Actionable SEO News – September 2024

By Drew on September 11, 2024

Actionable Points:

Impact Assessment:
- Analyze Core Update Impacts: If your site was affected, investigate potential causes such as relevance adjustments, intent shifts, or quality issues.
- Run Delta Reports: Isolate dropped queries and landing pages using delta reports to identify the reasons for traffic decline.**
Content Strategy:
- Reassess Content Strategy: Move away from generic content aimed at search engines (SEO-first) and focus on user-first content that aligns with intent and provides real value.
- Avoid Overloading Pages: Do not overload pages with excessive information. Make them clear and relevant to user intent.
Quality Over Quantity:
- Holistic Quality Evaluation: Improve overall site quality, including UX, ads, presentation, and sources. It's not just about content but the experience as a whole.
- Long-Term Quality Improvements: Use a "kitchen sink" approach—continuous, holistic improvements to demonstrate significant quality enhancement over time.
Utilize User Engagement Data:
- Measure User Engagement: Focus on engagement metrics like click-through rates (CTR), time on page, and interactions (Navboost signals) to improve rankings.
Consider the Intent Shifts:
- Study Intent Shifts: Understand changes in user intent. Ensure your content targets the appropriate search intent, whether transactional, informational, or navigational.
- Use Natural Language Processing (NLP) Tools: Leverage NLP tools to analyze how well your content aligns with searcher intent.*
RankBrain and Vector Search:
- Optimize for RankBrain: Vector search re-ranks results based on intent. Focus on improving content relevancy through quality rater feedback and actual user interactions.
Monitor Industry-Specific Trends:
- Industry Trends: Be aware of specific industry shifts (e.g., pet insurance, tech products) and adjust your SEO strategy accordingly. Specialized retailers and informational sites are gaining over commercial giants like Amazon.
Consider Site Authority:
- Balance Domain and Brand Authority: Tom Capper's study suggests sites with higher brand authority (BA) performed better than those relying solely on domain authority (DA). Focus on building brand recognition alongside traditional SEO efforts.
Core Update Response:
- Future-Proofing: Continue producing high-quality, intent-driven content as Google aims to reward helpful content over SEO-first strategies. Sites that improve post-HCU or core updates will continue to see gains.
Action for Content Creators:

Engage with the Community: Marie plans to collaborate with SB Pro members to develop a system for scoring intent alignment, potentially enlisting community support to study core update effects.

Marie also encourages community engagement, suggesting that producing authentic, user-focused content will be a key driver of success in the evolving search landscape.

*1. Use Natural Language Processing (NLP) Tools to Analyze Content Alignment with Searcher Intent

What is NLP?

Natural Language Processing (NLP) is a branch of artificial intelligence that focuses on the interaction between computers and humans through natural language. In the context of SEO and content creation, NLP tools help analyze and understand the nuances of language, enabling better alignment of your content with what users are searching for.

Why Align Content with Searcher Intent?

Searcher intent refers to the primary goal a user has when typing a query into a search engine. Understanding and aligning your content with this intent ensures that your pages meet the needs of your audience, leading to higher engagement, better rankings, and increased conversions.

How to Leverage NLP Tools:

Identify Searcher Intent:
- Types of Intent:
  - Informational: Users seeking information (e.g., "How to fix a leaky faucet").
  - Navigational: Users looking to reach a specific website or page (e.g., "Facebook login").
  - Transactional: Users intending to make a purchase or complete a transaction (e.g., "Buy iPhone 14").
  - Commercial Investigation: Users researching products or services before making a decision (e.g., "Best DSLR cameras 2024").
Analyze Your Content:
- Keyword Analysis:
  - Use NLP tools to analyze the keywords and phrases within your content to determine if they align with the identified searcher intent.
- Content Structure:
  - Ensure your content is structured in a way that directly addresses the user's query. For instance, use clear headings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs for better readability and relevance.
- Semantic Analysis:
  - Assess the context and relationships between words to ensure your content comprehensively covers the topic.
Optimize Content Based on Insights:
- Content Gap Analysis:
  - Identify areas where your content may be lacking in addressing certain aspects of the searcher intent and enhance those sections.
- Content Enrichment:
  - Add relevant information, multimedia elements, or interactive features to better satisfy user needs.
- Language Refinement:
  - Adjust the tone, complexity, and style of your content to match the preferences and expectations of your target audience.

