SEO Breakdown

• SEO - Search Engine Optimization

• Impacts what shown to a user in a search result

•  Google's RankBrain algorithm

Google and Search Results

• Google wants to make sure a user receives the most relevant search result.
• Changed their algorithm numerous times to achieve this goal.
• SEO:
  • Less keyword stuffing to create artificially relevant websites
  • More creating the best content possible to answer a searchers intent

Why We Care

• Search results represent a majority of our web traffic
• Searches give us insight into the intent of the user
  • What do they want?
  • What problem are they hoping to solve?
• Answering their question or solving their problem
• The internet is a very big place.
• Finding what you're looking for is hard.
• SEO focuses on:
  • Improving technical aspects of a site
  • Understanding a user's intent

Alexa Rankings

How CFI Compares

People also ask box

• What is the emission system on a car?
• What emissions come out of a car?
• What is an emission problem in a car
• What do cars emit?

People are not interested in their cars "fuel economy" or "gas mileage".

RankBrain determined that users searching "emissions" are most likely looking for information that explains the subject.

RankBrain thinks ucsusa has the best content for that.

What Makes Good Content?

• Google uses their RankBrain algorithm to separate "good" and "bad" content.
• Good content goes higher up on the search page
• Digital 'word of mouth'
• Link profile
• CTR and time on page/session duration

CTR and Session Duration

• Important Keyword ranking factor
• User types in a keyword and Google shows them a list of results they think are most relevant
• User clicks through our link
• Did they stay on the site for a long time or did they click back?
  • If they stayed, great! This is probably a relevant resource.
  • Did they come back to the search results page? They probably don't have what a user is looking for.

Proving God’s Existence Is Impossible

https://centerforinquiry.org/blog/proving_gods_existence_is_impossible/

• Article published in 2011 still one of the most popular posts of all time
• Answers a number of searches

  • proof god isnt real

  • no evidence of god

  • god does not exist

  • god does not exist

  • is there any proof of god

  • no proof of god

Steps to Improve

• Static pages that solve or answer a problem
  • https://www.ucsusa.org/clean-vehicles/car-emissions-and-global-warming
  • https://centerforinquiry.org/about/

Solution #1

Builds trust

We know what we're talking about

Solution #2

Explains who we are

• Making use of older articles
• https://centerforinquiry.org/blog/the_anatomy_of_false_accusations_a_skeptical_case_study/
  • 2014
• https://centerforinquiry.org/blog/proving_gods_existence_is_impossible/
  • 2011
• Our older content is still driving traffic
• American Rationalist articles from 2011
• Secular Islam

Future of CFI's Blog

New content is also needed.

• Definition pages
• Our Issues
• Writer database
• Subjects and topics to write on
• Why net neutrality is a free speech issue
• How the refugee crisis is a humanist issue

• Puts CFI into the conversation