smx toronto - google bought a zoo - pandas & penguins and the shamu update!

Google bought a zoo!

@simmonet #SMXGrant SimmonsDirector SEO & Social ProductThe Search Agency

Search Agent, Father, SailorBut not necessarily in that order when there’s a fair wind

“Agent Algo” #OrangeFedora

Google bought a zoo!

What’s Next?@simmonet #SMX

No one knows what’s next!

@simmonet #SMX

The Shamu Update!

Wild guess…

Black & White Mammal

@simmonet #SMX

The Shamu Update

Panda + Penguin + ?We Need Future-Proof!

http://true-wildlife.blogspot.com/

How to avoid getting bit?

The Shamu Update

@simmonet #SMX

Take notes @simmonet #SMX

RELEVANCEintent

@simmonet #SMX

Avoiding Shamu - Relevance• Research queries not keywords• Every search is a question

Intent to content

• Create content to satisfy user search query

@simmonet #SMX

The result does not always match the keyword, but it does match the intent!

(Google guesses)@simmonet #SMX

Google suggests…

Google delivers relevance… not an exact match…

@simmonet #SMX

Research for intent

Beware of The Thin Long Tail

@simmonet #SMX

Relevance

AUTHORITYtrust

@simmonet #SMX

Avoiding Shamu - Authority• Does your site appear fishy?– Does it pass the sniff test?

@simmonet #SMX www.google.com/insidesearch/howsearchworks/thestory/

QualityQuantity

not enough vs. not good enough

@simmonet #SMX

Quality Inspires InteractionMentions. Associations. Citations. Connections. Links.

= Authority

Love your penguin sitewww.penguinsnacks.com Thanks for

da link man!

@simmonet #SMX

ENGAGEMENT

@simmonet #SMX

Avoiding Shamu - Engagement• SERP – Are you clickable?

• Site – Are you satisfying the users’ intent?

• Social – Are you inspiring shares?

@simmonet #SMX

Clickable?• Fix Your SERP• Got Graph?

• Authorship• Core optimization– Titles– Snippets

• Matching intent• Mark up

@simmonet #SMX

vs.

Satisfying Intent?In the long run, the brand names secure rankings through depth of content, trust in brand and user interaction (searchers clicking a SERP result and staying on their site because the site is trusted and answers the searchers question).

Duane ForresterBing’s Matt Cutts

January 28th 2013@simmonet #SMX

@simmonet #SMX

(Great) Content Inspires Shares

FUTURE-PROOFSEO

@simmonet SMX

Beating the Shamu Update!• Understand Your Users– Intent to Content. Be Relevant.

• Quality over Quantity– Build Authority. Inspire Links.

• Engagement Matters– Clickable– Satisfying– Share-worthy

@simmonet #SMX

xx

Grant Simmons

grant@thesearchagency.com

@simmonet

linkedin.com/in/simmonet

www.thesearchagency.ca

www.thesearchagency.com

www.thesearchagents.com

Thank you

@simmonet #SMX

Darth SEO Jr.

“Now I am the master.”