This document summarizes a presentation about search experience optimization in 2016. It discusses how traditional SEO factors like keyword density and backlinks are less important, and content should be optimized for relevance and user intent. Mobile search is also growing rapidly, so content needs to be optimized for mobile with considerations like app integrations. Machine learning and artificial intelligence are improving search results, and content should be analyzed holistically using data to understand topics and focus on the user experience. Industry-specific factors also impact search rankings. The key is understanding topics through data and focusing on relevant content that meets user intentions across search and other channels.

1. STOP BEING SO 2014!
SEARCH EXPERIENCE
OPTIMIZATION IN 2016
PAUL BONGERS
TugLife, LONDON, UK
MAY 13th, 2016

2. Searchmetrics
Made with love in Berlin
More than 220 passionate people
Innovator in SEO Software since
2005
@bongersp

3. 25.000.000.000.000
SOCIAL SIGNALS
120 MILLION
DOMAINS
120 BILLION
LINKS600 MILLION
KEYWORDS
SoA
Hadoop, Hbase.
Elastic Search
API
25 PB
Parstream
@bongersp

4. @bongersp

5. Towards A Mobile World
@bongersp

6. Mobile Search in the Customer Journey
54%
use their smartphone to
research or purchase products
68%
…use mobile
apps
Usage of Smartphones when researching for a retail product
53%
use a mobile
browser, but…
Source: https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/tools/mobile-purchase-journey.html

7. 1 Keyword = 1 Landing Page
The Past
+ SEO-Checklist
KW in title
KW in description
KW in heading
KW density
Link building
Content in footer
Etc.
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
✓
@bongersp

8. 1 Topic = 1 Landing Page
The Future
+ Content-Checklist
Data-Driven Content Strategy
Focus on user intention
Data-Driven Content Success Measurement
Etc.
✓
✓
✓
✓
@bongersp

11. Machine Learning
(ML) ≠ AI
@bongersp

12. Machine Learning
(ML)
Deep Learning Artificial Intelligence
An algorithm that
improves over time
Aims to bridge the gap
between ML and AI –
solves more complex
problems
Human like
intelligence
Spectrum of Intelligence

14. Go
1050 4x1079 – 4x1081
10171
Number of...
in a chess game in the observable universe in game of Go
…possible moves …possible moves …atoms
@bongersp

15. Not so simple
That’s…
1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,00
0,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,
000,000,000,000,000
…possible positions!
@bongersp

16. Go – The limits of machine learning
@bongersp
Google AlphaGo vs Lee Sedol
4 - 1

17. Examples of
traditional SEO
Ranking Factors
failing
@bongersp

18. Movie where they make fun of Star Wars
Keyword in Title
Example: “Movie where they make fun of Star Wars”
@bongersp

19. Backlinks & Internal Links
https://www.maakeentaart.nl/swiss-meringue-botercreme-maken-en-andere-botercreme/
https://www.maakeentaart.nl/swiss-meringue-botercreme-maken-en-andere-botercreme/
Rank: 5 Rank: 12
17 backlinks
21 internal links
52,000 backlinks
443 internal links
Example: “Cash advance fresno ca”
@bongersp

20. https://www.maakeentaart.nl/swiss-meringue-botercreme-maken-en-andere-botercreme/
https://www.maakeentaart.nl/swiss-meringue-botercreme-maken-en-andere-botercreme/
Rank: 6 Rank: 17
5,685 Backlinks
No KW in Title
59,780 Backlinks
KW in Title
Backlinks & Keyword in Title
Example: “Fast cash credit card”
@bongersp

21. natural detox
https://www.maakeentaart.nl/swiss-meringue-botercreme-maken-en-andere-botercreme/ https://www.maakeentaart.nl/swiss-meringue-botercreme-maken-en-andere-botercreme/
Rank: 5 Rank 26
Word count = 3180
Internal links count = 375
Interactive elements = 398
Word count = 6087
Internal links count = 395
Interactive elements = 625
Wordcount and Interactive Elements
Example: “Natural detox”
@bongersp

22. Relevant content:
• matches user intention
• is logically structured and comprehensi
• offers a good user experience
• deals with topics holistically
Being Relevant
https://www.maakeentaart.nl/swiss-meringue-botercreme-maken-en-andere-botercreme/
@bongersp

23. Mobile Search Query?
A: „Calendar“
B: „Nfl Schedules“
@bongersp

24. Maps
Cool Math
Unblocked Games
Solitaire
Calendar
Mail
Office 365
Nfl Scores
Nfl Schedules
Restaurants near me
Nba Scores
Pill identifier
Mlb Scores
School Closings
Keyword Device Spread
Ratio > 70 %
@bongersp

25. April 2015
71%
March 2016
80%
77.1% 78.5% 84.6%
Mobile Friendliness

26. http://www.google.com/
Dating
10 organic results
5 Ads
4 Images
3 News
Translation Widget
Desktop vs Mobile
Example: “Dating”
@bongersp

