The New SEO Imperative. A Guide to Your SEO with Google s Secure Search

Transcription

1 The New SEO Imperative A Guide to Your SEO with Google s Secure Search

2 Index Contents Secure Search Manifesto Introduction and Background The Path Forward A Challenging Paradox Methodology in a Box: Three Steps and Two Enablers Step One: Start with Pages Step Two: Pair Pages to Keywords (Map Content to Demand) Step Three: Plan, Execute, and Track Enabler One: Wire-in Powerful Data Sources Enabler Two: Bet on the Right Technology Platform Conclusion 2

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4 Introduction and Background SEO is the most predominant channel in online marketing. Research shows that on the average, SEO is much bigger than other marketing channels Display Ads, Mobile, and Video. (see chart at right). Measuring the aggregated impact of all the ranking keywords on a given page represents a big step forward in SEO analytics. Page-based reporting sheds light on how site changes can affect the bottom line. Google s shift towards 100% secure search is the single biggest change in this dominant channel since the introduction of page rank and backlinks. With Secure Search, the metrics and methodology SEO practitioners have been using have dramatically changed, leading to an overnight paradigm shift. In the new SEO paradigm, page is at the center of the universe! Measuring the aggregated impact of all the ranking keywords on a given page represents a big step forward in SEO analytics. Page-based reporting sheds light on how site changes can affect the bottom line, according to Neiman Marcus, a BrightEdge customer. Leading brands on the BrightEdge platform saw this shift coming and have been working with BrightEdge for over a year to transition to a page-based approach to managing SEO. In fact, market research shows that online marketers that do not embrace page-based SEO will likely see their SEO performance decline rapidly as their competitors take advantage of this fundamental shift. BrightEdge has helped us move our focus to a content-based approach, placing us ahead of the curve. And BrightEdge s latest announcement offers a clear path to proactively manage SEO at the level of revenue, conversions and traffic, according to Lowell Orelup, VP of Marketing at LendingTree. In order to cut the confusion and to help marketers choose the right technology to win in a world of Secure Search, we have put together the Secure Search Manifesto that highlights what our customers and the SEO community know to be self-evident truths. In the following pages, we provide a step-by-step mini-guide to evaluate and pick the right technology platform using the SEO Manifesto as the evaluation framework. The Manifesto is based on the deep technology investments that BrightEdge has delivered to our 8,500+ leading brand customers over the past year to develop a comprehensive solution. With the release of Page Manager in 2012, BrightEdge was ahead of the curve with its breakthrough pivot on SEO from a keyword to a page-centric approach. From that point on, BrightEdge has constantly invested in a series of innovations culminating in the latest release of Page Reporting, Google Webmaster Tools Integration, and Estimate Keyword Reporting. As a result, the BrightEdge S3 Platform stands out as the only complete solution to optimize SEO in the world of secure search. The Path Forward A Challenging Paradox BrightEdge has helped us move our focus to a content-based approach, placing us ahead of the curve. And BrightEdge s latest announcement offers a clear path to proactively manage SEO at the level of revenue, conversions, and traffic. Lowell Orelup, VP, Marketing, 4 While the technical aspects of SEO have just gone through a major shift, the goal of search marketing has not changed: SEOs need to align their programs to business outcomes and metrics. The need to align SEO programs to business goals is a fundamental requirement and is in fact one of the premises behind the founding of BrightEdge top brands use BrightEdge primarily because it is the pioneering SEO platform that meets this fundamental market need by connecting the dots to revenue and business outcomes. However, with Google s change to 100% Secure Search, the methodology SEOs have traditionally used is no longer valid.

