The Art of Keyword Research and Learning from Netflix's Failed Social Strategy

The Art of Keyword Research and Learning from Netflix's Failed Social Strategy

Introduction:
Keyword research is a crucial aspect of any successful SEO strategy. By understanding the intent behind different types of queries, marketers can optimize their content to target the right audience and drive organic traffic. In addition to keyword research, it's important to learn from the failures of others, such as Netflix's unsuccessful social strategy. By examining these two topics, we can gain valuable insights and actionable advice for our own marketing efforts.

The Importance of Keyword Research:
Keywords indicate intent, and understanding this intent is key to optimizing content. There are three types of queries: informational, transactional, and navigational. Content marketing programs should target informational queries with search optimized blog posts, while transactional queries can lead to valuable conversions. Additionally, researching keywords for branded queries can provide valuable insights about a company's online presence. It's important to remember that SEO tools often underestimate the potential traffic to a page, as it can rank for multiple closely related phrases. Longer keyphrases, known as long tail keywords, can indicate stronger intent and may have less competition. Targeting these low search volume keyphrases can be easier and attract more qualified visitors.

Actionable Advice:

1. Multiply search volume estimates by 10x: To reflect the true potential traffic, consider the rankings for closely related phrases if a page successfully ranks.

2. Search for each phrase and analyze search results: Your target audience may not see the same rankings as you. By examining the search results pages, you can understand what the searcher would do if they landed on those results.

3. Use SERP features as guidance: The content formats that Google displays in the search results page provide insights into the searcher's information needs. These features can help guide decisions about target keyphrases and content formats.

Learning from Netflix's Failed Social Strategy:
Netflix's failed social strategy teaches us important lessons about decision-making and the challenges of inventing the future. One key reason for Netflix's frequent failures is the biases that cloud human judgment. It's also difficult to quit when the CEO is passionate about an idea. In the case of Netflix's social strategy, the proxy metric kept showing positive results, but the company failed to recognize that it would never be significant enough to improve retention. It's crucial to establish clear objectives and set goals to guard against the influence of biases and the pride of ownership.

Actionable Advice:

1. Don't let past investment inform future investment: Evaluate investment decisions based on current knowledge and determine how much should be invested going forward.

2. Take a disciplined evaluation of project merit: Set clear objectives and ask, "What should we invest in today, regardless of past decisions?" This approach helps to remain objective and avoid being influenced by passion or conventional wisdom.

3. Regularly reevaluate projects: Momentum and early enthusiasm can cloud judgment. Take a moment to reassess the merit of a project, discounting executive-level support and considering the potential for success.

Conclusion:
Keyword research is an essential component of successful SEO strategies. By understanding the intent behind different types of queries and targeting the right keywords, marketers can attract qualified traffic to their websites. Additionally, learning from the failures of others, such as Netflix's unsuccessful social strategy, provides valuable insights into decision-making and the challenges of inventing the future. By setting clear objectives, remaining objective, and regularly reevaluating projects, marketers can make informed decisions and increase their chances of success.