2017 State of SEO by Overdrive Interactive's Jeff Selig

1. State of SEO2017

2. Evolution of Search
From “Archie” (McGill University 1990)
to sophisticated marketing channel?

3. 4 Pillars of SEO
TECHNICAL
CONTENT
OFFSITE
APPS

4. What defines a search engine
http://america.pink/list-search-engines_2706824.html

5. Search Engines

6. Google’s evolution up to 2013 (before Apps/AMP)
Source: http://insidesearch.blogspot.nl/2013/09/fifteen-years-onand-were-just-getting.html
From binary to
Hummingbird

7. End of 2012 Google got aggressive on webspam
Source: https://www.highposition.com/blog/visible-search-without-page-one-position-one/

8. In 2014 webspam became even more of a focus
Source: https://blogs.agriya.com/2015/03/18/history-google-algorithm-updates-2014/

9. Google Mobile Update

10. Algo Ch-Ch-ChangesAlgo Ch-Ch-Changes

14. Result Rating Task and Hand Scrubbing
Two Scales for Ratings and Review
 Needs Met
 Does this page address the user’s need?
 Our current relevance metric
 Page Quality
 How good is the page?

15. Since 2014 the Rise of Entities
Things not Strings
Intent Drive
synonyms but also
about context
Artificial
Intelligence

16. Google Query Understanding
Does the query name any known entities?
[san jose convention center]
[matt cutts]
Are there useful synonyms?
[gm trucks]: “gm” → “general motors”
[gm corn]: “gm” → “genetically modified”
Context matters

18. Structured Data Types
Articles
Books
Breadcrumbs
Corporate Contacts
Courses
Events
Live Blogs
Local Businesses
Sitelinks Searchbox
Social Profile Links
Software Apps
TV & Movies
Videos
Logos
Music
Products
Recipes
Reviews
Science Datasets
Search Gallery

19. 3 different structured data markup specifications
Format Description and Placement Supported Data Types
JSON-LD
(Recommended)
JavaScript notation separate from the body of the HTML
itself. Markup is placed inside a script tag in the head of the
HTML page. The markup does not have to be interleaved
with the user-visible text, which makes nested data items
easier to express, such as the Country of a PostalAddress of
a MusicVenue of an Event. Also, Google can read JSON-LD
data when it is dynamically injected into the page’s contents,
such as by JavaScript code or embedded widgets in your
content management system.
All public data types
except for
Breadcrumbs.
Microdata
An open-community HTML specification used to nest
structured data within HTML content. Like RDFa, it uses
HTML tag attributes to name the properties you want to
expose as structured data.
All data types
RDFa
An HTML5 extension that supports linked data by
introducing HTML tag attributes that correspond to the user-
visible content you want to describe for search engines.
All data types

20. Structured Data

21. Schema Data

22. Local Business Cards

23. Twitter Cards

24. YouTube Cards

25. Open Graph

26. Shift in Search
What changes made an impact or could impact you?
Shift in Search
What changes made an impact or could impact you?

27. Thinking back to the good olde days
Limited number of AdWords results
No Carousels
No Answer Boxes
No Universal Search
No Knowledge Graph
Limited Related Search links
No Ratings/Review schema
Required you click through to website for information
Mobile wasn’t really a thing yet
Apps were a second thought
Exact match domains ranked well
Low quality content dominated the SERPs

28. Search Features
spelling suggestions
autocomplete
related searches
related questions
calculator
knowledge graph
answers
featured snippets
maps
images
videos
in-depth articles
movie showtimes
sports scores
weather
flight status
package tracking
…