27. 4 Ads
6 Apps
3 News
4 Images
2 Organic results!
Example: “Dating”
Desktop vs Mobile
@bongersp

28. http://www.google.com/
Mp3 Download
Desktop vs Mobile: App Integrations
@bongersp

29. 10.9% 3.0% 10.3%
App Integrations
Share of Keywords with App Integration
@bongersp

30. App Integrations
Searchmetrics Suite / Mobile App Rankings
@bongersp

31. “Think about User Intention,
you must…”
@bongersp

32. VIDEOIMAGES BULLETSTEXT SHOP
Search Query & Expectations
???
@bongersp

33. #1 #14
Example: “costume ideas”
Search Query & Expectations
@bongersp

34. http://www.popsugar.com/smart-living/
Cheap-Halloween-Group-
Costumes-25300043#photo-25300043
Rank #1
60 part image gallery
Short description
Links to other relevant pages
High Social Engagement
User Intention = Inspiration!
✓
✓
✓
✓
Example: “costume ideas”
Search Query & Expectations
@bongersp

35. https://www.savers.com/halloween/costumes/all
Rank #14
14 costume suggestions
No product texts
General footer text
User Intention ≠ Shopping!
✗
✗
✗
Example: “costume ideas”
Search Query & Expectations
@bongersp

36. Desktop vs Mobile.
Industry by Industry.

37. Correlation is not Causation

39. Finance
@bongersp

40. 30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
55%
60%
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Ø Top10 Desktop: 46%
Ø Top10 Mobile : 36%
Embedded Videos
RANKING FACTORS
2016
@bongersp

41. 60
70
80
90
100
110
120
130
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Ø Top10 Desktop: 117
Ø Top10 Mobile : 83
Internal link count
RANKING FACTORS
2016
@bongersp

42. 4
5
6
7
8
9
10
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Ø Top10 Desktop: 7.6
Ø Top10 Mobile : 6.2
Bullets in lists
RANKING FACTORS
2016
@bongersp

43. Health
@bongersp

44. 1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Word count
RANKING FACTORS
2016
Ø Top10 Desktop: 2926
Ø Top10 Mobile : 2005
@bongersp

45. 10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Responsive Framework
RANKING FACTORS
2016
Ø Top10 Desktop: 20.2%
Ø Top10 Mobile : 16.8%
@bongersp

46. 20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Keyword in Title
RANKING FACTORS
2016
Ø Top10 Desktop: 36.0%
Ø Top10 Mobile : 31.6%
@bongersp

47. Ecommerce
@bongersp

48. 13
14
14
15
15
16
16
17
17
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Font Size above the fold
RANKING FACTORS
2016
Ø Top10 Desktop: 14.6
Ø Top10 Mobile : 16.0
@bongersp

49. 0
1
2
3
4
5
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Number of Images
RANKING FACTORS
2016
Ø Top10 Desktop: 2.6
Ø Top10 Mobile : 0.8
@bongersp

50. 0
2
4
6
8
10
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Desktop Mobile
Number of total lists
RANKING FACTORS
2016
Ø Top10 Desktop: 6.8
Ø Top10 Mobile : 2.7
@bongersp

51. Industry vs Industry - Mobile
@bongersp

52. 20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Health Ecommerce Finance
Keyword in Title
RANKING FACTORS
2016
@bongersp

53. 1,400
1,600
1,800
2,000
2,200
2,400
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Health Ecommerce Finance
Word Count
RANKING FACTORS
2016
@bongersp

54. 0
50
100
150
200
1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19
Health Ecommerce Finance
Internal Link Count
RANKING FACTORS
2016
@bongersp

55. Understand topics by using data
Focus on the user‘s intention
Success in search & all other channels

56. VIDEO
IMAGES
TEXT
BULLETS
@bongersp

57. http://www.google.com/
mortgage
#2
#10
#2
Holistic data-driven Approach
Searchmetrics Suite: Content Optimization
@bongersp

58. Calculator
Mortgage comparison
Relevant information
Help section
✓
✓
✓
✓
Holistic data-driven Approach
@bongersp

59. Calculator
Mortgage comparison
Relevant information
Help section
✗
✗
✗
✓
Holistic data-driven Approach
@bongersp

60. 2009 2012 TODAY
Content Updates – Example bankrate.com
@bongersp

61. Holistic data-driven Approach
Searchmetrics Suite: Content Performance
@bongersp

62. @bongersp

63. Our Secret Sauce is our Software
The Searchmetrics Suite
Search Experience Optimization
Makes Digital Marketing Better,
Faster and More Profitable.

64. Search engines do not
buy products.
People do.
@bongersp

65. Be relevant.
@bongersp
Optimize for people.