how to use search data to build content that drives value at scale

CONTENT MARKETING INTELLIGENCE

#C3NY

HOW TO USE SEARCH DATA TO BUILD CONTENT THAT DRIVES VALUE AT SCALE

VP, Search MarketingGrant Simmons

#C3NY @simmonet

Grant SimmonsVP of Search MarketingSearch marketer, father, sailor. Though not necessarily in that order when there’s a fair wind.

Hello

@simmonet/in/simmonetwww.grantisms.com

#C3NY @simmonet

• Real Estate Portal(ahem… we’re not Zillow)

• 10M+ Visits / Month• Private company• Norfolk, VA

@simmonet/in/simmonet

Hello

www.grantisms.com

#C3NY @simmonet

Let’s Go Back to the Future (2015)

#C3NY @simmonet

Let’s Go Back to the Future (2015)cat

NEW YORK CITY | OCTOBER 28-29, 2015

C3 2015 BREAKOUT SESSION

IT AIN'T OVER TILLTHE CAT LADY SINGS

CONTENT-BEYOND-KITTENS & OTHER SEARCH STRATEGIES

VP of Search Marketing& Consumer Engagement

Grant Simmons

#C3NY @simmonet

The Cat LadyContent Conundrum

@simmonet

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Content to somecontent marketersis like...

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…cats to a cat lady

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…cats to a cat ladyi.e. you can never

have enough

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The cat lady content conundrum

More Better

@simmonet

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More is not better

(unless you want to fill a litter box)

http://unop.me/crap

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Let’s Go Back to the PRESENT (2017)cat

CONTENT MARKETING INTELLIGENCE

#C3NY

HOW TO USE SEARCH DATA TO BUILD CONTENT THAT DRIVES VALUE AT SCALE

VP, Search MarketingGrant Simmons

Tweet this session!

#C3NY@simmonet

#C3NY @simmonet@simmonet

How Do We Scale Quality?

#C3NY @simmonetBigger Cats?

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Big & Small DataTells StoriesContent Marketing isabout telling a branded story

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Data Itself is Not Smart

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Data Itself is Not SmartBut it does help tell smart storiesStories = content differentiation

“Every brand is unique. But if you cannot tell that uniqueness through it’s stories, it

will spend it’s whole life being a fish.”Grant Simmons

#C3NY @simmonet

• Leverage data• Tell unique stories• Smart• Different• Interesting

• Align with your brand

Don’t be a Fish

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Data Cat-egoriesDifferent strokes for different folks

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3 Typesof Data

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Core SiteData

• Listings• Parts• Products• ‘Free’ datasets

Business | Interaction | Search

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UserGenerated

Data

Business | Interaction | Search

• Internal clicks• Purchases• Time on page• Surveys

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Site / SearchData

Business | Interaction | Search

• Search engines• Site search• Filters

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3 Typesof Data

Business | Interaction | Search

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2 Typesof Data

Business | Interaction | Search

today

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Business DataStuff you own and / or have access to

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Yeah it can be kinda boring raw• But key differentiator• Cat-alog what you have• Cat-alog relevant available data• Align with search intent• Align with search engine opportunities

Business Data

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Homes.com

#C3NY @simmonetWhat Data? What Stories?

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• Listings data• Census data

Data Sources

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• Lists• Long tail queries• Interesting facts

What are People Looking For?

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• Lists• Long tail queries• Interesting facts

What are People Looking For?

Did You Know?A cat’s tail contains approximately 10% of the bones in its body

#C3NY @simmonet

• Lists• Long tail queries• Interesting facts

What are People Looking For?

Did You Know?A cat’s tail contains approximately 10% of the bones in its body

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The “FACETs” ProjectLeveraging Data for the Long Tail

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Fully Responsive (Presentation is Key)

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City / State Coverage – Census + Listings Data

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Lists / List Pages

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State-Level Pages / Facets

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State-Level Pages / Facets

Auto generated ranking data, dynamic, random

and interesting

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State-Level Pages / Facets

Auto generated ‘facets’ based on frequency, listing

counts & user interests

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City-Level Pages / Facets

Auto generated ranking data, dynamic, random, relevant and interesting

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Descriptive / Phrase Facets

Parsing of descriptionsMapped against phrase set

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Descriptive / Phrase Facets

Parsing of descriptionsMapped against phrase set

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• Phase 1• Basic internal linking• Limited cities (thin content)

• Phase 2• Expand value of pages (more data)• Add user interaction cues

• Phase 3• Combos

• Based on data

The Long Tail – in Action

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The Long Tail – In Action• Lists• Top 10s

• Attributes• Price• Size• Features

#C3NY @simmonetScales Nicely

#C3NY @simmonetScales Nicely (& Intelligently)

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• What public data exists?• What unique data exists?• What would be worthy?• How can you present it?

