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Search Different Understanding Apple's New Search Engine State of Search 2016

My research on Apple's Spotlight Search and Apple Maps Ranking Factors from the State of Search 2016 conference

andrewsho
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Search Different Understanding Apple's New Search Engine State of Search 2016

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  1. Search Different Understanding Apple’s “New” Search Engine Andrew Shotland CEO, LOCALSEOGUIDE.COM State of Search Dallas, TX Nov 15, 2016

  2. /about-us 10 years of Multi-Location & Enterprise SEO for Brands & Agencies 2

  3. Think Apple Maps Suck?

  4. You Know What Doesn’t Suck? http://www.asymco.com/2016/08/18/counting-apples-customers/ 4

  5. 64MM People In U.S. Use Apple Maps https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Rankings/ 5

  6. Apple’s Local Search Evolution 6

  7. Spotlight Search’s Desktop Evolution 7

  8. Spotlight Search’s Desktop Evolution 8

  9. Apple “Quietly” Skimming The Best Queries? 9

  10. iOS 9: The Search Game-Changer • Siri • Spotlight • Safari 10

  11. iOS9 Search: Siri • Apple Maps • Bing Search • App-Specific Commands • “Open”, “Play”, “Call”, etc. 11

  12. iOS9 Search: Safari • Apple Maps • App Content • Suggested Websites 12

  13. iOS9 Search: Spotlight • App Content • Websites • Bing Search 13

  14. And Don’t Forget About… 14

  15. Apple News 15

  16. Oh Yeah…Apple TV + Siri 17

  17. So What’s Apple’s Game? 18

  18. So How Can You Play? 19

  19. Two iOS Search Indexes Applebot crawls + “Standard SEO” User-created content/engagement with apps on user’s device 20

  20. Spotlight Search Algorithm Test • Enter query • Click on first Best Buy Locator result • Repeat query • Record rankings • Click on first Best Buy Locator result in “pack” • Repeat 21

  21. Query = “tv” Result # 1 2 3 (Accidental Click on Contacts) 1 App Xfinity TV Go 1 App Xfinity TV 4 5 1 1 App Xfinity TV Go 1 App Xfinity TV 1 App Xfinity TV Go Go Go 2 3 “TV” Contacts: Tim Villaneuva, Amy Vernon? 3 “TV” Contacts: Tim Villaneuva, Amy Vernon? 3 “TV” Contacts: Tim Villaneuva, Amy Vernon? 3 “TV” Contacts: Tim Villaneuva, Amy Vernon? 3 “TV” Contacts: Tim Villaneuva, Amy Vernon? 3 3 Apple Music “Townes Van Zandt” 3 Apple Music “Townes Van Zandt” 3 Apple Music “Townes Van Zandt” 3 Apple Music “Townes Van Zandt” 3 Apple Music “Townes Van Zandt” 4 1 Podcast 1 Podcast 1 Podcast 1 Podcast 1 Podcast 5 1 iCal event 1 iCal event 1 iCal event 1 iCal event 1 iCal event 6 3 BB 3 BB 1 iMessage 3 BB 3 BB 7 1 iMessage 1 iMessage 3 mail 1 iMessage 1 iMessage 8 3 mail 3 mail 2 Notes 3 mail 3 mail 9 2 Notes 2 Notes 3 videos 2 Notes 2 Notes 10 3 videos 3 videos 3 BB 3 videos 3 videos 22

  22. Query = “appliance” Result # Query #1 2 3 4 5 2 suggested websites 1 BB 2 BB 3 BB 3 BB 1 3 maps 2 suggested websites 2 suggested websites 2 suggested websites 2 suggested websites 2 1 podcast 3 maps 3 maps 3 maps 3 maps 3 3 mail 1 podcast 1 podcast 1 podcast 1 podcast 4 3 BB 3 BB 3 BB 3 BB 3 BB 5 Wikipedia 3 mail 3 mail 3 mail 3 mail 6 3 Bing Wikipedia Wikipedia Wikipedia Wikipedia 7 3 Bing 3 Bing 3 Bing 3 Bing 8 23