29. Google these days giving most common answers

30. Trivia facts to search results, because why not?

31. Google these days providing “just the facts ma’am”

32. Google these days providing “just the facts ma’am”

33. Google these days driving more related searches

34. Google these days… no need to click

35. Google allows for product comparison

36. Google allows for animal comparison...

37. Google answers more questions

38. Google is helping answer historical questions

39. Google gives cooking tips

40. Google offers interactive widgets

41. Google is learning about it’s users

42. Google is helping you find flights to book

43. Google answers are going beyond first answer

44. TV Show Spoilers are right in the SERPs

45. Linked Queries could work better

46. Multiple questions now being answered

47. People also searched for results are extensive

48. Google Shopping results showing more often

49. Presidential candidates get custom results
Google Carousel

50. Quick Answers
Source: BrightEdge Data Cube
0%
2%
4%
6%
8%
10%
12%
14%
16%
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
Queries Matching "How to", "When to", and "Where to" vs Quick Answers %
Total Queries Returned Quick Answers % Linear (Total Queries Returned)

51. How does Google make it mobile-centric?
More mobile queries than desktop in samples
Pay attention to user’s location
Tools display mobile user experience
Raters visit websites on smartphones
Google Mobile First

52. Mobile UI is changing to show tabbed results
Spotted by https://twitter.com/1TGbingo

53. Mobile UI is changing to show no organic results
Yes, you almost got rick rolled

54. Mobile weather experience has no organic results

55. Voice search is slowly gaining adoption

56. Search and Voice
Mobile voice search technology is in its infancy but is already used by 55% of
teens and 41% of adults at least once a day.
Speech recognition word error is as low as 8%, down from 20% in 2014.
Google voice search is compatible with the use of over 40 natural languages
Properly setting up Schema markup on a site makes the site eligible for
inclusion in voice search results from both Desktop and Mobile indices
Make copy sound more conversational
Create more FAQ-focused pages

57. Google Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)
Source: https://www.ampproject.org/

58. AMP -> URLS -> SOURCE

59. Facebook Instant Articles (mobile content)
Source: https://instantarticles.fb.com/

60. Shift in Search
What is happening in the app space?
Shift in Search
What is happening in the app space?

61. Mobile growth is still happening but slowing
Source http://www.statista.com/statistics/218980/number-of-mobile-users-in-the-americas-since-2010/

62. Number of free mobile app downloads
Source: http://www.statista.com/statistics/241587/number-of-free-mobile-app-downloads-worldwide/

63. Number of paid app downloads
Source: http://www.statista.com/statistics/241589/number-of-paid-mobile-app-downloads-worldwide/

64. Facebook App Links can drive traffic to your app

65. Google is working on improved App discovery
Apps universal search
Apps results in new mobile UI
Apps in Google suggest
Music actions in KG

66. Streaming of apps, no download needed

67. Google offering app installs within browser
Source: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ArtemRussakovskii/posts/dmdE7dzCw3J

68. Google AdWords App Promotion Options

69. Google Testing Interactive Interstitial Ads

70. Other Paid Products to Promote Apps
iAds - Closed June 30th 2016
Facebook Ads
Twitter Ads
SharkMobi.com
appnext.com
Criteo (remarketing)
Incentivised Downloads

71. Facebook & Google dominate top Apps
Source: http://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/news/2015/tops-of-2015-digital.html

72. Client Apps

73. Google App-Indexing will continue to expand
Add the App Indexing API
While most top websites have apps,
only 30% of those Android apps and
19% of those iOS apps have deployed
App Indexing.
http://searchengineland.com/searchmetrics-study-shows-most-apps-
not-utilizing-google-app-indexing-api-244432 3-10-16

74. Bing also supports App Linking from SERPs

75. iOS Search API will start to gain traction
iOS Spotlight search adoption is low but steadily
growing as users discover it and it’s algorithm
improves.
iOS Spotlight search can surface content within
your apps
iOS Search API will cannibalize your organic
traffic from iOS device as Google is removed
from the search process
iOS Search API can start to drive downloads of
your mobile app

76. App Integrations will become essential
Source: https://newsroom.uber.com

77. WeChat shows the power of an app platform
• Instant Messaging
• Public Accounts for providing services
• Subscription Accounts for content
• WeChat Payment (p2p, bill payment)
• WeChat Wall (transfer, pay, wallet)
• City Services (book appointments, pay bills,
traffic fines, book transport)

