understanding user intent and content silos

UNDERSTANDING SEARCH INTENT & CONTENT SILOSPresented by Rebecca GillApril 20, 2016

iThemes Training

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SEARCHINTENT

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Search intent simply refers to a human’s intentions when performing a search.

Search intent sounds scary. It becomes even scarier when you throw in terms like semantic search, which is another way of saying search intent. Don’t be intimidated. The concept isn’t that hard.You just need to think like Google.

UNDERSTANDING SEARCH INTENT

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Understanding what the user expected to receive for a given search phrase is search intent.

When a user searches in Google for “hot dog” what does he really mean?Did he mean a dog that is hot from the sun? Or did he really want results that pertained to the food hot dog?

CONSIDER THE PHRASE “HOT DOG”


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There is a BIG difference between a hot dog you eat and a hot dog that is panting from warm weather.

Google considers a number of user intent factors when deciding what content to deliver for a given search phrase.

INTENTMATTERSIn today’s world of SEO, search engines are smart and they care about what the user wants and expects to see in search results.OR


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1. A game played in North America with an oval ball on a field marked out as a gridiron. British term for soccer.

2. A ball used in football, either oval (as in American football) or round (as in soccer), typically made of leather or plastic.

LOCATIONMATTERSQuestion: What does football means in search?Answer: It depends on your physical location.OR


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NAVIGATIONALNavigational searches are performed with the intent of going directly to a specific website. These are specific searches for a company, website, or person.EX: Facebook, Oprah, The White House

COMMERCIALInvestigational searches are inquiries that lead up to a purchase and help a buyer find information. These searches could be consumer or business related.EX: Person Injury Lawyer, Yoga studios

INFORMATIONALThis is the largest category and typically represents people looking for quick answers like recipes, game times, weather, or even the cure to an ailment or illness.EX: Brownie Recipe, Chicago Weather, Rash on Head

TRANSACTIONALThese searches are largely for purchases or completing a specific task such as receiving a quote or signing up for a service.EX: Car Insurance Quotes, GQ Magazine Subscriptions

DIFFERENT TYPES OF SEARCH INTENT

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Intent makes a huge difference in today’s SEO, so while this is entirely boring it is still very important.


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WHY SEARCH INTENT MATTERS TO WEBSITE OWNERS

Many years ago we used to be able to manipulate

search results because search intent was not as

important. By manipulate we mean reach for phrases

that are outside our core focus area.

In today’s world of SEO, it is much more difficult to

stretch for keywords and phrases that don’t directly

relate to your website, content, or offering.

The reason for this is Google is smart. Google is fairly

good at understanding what the user wants and will

make sure the results in search match up closely to

this want.


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SEARCH INTENTEXAMPLEThis list of SERP results is for a Google search forthe phrase Genesis Developer.


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WHO SHOULD

BE ON PAGE ONE?

People/agencies that are Genesis developers.Informational articles.


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Freelance DeveloperHome Page

Bill Erickson

Agency of DevelopersHome Page

BYLT

Freelancer DeveloperHome Page

Carrie Dils

Agency of DevelopersInformational Blog Post

Web Savvy Marketing

Agency of DevelopersInformational Blog Post

Bourn Creative

Which listings don’t belong based on the user’s actual

intent?Web Savvy Marketing & iThemes Media LLC Copyright © 2016, All Rights Reserved

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THETAKEAWAYONUNDERSTANDINGUSERINTENT

Before planning your website’s site map, you need to

think through the users’ search intent and consider

how it relates to your planned content.

Don’t stretch for a keyword phrase that doesn’t match

closely to your content and/or the nature of your

website.

Use keywords that relate closely to who you are,

what you do, and what you offer.


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CONTENTSILOS

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Think back to your last visit to a library – you know before Kindles and iPads existed. How did the library staff help you find books of interest?

They grouped content into sections such as fiction or nonfiction. Well, guess? That is a content silo, but the old school kind.

WHAT IS A CONTENT SILO?A content silo (or SEO silo) is a method of grouping related content together to establish the website’s keyword-based topical areas or themes.


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CONTENT SILOSARE IMPORTANT

TO BOTHSEO AND USABILITY

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Barnes and Noble groups content into subject matterareas so you can easily find what you are lookingfor when you visit their website or physical store.

SILO EXAMPLE

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SUBJECTMATTERAREASFORBOOKS

Architecture & PhotographyBibles & ChristianityBiographyBusinessCookbooksFood & WineFictionGraphic Novels & ComicsDietHealth & FitnessHistoryMystery & CrimeReligionRomanceScience Fiction & FantasySelf-Help & RelationshipsSportsThrillersWesterns


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While most people would assume the company does this for ease of use for their buyers, they also do this for search engines.


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Content silos help search engines because just like the human visitor, search engines need to have a good understanding of your website’s content.

Search engines want to know what your website is about, how it is structured, and where content is located.

Content silos help with this effort by providing a set of structure to content that mimics that of old-school index cards at the library.

ORGANIZATION MATTERS


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Content silos help provide relevance. Keyword relevancy (or the level of importance) is based on the page’s content as well as the relevance of the entire website.

If I want to rank for the term SEO, it would be much easier for me if I had a section of content in my website about SEO related topics and not just one page. Having topical content helps support the website’s overall authority and thus an individual page’s rank.

RELEVANCEMATTERS


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It is easier for search engines

to find and deliver relevantcontent when it is focused

and organized around topics.

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SITE MAP EXAMPLESSmall Yoga Studio Large Blog or Directory Site


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EXAMPLESOFCONTENTSILOURLSTRUCTURES

Examples of the Yoga website:http://www.yogabliss.com/studios/new-york/http://www.yogabliss.com/studios/chicago/http://www.yogabliss.com/studios/dallas/http://www.yogabliss.com/studios/orlando/http://www.yogabliss.com/classes/yoga-rx/http://www.yogabliss.com/classes/pilates/http://www.yogabliss.com/classes/vinyasa/http://www.yogabliss.com/classes/hot-yoga/

Examples of the Vegas blog:http://www.vegasbaby.com/hotels/mgm-grand/http://www.vegasbaby.com/hotels/bellagio/http://www.vegasbaby.com/hotels/wynn/http://www.vegasbaby.com/hotels/venetian/http://www.vegasbaby.com/hotels/luxor/http://www.vegasbaby.com/shows/cirque-de-soleil/http://www.vegasbaby.com/shows/david-copperfield/http://www.vegasbaby.com/shows/elton-john/http://www.vegasbaby.com/shows/blue-man-group/http://www.vegasbaby.com/shows/carrot-top/


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Before you consider any content silos for your website or blog, you need to do a thorough review of your existing content and future content with both being guided by keyword research.

Remember – the data of keyword research will help guide you down a path that will produce tangible results.

DATAMATTERSSpend time on research, evaluation, and planning before you make any changes to your site structure or content.


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Keyword research

Existing content structure or hierarchically

Future content needs

Places where content silos can exist: pages, blog categories, blog tags, product categories, product tags, custom post types, custom taxonomies

Places where you can reinforce that structure: menus, breadcrumbs, links, URL structure

Creation of 301 redirects for use in URL structure updates

DATA POINTS TO REMEMBER


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Anyone have any questions?LET’S CHAT


BARIDIKSTEVENSON

Founder of Web Savvy MarketingInstructor at DIYSEOcourses.com@rebeccagill on Twitter

REBECCA GILL

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