@WojKwasi #BigDigitalADL
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“It all begins with wordstyped into a search box.”
https://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/33511/Answers-to-Your-Top-7-Questions-About-the-State-of-SEO-in-2012.aspx
Search Demand
Overview1. Traditional Keyword Research
(and how to do it in under a minute)
2. The Search Experience
3. SERP Formations Study(Bonus: 9 Key Optimisation Tactics)
* Why re-invent the wheel?
How keyword research works today
IDEATION VALIDATION
IdeationBrainstorm / Generate lists of words
ValidationQuantify terms – incl. volume, competition, difficulty
How can you do thisbetter than anyone else?
Innovate
1. Come up with better ideas
2. Get better insights to find opportunities
Who likes burgers?
Start with the BasicsMake a list of your own keywords
(Gather lists from clients / other resources)
Find SynonymsUse thesaurus.com
Add ModifiersCommercial / Transactional
Local Modifiers
Question Modifiers
We now have our seed list
It’s time to Validate…
It’s time to Validate…
Keyword Planner
https://adwords.google.com/ko/KeywordPlanner
Ubersuggest.io
https://ubersuggest.io/
KeywordTool.io
https://keywordtool.io
KWFinder
https://app.kwfinder.com
AHREFs
https://ahrefs.com/keywords-explorer
Answer The Public
http://answerthepublic.com/
Answer The Public: Questions
http://answerthepublic.com/
MozKeyword Explorer
https://moz.com/explorer/
SEM RushCompetitor & Top Sites into Domain Overview / Organic Research
https://www.semrush.com/au/info/empty/domain_organic/
Similar Searches + More
Question…
Keyword Research(in under a minute)
1. Save a SERP to your local machine
e.g. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=burgers+adelaide
2. Rename to <keyword.html>
e.g. burgers-adelaide.htm
3. Upload to ftp server
4. Go to Keyword Planner and enter URL
e.g. http://www.kwasistudios.com/test/burgers-adelaide.html
Keyword Research(in under a minute)
Keyword Research(in under a minute)
Try it with Bing too…
* It’s all about the user
Next LevelFor better results than anyone else,
you can’t just have better tools and techniques:
You need a better process too.
Understanding IntentThis traditional two-stage keyword research process
misses 2 crucial stages at the beginning & end:
Understand your searchers & understand the
opportunities.
IDEATION VALIDATION
UNDERSTAND SEARCHER
UNDERSTAND OPPORTUNITY
Understanding User Journeys
AWARENESS CONSIDERATION DECISION
Understanding User Journeys
Before you can start brainstorming keywords, you have to
really understand what it is that’s driving your customers to
search at every stage of their user journey.
AWARENESS CONSIDERATION DECISION
Do they have an issue they need addressed?
ISSUE
AWARENESS CONSIDERATION DECISION
Have they clearly defined the issueand given a name to their need?
ISSUE FIX
AWARENESS CONSIDERATION DECISION
Have they decided on the fix andare ready to make a deal?
ISSUE FIX DEAL
AWARENESS CONSIDERATION DECISION
Understanding Motivations
You need this to understand their motivations and
understand the terminology they will use at each stage -
these will become the themes/buckets you explore during
the Ideation stage of keyword research.
Keywords themes based on motivations
Stage Motivation Keywords Content Landing Pages
IssueI want food quick
because I’m hungry
places that deliver in adelaide, fast food
delivery
Our Quick & Easy Food Options Delivered
/fast-food-delivery-adelaide
FixI want a burger
delivered
burgers adelaide delivered, burger delivery adelaide
Burger Delivery in Adelaide
/burgers-adelaide-delivered
Deal I want Woj Burgerwoj burgers adelaide, woj burgers delivered
Woj Burgers – Quickest Used Salisbury Steak Delivery in Adelaide
/contact
Alignment = The Search Experience
* Research just in…
Not all SERPs are created equal in 2017
It’s no longer 10 blue links
https://www.slideshare.net/crumplezone/beyond-10-blue-links-the-future-of-ranking
So we studied 2,000 SERPs
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Why we did the SERP study
We set out to identify the
most probable compositions of Google SERPs
for different keyword types and
to identify key optimisation tactics for each formation.