Business Data Recap

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• How many dog people?• How many cat people?

Quick Survey

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• How many dog people?• How many cat people?

Yes. I was a cat.

Quick Survey

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Search DataStuff you create and / or is createdfor you through searcher’s behavior

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Search Data Is:

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Your users telling you stories - You just need to listen

Search Data Is:

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Search Data Elements

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More Interesting (generally)• Collection & storage• Summarization• Analysis & extraction• Align with user interest• Present with paw-pose

Search Data Elements

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Search Data: Your DataCan be a lot of it• But key differentiator• Cat-alog what you have• Analyze the crap outta it• Find interesting stories

#C3NY @simmonetIt Can Be Imperrfect…

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• Demand-side• Intent

Site Search Data

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Always Start With ContextContent without Context is Likea Cat Without a Tail

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Always Start With ContextWhat’s the breed of cat with no tail?

a question

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Always Start With ContextWhat’s interesting?What’s are the goals?

questions

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• Start with largest dataset• Easier to see patterns• Validate results

Context – Reference Listing Type

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Simple Math

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Simple Math

Not Perfect Math.

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Popularity (Searches / Habitant)

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Map Data Over Time For Trends

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Dig Into Data Trends

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Overlay otherdata sets formore insights /interesting info

What is your userlooking for??

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• Buyers understand offer potential• Sellers understand time to sale• Pricing considerations• Inventory availability

A TON of cool info:• For every city, state, county with data• We call that…

Homes.com “Scarcity Index”

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• Buyers understand offer potential• Sellers understand time to sale• Pricing considerations• Inventory availability

A TON of cool info:• For every city, state, county with data• We call that…

Homes.com “Scarcity Index”

SCALE

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• No need to stop there!• More analysis can create more insights• You never know what you can find

• Locations over time• Attributes against attributes

Hold On Cowboy!

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Keep Digging Into Other Data Points

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There is no bad data,

there is only bad

analysis of good data* I’m Innocent

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There is no bad data,

there is only bad

analysis of good data* I’m Innocent

*and some bad data

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If Content is King

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If Content is King

Then datais the crown

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Presenting Data

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It’s All About Presentation• Know your audience• Provide value• Targeting• Customization

• Keep It Simple

Or as simple as your audience

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• Search data• Survey data• Census data• Jobs data• Housing trends

Simple Visualization of Complex Datasets

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• Survey data• Census data

Simple Visualization of Complex Datasets

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#C3NY @simmonet

More is Not Better

#C3NY @simmonet@simmonet

• Leverage data• Tell unique stories• Smart• Different• Interesting

• Align with your brand

Better is Better

Thank you!

#C3NY @simmonet

#C3NY @simmonet

Grant SimmonsVP of Search MarketingSearch marketer, father, sailor. Though not necessarily in that order when there’s a fair wind.

Thank you

@simmonet/in/simmonetwww.grantisms.com

#C3NY @simmonet

Grant SimmonsVP of Search MarketingSearch marketer, father, sailor. Though not necessarily in that order when there’s a fair wind.

Thank you

@simmonet/in/simmonetwww.grantisms.com

#C3NY @simmonet

• Real Estate Portal(ahem… we’re not Zillow)

• 10M+ Visits / Month• Private company• Norfolk, VA

@simmonet/in/simmonet

Hello

www.grantisms.com

#C3NY @simmonet@simmonet

Homes.com Content StrategyOur Content / Messaging aspires to / should be:• Different & unique• Position Homes.com as home-buying resource• Valuable• Something fun or a little amusing• Non-lethal• Pass authority• Mobile-friendly

Homes.com Content Guidelines• Different• Position• Valuable• Fun• Non-lethal• Pass authority• Mobile-friendly

Keepingit simpleIs it / Does it?

Content Strategy• Guidelines• Planning• Ideation• Scheduling• Execution

Guidelines

Plan

IdeateSchedule

Execute