Why We Can t Do SEO Without CRO

Transcription

1 Why We Can t Do SEO Without CRO Shifts in Google s rankings & searcher behavior have changed how SEOs must apply CRO Rand Fishkin, Wizard of rand@moz.com

2 Bit.ly/seocro2017

3 SEO Historically

4 Measured by: Traffic Driven

5 Measured by: Rankings Achieved Via Moz Pro

6 Improved by: Boosting Accessibility Via Moz Pro

7 Improved by: Optimizing Keywords Via Moz Pro

8 Improved by: Acquiring Links Via Moz Pro

9 Improved by: Upgrading Visibility

10 What Changed?

11 Via Avinash Kaushik Google Evolved

12 Solving the Searcher s Query Became Google s Ultimate Search Quality Metric

13 Engagement Emerged as a Ranking Signal Google s Search Quality team is always asking the same question: Are searchers satisfied by this? How do they get the answer?... Aggregate Behavioral Data

14 Do searchers, on average, click the results we rank highly more than the results we rank lower? 35% of clicks 19% of clicks All Good! 11% of clicks

15 Do many searchers click on nothing at all, and instead change their query, or choose a related search? If it s these, maybe we show more results for where sour beer is available.

16 Do searchers, on average, short-click some results, while long-clicking others? If clicks on Wikipedia result in a quick bounce back to the SERP While SeattleMag gets high engagement w/ few bounces Google may swap their rankings

17 Not Sure You Should Believe Me? Here s Google Search Engineer Paul Haahr: Via Paul Haahr

18 A brief aside What s up Brad? You sure that s the best possible name for your real estate agency?

19 Google s Also Shifted from Prioritizing Good Results to The Fastest Answer

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21 This is all about speed predicting my next search query w/ more accuracy based on my prior one.

22 Powerful Query-Interpretation Processes Now Help Google Sort Out Which Signals to Apply Via Rankbrain Unleashed

23 And Content Analysis Algorithms Have Grown Vastly More Sophisticated Via Google Research s SyntaxNet Announcement

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28 An Emerging SEO Priority: Searcher Task Accomplishment

29 Can the Searcher Quickly, Comprehensively Solve Their Problem via this SERP?

30 Do the Top Results Take Them All the Way Through Their Issue? Thinking about Financial Self-publishing vs. writing a book expectations traditional Odds of getting a publisher Finding an agent Choosing a publisher The pitch Tips by genre Book marketing

31 Google s Goal: Find Signals & Algos that Reward Pages Optimized for Task Accomplishment IMO, this page does the best job of solving the searcher s problem

32 SEO s Goal: Align the Business & Searcher s Objectives, then Optimize Jane s next steps perfectly align (& balance) the searcher s needs w/ her content, products, & services

33 The CRO Process for Searcher Task Accomplishment

34 Via Conversion Rate Experts

35 We want to replicate this process, but apply it to the conversion of searcher task accomplishment what searchers are seeking. searchers come away unsatisfied.

36 STEP 1: Establish Your Primary KW Target Via Keyword Explorer

37 STEP 2: Expand w/ Related KWs that Share the Same Searcher Intent

38 STEP 3: Add In KWs w/ Slightly Expanded Intent The grouping features in KW research tools can be useful for ID ing unique searcher intents

39 STEP 4: Visit the Competition What Tasks Are They Helping Searchers Solve? Process to find a literary agent Amazon-specific process info Self-publishing tips How to write a best-seller

40 STEP 5: Survey a Small Group Sample survey here

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43 STEP 6: Curate Your List of Searcher Expectations

44 STEP 7: Create the Content to Match Each Need, & Use a Layout that Makes Accessing Each Element Easy VS.

45 STEP 8: Apply the On-Page SEO Checklist Craft content that fulfills the searcher s primary goals Speed, speed, and more speed Create trust & engagement through UI, UX, & branding Avoid elements that dissuade visitors Employ KWs intelligently (title, headline, content, URL, img, etc) Use related topics to boost relevancy & ranking potential Optimize your snippet to earn the highest possible CTR Deliver unique value beyond what other sites can offer Via On-Page SEO

46 STEP 9: Usability Test Your Page Like a Product Via UsabilityHub s Question Test Surveys

47 STEP 10: Launch, Learn, & Iterate Via Sprint from Jake Knapp & Google Ventures

48 SEO+CRO Isn t Just Task Accomplishment

49 CRO Can Help You Stay Ahead of Your Competitors SEO Invesments If ShipYourEnemiesGlitter.com has a higher conversion rate, they can reinvest more budget in SEO, and eventually overtake RuinDays.com

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51 Traditional CRO Also Matters Because It s How Execs Decide Where to Put Budget

52 Yes. There s Conflict Between *Who* Gets the Conversion

53 Conversion Rates & Searcher Satisfaction Are Sometimes in Direct Opposition

54 A Higher Conversion Rate w/ Worse Searcher Satisfaction May Yield Lower Organic Traffic

55 But There s a Win/Win

56 Helping Users First Often Leads to Better Long-Term ROI Searcher Satisfaction Trust & Return Stronger Long-Term Loyalty Visits Conversions

57 You Have to Choose Which Path Works for You: Make your visitor *convert*, then help them Solve the visitors problem first, then find solve their problem ways to benefit from the trust you ve gained & value provided

58 Bit.ly/seocro2017 Rand Fishkin, Wizard of