life after keyword not provided - a case study from intel
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Smx West 2014 Session #Smx #24A - Life After Not Provided Presentation Life After Keyword Not Provided - A Case Study From Intel By Laura Ann Mitchell Of IntelTRANSCRIPT
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Life After Keyword Not Provided
March 2014
Laura-Ann Mitchell
Ken Shults
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Background
• Fortune 50 technology company with more than 100,000 employees
• Substantial digital presence including• More than 600 domains
• More than 100,000 pages of content in more than 35 languages
• Natural Search to Intel websites has increased by more than 20% per
year since establishing a centrally managed SEO program in 2008
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
2Source: Omniture
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Keyword Not Provided
Prior to Keyword Not Provided
• Huge variety of diverse keywords
bringing Natural Search traffic to Intel
with an average of more than 3 million
unique keywords each month
• The largest individual keyword, “Intel”,
accounted for about 6% of our total
Natural Search
2011-Q1 2011-Q2 2011-Q3 2011-Q4 2012-Q1 2012-Q2 2012-Q3 2012-Q4 2013-Q1 2013-Q2 2013-Q3 2013-Q4 projected2014-Q1
Total Natural Search - Keyword Known Total Natural Search - Keyword Not Provided
Since Keyword Not Provided
• Visibility in analytics data to an
average of around 700,000 unique
keywords each month, most of
which coming from outside the US
• Keyword Not Provided now
accounts for slightly more than 87%
of our total Natural Search
Source: Omniture3
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Digital Marketing Framework
• Natural Search is fully integrated within each component
of our Digital Marketing Framework
4
SEO is not
something you do.
It is what happens
when you do
everything else right.
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Digital Marketing Framework
• Keyword Not Provided has
affected the methods we use in
some areas, but the impact on
our fundamental approach to
how we integrate search within
our Digital Marketing
Framework has been minimal
Catastrophe
No Impact
Irritating
Pain and Suffering Rating
Overall Rating Mildly Irritating
5
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Digital Marketing Framework
• Within our Digital Marketing Framework, Keyword Not Provided has had the biggest impact for us in the areas of Insights and Measurement
• In the following slides we’ll review specific examples of how our processes have been impacted and how we’ve adapted to Life After Keyword Not Provided Insights
Catastrophe
No Impact
Irritating
Pain and Suffering Rating
Overall Rating – Mildly Irritating
Measurement
6
© 2014 Intel Corporation
the cloudcloud computing
Impact on Insights
cloud computing pdfenterprise cloud computing
what is cloud computing
what is the cloud
icloud
cloud computing for dummies
cloud computing examples cloud strategy
cloud computing solutionsprivate cloud architecture
cloud storage
cloud computing technology
cloud security
Xeon E5
Google Keyword
Planner
Paid Search
Analytics
Natural Search
Analytics
• Search helps us to better understand our audience. We utilize insights from
Search to inform multi-channel marketing including Content, Paid Search,
Social, Display and Retail Channel Support
• Search Insights process begins with collecting a master keyword landscape
7
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on Insights
Google Keyword
Planner
Paid Search
Analytics
Natural Search
Analytics
• Google’s Keyword Planner is our primary source for keyword data
• We often augment data from the Keyword Planner with Analytics Data from
Paid and Natural Search
• We then Categorize the Keyword Landscape to surface insights and
opportunities
43%
25%
13%
7%
3%2% 2% 2% 2%
1%0%
0%
0%
Monthly Search by Topic
Cloud Computing - General
aaS - as a Service
Cloud Services - Providers and Industry
Cloud Security
Tools - Software and Development
Cloud Strategy - Implementation and Mgmt
Architecture and Technology
Servers - Data Center and Virtualization
Public - Private - Hybrid - Enterprise
10 gBE - Cloud Networking - SDN
Cloud Client
Mobile Cloud
Big Data Cloud
Source: Google Keyword Demand Data8
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on InsightsOpportunity vs Performance Gap Analysis
Google Keyword
Planner
Paid Search
Analytics
Natural Search
Analytics
• Integration of Paid and Natural Search performance data with the categorized keyword
landscape of demand reveals gaps between opportunity and performance
• Keyword Level Natural Search Referral Data is a requirement to produce this view
0
2,0 00
4,0 00
6,0 00
8,0 00
10, 000
12, 000
14, 000
16, 000
18, 000
0
100 ,000
200 ,000
300 ,000
400 ,000
500 ,000
600 ,000
700 ,000
800 ,000
900 ,000
1,0 00,000
Global Monthly Search Demand Natural Search Paid Search
Source: Omniture and Google Keyword Demand Data9
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on InsightsNatural Search Keyword Data in Web Analytics