5 Google has stopped providing traffic, conversions, and revenue at the Keyword level. Therefore, if we used the old methodology, our SEO performance would appear to be declining even though there is no change in keyword ranking. In the illustration at left, let s look at two keywords that rank in positions 3 and 2 attracting ~100 visits and ~200 visits respectively. If we used the same traditional keyword reports, it would paradoxically appear as though both keywords have dramatically lost traffic after Secure Search changes even though their ranks have not changed. BrightEdge Page Reporting goes beyond web analytics, helping pull together all the content that impacts business performance at the page level. It will be key to connecting the dots. This paradox is likely to lead to the wrong conclusion that the program has mysteriously deteriorated. BrightEdge and our community of customers and partners have been anticipating this sea change and has been preparing for it for over a year. As described below, we now have a path forward based on a Manifesto consisting of five tenets. This Manifesto is courtesy of the 20,000+ SEO professionals using BrightEdge S3 everyday including 8,500+ brands, 9/10 top hotel chains, 7/10 leading online retailers, and 7/10 top technology companies. Methodology In a Box Three Steps and Two Enablers The new methodology in Secure Search world consists of three steps and two enablers. The first step is to start with Pages. This involves establishing the baseline performance at the page-level, thus transitioning the program to a content-centric approach to SEO. The next step is to map demand to pages through keyword discovery followed by pairing of pages to keywords. The final step is to take action and execute. In each of these steps, the two key enablers, Data Sources and Technology Platform, determine winners and losers. The SEO community s Secure Search Manifesto is aligned to each of these steps and enablers. In the following, we elaborate on each step and enabler as well as highlight the respective tenet from the Secure Search Manifesto. 5

6 Step One: Start with Pages The first step in the Secure Search methodology is to transition to a content-centric approach in which the page is the unit of optimization. Such an approach requires reporting real (not estimated) business metrics at the page level including traffic, conversions, and revenue. Remember Manifesto tenet #1: Analytics is the source of truth. Therefore, estimated business metrics (as opposed to actuals from Web Analytics tools) such as estimated revenue will not only give an inaccurate picture, but are likely to paint a false and misleading picture. Using BrightEdge s Page Reporting technology, you get real page-level business metrics, not just estimates. This breakthrough capability provides real and deeply integrated data with site analytics, and allows for period over period aggregation and comparison. In the illustration below, we look at two keywords that are paired to a specific page and tracked in the Bright- Edge platform. The two keywords rank 3rd and 2nd on that page and get ~100 visits and ~200 visits, respectively (see left side of the illustration below). After Secure Search, because of its integration with Web Analytics, BrightEdge pulls page-level performance the same way it did before Secure Search. As a result, the keywords show the same ~100 visits and ~200 visits respectively (right side of the illustration below). Thus, as optics remain consistent and in-line with ranking, you get an accurate and reliable picture of SEO performance. Step Two: Pair Pages to Keywords (map content to demand) Given the complexity of integrating with Web Analytics integration, BrightEdge is the only SEO platform that is able to build and maintain deep integrations to Web Analytics and is the only true page-based SEO platform currently available. With page-based SEO set up, you are ready to pair keywords to pages, restoring visibility and optics and thus solving the paradox described in the previous section. The second step in the Secure Search methodology is to pair up keywords to pages in order to map your program to demand. To get a complete list of keywords associated with each page you need two factors: (a) accurate rank data, (b) powerful technology to discover keywords. a) Accurate rank data: Remember manifesto tenet #2: rank still matters (and it always will). Adopting page-based SEO does not mean the end of rank data. In the new approach, rank still matters as the leading metric correlating revenue and conversions. Search metrics inform priorities that impact critical business decisions and contribute to the bottom line. As such, having accurate SEO data is critical to success. The BrightEdge commitment to data integrity includes crawling individual pages (rather than using num=100 logic), along with multiple crawls per week, to ensure the data in our platform is accurate. In addition, with proprietary Blended Rank technology, BrightEdge ensures that as Google evolves the SERP, the search ranking data provided in dashboards are representative of what a user sees. The difference is that rank is now at the page level as well as at the keyword level (through pairing). It is a necessity to get complete visibility into how content appears in the SERP by device type (mobile, tablet, desktop), in universal listings, and by location (city and country). According to the Mobile Share report, rank on tablets, phones, and desktop can vary significantly. With mobile usage growing exponentially and search becoming more and more local, accurate rank data broken out by device type and location has become critical. BrightEdge s page-based SEO platform measures rank across devices inclusive of Universal results. In addition to images, videos, and maps, BrightEdge also uniquely supports Carousel ranking. 6

7 We re excited about the potential of BrightEdge mobile offerings to help us maintain a competitive edge, and continue to grow search engine visibility. The platform also tracks local SEO performance by keywords and keyword groups across major cities. We re excited about the potential of BrightEdge mobile offerings to help us maintain a competitive edge, and continue to grow search engine visibility, according to Food Network, a BrightEdge customer. b) Ability to discover keywords The key to a successful page-based SEO is the ability to discover keywords that are ranking for a page, but may not be currently tracked. BrightEdge is the only platform with a proprietary SEO X-ray technology to accomplish this through a massive index of rank data and integration to Google Webmaster Tools. With pages established and mapped to demand, you are now ready to take action! 7

