Why does this matter to marketers?
Marketing specialists have been well aware for some time that Google has been moving away from keyword-based ranking factors to far more advanced algorithms built to determine search intent. While optimising for search intent is nothing new in the world of content marketing, this latest patent points to further refinement of Google’s search results. The patent is the result of almost a decade of research, and it serves as proof that knowing your target user is the most important thing of all. To that end, directly promotional outbound content is no longer relevant when it comes to SEO.
From a search ranking perspective, the top priority should be alignment with search intent. In the end, Google doesn’t want users to jump from one website to another to get the information they’re looking for. Ultimately, the most important ranking factor is how long the user will stay on the page, and that means having content that directly addresses search intent. Google also wants to encourage users to spend more time on the SERPs by directly answering queries. If your content can do that, then it should be pushed into the Featured Snippets section which intends to directly address search intent. That’s why your content should focus on answering query patterns, rather than purely keyword-based optimisation.
Do you really know what your target audience is looking for? Let comtogether help you bridge the gap between searcher intent and your website.