Natural Search
Analytics
• In the past, we collected Keyword level Natural Search data from our Web
Analytics including Natural Search Referrals by Keyword for relevant pages
• Today, nearly all of our keyword level data is no longer accessible through Web
Analytics due to Keyword Not Provided
Source: Omniture10
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on InsightsGoogle Adwords Paid & Organic Report
Natural Search
Analytics
Google AdWords Paid &
Organic Report provides
Natural Search keyword data
and has some nice features
but significant drawbacks have
limited its usefulness for our
purposes
Pros Cons
Natural Search Keyword Impressions/CTR
Account Linking limited to top level GWMT accounts
Natural Search Avg Ranking by Keyword
No Segmentation of Data by Page
Integrated Paid/Natural Performance by Keyword
Limited to Google
Exportability of large volumes of keywords
No Post-Click Metrics (conversions, etc)
Source: Google Adwords Paid & Organic Report11
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on InsightsGoogle Webmaster Tools
Natural Search
Analytics
Google Webmaster Tools
provides high quality Natural
Search Keyword data
BUT
Only if Webmaster accounts
are configured properly
Pros Cons
Natural Search Keyword Impressions, Clicks, CTR
Heavily sampled data limits number of keywords with data
Natural Search Avg Ranking by Keyword
Keyword by Page data only available through interface one page at a time
Page Performance Data Limited to Google
No Post-Click Metrics (conversions, etc)
Source: Google Webmaster Tools Account Data12
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on InsightsGoogle Webmaster Tools
• Google says that GWMT shows the top 2,000
queries but we have found that there is
significant sampling of the Keyword Data
• Keyword availability improves with progressive
granularity in GWMT accounts
• We have established GWMT accounts for top
level directories and many second level
directories totaling more than 100 GWMT
accounts
GWMT Account # of Account Level Exportable Keywords
(One month)
Additional Keywords Availableby Adding Directory-Level
GWMT Account
www.intel.com 4,392
…/content/www/us/en/ 5,017 3,070 (61%)
…/cloud-computing/ 2,802 2,781 (99%)
“Webmaster Tools shows data for the top 2,000 queries that returned your site at least once in search results”
support.google.com/webmasters/answer/35252?hl=en
Source: Google Webmaster Tools Account Data13
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on Insights
Insights Data Sources
KW
Planner
Paid
Search
Analytics
Natural
Search
Analytics
Trends
Ranking
• How does our audience search for information?
• What Topics and SubTopics are most popular in
Search?
• What problems is our audience trying to solve?
• What products are they looking for?
• How does search interest trend over time?
• What are the authority sites that they are finding on the
first page of Search results?
• What types of content is Google displaying for different
types of queries?
• What share of Natural Search are we getting?
• What is the Share for our OEM and channel partners?
• What keywords drive the best conversions?
No Impact
Legend - Impact from Keyword Not Provided
Alternative Source Available No Alternative Source Available14
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementClosing the Loop
“However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally
look at the results.”
Winston Churchill
Measurement Best Practices
• Measure what our stakeholders care about
• Identify what’s working
• Find out why
• Then do more of it
15
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Site Sections
Impact on MeasurementAsset-Centric Reporting
• Several years ago we shifted from keyword-centric reporting to
asset-centric reporting to better align with stakeholders’ goals
• Our measurement plan always begins by defining the Site Section
of interest to our stakeholder
• Each Site Section is a specific group of pages that will be the focus
of our performance reporting
Big DataCloud
ComputingMobile
Productivity
16
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Natural Search
Page Level
Analytics
Impact on MeasurementSite Section Reporting - Overview
• Direct and Indirect Views for specific defined groups of
pages give stakeholders a more complete picture of the
impact of Natural Search
• Indirect Views carry the campaign in the early stages while
pages are building equity that later translates to Direct Views
as the campaign matures
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
0
1,0 00
2,0 00
3,0 00
4,0 00
5,0 00
6,0 00
Jul-12 Aug-12 Sep-12 Oct-12 Nov-12 Dec-12 Jan-13 Feb-13 Mar-13 Apr-13 May-13 Jun-13 Jul-13
Natural Views Direct
Natural Views Inter-Indirect
Natural Views Intra-Indirect
Natural EngagementsKeyword Not Provided
Impact Rating
No Impact
Source: Omniture17
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementSite Section Reporting – Top Pages
• Page Level Direct and Indirect Views show which assets
earn their own views from Natural Search and which rely on
