In the volatile world of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), businesses constantly struggle to maintain visibility and outpace competitors. SEO agencies offer a valuable lifeline, providing the expertise and knowledge to navigate Google’s algorithm updates. By staying ahead of algorithm updates and emerging trends, these agencies help businesses attract more leads and secure higher rankings in search results. As businesses dive into digital marketing, navigating and familiarizing themselves with these complex algorithms is key to implementing successful SEO strategies.
Here, we will explore Google’s evolving algorithms, emphasizing the role of Searcher Task Accomplishment and its impacts on search rankings. Businesses can further evaluate STA’s effects to refine their digital marketing strategies for better results and long-term success.
What is user Search Task Accomplishment?
Although keywords and backlinks remain necessary for successful SEO, Google recently introduced a new player in the game: Search Task Accomplishment (STA). As Google search engines crawl website pages and assess rankability, STA emphasizes the core importance of all search engines — connecting users with the most relevant and reliable information and services.
When users make a search query on Google, they are looking to seek an answer or accomplish a task. Users might ask questions to locate a nearby restaurant, diagnose an illness, or simply settle a bet on trivial knowledge about the first king of England. Regardless of what users are searching for, every search query has an intent behind it. STA aims to measure how successful websites are at fulfilling search queries and providing high-quality and credible answers with relevant information and services. While meeting the needs of STA seems fairly cut and dry, optimizing your website content, SEO strategy, and UX can be much more complex than it looks.
Types of Search Intent
The first step of optimization is to understand how users perform searches. Generally, these user search queries can be divided into four main types: informational, navigational, transactional, and commercial.
Informational Search
Before businesses and services moved online, search engines aimed to connect users with information. While informational searches have since evolved, they remain the most popular form of search as web users continue making queries for information. Whether their searches request information on tomorrow’s weather, the score of a sports game, or the capital of a foreign country, search engines continue to deliver answers to users' questions.
As Google and other search engines adapt and evolve to recognize human patterns and behavior, search engines and algorithm updates such as STA utilize complex algorithmic processes to give users the right type of information they’re most likely searching for. For example, if a user types in “Denver Broncos,” the search engine will first populate information about a recent score or news headlines instead of their organizational history or past games.
Navigational Search
When search users have a specific idea in mind, navigational search provides options and information to users trying to reach their goals. This search provides information to users who know what they want but have no information on how to get there. For example, if a user types in “Home Depot” to locate competing hardware stores, search results will usually return information on the company's main website or Home Depot store locations. But, if users type in “home improvement,” search engines, such as Google, assume that you do not have a specific store in mind, offering a list of popular stores such as Lowes or Ace Hardware.
Commercial Search
The internet has evolved from a source of information to a thriving marketplace where web users can purchase almost anything. According to recent data, it is estimated that US consumers will spend over 709 billion dollars online. Commercial searches describe the online research and queries that users make as they begin their buying journey, exploring and comparing products and services through search.
Transactional Search
After initial research via commercial searches, users usually refine their search with purchase intent, known as transactional searches. These searches will often provide more details on user intent, such as specific products, brands, prices, or product types.
Optimizing for Searcher Task Accomplishment
As a key element of SEO, optimizing content to meet user needs should be your first priority. By doing so, you can improve page rankings and appeal to Google’s ranking algorithms. Implementing proper keywords and assessing the SERPs can help you understand search behavior, giving insights into where to tailor your content. In doing so, here are a few ways that you can optimize your content for each type of search:
Informational: Informational searches focus on acquiring and interpreting knowledge. When creating content, any valuable information you provide can be considered a “product” from a marketing perspective. Blogs, checklists, and infographics provide a few opportunities for you to market your information and get users to read and interact with your content.
Navigational Searches: Navigational searches help users to locate a specific website or brand. Competing with top brands can be challenging; however, optimizing navigational searches can improve your visibility and help your business rank amongst authoritative brands. Content such as case studies, product reviews, videos, and ebooks can help you diversify your content offerings and serve as a beneficial source of information for users conducting navigational searches.
Transactional and Commercial Searches: Often combined, transactional and commercial searches indicate users’ intent to purchase an item or offer. Optimizing product pages and descriptions with proper keywords such as “buy,” “purchase,” or “sale” can be particularly effective when developing content for these types of searches. During this stage, search users explore products before purchasing. Therefore, persuasive content and a call to action can benefit both users and your business.
Adapt and Overcome With Peaks Digital Marketing
SEO is constantly changing, and it is making it much harder for business owners to keep up with it all. Understanding STA emphasizes the core principles of SEO, reminding businesses to continue providing value and information as they explore new marketing strategies. While backlinks and keywords remain an important factor in SEO, Google’s search engine algorithms have a preference for their fundamental purpose of providing relevant and reliable information.
At Peaks Digital Marketing, we believe in helping businesses get their rankings to the top. From web design and development to AdWords management and SEO, our expert team of developers, SEO specialists, and content writers help businesses reach a wider audience. Using keyword research, content development, and on-page and off-page optimization, we ensure that your website adapts to Google’s algorithm updates and achieves higher SERP rankings. For more information, visit our website or call us at (720) 432-7115 for a free proposal.