8 Step Three: Plan, Execute, and Track Now that you have a 360-degree view of performance and demand, the third step is to identify opportunities, build a forecast, and take actions. Remember Manifesto tenet #3: Page is the center of the universe. According to Citrix, BrightEdge Page Manager takes on-page optimization to the next level. Their centralized page-level data and recommendations will be essential to our future SEO success. BrightEdge has been perfecting the Page Manager technology, which is packed with three unique, powerful, and critical features: 1. On and Off-page Recommendations SEO success is dependent on optimizing your most important webpages. Digital marketers are often challenged with the overwhelming task of analyzing individual webpages, which may have different areas for optimization. Marketers can struggle to identify all the areas for improvement across multiple pages with varied code, page structure, internal backlinks, and text length. BrightEdge streamlines this process with Page Manager, providing prescriptive best-practices guiding you to SEO success. BrightEdge analyzes 32+ elements for each unique webpage including duplicate and thin content, and provides recommendations. With Page Manager you can successfully target multiple keywords to a single page, and effectively manage similar or complementary phrases to boost a page s overall ranking. 2. Competitive Insights BrightEdge Page Manager takes on-page optimization to the next level. Their centralized page-level data and recommendations will be essential to our future SEO success. Through the massive index of search data that BrightEdge gathers, you can uncover the best practices employed by your top competitors at a granular level. You can replicate a competitive best practice with a single click, and customize a strategy to fit your SEO program. With BrightEdge s powerful tasks & workflow functionality, you are able to assign tasks internally as well as track and report progress. 3. Page Groups Having the ability to work at an individual page level or by a group of pages aligned with a business unit or associated with a section of your site is critical to scale. BrightEdge s page-based platform allows you to group pages for easy manageability and alignment to your organization s structure. 8 Along every step, you need powerful data that is readily accessible and is presented side-by-side with pages and keywords.

9 Enabler One: Wire-in Powerful Data Sources Now that you have set up the program on a great path forward with the three steps, a critical component is to bring the power of data to bear. Remember Manifesto tenet #4: All data is relevant and connected. In the secure search world, 20/20 vision is only possible with a rich set of best-in-class data sources, e.g., Google Webmaster Tools and Majestic Backlinks, side-by-side with keyword, rank, page, and search volume data, providing in-depth insights all in one place. The BrightEdge platform allows you to connect best-in-class data sources plus a massive reverse index of the web to arm you with the insights you need. Through the self-serve Google Webmaster Tools (GWT) integration, BrightEdge allows you to track multiple sites in one aggregate view, eliminating the need to piece together discrete data for each site. You also get an accurate historical view of the GWT data put together by BrightEdge s unique technology. With your program well transitioned to the new page-based approach, you need a trusted technology vendor that is here to stay and fuel your success. Enabler Two: Bet on the Right Technology Platform As with any SaaS technology platform choice, you need a trusted innovator as your partner. Remember Manifesto tenet #5: SEOs need a trusted partner. At BrightEdge, customer success is our core value and we constantly innovate with 10+ releases every year, each packed with features to help our marketers stay ahead of the curve. In 2013, we released over 20 major features, most of which were immediately available for free as part of the core BrightEdge platform. 9

10 As BrightEdge has become the SEO standard, in 2013, BrightEdge rolled out the BrightEdge Certification Program. The program has been recognized by the industry and is helping marketers gain marketable skills, boost their career, and benefit from the growing demand for validated expertise in digital marketing technology. Certified digital marketers become part of an exclusive and growing LinkedIn group. Conclusion While Secure Search is a sea change, with the right approach, process, and technology, digital marketers can run their SEO programs like it is just another day in the life of an SEO practitioner. 999 Baker Way, Ste 500 San Mateo, CA tel: fax: www: brightedge.com BrightEdge is the global leader in enterprise SEO, helping more than 8,400 of the world s largest brands stay ahead in the rapidly evolving Internet landscape. BrightEdge S3 harnesses the power of analytics on big-data to drive revenue from web sites, search engines and social networks across the globe in a measurable, predictable way. BrightEdge is based in San Mateo, CA with offices in New York City and London. 10 BrightEdge Technologies