This document discusses digital discoverability strategies for performing arts organizations. It defines discoverability as the ability for something to be discovered online through search and recommendation engines. It outlines various methods of online discovery like advertising, publicity, niche communities, social networks and search/recommendation engines. It provides best practices for search engine optimization, including strategic language use, backlinking, semantic optimization, localization and structured data. It also discusses the benefits of using linked open data sources like Wikidata to enrich arts discoverability.

1. Digital Marketing & Discoverability
for the Performing Arts
Toronto, Halifax & Vancouver, Fall 2019
Created by Annelise Larson, Veria.ca

2. What is discoverability?

3. What is discoverability?
Information Science
• Can be found in search of
file, database or other
information system
• Meta data (information about
information) makes things
easier to find & understand
Digital Marketing
• Can be found online
• Method of discovery helps
understand user intent
• Beginning of a relationship
with audience
The ability of something to be discovered
Linking of data leads to linking of people

4. Methods of discovery
Online
advertising

5. Methods of discovery
Online
advertising
Online
publicity

6. Methods of discovery
Online
advertising
Online
publicity
Niche
communities

7. Methods of discovery
Online
advertising
Online
publicity
Niche
communities
Social
networks

8. Methods of discovery
Online
advertising
Online
publicity
Niche
communities
Social
networks
Search &
recommendation
engines

9. More about…search &
recommendation engines

10. How search engines work
(Basics)
Search Engine
Search results &
recommendations
Search Engine
Database +
Crawl links
Index content
Searcher
Personalization
factors Ranking
factors
Search & recommendation engines
• Crawled web pages
• User submissions
• Scanned books
• Public databases…

11. Search & recommendation engines
How they have changed

12. INFORMATION
Search & recommendation engines
How they have changed
WEB PAGES
KNOWLEDGE
1
2 Semantic SEO
Local SEO
3
Semantic + Local SEO
Recommendation systems
Data reuse + + +
Traditional
SEO

13. Performing arts in search (basic)
When is T Tomason
performing in Toronto
next month?

14. Performing arts in search (basic)
halifax events

15. Search & discoverability best practices
• Strategic use of language
(keyword research)

16. Search & discoverability best practices
• Strategic use of language
(keyword research)

17. Search & discoverability best practices
• Strategic use of language
• External backlinking
(from authority sites)

18. Search & discoverability best practices
• Strategic use of language
• External backlinking
• Semantic search engine
optimization – SSEO
(user experience & context)

19. Search & discoverability best practices
• Strategic use of language
• External backlinking
• Semantic search engine optimization
– SSEO
• Localization & local SEO
(“near me” & other location based
searches)
https://www.google.com/business/

20. Search & discoverability best practices
• Strategic use of language
• External backlinking
• Semantic search engine optimization
– SSEO
• Localization & local SEO
• Structured data
https://schema.org/Event

21. Search & discoverability best practices
ArtsData.ca
Linked open data

22. Performing arts in search (enhanced)
With structured data >
AFTER: Events now
appear with exact dates >
(Schema.org)

23. Performing arts in search (enhanced)
AFTER: Descriptions from
performing arts organization
(Canadian Stage) >
With knowledge graph >
< BEFORE: Descriptions from
3rd party (meetup.com)
(linked open data)

24. More about…wikidata

25. What is wikidata?

26. What is wikidata?
• Storage for structured data
of Wikimedia Foundation
projects including Wikipedia

27. What is wikidata?
• Storage for structured data
of Wikimedia Foundation
projects including Wikipedia
• Over 60 million entries
• Anyone can read, add & edit
data & use it for free
• Can be used by both
humans & machines
• Requires external references

28. How does wikidata work?
• Contains all kinds of data

29. How does wikidata work?
Firehall
Arts
Centre
49°17'8"
N,
123°5'48"
W
150
Downtown
eastside
Vancouver
• Contains all kinds of data
• Organized in a linked
network of relationships

30. How does wikidata work?
• Contains all kinds of data
• Organized in a linked
network of relationships
• Each relationship expressed
in statements of “triples”
• Not limited to specific
structure & easy to add new
information
SUBJECT PREDICATE OBJECT
Firehall Arts
Centre
instance of theatre
theatre subclass of venue
Firehall Arts
Centre
located in
administrative
territorial
entity
Downtown
Eastside
Downtown
Eastside
located in
administrative
territorial
entity
Vancouver

31. What are the benefits of wikidata?
• Allows for sophisticated
SPARQL queries
• Multilingual
• Complete & up to date
wikidata can help with
Wikipedia
• AND other projects that
might use linked open data
in the future

32. Wikidata & the performing arts & discoverability
• The Linked Digital Future of
discoverability is happening now
• The more data from the
performing arts, the more
powerful & useful search results
• The more data from the
performing arts, the more
authoritative the sector
• Wikidata is a place to begin

33. Wikidata & the performing arts & discoverability
Go to https://www.wikidata.org/ to edit
Want to learn more? http://bit.ly/WikiArtsFacilities

34. What comes after discovery?

35. Remember…
• Linking data is about
linking people to your work
& organization
• Discovery is just the
beginning
• It is always about audience
& beginning a long-term
relationship
What comes next?

36. Imagine…
• The more open & linked,
the more is possible
• The easier it will be to
create “smart” AI powered
moments
• Of discovery, of
shareability, of engagement
& of tapping into FOMO
What comes next?

37. With thanks to the Linked Digital Future
collaborators and funding partners

38. Appendix: Discoverability Tools & Resources
• Bing Ads Keyword Planner
https://ads.microsoft.com/
• Google Ads Keyword Planner
https://ads.google.com
• Page Speed Insights Tool
https://developers.google.com/speed/pa
gespeed/insights/
• Broken Link Checker
https://www.brokenlinkcheck.com/
• Mobile Friendly Tester
https://search.google.com/test/mobile-
friendly
• Google My Business
https://www.google.com/intl/en_ca/busi
ness/
• Schema.org https://schema.org/
• Schema Pro WordPress plugin
https://wpschema.com/
• LDF Digital Discoverability Program
http://linkeddigitalfuture.ca/2019/08/27
/call-discoverability-program-19-20/
• ArtsData.ca http://kg.artsdata.ca/
• Wikidata https://www.wikidata.org/
linkeddigitalfuture.ca