using search science for keyword research by tony verre
TRANSCRIPT
#SMX #23C1 @TonyVerre
Using Search Science for Keyword Research
Understanding Your Consumer’s
Journey
#SMX #23C1 @TonyVerre
Conversation Starters & Ice-Breakers
• Founder DreamFire Digital • Blissfully Obsessed with Digital Marketing • Literary Teacher-‐Turned-‐SEO • Comic Nerd • Fledgling Improviser • Full-‐time Weekend Soccer Dad
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Consumer Marketing Surveys Don’t Always Tell the Truth
You Can Only Believe Half of What You Hear & Read
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Consumer Marketing Research
Lost 1.85 Billion Dollars when consumers indicated in a survey they wanted to see “less cluttered shelves”
In response to the “Pepsi Challenge”, spent 4 Million dollars in nation-‐wide taste tests and a lot of pride
Consumers said they wanted an “adult burger”, spent $300 million on the research, production, and marketing for the Arch Deluxe
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The Consumer Pinocchio Syndrome
50% -‐ 84%* of consumers don’t provide honest responses about their behaviors in
marketing surveys
Sources: mTAB, “Why People Lie on Customer Surveys; LightspeedGMI “Honesty Detector”
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No One Lies To Search Engines
• 3 Billion Searches/Day
• 1.1 Trillion Searches/Year
• 12 Years of Search Trends
• 15 Years of Consumer Search Behavior
• #1 Online Retailer in the World • 44% Start Product Searches on
Amazon
• 2.25 Billion Unique Visitors/Year
• 12 Years of Consumer Search Behavior
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Awaken Your Inner Search Scientist
Get inside consumers’ heads using observable and quantifiable search data to discover consumer needs, intents, and search behaviors
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Phases of the Consumer Search Journey
Consumer Need State
Research & Discovery
Purchase Consideration
Purchase
Reviews & Evaluation
What need(s) is the consumer trying to solve with
the product or service?
The primary search terms and phrases consumers
start their research and discovery of products with:
- HEAD TERMS - Main Research
Segments
Consumers use terms like, “Where can I buy,” and also with product-specific criteria
88% of consumers trust online reviews as much as a personal recommendation; 70% use reviews before purchasing
Consumers use more long-‐tail terms, start narrowing brands like, “[BRAND] review” or “[BRAND] + Product,” more review-‐centric
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Where It’s Been & Where It’s Going
Use 3 – 5 Year Business Cycle to examine consumer search trends
Top-‐Level trends can be misleading; compare terms to the category for a true sense of what search terms are driving the category
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Getting To Know the Category
Catalog topics, queries, and the geographical centers that are driving the product category
Popular Topics Top Queries Geographic Hubs
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Using Google’s Crystal Ball
Use Google Predictive Search and Related Searches on head terms. Screen shoot, catalog, rinse and repeat
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Boiling The Ocean of Keywords
1
Enter head terms, top phrases, and predictive terms using the closest category possible
Review, examine, and add as many Keyword Planner groups to your plan
2
Download to XLS and prepare to start boiling the ocean
Tip: Concentrate on 1 product/service at a time
3
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When They’re Ready to Buy
As eCommerce and the Digital Shelf continue to expand reach, Research and Discovery & Purchase Consideration Terms are now the
Purchase Terms.
Amazon Predictive Search is the doorway to understanding what unbranded terms
trigger purchase
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Synthesizing Your Search Need States
Taking All This:
529,570 301,660
111,620 105,880
Largest Need States by Volume
Hair Types & Types of Shampoo/Conditioner
Brands of Shampoo/Conditioner
Head Terms & Best Shampoo/Conditioner
Shampoo/Conditioner Ingredients
Shampoo/Conditioner for Gender
Into This:
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It’s More Than On-Page; It’s Digital Marketing Strategy
Semantic Targeting
Site Architecture Content Creation
Paid Search