Tyson Stockton, Author at Searchmetrics SEO & Content Marketing Blog

Tyson Stockton 2020/12/14

2020 Review: Google Updates & Communication

Voices of Search Time to read: 2 min

Despite a tumultuous year, Google rolled out core updates in its usual, cyclical pattern. The majority of published updates this year concerned Google’s natural language processing capabilities and understanding how human speech behavior works. May’s update gave greater insights into Google’s interpretation of search query intent from a landing page perspective.

Tyson Stockton 2020/12/08

Black Friday Winners and Losers 2020

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

In-store spending was expectedly down this year 51.2% compared to previous years although overall conversions rose 22%. The rise is attributed to more online traffic, which big box retailers reaped the most benefit from. Q4 online sales are expected to rise even higher than Black Friday as we continue into the holiday season while regions of the U.S. go back into lockdown due to record coronavirus infection rates.

Tyson Stockton 2020/12/03

Optimizing Content Directories

Voices of Search Time to read: 2 min

Content directories are most useful when they offer dynamic experiences and extensive information competitors don’t own yet. A hybrid Glassdoor and Linkedin model is a hypothetical example of how Google would prioritize a new directory website with excellent structure and new, useful information. Providing a preview of your content while keeping the rest of your content gated is a great way to give people an idea of what your site offers. They’ll be more likely to sign up, which helps build an email list.

Tyson Stockton 2020/12/02

Darwinism in Search

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

Google’s algorithm ranks websites much like the natural world, where only the strongest and fittest survive and make it to the top. Google’s own search features and ranking factors aren’t immune from this process. The search giant makes changes to its rich element ranking system based on industry developments and user needs.

Tyson Stockton 2020/12/01

Knowledge Panels

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

The knowledge panel collects information from across the web on entities and displays it in an information box on Google. The panel’s results are distinctive from other engine properties as it’s information Google’s algorithm considers factual. Getting listed in the knowledge panel requires owning and maintaining your online presence apart from your website and social channels.

Tyson Stockton 2020/11/30

Brand SERPs

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

When your brand name is your personal name, it can prove difficult for search engines to differentiate your name from potentially thousands of other names online. Using a full name with a middle initial can help, but you still need to differentiate your brand offerings to eliminate ambiguity.Owning and creating rich site features like posting videos, Twitter integrations and a robust selection of brand-reflecting images will help Google identify you from competitors.

Tyson Stockton 2020/11/27

SEOs Driving Impact Outside of SEO

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

Communicating SEO data findings with top level executives is imperative to driving impact. However, lack of SEO understanding from the top hinders communication efforts. The lack of director-level roles and growth paths within SEO plays a significant part in diminishing specialists’ authority.

Tyson Stockton 2020/11/26

Applying Search Data in the Wild

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

Some companies and large enterprises are taking Google Search Console data and mapping it to third-party resources and SEO analytics software. This process aggregates data and makes it easier to get a better view on particular KPIs, like web vitals or the impression rates search console provides.

Tyson Stockton 2020/11/25

Improving Decision-Making Through Search Data

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

Once you’ve begun acquiring data, it’s vital that it’s representative, which requires scaling and obtaining enough data to act on. The best way to accomplish this goal is to create a taxonomy and querying data in categories. This process involves taking ranking URLs and their keywords to create confidence intervals when analyzing your data. Structured data points will improve your decision making.

Tyson Stockton 2020/11/24

The Trouble with Search Research

Voices of Search Time to read: 1 min

A leading challenge facing SEOs is how to take search data and translate that information into a format executive teams and other departments can easily understand. The best way to avoid the trappings of SEO-speak is to speak to the data’s impact on the overall business. Speak directly about how the data conveys customer interest, like what categories they’re regularly searching for.