{"id":14842,"date":"2016-01-14T11:54:10","date_gmt":"2016-01-14T19:54:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iteratemarketing.com\/?p=14842"},"modified":"2020-06-24T07:14:04","modified_gmt":"2020-06-24T14:14:04","slug":"how-to-read-a-serp-at-a-glance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iteratemarketing.com\/blog\/how-to-read-a-serp-at-a-glance\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Read A SERP At A Glance"},"content":{"rendered":"

Qualify Keywords With A Single Search<\/b>
\n<\/a><\/h2>\n

Us SEO\u2019s don\u2019t have much time. We don\u2019t even have much time for full words, shortening things like \u201cSearch Engine Results Page\u201d to SERP and \u201cSearch Engine Optimization\u201d to SEO. With so little time, we need to become super efficient at everything we do or we will fall behind. <\/span><\/p>\n

Because of how much time we spend in the SERPs (there it is again), being able to analyze them at a glance can save us an exorbitant amount of time. There are lots of things that you can look at but one of the quickest ones is user intent. After all, Google and Bing have told us exactly how they separate intents.<\/span><\/p>\n

Intent<\/b><\/h2>\n

Google is one of the most successful companies on the planet. They can only continue to be successful when their search results are relevant. If searchers had to type in multiple queries to find what they were looking for, they would probably start using other search engines. For example, if you wanted to buy a \u201cBelgian Waffle Iron\u201d and you typed that into Google, a Wikipedia article on Belgium isn\u2019t going to help you. The more this happens, the less searchers trust that Google will help them find their answer.<\/span><\/p>\n

The search engines (yes, Bing included) have discovered a way to be relevant. They can predict the <\/span>intent<\/span><\/i> of the searcher. This is easier than it sounds. They reduced all intents to three different types. <\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  • Informational<\/span><\/i> – The searcher is hoping to learn something or, to be redundant, is searching for information<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Transactional – <\/span><\/i><\/i>The searcher is looking for a site where they can purchase something.<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
  • Navigational – <\/span><\/i>The searcher is trying to get somewhere specific<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Spotting the various intents in searches can help you qualify keywords and apply them to the right page so that you have the best chance possible of showing up in the SERP.<\/p>\n

    Navigational<\/h3>\n

    Of these, navigational is the easiest to spot. Frequently, this is simply shorthand for \u201cbranded\u201d. Generally if someone is looking to get somewhere specific they are either typing in the brand name or what they think the URL is hoping to find the real site.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Frequently there will be some overlap. Some brands have chosen names that are frequently searched informational terms. Take quartz for example. In the SERP pictured below, Quartz is a news outlet AND it\u2019s a type of rock. At this point, the SERP has both a navigational intent and an informational intent.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Note:<\/b> It\u2019s probably a safe bet that Google has tested and discovered that more people are interested in the news site than they are the type of rock.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

    If you were analyzing this SERP in order to sell quartz rocks or quartz jewelry you can already tell that it\u2019s going to be difficult. No matter how authoritative you are, you probably won\u2019t show up in the first three spots and you likely won\u2019t be above the fold. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Informational<\/h3>\n

    Informational is fairly easy to spot as well. Most often, the results will be filled with articles over any other type of result. These also frequently start with \u201chow to\u201d or \u201creasons why\u201d and similar prefixes. These prefixes help identify the intent as informational. After all, if you are searching \u201cHow to replace my Iphone screen\u201d it\u2019s pretty clear you don\u2019t need to buy an iphone screen (at least not right now, but that\u2019s a whole different topic).<\/span><\/p>\n

    To follow up with that search phrase, take a look at the results pictured below.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Disregarding the ads, notice how none of the results seem promising for anyone to BUY an iphone screen? Every result for this search talks about either how or why a person would want to replace their iphone screen themselves.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Not only that, they are high authority publishers as well. After the Youtube Video and the Apple support store, there is Forbes, Time and Popular mechanics, all publishers that specialize in content rather than products.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Transactional<\/h3>\n

    Transactional intents are pretty obvious as well. For example, the search \u201cmen\u2019s dress shoes\u201d will bring up a variety of sites where you can buy exactly that, men\u2019s dress shoes. <\/span><\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re sharp, you\u2019ll probably have noticed that the search phrase didn\u2019t say anything about buying. Most search terms will default to transactional if there is no other indication (or a mix, which we will get to next). While the search didn\u2019t explicitly say that the user intends to buy, it\u2019s assumed (and Google has a LOT of data to back up that assumption).<\/span><\/p>\n

    The top 4 organic results are specific pages where you can buy men\u2019s dress shoes. There are also significantly more paid ads than the previous results as well as shopping results. <\/span><\/p>\n

    Of course, these types of results are where Google and most businesses make their money. Targeting people who are searching for a transaction will be the most lucrative and, in most cases, also the most competition.<\/span><\/p>\n

    It\u2019s not always that easy<\/b><\/h2>\n

    It all seems pretty cut and dry at this point doesn\u2019t it? It\u2019s not always that easy. Sure \u201cmen\u2019s dress shoes\u201d is an obvious transactional query and \u201cNike\u201d is absolutely navigational. There are some queries, though, where intent is difficult to tell. Even with data, there could be multiple intents or brands that the searcher is going for.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Let\u2019s build off of the \u201cMen\u2019s Dress Shoes\u201d query for an example. What if I simply change the query to \u201cBest Men\u2019s Shoes\u201d? It\u2019s difficult to tell what the intent might be. The searcher could be using for reviews and comparisons discussing the best shoes a man could own. He could also be searching for the \u201cbest shoes\u201d to buy them. This confusion shows up in the search results as well. Take a look at the below screenshot for example.<\/span><\/p>\n

    The first 3 results are lists for the best shoes a man could buy according to that publisher (traditionally informational intents). The next two are Amazon and Ecco, both of which are transactional.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Knowing the breakd<\/span><\/p>\n

    own of intents and what a search result for each looks like, you should be able to glance at a results for a keyword and know whether the page you want to target with that keyword will fit in or not.