Intent research vs. keyword research
In 2020, Frédéric Dubut of Bing told us: “Keyword research are probably going to become slowly obsolete and you’ll need to switch to intent research as a practice.”
Barry Schwartz asked Google’s John Mueller about Dubut’s statement. Here’s what Mueller said:
- “There’s probably always gonna be a little bit of room for keyword research because you’re kind of providing those words to users. And even if search engines are trying to understand more than just those words, showing specific words to users can make it a little bit easier for them to understand what your pages are about and can sometimes drive a little bit of that conversion process.”
So, is keyword research obsolete yet? In 2023, there definitely has been a significant shift in the way SEOs think about user intent, or the search intent behind a query. But keyword research is still far from obsolete.
Read all about it in Google’s John Mueller on intent research vs keyword research for 2020.
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Google Now Bugs Remove Cards From Users While Google Now Tests Custom Background Themes
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Google France Homepage Goes “Je Suis Charlie” In Memory Of Charlie Hebdo Victims
2015: Google France added the “Je Suis Charlie” (“I am Charlie”) badge on its homepage, honoring the lives lost during the Charlie Hebdo massacre in Paris, France.
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From Search Marketing Expo (SMX)
Past contributions from Search Engine Land’s Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
These columns are a snapshot in time and have not been updated since publishing, unless noted. Opinions expressed in these articles are those of the author and not necessarily Search Engine Land.
- 2020: Here’s some data to help you understand how to rank better with your brand name by Brian Patterson
- 2019: Learn how one startup doubled CPL and saved money by Duane Brown
- 2018: What the development of visual search will mean for SEO by Kristopher Jones
- 2016: Is Your Account Leaking Money? The Importance Of Query Mapping by Amy Bishop
- 2016: How To Ensure Your SEO Recommendations Get Implemented by Winston Burton
- 2015: What Yahoo’s Firefox Deal Tells Us About Paid Search In 2015 by Mark Ballard
- 2015: AdWords Scripts For Every Level: Part 4, A Real World Use Case (Free Script Included) by Ginny Marvin
- 2014: For SMBs, The Time Is Now To Embrace Search Advertising by John Cosley
- 2013: Why Is Search Engine Results Personalization A Driver For Using Local Domains Internationally? by Andy Atkins-Krüger
- 2013: Propel Promotion Of Your Content: 9 Ways I Promote Sharing Online by Jordan Kasteler
- 2013: 3 Areas That Get Overlooked When Building Links In A Bubble by Julie Joyce
- 2010: 5 Web Analytics New Year Resolutions by Ben Gott
- 2010: Ecommerce Usability Showdown: Affiliate VS. Merchants by Gab Goldenberg
- 2010: Testing In 2010: Tips & Ideas To Get You Started by Carrie Hill
- 2010: The Convergence Of Web Search & Site Search by Shaun Ryan
- 2009: SEO Trends From 2008 & A Look Into 2009 by Jill Whalen
- 2008: New Year’s Resolutions For Your PPC Campaigns by Brad Geddes
- 2008: 10 Simple Steps To Social Media Success In 2008 by Chris Winfield
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