78. Personal Assistant, ChatBots, & Customer Service

79. Offer assistance without search or other apps

80. Messaging Apps are kinda popular...
Source: http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-future-of-texting-e-commerce-1451951064

81. Mobile messaging app user penetration in North America
Source: http://www.statista.com/statistics/483494/mobile-messaging-user-reach-north-america/

82. Mobile messaging app users in worldwide
Source: http://www.statista.com/statistics/483255/number-of-mobile-messaging-users-worldwide/

83. Shift in Search
What is happening in the local space?

84. Local Business Cards
Local Business Cards, powered by Google
Posts. This new, experimental SERP
feature is explicit about allowing
businesses to post content directly into
Google’s search results as scrollable
cards. Google is presenting this as “an
experimental new podium on Google,” but
if this one sticks around, it is really going to
kill local SEO for some businesses — and
kill at local SEO for others.
http://searchengineland.com/google-local-business-cards-going-kill-local-seo-244410

85. Maps: create and share bucket lists with friends

86. Bing Integrates TripAdvisor Reviews in Local

87. Importance of local listings, reviews and ratings

88. Importance of local listings, reviews and ratings

89. Facebook is chasing after more local traffic

90. Facebook is chasing after more local business

91. Facebook’s new job opening posts hits LinkedIn too

92. Shift in Search
What is happening in the social space?
Shift in Search
What is happening in the social space?

93. Social Networks spill over into the Search space
Social platforms offer
Google Organic Results
Integration into Universal Search
Alternative Traffic sources
Paid Targeted Options
Paid Amplifications
Diversification of traffic
Social Platforms are working on
Better cross-platform experience
Better internal search
Less reasons to leave their platforms
More ways to engage with users
Growing their advertising features

94. Facebook might get search right?

95. Google will expand Twitter integration
Source: https://googleblog.blogspot.nl/2015/05/tweets-take-flight-in-google-app.html

96. Pinterest will expand their ecommerce reach

97. Shift in SearchShift in Search
What is happening in the content space?What is happening in the content space?

98. Hyper personalization of content is getting better

99. Hyper personalization of content is getting better

100. Hyper personalization of content is getting better

101. Great content is required for success!
You should focus on GREAT content!
- easily consumed
- it will attract new users
- it can lower bounce rate
- will increases pages/session
- will increase time spent on site
- will create conversions/transactions
- can generate shares on social
- will attract natural links
Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/amanky/351269265/

102. Great content is required for success!
Think mobile first! Is the content mobile friendly?
Is the page size mobile friendly? 15mb images don’t work? Flash is bad!
Think how the content can be shared, how can you amplify it?
How will your content will look when being shared on social media?
Content takes longer to show impacts than it did previously, it’s not an
instant fix!
Content needs more than just text, think interactive elements, images,
video…
Great content requires investment!
Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/itsmeritesh/10470324244/

103. Rise of ad blockers will affect your monetization
Source: http://www.technologyreview.com/graphiti/544716/the-fast-rise-of-ad-blockers/

104. Rise of ad blockers will affect your monetization
http://marketinginternetnews.blogspot.com/2015/10/how-to-monetize-its-website-adblockers.html

105. Now you have 4 Pillars of SEO
TECHNICAL
CONTENT
OFFSITE
APPS

106. Future of Search
What is already here and what is coming soon
Future of Search
What is already here and what is coming soon

107. Big Data is required to scale up marketing
Understand historic & seasonal trends
Allow for predictive analytics
Optimise for conversions
Optimise for revenue
Understand your internal link graph
Evaluate performance of social
Be able to spot patterns
Be able to spot opportunities
Be able to understand what content works

108. Voice Search takes center space in your home
• Plays all your music using just your voice
• Immersive, 360º omni-directional audio
• Allows hands-free convenience with voice-control
• Answers questions, reads audiobooks and the news,
reports traffic and weather, gives info on local businesses,
provides sports scores and schedules
• Controls lights and switches with compatible WeMo,
Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Wink, Insteon, and
other smart home devices
• Always getting smarter and adding new features and skills
more than 95 added since product launch