Recommended NLP Tools:

Google Natural Language API:
- Offers powerful text analysis capabilities, including sentiment analysis, entity recognition, and syntax analysis.
- Google Cloud Natural Language
IBM Watson Natural Language Understanding:
- Provides comprehensive text analysis features such as keyword extraction, concept tagging, and emotion analysis.
- IBM Watson NLU
Ahrefs Content Gap Tool:
- While not a pure NLP tool, it helps identify content gaps by comparing your site with competitors, which can be complemented with NLP analysis.
- Ahrefs Content Gap
Surfer SEO:
- Integrates NLP techniques to optimize content structure and keyword usage based on top-ranking pages.
- Surfer SEO
Clearscope:
- Uses NLP to provide keyword suggestions and content optimization recommendations to improve relevancy.
- Clearscope

Implementation Steps:

Choose the Right NLP Tool:
- Select a tool that fits your technical expertise and specific needs. For instance, Google Natural Language API is highly customizable but may require more technical setup compared to user-friendly platforms like Surfer SEO.
Conduct a Content Audit:
- Use the chosen NLP tool to analyze your existing content. Look for metrics like keyword density, semantic relevance, and sentiment alignment with user intent.
Map Content to Search Intent:
- Categorize your pages based on the primary search intent they fulfill. Ensure each page clearly aligns with its intended user goal.
Optimize and Update Content:
- Based on the analysis, make necessary adjustments to improve alignment. This could involve rewriting sections, adding new information, or restructuring content for better clarity and relevance.
Monitor and Iterate:
- After optimization, continuously monitor your content's performance. Use analytics to assess improvements in rankings, engagement metrics, and conversions, and iterate as needed.

*2. Run Delta Reports: Isolate Dropped Queries and Landing Pages to Identify Reasons for Traffic Decline

What are Delta Reports?

Delta reports in SEO are comparative analyses that track changes in your website's performance metrics over specific periods. By comparing data before and after a Google core update (or any significant change), you can identify which queries and landing pages experienced fluctuations in traffic.

Why Run Delta Reports?

Running Delta reports helps you pinpoint the exact areas of your website that are affected by algorithm changes. Understanding these changes allows you to take targeted actions to recover lost traffic and optimize your site for future updates.

How to Run Delta Reports:

Gather Data:
- Time Frames:
  - Pre-Update Period: Data from a period before the core update (e.g., two weeks before).
  - Post-Update Period: Data from a period after the core update has been fully rolled out (e.g., two weeks after).
- Metrics to Collect:
  - Organic traffic
  - Impressions
  - Click-through rates (CTR)
  - Average position
Use SEO Tools:
- Google Search Console (GSC):
  - Provides comprehensive data on search performance, including queries and landing pages.
  - Google Search Console
- Google Analytics:
  - Offers insights into overall traffic patterns and user behavior.
  - Google Analytics
- Third-Party SEO Tools:
  - Tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, and Moz can provide additional data and more sophisticated reporting features.
  - SEMrush
  - Ahrefs
  - Moz
Generate Comparative Reports:
- Google Search Console Steps:
  1. Access Performance Report:
    - Navigate to Performance > Search Results.
  2. Set Date Range:
    - Select a date range that covers both pre-update and post-update periods.
  3. Export Data:
    - Export the performance data for both periods to a spreadsheet for easier comparison.
  4. Calculate Delta:
    - Use formulas to calculate the percentage change in impressions, clicks, CTR, and average position for each query and landing page.
Analyze the Data:
- Identify Drops and Gains:
  - Highlight queries and pages that saw significant drops or gains in traffic.
- Segment the Data:
  - Break down the data by categories such as content type, topic, or user intent to identify patterns.
- Look for Correlations:
  - Determine if there are common factors among the affected queries/pages, such as content quality, relevance, or technical issues.
Identify Potential Causes:
- Relevancy Issues:
  - Content may no longer align with the updated search intent or relevancy criteria.
- Technical Problems:
  - Issues like slow page speed, mobile usability problems, or broken links can impact rankings.
- Content Quality:
  - Thin content, outdated information, or lack of depth can lead to declines.
- Competitor Improvements:
  - Competitors may have enhanced their content, earning higher rankings.
- User Experience (UX):
  - Poor UX, intrusive ads, or difficult navigation can negatively affect rankings.
Develop an Action Plan:
- Content Optimization:
  - Revise and enhance content to better match searcher intent and improve quality.
- Technical SEO Fixes:
  - Address any identified technical issues to improve site performance.
- Improve UX:
  - Enhance the overall user experience to keep visitors engaged and reduce bounce rates.
- Monitor Competitors:
  - Analyze top-performing competitors to understand what changes they made that may have contributed to their gains.
- Continuous Monitoring:
  - Regularly update and monitor Delta reports to track the effectiveness of your optimizations and stay ahead of future updates.