other pages for assistance through internal cross-linking
Natural Search
Page Level
Analytics
Keyword Not Provided
Impact Rating
No Impact
0 500 1,0 00 1,5 00 2,0 00 2,5 00 3,0 00 3,5 00
Site Section Page 1
Site Section Page 2
Site Section Page 3
Site Section Page 4
Site Section Page 5
Site Section Page 6
Site Section Page 7
Site Section Page 8
Site Section Page 9
Site Section Page 10
Natural Views Direct
Natural Views Inter-Indirect
Natural Views Intra-Indirect
Source: Omniture18
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementSite Section Reporting – Page Level Trends
• Trended Views by Page helps us uncover stories to explain
performance and guide deeper investigation
Natural Search
Page Level
Analytics
0 500 1,0 00 1,5 00 2,0 00 2,5 00
Site Section Page 1
Site Section Page 2
Site Section Page 3
Site Section Page 4
Site Section Page 5
Site Section Page 6
Site Section Page 7
Site Section Page 8
Site Section Page 9
Site Section Page 10
3 Months Ago
2 Months Ago
Last Month
Keyword Not Provided
Impact Rating
No Impact
Source: Omniture19
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementSite Section Reporting - Page Level Engagement
• Engagement data at the Page Level helps us refine content
and optimization in alignment with the interests of searchers
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
0 500 1,000 1,500 2,000 2,500
Site Section Page 10
Site Section Page 9
Site Section Page 8
Site Section Page 7
Site Section Page 6
Site Section Page 5
Site Section Page 4
Site Section Page 3
Site Section Page 2
Site Section Page 1
Total Visits from Natural Search Engagement RateNatural Search
Page Level
Analytics
Keyword Not Provided
Impact Rating
No Impact
Source: Omniture20
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementSite Section Reporting – Keyword Traffic
• Aligning GWMT Sites to Site Sections provides visibility to keyword
level Natural Search data
• We lose keyword level Engagement and Indirect Views however
Keyword Not Provided
Impact Rating
Mildly Irritating
Natural Search
Keyword Level
Analytics
0 50 100 150 200 250 300
Site Section Keyword 1
Site Section Keyword 2
Site Section Keyword 3
Site Section Keyword 4
Site Section Keyword 5
Site Section Keyword 6
Site Section Keyword 7
Site Section Keyword 8
Site Section Keyword 9
Site Section Keyword 10
3 Months Ago
2 Months Ago
Last Month
Source: Google Webmaster Tools Account Data21
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementSite Section Reporting – Keyword Ranking
• Ranking data for target keywords helps answer questions
about changes in traffic performance
• Ranking reveals opportunities for improvement
Natural Search
Keyword Ranking
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
50.0%
60.0%
70.0%
80.0%
90.0%
100.0%
Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8
1 - First Page Above the Fold (1 - 4) 2 - First Page Below the Fold (5 - 10)
3 - Page 2 - 3 (11 - 30) 4 - No Ranking Page (31+)
Keyword Not Provided
Impact Rating
No Impact
Source: Google Web Rankings22
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementSite Section Reporting – Page Level Detail
• Keyword level data by Page IS available through the GWMT interface and can be used
for investigating a specific page but note that CTR and Avg position may not be available
when drilling down to keyword data under the page
• GWMT keyword level data by page CANNOT be exported from a GWMT account
Natural Search
Page Level
Analytics
Natural Search
Keyword Level
Analytics
Total Page Views from Natural Search 609
Direct Views from Natural Search 567
Inter-Indirect Views 24
Intra-Indirect Views 18
Engagement Rate 16.50%
Source: Omniture and Google Keyword Demand Data23
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on Measurement
Dimension Natural Search Metric Impact
Sitewide | Site Section | Page
Total Page Views – Natural Search
Direct Page Views (Referrals) – Natural Search
Indirect Views – Natural Search
Engagement Rate – Natural Search
Keyword
Total Views – Natural Search
Direct Views – Natural Search
Indirect Views – Natural Search
Engagement Rate – Natural Search
Target Keyword Rankings
No Impact
Legend - Impact from Keyword Not Provided
Alternative Source Available No Alternative Source Available24
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Impact on MeasurementIntegrating the Data
• We utilize the BrightEdge Platform to integrate data from Web
Analytics and GWMT with our target keyword ranking data in a single
integrated environment that facilitates investigation and analysis
GA Account for Page
Level Natural Metrics
• /US/
GWMT Accounts
Aligned to Site Sections
• /cloud-computing/
• /big-data/
• /virtualization/
• etc
BrightEdge Accounts
Aligned to Site Sections
• Cloud
• Big Data
• Virtualization
• etc
25
© 2014 Intel Corporation
Key Take Aways
Minimize Pain and Suffering
brought on by Keyword Not
Provided by
1. Adopting a Page-Centric
approach to Measurement
2. Configuring GWMT in
alignment with Site Sections
Catastrophe
No Impact
Irritating
Pain and Suffering Rating
Overall Rating Mildly Irritating
26
© 2014 Intel Corporation