Information & Intent Optimizing Content and the User Search Experience

"What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention, and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it." (Computers, Communications and the Public Interest, pages 40-41, Martin Greenberger, ed., The Johns Hopkins Press, 1971.)

“ What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention .” Less Attention…

“… a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.” … Demands More Relevance

How do we get attention? Intelligently changing content based on intent

How do we get attention? Intelligently changing content based on intent How do we determine relevance? Testing

How do we get attention? Intelligently changing content based on intent How do we determine relevance? Testing How do we deliver relevance? Targeting

Optimization of Content Discovery…they have to find you, or you them Relevance…they have to connect with you Engagement…you have to connect with them

Optimization of Content

Discovery…they have to find you, or you them

Relevance…they have to connect with you

Engagement…you have to connect with them

Discovery

Discovery What I don’t know Goal Intent Recovery What I know or knew Navigational “ Ford Motor Co” List “ US Presidents” Locate “ Hilton Hotel Chicago” Obtain “ U2 tickets” Entertain “ web cams” Download “ U2 mp3s” Interact “ loan calculator” Closed “ NFL Schedule” Opened “ How does hair fall out” Directed About a particular topic Undirected About a general topic Directed About a particular topic Closed “ 2004 electoral vote” Informational I want to learn __ Locate “ NJ waste dumps” List “ Top Ad Agencies” Advice “ lose weight fast” Resource Something other than info on a web page Opened “ refrigerators” Searcher Goals

“ Vladimir Putin” Recovery or Discovery

“ Vladimir Putin” Recovery (newstracker)

“ Vladimir Putin” Discovery (Social Wiki)

“ Vladimir Putin” Paid Link - Demanding Attention!

“ Vladimir Putin” Organic: Links, Authority & Age

Attention Factors: Links, Authority & Age Links pointing to full URL: 1,598 Links pointing to domain: 2,162,742 Age of Domain: 4773 days old Links from domains with .edu TLDs: 1,690 Links from domains with .gov TLDs: 55 Links found in Wikipedia: 388 Page Rank: 8

Google PageRank - Links of Attention “ PageRank relies on the uniquely democratic nature of the web by using its vast link structure as an indicator of an individual page's value . In essence, Google interprets a link from page A to page B as a vote, by page A, for page B. But, Google looks at more than the sheer volume of votes, or links a page receives; it also analyzes the page that casts the vote. Votes cast by pages that are themselves "important" weigh more heavily and help to make other pages "important.”

Sphere of Information Distribution & Consumption

Information Distribution & Consumption Tools search - Google syndication - RSS, API tracking - news.yahoo.com, news.google.com web 2.0 tracking - NewsVine, Topix, etc. memediggers - Reddit, Digg memetrackers - Tailrank, Techmeme Meme: A unit of cultural information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted by repeated action from one mind to one another* * http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/meme

Information Distribution & Consumption Tools

search - Google

syndication - RSS, API

tracking - news.yahoo.com, news.google.com

web 2.0 tracking - NewsVine, Topix, etc.

memediggers - Reddit, Digg

memetrackers - Tailrank, Techmeme

Meme: A unit of cultural information, such as a practice or idea, that is transmitted by repeated action from one mind to one another*

* http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/meme

The Power of Social Media Links for SEO Links to article 14 days after getting on first page* Digg.com ~ 2,500 Del.icio.us ~ 800 Reddit.com ~ 500 Netscape.com ~ 400 *SEOmoz.org Social Media’s Snowball Effect

Making Link Love Who’s tagging a photo, a news story or a blog post?* 29% of online American men 27% of online American women 32% of online Americans 18-29 years old 31% of online Americans 30-49 years old 23% of online Americans 50-64 years old 31% have a college degree 28% have some college 24% have a high school degree 26% are white, non-Hispanic 36% are black, non-Hispanic 33% are English-speaking Hispanic *PEW Online Activities and Pursuits 1/31/07

Is use fueling adoption or adoption fueling use?

Personalized Search Leverages Your Sphere of Information Consumption

Relevance

Relevance starts with understanding your audience Relevance is determined by their goal (not yours). Every click has a goal and an expectation. Every page is a landing page! -- “ Content Merchandising” Anticipate and message to goals Meet and exceed expectations to engage Users have “tunnel vision” engaging

Relevance starts with understanding your audience

Relevance is determined by their goal (not yours).

Every click has a goal and an expectation.

Every page is a landing page! -- “ Content Merchandising”

Anticipate and message to goals

Meet and exceed expectations to engage

Users have “tunnel vision” engaging

What is tunnel vision? Users don’t think of features, messaging or sections the way you do Users engage in what they are interested, little else. If it’s not in context to the users focus it’s likely invisible Users scan for relevance, they don’t read or pay attention to detail

What is tunnel vision?

Users don’t think of features, messaging or sections the way you do

Users engage in what they are interested, little else.

If it’s not in context to the users focus it’s likely invisible

Users scan for relevance, they don’t read or pay attention to detail

Treat Every Page Like a Landing Page

Relevance & Engagement CBS does great job ABC leaves lots on the table

Content Merchandising - Learn from Retailers! Give users control Refine content based on preference Deliver obvious relevance Users understand “brands” Easy self segmentation

Give users control

Refine content based on preference

Deliver obvious relevance

Users understand “brands”

Easy self segmentation

No user control of delivery. No way to refine content based on preference. No obvious relevance. Why are the “Talk to the Newsroom” relevant? TV, Film, Internet are relevant. Users understand “brands.” Where is Google, Viacom, Disney? No easy self-segmentation Publishing, Advertising, Internet Content Merchandising - “Show Me the Relevance!”

No user control of delivery.

No way to refine content based on preference.

No obvious relevance. Why are the “Talk to the Newsroom” relevant? TV, Film, Internet are relevant.

Users understand “brands.” Where is Google, Viacom, Disney?

No easy self-segmentation Publishing, Advertising, Internet

Understanding the way your users think about content NYT.com Users

31 Navigation Messages Top 50 Internal Search Queries (Sept 2006) Speak User’s Language to Deliver Relevance

31 Navigation Messages Top 50 Internal Search Queries September 2006 February 2007 Still Searching for the Same Content…

Relevance Leads to Engagement

Engagement - Content Merchandising Links Recovery Discovery Reinforcement Intent

Engagement - Content Merchandising

Links

Recovery

Discovery

Reinforcement Intent

Engagement: Group Behavior Optimize Links More Relevant Content 150% More Clicks!

Engagement: Optimize Discovery Goals

Engagement Optimize Recovery Goals Getting more relevant over time Tags Saved Viewed Searched

Getting more relevant over time

Tags

Saved

Viewed

Searched

Engagement Reinforce Goals

Reinforcement - Testing

KW/Source Reinforcement - Test Results 71.38% 48.35% 1.99 43,973 SRP - Reinforce -- -- 1.27 37,987 SRP - Control Lift RPV Lift CR Visitors Recipe