1. What SERPs are most likely to look like and include for each type of keyword.
2. Best ways to work with the SERPs features to include them in our search strategies.
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Method: Identify Keyword TypesCelebrity Name
(as a practice swing: these results were the easiest to verify).
Commercial Keywords + Brand Name
Brand Name(global and very well-known companies)
Commercial Keywords + Transactional modifier(e.g. “buy”)
Brand Name(lesser known companies)
Commercial Keywords + Location
Brand Name + Location Question-Based Longtail Keywords
Commercial Keywords(products or services)
Statement-Based Longtail Keywords
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Method: Gather Keywords
10 keyword types
200 per keyword type
2,000 keywords
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Method: Deep Dive!Moz’s Keyword Explorer for rough list of feature types
*didn’t tell us the most common “formation” for each keyword type
Lots of manual deep diving!
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Celebrity Namese.g. Barrack Obama, Matt Damon, Dwayne Johnson, Caitlyn Jenner, Miley Cyrus
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Celebrity NamesTop Stories
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Celebrity NamesIn-Depth Articles
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Celebrity NamesTweets
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Celebrity NamesBig Juicy Knowledge Panel
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Big Brands – Little or no newse.g. Louis Vuitton
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Big Brands – Little or no newsAdWords (Top)
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Big Brands – Little or no newsKnowledge Panel
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Big Brands – Little or no newsSite Links
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Big Brands - Newsworthye.g. Deutsche Bank - In addition to Knowledge Panel there were Top Stories,
Tweets and In-Depth Articles (no AdWords or Site Links)
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Lesser-Known BrandsSimilar to Big brands (little or no news): Knowledge Panel + extra Reviews
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Lesser-Known BrandsKnowledge Panel (more local-centric)
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Lesser-Known BrandsReviews
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Brand Name + Location• 1 location = similar to lesser known brand
• Multiple = local pack
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Brand Name + LocationLocal Pack
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Commercial: Generic,Branded & Transactional
• e.g. mirrored wardrobe, jag watches, buy socks, cheap flights to bali
• Some Ads Top, Ads (Shopping) Right, Knowledge Panels & Reviews
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Commercial: Generic,Branded & Transactional
Shopping
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Commercial: Generic,Branded & Transactional
Images
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Location ModifiedCommercial Keywords
• E.g. divorce lawyers sydney, diamond rings adelaide, fresh flowers brisbane
• Local Packs & Ads Top, Ads Bottom - Some had Ads (Shopping) Rights
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Question-Based Longtail Keywords• E.g. what will happen if trump wins, why does ice float
• AdWords (top/bottom), Featured Snippets + Videos; Some showed Images + In-Depth Articles
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Question-Based Longtail KeywordsFeatured Snippet
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Question-Based Longtail KeywordsFeatured Snippet
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Question-Based Longtail KeywordsVideos
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Statement-Based Longtail Keywordse.g. resume writing template, improve your credit score, christmas tree decorating ideas
AdWords (top and bottom), Featured Snippets and Related Questions
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Statement-Based Longtail KeywordsFeatured Snippet
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
Statement-Based Longtail KeywordsRelated Questions
http://kwasi.co/serp2017
What this means for your KWR
During your keyword research you need to observe the
SERP formation and consider additional tactics as part of
your SEO strategy
* Pssst... Write this down
1. Insights
2. Ideation
3. Quantify
4. Qualify
Keyword Research Today
INSIGHTS IDEATION QUANTIFY QUALIFY
Understand the
searcher’s
user journey
Come up with
killer keyword
ideas
Validate your
ideas - where
are the
opportunities?
Understand the
opportunities in
context of the
search
experience
Now you can get back to yourother 99 problems
@WojKwasi
These slides:
http://kwasi.co/keyword17
SERPs study:
http://kwasi.co/serp2017