In part one of this series, we talked about how to measure search engine optimization (SEO) success. But those measurements are predicated on understanding our organic rankings in search engines for the search terms that drive revenue or leads to our site.
However, some recent changes to the data that Google now offers dramatically changes the way we think of "search rankings" and really underscore the notion that search engines continue to focus on user experience as they improve their ranking formulas. This article summarizes what these changes mean to an SEO campaign.
How Personalization and Localization Changed the SEO Game
Much of what the data tells us is what we have guessed for some time now, but this is the first time that there's hard data to support some of the assumptions. In previous years, search rankings across the engines were more or less static for the same phrase. However, localization and personalization have been affecting the Google ranking algorithm for some time now.
As we look at the changes of the recent update and those in other recent updates, we find that where you search for something and who you are makes a profound difference in what you see in Google for any given search query. Additionally, Google's new infrastructure allows for the engine to make ranking changes much more frequently. And so, Google's new data set available in Google Webmaster Tools, and specifically, the "Average Rank," is now the most accurate metric that illustrates organic ranking performance.
Why 'Average Rank' is an Important New KPI
SEO professionals have historically relied on automated software like WebPosition or WebCEO for "rankings reports," which detail where a particular site ranks on a given keyword in a particular search engine. However, with Google's current environment, these reports end up being a snapshot in time of how a local data set looks for a particular keyword. They may or may not be indicative of the general trend in rankings for this query for most users.
This type of reporting isn't really reliable for judging performance and is no longer suitable data to make business decisions with. Google's average rank is a much better metric because it accounts for all of the variances listed above, namely, personalization, localization, and changes over time.
See the full story at: SearchEngineWatch Page
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