They found Google’s Hidden Ranking Factor! Is it Real?

Summary

The video discusses the impact of Google's September 2023 Helpful Content Update on small website owners, suggesting it disproportionately affected sites with high link volume but low brand search volume. The speaker, from The Search Initiative, introduces Tom Kapper's theory that the update is linked to the ratio of brand search volume to link signals. Emphasizing the importance of brand search volume, the video shares strategies to increase it, from content marketing to paid ads, and teases an upcoming video on advanced tactics.

Takeaways

• 📈 The Helpful Content Update in September 2023 negatively impacted many small website owners, including the author's own sites.
• 🤔 Despite Google's claim that the update rewards original and insightful content, many high-quality sites suffered traffic losses.
• 🔍 Tom Kapper's hypothesis suggests the update might be related to the ratio of brand search volume to link signals.
• 🏆 Websites with high brand search volume relative to their link volume were likely to be winners in the update.
• 📊 The author's own analysis of thousands of websites supports the idea that brand search volume is a significant factor in post-update success.
• 🔗 The correlation between brand search volume and link volume is important, but causation is still a topic of debate.
• 📝 The author suggests that increasing brand search volume can be achieved through content marketing, influencer marketing, and paid ads.
• 💼 The author promotes his SEO agency, The Search Initiative, offering a discount for new clients.
• 🚀 A successful campaign example is provided, where the author's agency earned big links by creating a guide on how to fall asleep on a plane and reaching out to journalists.
• ⚫ The 'gray hat' tactics mentioned include using job listings and click bots to artificially increase brand search volume, with a caution on the risks involved.

Q & A

What was the title of the article from the Moz blog that the speaker initially thought was ignorable?

The title of the article was 'The Helpful Content Update Was Not What You Think.'

What was the general perception of the September 2023 Helpful Content Update among small website owners?

The perception was that it was a very negative event, with many small website owners experiencing significant traffic losses.

What was the speaker's personal experience with the Helpful Content Update?

The speaker's own three websites were negatively impacted by the update.

What is Tom Kapper's hypothesis regarding the Helpful Content Update?

Tom Kapper's hypothesis is that the Helpful Content Update is related to the ratio of search volume for a site's navigational terms to its link signals.

What does the term 'brand search volume' refer to in the context of the script?

In the context of the script, 'brand search volume' refers to the volume of searches that include a website's brand name.

How does the speaker's theory on the Helpful Content Update differ from Tom Kapper's?

The speaker's theory focuses solely on brand search volume, while Tom Kapper's theory compares brand search volume to link volume.

What is the significance of the ratio of domain authority to brand authority according to the data presented in the script?

The ratio of domain authority to brand authority is significant because a higher ratio (closer to 1) is associated with websites that did not lose traffic after the update, while a lower ratio indicates potential traffic loss.

What is the speaker's opinion on the validity of the correlation study presented in the script?

The speaker believes the correlation study is valid and worth taking action on, as it aligns with their own observations and theories.

What are some of the strategies the speaker suggests to increase brand search volume?

The speaker suggests general content marketing, influencer marketing, paid ads, job listings, and click bots as strategies to increase brand search volume.

What is the speaker's stance on the causation correlation issues raised by the study?

The speaker does not dismiss the study due to potential causation correlation issues and believes that increasing brand search volume is a positive action regardless of the exact reasons behind the correlation.

What is the speaker's recommendation for those who want to learn more about implementing the tactics to increase brand search volume?

The speaker recommends subscribing to their channel for a future deep dive video on how to implement these tactics.