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Google increasingly responds to search queries with Direct Answers, as opposed to websites where you can find an answer. The trick for modern marketers is understanding which of your keywords are the most likely to surface the Direct Answer box. In the battle to increase visibility, marketers must identify the keywords you wish were ranking for this type of Extended Search element so that you can know which URL to optimize. In this section of Unwrapping the Secrets of SEO, we’ll show you how to do this using the Keyword Rankings feature and filters in the Searchmetrics platform.
Navigating Direct Answers
To see which of your project keywords are earning these rankings, navigate to the Organic Rankings tab within your selected project, and click on Keyword Rankings. Your set of Searchmetrics project keywords must contain the terms for which you want to earn rankings as a Direct Answer.
My Projects › searchmetrics.com › Rankings › Organic Rankings › Keyword Rankings
Select the filter for Direct Answer, and you’ll see the terms below.
From here, it’s worth sorting the data in two ways to begin prioritizing your on-page optimizations. The direction you take from this data is entirely dictated by your business strategy and SEO initiatives.
Approach #1 – Sort by Search Volume
By sorting the results by Search Volume, you can prioritize the terms that correlate to a high level of customer interest. In this case, we see in the test project for Searchmetrics, the data shows three terms “seo optimization,”“Google updates” and “meta tag” have the highest search volumes. If we were to improve the ranking position for these terms, we would have a greater amount of organic traffic (Traffic Index) coming to that page. In this way, your SEO efforts are based on what’s interesting to your customers.
Approach #2 – Sort by URLs in Striking Distance
This approach is more business-focused because you can prioritize the ranking URLs by where they sit in the SERP. Hovering between positions 11-20 is considered page 2 of the Google SERP. These keywords are known as being within “striking distance” to moving onto the coveted page 1 territory. In our test example, most of these striking-distance keywords have a search volume below 1,000, which can make them less attractive to spend time and optimization efforts on. Alternatively, a smaller search volume may be exactly what you want to focus on if your goal is a more targeted audience and converting keyword.
Pro Tip: Structure your content like this…
Many of the Extended Search elements that frequent the SERP are boxes designed to showcase content that succinctly answers a question. There are currently three common formats that earn a ranking in a Direct Answer box:
- Bulleted, itemized list (common for recipes or “how to” queries)
- Chart format (common for information that is best displayed in a chart — think the periodic table of elements)
- A short paragraph that directly answers a question (best for things like short answers)
Structuring your content into one of these three formats will give your page the best chance at earning a spot at the top of the SERP when someone asks “what is a meta description?”
The best part about Extended Search elements is that you can actively make optimizations to your pages. Unlike Universal Search elements (maps, graphs, charts, etc.), which in the eyes of Google are static, optimizing for Direct Answers can result in more of your keywords ranking near the top of the page.
However, if you have Universal Search elements, you might want to make sure that they’re optimized (hint: use Schema markup). It is important to quickly identify and monitor which project keywords are ranking as Universal elements.
Apply Column Filters To See Universal Search Elements
Within this module, you can also see which of the same project keywords also rank for Universal Search elements.
In our example, the two terms below do not have rankings as Universal integrations (rightfully so, since they’re not one of the following – map, image, news, video). But if they did, this is where you would see that information.
The Battle to Rank as a Direct Answer
In the battle to rank as a direct answer and gain more visibility, understanding which of your project keywords are or are not ranking as a Direct Answer helps you to quickly identify and prioritize optimizations.
Each module can be easily added to a dashboard (using the “+” icon that’s always located at the tip right). It’s one of the easiest ways to share this information with your team. Now you’re off to the races!
Source: Searchmetrics