knowledge graph: google is stealing your traffic. steal it back!
DESCRIPTION
Google's knowledge graph may be great for users, but it very often hurts sites. This presentation will show the extent of that damage, and how to fight against the knowledge graph, or even use it to your advantage.TRANSCRIPT
Google is Stealing Your TrafficSteal it back!
SMX Israel 2014
About This Presentation• What is the Knowledge
Graph?• How is it affecting you?• Not all sites are created
equal• How the Knowledge
Graph can actually help you.
About Me
• Eli Feldblum• CTO & Founder of
RankAbove• [email protected]• @FeldBum• 050-333-0915 (Israel)• 201-815-9467 (US)
What is the Knowledge Graph?
It’s actually kinda what it sounds like: a graph of all the knowledge Google has. It’s a collection of data that Google has gathered, and of the connections between those bits of data. The collation of that data is what is displayed.
What is the Knowledge Graph?
It shows up in many forms. The one we see most often is this side box or panel, which we also often refer to as the “Knowledge Graph.”
What is the Knowledge Graph?
It also powers the “collections” we see on searches that return specific lists of results, like
casts of shows or movies.
What is the Knowledge Graph?
And it answers questions.
What is the Knowledge Graph?
It even compares things.
How Does it Affect Sites?
Usually, it hurts them.Especially for informational sites or sites that show up for informational queries, like:• Publishers• Wikis• Q&A Sites• Single-Purpose Data
Sites
How Does it Affect Sites?
In a study of eight sites, 20MM impressions and 2MM clicks, when the Knowledge Graph showed up, average CTR for sites in the Top 5 Positions of Google dropped from 13% to just 8%.
How Does it Affect Sites?
In first position, average CTR dropped from 22% to 12%.
How Does it Affect Sites?
Even sites referenced in the Knowledge Graph lost traffic. Once it was introduced, Wikipedia lost more than 20% of its US traffic.
But!
When used correctly, the Knowledge Graph actually showed an overall increase in traffic for sites, even when those sites lost traffic on individual searches. Answers and panels (collations) hurt sites; the carousel and related links (collections and connections) can help sites.
Fighting Back
So, how do you fight back against the Knowledge Graph? How do you use it to your advantage?• Wikipedia• Freebase• Collating and
Organizing your own information.
Wikipedia
The Knowledge Graph’s primary source of textual, descriptive data is Wikipedia. Luckily, you can—and should—edit Wikipedia (I have ~5000 edits). No need to promote your site (and don’t violate Wikipedia guidelines), but make sure that:
Wikipedia
• Wikipedia’s information, especially the top intro paragraph, are correct.
• Related information in Wikipedia is correct:– Cast lists– Car models– Categories– Etc…
Freebase
Freebase is an incredible database of nearly all the world’s info—unsurprisingly purchased by Google—that you can also edit. It does exactly what the Knowledge Graph needs: it shows the connections between different pieces of data.
Freebase
Make sure those connections are correct—and that they include what you want.
You can even connect data to a site! A great way to subtly convince Google to use your site as a source for the Knowledge Graph, or get the info you want in the Knowledge Graph.
Make Your Own Freebase/Wikipedia
If you do connect your site, you’ll do best in the Knowledge Graph if Google likes the site. So:• Keep it organized• Show connections and
collections• Make it highly
structured• Bonus: If you can
maintain it, make it editable.
The Results
When VH1 used the Knowledge Graph to their advantage, updating Wikipedia and Freebase to ensure all show and product info was correct, avg. CTR when the Knowledge Graph showed up (in all positions) jumped to 15%!
The Results
In fact, by tracking IPs and visitor sessions, we saw that users actually browsed more pages when the Knowledge Graph showed up!
The Results
For searched that returned collection results, especially with visual collections, CTR jumped to 20% in all positions!
One Last Thing!
The Knowledge Graph also grabs data from one more very important source: your favorite social network, Google+!
Connect you Google+ page, and Google will feature your latest G+ post for free!
