These slides were presented at the SEMrush webinar "How Knowledge Will Define The Future Of Search — And What To Do About It Now | 5 Hours of Technical SEO". Video replay and transcript are available at https://www.semrush.com/webinars/5-hours-of-technical-seo-or-how-knowledge-will-define-the-future-of-search-and-what-to-do-about-it-now/

1. An Intro To Knowledge.
#SEMRushLive | @ricrodriguez_uk

2. We’re living in the age of curiosity;
we’re compelled to “ask for more”.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

3. Understanding “the long tail” better.
High
Volume
High
Competition
Low
Volume
Low
Competition

4. Understanding “the long tail” better.
High
Volume
High
Competition
Low
Volume
Low
Competition
“Head terms”
“Mid tail”
“Long tail”

5. Understanding “the long tail” better.
High
Volume
High
Competition
Low
Volume
Low
Competition
15% of search
is new everyday

6. Understanding “the long tail” better.
High
Volume
High
Competition
Low
Volume
Low
Competition
70% of searches are considered “long tail”

10. Understanding “the long tail” better.
High
Volume
High
Competition
Low
Volume
Low
Competition

11. Understanding “the long tail” better.
Head
terms
Mid tail
High
Volume
High
Competition
Low
Volume
Low
Competition
Long tail

12. Each search happens in a moment
in space and time and this matters.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

13. find the best place to eat pizza near me with
veggie options open tonight and takes amex_
Queries are a vehicle for discovery.

14. find the best place to eat pizza near me with
veggie options open tonight and takes amex_
Intent: Navigation
Feature: For vegetarians Opening: Friday Payment: Card
Rating: 4*+ Cuisine: Italian Location: London
Queries are a vehicle for discovery.

15. Queries are a vehicle for discovery.
pizza near me

16. pizza near me
Ric
Rodriguez
iPhone 11
Pro Max
_search history
_demographic
_web actions
_inferred intent
_ip location
_partner data
_other devices
_routine data
Queries are a vehicle for discovery.

17. Answer engines are not ready; it’s
an opportunity and a challenge.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

18. Result approximation is a problem.
Most
Results
Broad
Query
Least
Results
Specific Query

19. Result approximation is a problem.
Most
Results
Broad
Query
Least
Results
Specific Query

20. Result approximation is a problem.
Most
Results
Least
Results
Source: SEMRush
42 3 75 6 108 9

21. Result approximation is a problem.
Most
Results
Least
Results
Source: SEMRush
42 3 75 6 108 9

22. Result approximation is a problem.
Most
Results
Least
Results
Source: SEMRush
42 3 75 6 108 9
Pizza near
me
Veggie
pizza
Veggie
near me

23. Result approximation is a problem.
Most
Results
Least
Results
Source: SEMRush
42 3 75 6 108 9
Result
Diversity?

24. The systems have evolved to
understand -us- not our inputs.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

25. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Y
X

26. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Y
X
(Although its
not unrelated)

27. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Y
X
A
D
B
C
E

28. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Y
X
Vertices /
Nodes
A
D
B
C
E

29. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Y
X
A
D
B
C
E
Edges
(connections)

30. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Y
X
Pizza
Pasta
Cheese
Italian Cuisine
Penne

31. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Margherita
Pizza
Mozzarella
Cheese
Italian
Cuisine

32. Building a brain starts with a graph.
ObjectSubject
Predicate
Relationships can be “directed” each way.

33. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Margherita
Pizza
Mozzarella
Cheese
Italian
Cuisine
Used In: Part Of:

34. Building a brain starts with a graph.
ObjectSubject
Predicate
Attributes:
Value : Pair
Value : Pair
Attributes:
Value : Pair
Value : Pair
Each node can have
descriptive attributes

35. Building a brain starts with a graph.
Used In: Part Of:
Ingredient: Dough
Allergens: Gluten
Diet: Vegetarian
Calories: 280
Total Fat: 17g
Protein: 28g
Originated: Italy
Type: Contemporary
Served At: Trattoria
Margherita
Pizza
Mozzarella
Cheese
Italian
Cuisine

36. how many students in the school?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.

37. how many students in the school?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
Identifier
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
First Name
John
Lauren
Paul
Lucy
Last Name
Smith
Jones
Green
King

38. how many students in the school?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
Identifier
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
First Name
John
Lauren
Paul
Lucy
Last Name
Smith
Jones
Green
King
4

39. how many students in the school?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
School
John
Smith
Lauren
Jones
Paul
Green
Lucy
King
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 11
Type: Student
Gender: Female
School Year: 6
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 6
Type: Student
Gender: Female
School Year: 10
Attends: Attends:
Attends: Attends:

40. how many students in the school?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
School
John
Smith
Lauren
Jones
Paul
Green
Lucy
King
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 11
Type: Student
Gender: Female
School Year: 6
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 6
Type: Student
Gender: Female
School Year: 10
Attends: Attends:
Attends: Attends:

41. how many students in the school?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
School
John
Smith
Lauren
Jones
Paul
Green
Lucy
King
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 11
Type: Student
Gender: Female
School Year: 6
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 6
Type: Student
Gender: Female
School Year: 10
Attends: Attends:
Attends: Attends:
4

42. how many gcse students are female and take maths?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.

