This past year has brought a proliferation of changes to the results from typical queries we see on search engines. Year after year, personal search results have become more sophisticated. Now our historical searches, friend groups, interests and other key factors influence our personal search results. This has forced progressive businesses to re-evaluate the way they target their consumers.
Social SEO Facebook, Twitter, & LinkedIn Newsfeed
The social networks that we have been an active part of the last decade now dictate the content and advertising we receive on them. Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn have all been accruing data on our activity and habits for many years. The difference is that now they are using this data to lead us to advertisements and limit our feed to what they perceive we want to see.
As a user this can both be a value-add and a great hindrance as no algorithm will be able to fully understand how you explore or want to receive data. As a business, this is a great value-add as you are now able to pinpoint your targeting with much more accuracy than before.
Affinity Models How We All May Be Connected
Amazon was the first to pioneer the idea of affinity models. What they noticed was that several segment groups started to have similar buying behavior across unrelated categories. For instance, a group of individuals who bought World War II history books also were shown to have a strong love of botany.
What Amazon now does is try to read these affinity circles to better target users and their behaviors. By studying a user's digital patterns and affinities, Amazon has successfully expanded their revenue base. Google is now experimenting with the concept of affinity circles in standard search results. What this means is Google is no longer tied into a keyword solely or a geographic location but is actively tailoring search results based on true or perceived affinity circles. Smart organizations have to understand not just the primary intent of the user but their psychographics and personas.
Gmail & AdWords
What most Gmail users don't realize is that their email is actively tracked and read by Google. This helps Google understand what type of consumer you are and where your interests lie. This information then is translated into the targeting within your Gmail account and the types of ads you get targeted with. Google is very careful to try to remain as ethical as possible while also offering businesses and advertisers the ability to micro-target their demographics.
Customized Search Winning Strategies
As a business executive you have to have a deep understanding of your consumer's psychographics and interests to properly leverage the capabilities afforded by customized search results. A winning strategy involves building your business's messaging and advertising around different social and search platforms. This requires consistent monitoring and a deep evolving understanding of your evolving consumer. A successfully centered customized search strategy is a win for both the consumer and company.
Check out my latest video blog on customized/personalized search.