Citations & Serendipity: the new SEO

How social media influences search rankings

Citations and serendipity are rapidly replacing keywords and backlinks as the primary ways Google ranks web pages, an algorithm update now commonly referred to as semantic search. Here's what you need to know about how semantic search is changing the world of search engine marketing.

A brief history of search engine marketing

Once upon a time websites could achieve high search rankings simply by incorporating keywords into their code and content. Search engines of this time could not read an entire page and interpret its overall meaning the way humans do when they read, so it would rely on keywords to classify the page's intended topic, and judge the number of times those keywords were repeated to determine how informative it considered that page to be on its intended topic.

Then came the scammers, who would stuff high-traffic-generating keywords throughout the code and content of each page of their websites, whether or not those words had anything to do with the page's or site's topic, and search engines needed a new way to rank content. One startup company called Google decided to rank a website's pages not only on keywords but on the number and types of other websites that would link to each page of the site. But the scammers struck again, striking deals behind closed doors to buy and sell links in an effort to game the new system - and it worked.

In spite of all the cheating, Google quickly rose to become one of the most trusted search engines for relevant results, and in order to stay in the general public's good graces and keep up its reputation, Google decided to start penalizing websites it caught trying to game the system with "black hat" SEO tactics. If a website got caught, it would automatically be dropped to a significantly lower rank, or banned from the search engine's database altogether. First came the Panda update, which targeted sites engaging in keyword stuffing, duplicate content, and other infractions. Next came the Penguin update, which attempted to address the link buying issue by penalizing sites with obviously purchased backlinks.

Then came Google's Hummingbird update....

Google's Hummingbird algorithm update, which implemented a new algorithm for ranking page content known as semantic search, was unlike any other previous Google update in that it shifted the ability to influence a page's search ranking away from website owners and onto website visitors by placing a greater emphasis on the number and quality of likes, +1s, and shares a page received. For this reason it was said to be nearly un-hackable (since marketers would now have far less ability to influence their website's ratings.)

Semantic search replaces keywords as the primary means by which Google's search robots understand the meaning behind the content on a web page. Google's search robots still aren't smart enough to "read between the lines" as a human would and be able to determine whether a page that ranks high for the term "lo mein" is about Chinese food recipes or a local Chinese restaurant. By adding weight to the types of shares and comments the page is getting via social media, and subtracting weight from the context in which the term "lo mein" is being used on the page (i.e. keywords,) Google's semantic search algorithm is able to gain a better understanding on whether this page is about recipes or restaurants.

Citations & Serendipity in Semantic Search

What are citations?

Citations are efforts on your part and by others that establish your business's online reputation. Actions such as identifying each page's or blog post's author via the "author" meta tag in your site's code and linking your content to your Google+ account help Google put a face and name with your company and award you higher rankings based on trustworthiness. Linking your content to authoritative sources within your industry also helps establish a page's reputation.

What is serendipity?

Serendipity refers to the number and types of people sharing your content via social media. The more likes, +1s, and shares your page gets, and the higher the quality of the comments people make about your content socially, the higher your page will rank for the terms mentioned in each social share.

Advantages of Semantic Search

For consumers:

• Semantic search increases the likelilhood of returning relevant results in a search query by reducing the likelihood of black hat SEO tactics being used (such as keyword stuffing.)
• Semantic search gives consumers a way to gauge a site's trustworthiness and authority within a particular industry by factoring in what others on the Internet have to say about it.
• Semantic search can help consumers find quality local businesses that may not have the time or budget to invest in traditional SEO services or advertising.

For marketers:

• Semantic search helps you rank high for search terms likely to result in sales (such as "best restaurants in Hampton, Virginia" or "where to eat in Hampton, VA") even if you don't use those terms in your page, because other people are using these terms in their comments.
• Semantic search helps you stand out on the web by demoting your competitors who are still relying on black hat SEO tactics such as keyword stuffing.
• Semantic search helps put a face and name with your company and establish a strong online reputation for quality products and service by factoring social media reviews and comments into your site's search ranking.

Disadvantages of Semantic Search

• If you are a marketer who is still relying solely on keywords for traffic, you may see your site's ranking drop.
• You may need to invest in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to continue ranking for certain search terms.
• You will need to continually produce new and unique online content, and share it socially to take full advantage of semantic search's benefits.
• Sites with a top-down navigational structure may need a new linking strategy to remain competitive in search rankings

Considering the quantities of new content you will need to churn out in order to rank high in Google's semantic search algorithm update, you may want to contract out your content writing and social media marketing efforts to an Internet marketing firm, such as Niche Marketing PR. Niche Marketing PR offers a variety of marketing services to help you produce the types of content you need for high rankings while matching your company's voice and style.

While you may be tempted to outsource your content writing to the cheapest bidder (even someone outside the U.S.) doing so often isn't in your company's best interests long-term. It is absolutely vital that whomever you choose to write your site's content has a firm grasp of English grammar and syntax, as well as be able to understand who you are as a company so he or she can communicate your unique selling proposition (USP) to your target audience.

Semantic Search Survival Tips for Marketers

Bottom line, here's what you need to do to survive the transition to semantic search:

• Write quality content that actually teaches your customers something about your industry on a regular basis (or have someone with a solid understanding of your company's voice write articles for you.)
• Establish an online reputation as a source of authority within your industry, through coding and by linking to other authoritative industry-related sites.
• Silo your navigational structure so that informational pages boost rankings for pages where your visitors can take action to become customers.
• Share your content across multiple social media sites, and make it easy and desirable for others to share your content as well.

Consult with Niche Marketing PR today to get your site semantic search ready!

Social Media > Search Marketing (Citations & Serendipity)