109. Behavioral Generated
Content and Suggestions
Behavioral Generated
Content and Suggestions

110. Consider the impact of Apple TV on content

111. Are you ready for Android TV?
Android 4.2 Jelly Bean arrives on 3D

112. Android Auto only wants select app partners
https://www.android.com/auto/

113. Apple CarPlay leads to more content consumed

114. Google Cardboard is a mass market solution
Source: https://www.google.com/get/cardboard/

115. Oculus Rift for consumption of premium content

116. Microsoft Hololens could change web interactions
Source: https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us/experience

117. Bing will rise powered by Windows 10
Windows 10 on 200 million
devices and aiming to Reach
1 Billion Devices by 2018
Source: https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2016/01/04/windows-10-now-active-on-over-200-million-devices/

118. IoT- There is a Search Engine for that

119. IoT - Google’s Brillo (OS) & Weave
Source: https://developers.google.com/brillo/
Source: https://developers.google.com/weave/
Brillo brings the simplicity and
speed of software
development to hardware for
IoT with an embedded OS,
core services, developer kit,
and developer console.
Weave is a communications
platform for IoT devices that
enables device setup, phone-to-
device-to-cloud communication,
and user interaction from mobile
devices and the web.

120. IoT - Google’s Brillo (OS) & Weave
Connection humanSensor

121. IoT - Google’s Brillo (OS) & Weave
Pressure
Accelerometer
Temperature
Gravity
Gyroscope
Light

122. IoT - Google’s Brillo (OS) & Weave
Bluetooth
WiFi
NFC
RFID
Infra-Red
Cellular

123. Wearables will end up getting it right eventually
Mostly Voice Activated
Limited interaction options
Most still require daily charging
Powered by Voice Search
Most still depend on Mobile/Tablet device
Have no browsers
Support limited number of apps
Limited consumption of content
Crowded market
Estimated market size - 5 mil iOS & 2 mil Android
Benefits of Wearables?
Always with you
Always on
Always tracking
Always contactable
Always connected...

124. Hail rides with your smart watch

125. Amazon Dash
site:amazon.com dash

126. IoT – Brita Filter with Amazon Dash Replacement
Source: http://amzn.to/1Riiovp

127. IoT - Samsung Smart Fridges
Source: http://www.samsung.com/global/ces2016/familyhub/

128. Network the Home
Photo: http://www.audiovisions-nc.com/products-and-services/computer-service/

129. BYOD
Photo: https://www.mobileiron.com/en/smartwork-blog/byod-grows-california-ruling-reimbursement
DESIGN and TARGETING
MAYHEM

130. BYOD
http://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/bring-your-own-device-market

132. Online tracking gets more accurate & harder to evade
https://arstechnica.com/security/2017/02/now-sites-can-fingerprint-you-online-even-when-you-use-multiple-browsers/
Finger Printing

133. And you thought your searches were all innocent
This simple advice will help to protect you against
hackers and government surveillance
Health, Finance, Politics, Business

134. How to enable private search
Use a private browser window
Kill all cookies
Stop your browser sending location data
Search anonymously
Stop Google tracking you
Stop social sites figuring you out
Opt out of tracking
Block all trackers
Disable Java and unused plugins
Use a proxy network
Download a private, anonymous browser
Go dark with TOR
Use digital currency

135. Private search engines
https://duckduckgo.com/
http://www.wolframalpha.com/
https://www.startpage.com/
https://privatelee.com/
http://yippy.com/
https://hulbee.com/

136. https://www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en

137. What’s Next in Search
We need to think about search with an eye towards the past…..
And embrace the future!
What’s Next in Search
We need to think about search with an eye towards the past…..
And embrace the future!

138. Fake
Fake
Fake Checker

140. @SEOSEM
jselig@overdriveinteractive.com