Rand Fishkin, Wizard of Moz | @randfish | rand@moz.com
Why We Can’t Do SEO Without CRO
Shifts in Google’s rankings & searcher behavior have changed
how SEOs must apply CRO

Bit.ly/seocro2017

SEO Historically

Measured by: Traffic Driven

Measured by: Rankings Achieved
Via Moz Pro

Improved by: Boosting Accessibility
Via Moz Pro

Improved by: Optimizing Keywords
Via Moz Pro

Improved by: Acquiring Links
Via Moz Pro

Improved by: Upgrading Visibility

What Changed?

Google Evolved
Via Avinash
Kaushik

Solving the Searcher’s Query Became
Google’s Ultimate Search Quality Metric

Engagement Emerged as a Ranking Signal
Google’s Search Quality team is
always asking the same question:
Are searchers satisfied by this?
How do they get the answer?...
Aggregate Behavioral Data

Do searchers, on average,
click the results we rank highly
more than the results we rank
lower?
35% of clicks
19% of clicks
11% of clicks
All Good!

Do many searchers click on
nothing at all, and instead
change their query, or choose
a “related search?”
If it’s these, maybe we show
more results for where sour
beer is available.

Do searchers, on average, “short-
click” some results, while “long-
clicking” others?
If clicks on Wikipedia result in a
quick bounce back to the SERP
While SeattleMag gets high
engagement w/ few bounces…
Google may swap their rankings

Not Sure You Should Believe Me?
Here’s Google Search Engineer Paul Haahr:
Via Paul Haahr

A brief aside…
What’s up Brad? You
sure that’s the best
possible name for your
real estate agency?

Google’s Also Shifted from Prioritizing
Good Results to The Fastest Answer

This is all about speed –
predicting my next search
query w/ more accuracy
based on my prior one.

Powerful Query-Interpretation Processes Now Help
Google Sort Out Which Signals toApply
Via Rankbrain Unleashed

And Content Analysis Algorithms Have
Grown Vastly More Sophisticated
Via Google Research’s SyntaxNet Announcement

An Emerging SEO Priority:
Searcher Task
Accomplishment

Can the Searcher Quickly, Comprehensively Solve
Their Problem via this SERP?

Do the Top Results Take Them
All the Way Through Their Issue?
Thinking about
writing a book…
Financial
expectations
Odds of getting
a publisher
Self-publishing
vs. traditional
Finding
an agent
Choosing a
publisher
Tips by genre Book marketingThe pitch

Google’s Goal:
Find Signals &Algos that
Reward Pages Optimized
for TaskAccomplishment
IMO, this page (#12) does the best
job of solving the searcher’s problem

SEO’s Goal:
Align the Business’&
Searcher’s Objectives,
then Optimize
Jane’s “next steps” perfectly
align (& balance) the searcher’s
needs w/ her content, products,
& services

The CRO Process for
Searcher Task Accomplishment

Via Conversion Rate Experts

We want to replicate this process, but apply it to the
“conversion” of searcher task accomplishment
what searchers are seeking.
searchers come away unsatisfied.

STEP 1: Establish Your Primary KW Target
Via Keyword Explorer

STEP 2: Expand w/ Related KWs that Share the
Same Searcher Intent

STEP 3:Add In KWs w/ Slightly Expanded Intent
The grouping features in KW
research tools can be useful for
ID’ing unique searcher intents

STEP 4: Visit the Competition – What Tasks Are
They Helping Searchers Solve?
Amazon-specific process info
Self-publishing tips
How to write a best-seller
Process to find a literary agent

STEP 5: Survey a Small Group
Sample survey here

STEP 6: Curate Your List of Searcher Expectations

STEP7: Create the Content to Match Each Need, & Use a
Layout that MakesAccessing Each Element Easy
VS.

STEP 8:Apply the On-Page SEO Checklist
Createtrust&engagementthroughUI,UX,&branding
EmployKWsintelligently(title,headline,content,URL,img,etc)
OptimizeyoursnippettoearnthehighestpossibleCTR
Deliveruniquevaluebeyondwhatothersitescanoffer
Craftcontentthatfulfillsthesearcher’sprimarygoals
Speed,speed,andmorespeed
Avoidelementsthatdissuadevisitors
Userelatedtopicstoboostrelevancy&rankingpotential
Via On-Page SEO

STEP 9: Usability Test Your Page Like a Product
Via UsabilityHub’s “Question Test” Surveys

STEP 10: Launch, Learn, & Iterate
Via Sprint from Jake Knapp & Google Ventures

SEO+CRO Isn’t Just
Task Accomplishment…

CRO Can Help You StayAhead of Your
Competitors’SEO Invesments
If ShipYourEnemiesGlitter.com has
a higher conversion rate, they can
re-invest more budget in SEO, and
eventually overtake RuinDays.com

Traditional CROAlso Matters Because It’s How
Execs Decide Where to Put Budget

Yes. There’s Conflict Between
*Who* Gets the Conversion

Conversion Rates & Searcher Satisfaction Are
Sometimes in Direct Opposition

AHigher Conversion Rate w/ Worse Searcher
Satisfaction May Yield Lower Organic Traffic

But… There’s a Win/Win

Helping Users First Often Leads to
Better Long-Term ROI
Searcher
Satisfaction
Trust &
Loyalty
Return
Visits
Stronger Long-Term
Conversions

Rand Fishkin, Wizard of Moz | @randfish | rand@moz.com
Bit.ly/seocro2017