Understanding the source types that Google presents in the SERPs enables SEOs to assess the likelihood of successfully ranking for certain queries.
A crucial component of any contemporary SEO plan is SERP analysis combined with keyword research.
Within this, there is already a procedure for analysing search intent. But far too frequently, when it comes to SERP analysis, I see reports that only go as far as classifying a result according to its purpose.
We are aware that Google works to present a varied results page for queries with numerous common interpretations, with differentiations frequently being:
- Intent to produce (commercial, informational).
- Type of business (national result, local result).
- Sites that compare products and services.
- Page type (static or blog).
Then, when developing our content strategy, we can decide to publish informational pieces in the hopes that Google will rank them on Page 1.
Additionally, we might employ a method to “aggregate” measurements from the first page and generate fictitious scores for keyword difficulty.
This is where the strategy fails and where future results will continue to get worse.
This is because the bulk of these analysis pieces needs to include or account for the source type. This, in our opinion, is because the Search Quality Rater Guidelines, which have helped E-A-T, YMYL, and page quality become essential components of our daily operations, don’t use the term “source type,” but instead speak about evaluating and analysing sources for things like bias or misinformation.
But when we connect this to SERP analysis, we can comprehend how and why Google selects the websites and other components that make up the results page and better understand how likely it is to rank effectively for particular queries.
To foresee prospective traffic prospects and estimate leads/revenue depending on how your site converts, it is helpful to have a better idea of ranking viability.
Defining Source Types
When defining source categories, one must go further than simply identifying if a website is informational or commercial because Google also considers other factors.
This is so that Google may compare websites according to their type rather than just the material they produce. This is especially common on search results pages for searches that can yield results with both commercial and informational intent and can have mixed intent.
Identifying the website, the general domain type (not just the blog subdomain or subfolder), and the context all affect the quality thresholds.
Google compares websites obtained based on their source type group when gathering data to create a search results page. As a result, Oxylabs and Zyte will be contrasted against one another in the example SERP before any other source types are chosen for inclusion or ranked highest based on weighting and annotation.
These recovered ranks are then used to create the SERP, supplemented with user information, SERP features, etc.
At first glance, we can determine whether specific search phrases are viable to target given your source type by understanding the source types that Google chooses to display (and where they rank) for particular queries.
When a company wants to rank for rival + alternative compounds, this is also typical in SERPs for [x alternative] inquiries.
Therefore, even if the company may view this as a pertinent search phrase to target and it corresponds with your product positioning, if you’re Freshmarketer or ActiveCampaign, you’re unlikely to acquire Page 1 traction as a commercial source type.
This is not to imply that the messaging and comparison pages are not crucial pieces of content for user education and conversion on your website.
Unique Quality Thresholds for Different Source Kinds
The fact that different source types have varying thresholds is another crucial distinction.
Because not all source types on most SERPs are assessed the same way, third-party tools that generate keyword difficulty scores based on metrics like backlinks for all results on Page 1 have difficulties.
This means that to determine the “benchmark” for what it will take for your website and content to achieve a position that drives traffic, you must compare them to other websites that use the same source types and then look at the kind of content that other websites are using to rank.
Clusters of Topics & Frequency
Search engines can more easily comprehend your website’s source type and “usefulness depth” when you establish strong topic clusters and have simple-to-follow information trees.
This is another reason you are likely to frequently see websites similar to G2 and Capterra for various inquiries in the same field (such as tech).
Regardless of the software/tech kind, a search engine can be more confident in returning these websites to the SERPs since they have the following:
- High publication rates.
- A logical data structure.
- built a solid reputation for providing reliable, helpful information
In addition to semantics and effective keyword research, it’s critical to comprehend the fundamentals of natural language interfaces while creating websites for the topic clusters, notably the Stanford Natural Language Inference (SNLI) corpus.
To test the hypothesis against the text, you must first determine whether the text implies, contradicts, or is neutral toward the idea.
If a website violates the search engine’s premise, it will be low value and shouldn’t be retrieved or ranked. In contrast, if the webpage has information on the query or is impartial, it can be rated for its ability to deliver the answer and a prospective non-biased viewpoint (depending on the question).
We partially accomplish this via content hubs and clusters, which have gained popularity over the past five years as a means of showcasing E-A-T and producing linkable, high-authority assets for generic search phrases.
This is accomplished by having a website with solid information architecture, compact thematic clusters, and internal linkage that is simple for large-scale search engines to understand.
Knowing Source Kinds Will Help You Develop An SEO Strategy
We may develop better tactics and forecasting that deliver more immediate results by better grasping the source types that are prominently ranked for the target search queries.
Instead of focusing on search phrases that are inappropriate for us and unlikely to generate enough traffic to justify the resource investment, this is a better alternative.
Small businesses like yours may improve every aspect of their search engine optimization with D’Marketing Agency assistance in order to rank better on search engines.
Wondering what we do? To find out more about our approach to search engine optimization, Contact D’Marketing Agency. When you’re ready, contact us so we can help with your SEO.
