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How To Analyze Google's SERP
Welcome to today’s issue of Efikó, a weekly newsletter by me, Dozie Anyaegbunam, with a focus on content marketing, writing, social strategy, and living your best life. THANK YOU for being here! I appreciate you.
Hello 👋
How have you all been?
I’m in the midst of a move. We’re moving to Calgary, Alberta. I can claim to be an experienced mover.
But every move is bloody unsettling.
We should be nestled in a friend’s place in Edmonton while we wait for the movers to get to Calgary by next Wednesday.
They say it’ll take 14 days for our household items to arrive.
So, till that happens, the whole family will live out of their suitcases.
But, Back To Analyzing Google’s SERP
Remember, last week, I said one of the best wins in content marketing is creating content that generates high-quality leads.
To create such content, you need:
To pick the right keywords
To create the proper article structure.
Today, let’s talk about the work behind making the correct article structure — SERP analysis.
SERP analysis is essential to understanding search intent. Do it right, and you have information on:
The types of content that rank for your target keyword ( listicles, ultimate guides, or product landing pages)
The sections repeated across the ranking pages
The gaps you can take advantage of to create a better article
SERP analysis aims to create an article that provides more value to the reader than the articles that hold the first six spots on Google’s SERP.
Here’s the framework I have been using the past few months:
What sort of pages are ranking for the keyword?
First off, analyze the pages that make up the first six results. Sometimes I go all the way to the tenth result. What am I looking out for:
The page type
The title structure
These tell me the content Google assumes is best for the keyword.
But the algorithm isn’t always correct — sometimes, top-ranking content is the best from a selection of bad content. Follow your instincts here. You understand your audience better than Google, I hope.
What sort of websites are ranking for the keyword?
Are your direct competitors ranking? Have product review sites such as G2 taken over the first page? News sites? Affiliate sites? Indirect competitors?
The page's source tells me what I am up against - a heavily funded competitor or an affiliate looking to make a buck of clicks.
What topics do these pages cover?
You don’t have to read the whole page. Scan through the subheadings and take notes of the topics that show up repeatedly.
These are the topics you must cover when creating your piece.
What do these pages do well, and what gaps can you exploit?
Review the strengths and weaknesses of each page. And how do you create one that eliminates all the weak points?
Do these pages cover all the questions the reader has on the topic?
The “People also ask” section is a good place for inspiration.
What’s the core intent of the reader when they search for this keyword?
This is where the rubber hits the road.
Are they looking for a “how-to” article? Or an essay that compares product alternatives?
Are they looking for a template or checklist?
I combine the results of these five questions to:
Structure the article
Pick the post type
And decide on the angle of the piece.
I know I said we would talk about articles you can create from the data you generate from customer surveys. But I think this is critical information you need before talking about article formats.
If You Read One Thing
There’s a lot of magic going on at the Not Enough Writers Medium page. Enjoy!
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All the best, folks. Could you please share with any of your friends/colleagues who might find this helpful?
My Biggest Takeaway this Week
“We have to be willing to confront the world as it is, not as we want it to be if we’re going to be successful.”
Barry McCarthy, Peloton CEO
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Thanks for reading this far. I am grateful!
Be good out there. If you can't be good, be careful.
I’ll be back on 2/18.
Dozie
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