Wil Reynolds — The Human Ranking Algorithm: The People Behind the Queries (Turing Festival 2016)

Decided to go back to the classics -1890’s

BeliefUnderstanding how people make decisions is a skill that is

Undisruptable

That is a…

greater skillThan understanding

how Google works

©2016 Seer Interactive • p4

Started SEO August 1999Every Day Since.


6,227 days49,816 HOURS!

But a LOT has changed

Remember1999 = Livin’ La Vida Loca


I woke upOverweight

How Google Works

UnderweightHow People Work

The Best Marketers UnderstandPeople…

1900

@wilreynolds https://www.flickr.com/photos/125261545@N03/

Worn Tires

@wilreynolds https://www.flickr.com/photos/anacronicos

Get him to

DRIVEMORE

@wilreynolds

Content Marketing Since

Understand the Need (explore, new to talk about)Apply to the Business (sell tires)

Marketing AMPLIFIES

Doesn’t

Fix!!

Picnic Pants

Find the root of the customers problem:

Look past headKeywords

ContextBefore

Content!


What was the query BEFORE the query?

- @jonoalderson

Fix Cracked iPhone

Fix Cracked iPhone


Search is

THIS


Search isNOT

THIS


1 - Search“Glasgow Vacation”

2 - Buy


Ignore top of funnel, long tail, recommendation,

Keywords&

Ignore

TRUSTbuilding opportunities.

Google Giveth & Google Taketh


You might not like it if you are in travel

BUTYou LOVE it if you are traveling.

Image of word brand

Matters!


Brand and Non Brand KWsAre you not in the

Brand Consideration Set?

Google is Suggesting Brandsafter you search!


Make more content!!!


Make more COMPLETE content

“It’s Easier to speak then to type”

-Google

Make people do fewer queries

-Me


There is no cheaper, more comprehensive, research tool than

Google +

Your Eyes


How does thatHAPPEN?

Exec’sare pissed


5 of top 10 concerns are answered on 1 page

BUILDS TRUST

So much more!

What Motivates People?

What Motivates People?

Like This Guy

© 2016 Seer Interactive • All Rights Reserved • Page 64

Make this case by reviewing

OLDmarketing investments.

Minimize Bias!

Minimize Bias!

Minimize Bias!

Boring SEO

Works, doesn’t build TRUST or BRAND

Where is Taylor Made?

Understand the

WHOLEcustomer problem

Minimize Bias!


The Role SEO Plays


How are our competitors?


SEMRush + Excel


Find a keyword you want to rank forTake the top results Drop each into SemRushClean the dataTop 5, brand name, asset

The Machines are Learning what we want

WE MUST UNDERSTAND INTENT + CONTENT

BASIC HUMANBEHAVIOR

WE’D RATHER LEARN & BUY

THAN BE SOLD TO

All education

Dumb Money - Paid

Show cost of those keywordsExpensive

Let’s Talk Machine Learning

WHAT!!!!!!

SEARCHER’S MISSIONYOU ARE NOT FULFILLING

LOOKS LIKE A MODEL

THIS IS MORE LIKE IT…

THE ROBOTS ARESMARTER THANTHE MARKETERS

Those PPC ads for Cloud Vs Organic

Are you ready to use your “SEO” skills to understand people better & build what they want?

If Not…The Robots Are Coming for Those who Don’t!!!

And they’re takingYOUR Traffic