A few years ago, I shared a post on
finding the right keywords for content marketing. I loved reading and interacting with your feedback, but I am (not so) sorry to say that it’s time to switch gears from keywords to the shiny-bright future. See, you may have heard about Google’s keyword data disappearing act. According to the Not Provided Count, the amount of data Google is now withholding is rising dramatically. Soon, we won’t have any access to keyword insight.
Yes, it’s scary. But no, it’s not the end of the world.
Maybe, just maybe, it’s a long-overdue switch to a new form of user insight that may prove to be far more useful than keywords. Marketers, meet the next big thing when it comes to measuring marketing effectiveness: affinity data.
What is affinity data?
Let’s say you have pinboards full of DIY ideas, a few crafting blogs that you frequent, and an email account connected to several crafting stores in your area. On the weekends you check in at your favorite craft fair using Facebook, and occasionally you Google new places to buy craft supplies. The way you interact with websites and social communications (including email) provides affinity data. In short, the “database of affinity” is the expansive portfolio of individuals’ likes and dislikes based on what they interact with. The affinity data that you produce from all the characteristics listed reveals that, dang, you really like crafts.
Unlike search intent, affinity is a long-term measurement. The idea is that if you like something now, chances are you’re still going to like it in a year or two. It’s a measurement of emotional attachment.
How does it work?
Right now, if you were to search for “party games for kids,” you might get lists of ideas to incorporate into your child’s next birthday. However, if affinity data were built into a search engine’s algorithm, it would know that you “liked” your friend’s shared link to grills on sale, checked in at the local YMCA, and are regularly receiving emails from a pool-building company. Taking affinity into consideration, your results might show more outdoor, or even water-based games.
Affinity data goes far beyond mere search intent and aims to provide what you, as an individual, like. Think of it as that mind-reading boyfriend you never had.
The future is near
Who will be leading the affinity marketing revolution? Why, none other than Google, of course. Removing keywords is step one. Integrating the new data will very likely be step two. We can already see the baby steps of the movement in Google’s integration of +1 data into search results. But it’s going to be so much bigger. Right now, affinity data is pretty much inaccessible. We have the data, but not any way to translate it into valuable information. However, soon we will see companies emerging to take on the task of breaking down the raw information into meaningful statistics.
How it will affect your content marketing
So, here’s the all-important question: What does this all mean for you, as a marketer? First, as keyword data becomes harder and harder to access, we’ll see a decline in keyword stuffing (hoorah!). Content writers will focus evermore on great content; however, the way users will interact with it will be much more specialized. Search results will hone in better on what is being searched for, especially in light of Google’s Hummingbird update.
But there are far greater implications than merely decreasing keyword influence. Consider this for a moment: If you knew exactly what each of your individual customers liked and responded to, what could you do? In short, a lot. Imagine ultra-segmented audiences that could each be contacted in a unique, personal way. Affinity data paired with search intent will allow you to tap into what people are genuinely attracted to, and your marketing will be more effective because of it.
Three things you can do right now:
Even without access to the data, you can begin thinking in terms of affinity. When creating new content, ask: What kind of person would like this article? Visualize that person. Maybe it’s even someone you know. Then imagine writing it to him or her.
Take some time to research your audience members’ demographics. What are they into? What are their commonalities? Their differences? Know your audience like you would know your own child.
Last but not least, get in line with Schema.org standards. Google will be relying on these meta-tags increasingly to create quality results. If your content is not marked up, it will slowly become invisible.
Want more insight on content measurement? See CMI’s eGuide on Measuring Content Marketing Success.
Cover image via Bigstock
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