Matthew Trewhella from Google gave some insight into the “Vince/brand update.”
There have been times when we’ve “googled” and then “re-googled” a search because we couldn’t find what we were looking for. Is this search engine optimization (SEO) failure from the brands we’re trying to seek out? Well, it seems Google regards your repeated search queries as failure on their part–which is why they’re sprucing up their search algorithms. This is done by observing an individual’s first search and if they pursue a second, third, or fourth to find what they want. So, what does this mean for your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts?
Google is analyzing the searches before or after a search for a particular keyword. They’re also taking a look at related searches and if they drive a user back to a particular set of results. Their algorithmic changes means they’re going to take into consideration related search query results for certain keywords. If a user’s satisfaction with the results is the same or better with the search results they are given, then searchers can expect Google to keep pushing this algorithm for a larger set of keywords, until the relevancy drops.
You might search for a specific brand of shoes, but then remember Zappos carries the line. If enough users do this, Google will re-work their search algorithm so that it will show up in the future. Thus, Google’s method is based on the relevancy of a page but also if the page adds significant value to a user. In terms of search engine optimization (SEO), this signifies that your goal is to rank and provide an experience so that users will actively seek you out in the future. Bottom line is: Your industry’s targeted keyword may be saturated, but what can you do to make yourself stand out as the cream of the crop?
