm updates have stressed the
importance of both quality and authority as key
considerations of search results. Take a walk inside a
modern SEO kitchen where we’ll explore the opportunities
and risks of the strategic recipes you might be cooking up!
– At the end of this session, you’ll be able to:
– Get a taste for Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines
– Dig into EAT – Expertise, Authority & Trust as ranking factors
– Serve Google & users a satisfying search experience
– Take home actionable & valuable tips to align your website with
Google’s goals