Tools and Techniques for Delta Reporting:

Google Search Console (GSC):
- Export and Compare:
  - Export performance data before and after the update and use spreadsheet tools to calculate differences.
- Filtering Options:
  - Use filters to narrow down specific queries or pages for detailed analysis.
Google Analytics:
- Custom Reports:
  - Create custom reports to compare traffic sources, user behavior, and conversion metrics across different periods.
- Annotations:
  - Use annotations to mark the date of the core update, helping correlate changes in data with the update rollout.
SEO Platforms:
- SEMrush's Position Tracking:
  - Track keyword rankings over time and compare pre- and post-update positions.
- Ahrefs' Site Explorer:
  - Analyze backlink profiles and organic search traffic changes.
- Moz's Rank Tracker:
  - Monitor keyword performance and identify ranking fluctuations.
Spreadsheet Analysis:
- Pivot Tables:
  - Use pivot tables to summarize and analyze large datasets effectively.
- Visualization:
  - Create charts and graphs to visualize traffic trends and identify significant changes.

Best Practices for Delta Reporting:

Consistent Time Frames:
- Ensure the comparison periods are equivalent in length and cover similar days of the week to account for any variability.
Account for Seasonality:
- Be aware of seasonal trends that might affect traffic independently of the core update.
Focus on Significant Changes:
- Prioritize queries and pages with substantial traffic drops or gains to address the most impactful issues first.
Iterative Analysis:
- Continuously refine your analysis by incorporating additional data points or adjusting your reporting criteria as needed.

Putting It All Together: Enhancing Your SEO Strategy

By integrating NLP-based content analysis and Delta reporting, you can create a robust SEO strategy that not only aligns your content with user intent but also allows you to proactively identify and address issues arising from algorithm updates. Here's a step-by-step approach to combining these strategies:

Initial Content Audit:
- Use NLP tools to assess the alignment of your existing content with searcher intent.
- Identify content areas that need enhancement or restructuring.
Post-Update Performance Analysis:
- After a core update, run Delta reports to identify affected queries and pages.
- Cross-reference these findings with your NLP analysis to understand if misalignment with search intent contributed to the declines.
Optimization and Implementation:
- Optimize affected content based on insights from both NLP analysis and Delta reports.
- Enhance content quality, adjust for better intent alignment, and fix any technical issues identified.
Continuous Monitoring and Improvement:
- Regularly use NLP tools to keep your content aligned with evolving search intents.
- Continuously monitor your site's performance with Delta reports to stay ahead of any negative trends.
Community Engagement and Learning:
- Engage with SEO communities (like the Search Bar Pro Community mentioned in your summary) to share insights and learn from others' experiences.
- Stay updated with the latest SEO trends and algorithm changes to adapt your strategy accordingly.

Additional Resources

Google's Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines:
- Understanding these guidelines can provide deeper insights into what Google considers high-quality content.
- Google Search Quality Guidelines
Moz's Beginner's Guide to SEO:
- A comprehensive resource for understanding the fundamentals of SEO.
- Moz Beginner's Guide
Ahrefs' SEO Learning Center:
- Offers tutorials and articles on various SEO topics, including content optimization and performance analysis.
- Ahrefs Learning Center
Surfer SEO's Guides:
- Detailed guides on using their tools for content optimization and SEO analysis.
- Surfer SEO Guides

Implementing these strategies effectively can lead to improved search rankings, better user engagement, and sustained organic growth. By continuously aligning your content with user intent and proactively monitoring your site's performance, you can navigate algorithm updates with greater confidence and resilience.

If you have any further questions or need assistance with specific tools or techniques, feel free to ask!