43. how many gcse students are female and take maths?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
Table 1: Course List
Table 2: Course /
School Year
Table 3: School Year /
Study Level
Table 4: Study Level /
Student Name
Table 5: Student
Name / Gender
Answer…

44. how many gcse students are female and take maths?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
Table 1: Course List
Table 2: Course /
School Year
Table 3: School Year /
Study Level
Table 4: Study Level /
Student Name
Table 5: Student Name
/ Gender
Answer…
1…?

45. how many gcse students are female and take maths?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
School
John
Smith
Lauren
Jones
Attends:Maths
Studies: etc…
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 6
Type: Student
Gender: Female
School Year: 10
Type: Course
Level: GCSE
Teacher: Mr Jenkins

46. how many gcse students are female and take maths?_
Building a brain starts with a graph.
School
John
Smith
Type: Student
Gender: Male
School Year: 6
Attends:Maths
Studies: etc…
1

47. The web is broad and deep view into
what it really means to be human.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

48. Entity (subject / objects in the triple)
Value pairs (may also be entities in their own right)
Graphs, entities and structured data.
Football Team:
Season:
Division:
Nickname:
Located In
2019 / 2020
Premier
League
Hammers
London
Fixture Date
Home Team
Away Team
26/12/2019
Crystal
Palace
West Ham
United
West Ham United

49. who did west ham play on boxing day last year?_
Football Team:
Season:
Division:
Nickname:
Located In
2019 / 2020
Premier
League
Hammers
London
Fixture Date
Home Team
Away Team
26/12/2019
Crystal
Palace
West Ham
United
West Ham United
Graphs, entities and structured data.

50. who did west ham play on boxing day last year?_
Football Team:
Season:
Division:
Nickname:
Located In
2019 / 2020
Premier
League
Hammers
London
Fixture Date
Home Team
Away Team
26/12/2019
Crystal
Palace
West Ham
United
West Ham United
Graphs, entities and structured data.

51. Airbus 321
London
Graphs, entities and structured data.

52. London
Airport Name: Gatwick
Operating Airline: British Airways
Aircraft Name:
Heathrow
Operating Airline:
Airbus 321
Airport Name:
Graphs, entities and structured data.

53. London
Airbus 321
London
British Airways
Airbus 321
Heathrow
Gatwick
Graphs, entities and structured data.

54. West Ham
United
Located In:
England Capital City:
Great Fire Of
London
Happened
In:
New Years
Party
Event At:
Destination:
British
Airways
Financial
Centre:
United
Kingdom
Lives In:
Boris
Johnson
Former
Name:
Londinium
london_
Graphs, entities and structured data.

55. Graphs, entities and structured data.

56. People trust search engines, even if
these systems aren’t trustworthy.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

57. Trust is rising in younger generations.
How often do you feel that you find dangerous or highly
untrustworthy information (AKA “misinformation”) in search results?
Source: Yext
12% 29% 38% 15% 7%
Strongly Disagree
Somewhat Disagree
Neither Agree Or Disagree
Somewhat Agree
Strongly Agree

58. Trust is rising in younger generations.
Source: Path Interactive
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-64 65+
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very frequently
How often do you feel that
you find dangerous or highly
untrustworthy information
(AKA “misinformation”) in
search results?

59. Trust is rising in younger generations.
Source: Path Interactive
18-25 26-35 36-45 46-64 65+
Never
Rarely
Sometimes
Often
Very frequently
How often do you feel that
you find dangerous or highly
untrustworthy information
(AKA “misinformation”) in
search results?
29% difference

60. Source

61. There are massive voids in the data
- solving them must be our priority.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

62. Overall entity understanding is low.
40%
0%
Real EstateLaw
Education JewelleryHealth
Software AutomotiveFinance
Clothing Marketing
Source: InLinks

63. Overall entity understanding is low.
40%
0%
Real EstateLaw
Education JewelleryHealth
Software AutomotiveFinance
Clothing Marketing
Source: InLinks
23% average

64. Overall entity understanding is low.
100%
0%
Real EstateLaw
Education JewelleryHealth
Software AutomotiveFinance
Clothing Marketing
Source: InLinks

65. Overall entity understanding is low.
100%
0%
Real EstateLaw
Education JewelleryHealth
Software AutomotiveFinance
Clothing Marketing
Source: InLinks
KNOWLEDGE VOID

66. This isn’t a future idea; it’s already
here - and the web depends on it.
#SEMRushLive
@ricrodriguez_uk

67. Thank you.
#SEMRushLive | @ricrodriguez_uk