  23. Spotlight Search Algorithm • The app must contain the keyword or some close variation to rank • The more you use an app the more likely it is to show up, regardless of what you use it for • The more common a keyword the more likely irrelevant results are to rank • Content/engagement ratio appears to be a non-factor at the moment 24

  24. How Yelp “SPAMs” Spotlight Search 25

  25. 26

  26. Apple Maps Search Does Suck 27

  27. If Keyword Not Mapped To Biz Name or Category U R Screwed…

  28. SIRI Doesn’t Get It Either…

  29. Voice Search is Your Frenemy 30

  30. Apple Maps Ranking Factors •Category relevance to query •Keyword in business name •Proximity to searches’ centroid (user’s and/or city’s) •Yelp Meta Data (e.g. $$$$) – Unclear how important reviews are for rankings, but likely affect CTR.

  31. Broad Geo Queries Can Lie…

  32. Dupes Can Screw Up Categorization & Rankings UNCLAIMED LISTING Category: Hardware Stores, Keys & Locksmiths There are two dupe listings in MapsConnect. CLAIMED LISTING Category: Keys & Locksmiths

  33. A Picture Is Worth a 1,000 Lost Reservations… Sources 34

  34. The Mysterious Case of DCNine Nightclub https://www.tomtom.com/mapshare/tools/ https://mapsconnect.apple.com/ http://www.openstreetmap.org/ http://www.flickr.com Non U.S.? Check Non U.S.? Check h http://gspe21.ls.apple.com/html/attribution-38.html for (Warning: Updates to new URL every few months) (Warning: Updates to new URL every few months) for geospatial & business listings sources. geospatial & business listings sources. 35

  35. Patience Grasshopper, Patience… 36

  36. Monitor for Legacy Business Problems • Moving Locations Moving Locations • Changing Phone #s Changing Phone #s • Rebranding Rebranding • Acquisitions Acquisitions • Disasters Disasters • Crappy Local Listings Management Vendors You Crappy Local Listings Management Vendors You Hired Previously Because You Were Cheap Hired Previously Because You Were Cheap… … 37

  37. Near Term Considerations: • Make sure your business data is up to date on Apple Maps • U.S. Data Providers: - mapsconnect.apple.com - Axciom - Booking.com - Factual.com - GasBuddy.com - GreatSchools.com - Neustar Localeze - Parkopedia - TripAdvisor.com - Yelp.com Non U.S.? Check Non U.S.? Check http:// http://gspe21.ls.apple.com/html/attribution gspe21.ls.apple.com/html/attribution- -38.html (Warning: Updates to new URL every few months) (Warning: Updates to new URL every few months) 38.html for for geospatial & business listings sources. geospatial & business listings sources. 38

  38. Near Term Considerations • Claim all dupes and shut them down or recategorize them to the category you want to display • Get as many people as possible to report incorrect categorizations in Apple Maps via “Report an Issue” UI • Update Apple Maps data aggregators, including TomTom & OSM, to make all categorization as consistent as possible • For non-category keywords, like “copy keys”: • Target Bing rankings for SIRI queries • Implement app indexing on your iOS app • Mark-up website location pages with http://schema.org/Organization using the correct categorization. If all else fails, consider submitting via one of these providers as their data is likely more • Brandify (Where2GetIt) • DAC Group • Location3 • MomentFeed • PositionTech • RioSEO • SIMPartners • Yext •

  39. One More Thing…

  40. Millions of More Things… https://maps.apple.com/place?address=1 22%20W%20Neal%20St%0APleasanton %2C%20CA%20%2094566%0AUnited %20States&auid=471728985783404915 9&ll=37.660145128309622%2C- 121.87523612755341&lsp=9902&q=Ha p's%20Original%20Steaks%20%26%20 Seafood URLS = AM ID + Lat/Long + Name

  41. Further Reading • AppleMapsMarketing.com • iOS App Search Programmer Guide • Yext:Optimizing Local Search for iOS9 (reg req’d) TL;DR? andrew@localseoguide.com www.localseoguide.com/contact twitter.com/localseoguide 42

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