It’s Time To Stop Ignoring Entity Search

Hey Guys! Dan Shure here, you may know me from Twitter, the Distilled blog or the SEOmoz community. Mike asked me to do a guest post, which I greatly appreciate (thanks Mike!). I had to tell him on direct message the other day that I didn’t think I’d be able to get him something this week because of a heavy schedule. But you know – forget that!! I promised I’d come through for you. So to that, for me, a video is much quicker to do than a full text post. Thus, the circa 2007 Rand Fishkin style whiteboard video you see before you.

SEO Is NOT Just About Text and Links Anymore

Below, I tackle a topic I’ve been unconsciously working up to for the past few months. What do the following have in common? The related search operator, IMDB search results, and the mysterious search for fave. Anyone? Not only did I write about all three, I believe they all have to do with entity based search.

This video (hopefully) answers THREE questions:

  • What is Entity Search?
  • What Can Trigger Entity Results?
  • What Should I Be Doing / Why Should I care?

So check out the video below. Its my FIRST VIDEO!! Woohoo! Been wanting to do a video for a while. Hope you like it!

Lots of links and references below!!!

If you don’t watch all the way to the end (why wouldn’t you?)… you should! There some actionable tips for what you can do to start preparing for entity based search!!

I will definitely be researching and writing more on this topic when I’m not so buried in work at the moment… so more slideshows, screenshots and videos too (if you liked it) to come!!

Some of the resources I have read, and you should read too… these people are smarter than me:

Named Entity Detection in Queries – SEO by the Sea

Query Re-writing with Entity Detection – Patent

How a Search Engine Might Assume an Implied Site Search – SEO by the Sea

Bill Slawski’s Explanation of ‘Fave’ – Google Plus Discussion

Entity Search Results – Justin Briggs

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9 Comments

  • rymcl
    — Reply

    Dan, GREAT post. I congratulate you for doing a video. People don’t do video enough, I plan to get involved soon myself. You covered a bunch of stuff but in a way that it made sense. I see that you nor EvolvingSEO has a wikipedia page. Is this because you haven’t gotten around to it or because you don’t think it’s worth the time?

    • — Reply

      Hey Ryan, thanks… haven’t had the time! And also, I’m not as worried about promoting my ‘brand’ as that of my clients 🙂

    • dan_shure
      — Reply

      @rymcl Hey Ryan… I think my first response didn’t show for some reason. Anyhow, thanks!! Its a time issue, plus I want to build up my ‘brand’ a bit more first, but mainly if I’m going to do that extra stuff I’ll put the time in for my clients first 🙂

  • therustybear
    — Reply

    Great post Dan, Have sent you Q over twitter 🙂 great video!

    • dan_shure
      — Reply

      @therustybear Thanks! I will take a look at your question 🙂

  • StokedSEO
    — Reply

    What is it about whiteboards and guys with beards?

    Seriously though this is the 3rd time I’ve sat down to watch the video and finally made it all the way through without being interrupted. Nice work @dan_shure , I guess entity’s are something I’ve noticed around the web whilst searching away but never really stopped to think about what they are and how they work.

    Great video, more please!

  • StokedSEO
    — Reply

    What is it about whiteboards and guys with beards?

    Seriously though this is the 3rd time I’ve sat down to watch the video and finally made it all the way through without being interrupted. Nice work @dan_shure , I guess entity’s are something I’ve noticed around the web whilst searching away but never really stopped to think about what they are and how they work.

    Great video, more please!

    • dan_shure
      — Reply

      @StokedSEO Bearded since 2005. Teacher (so heavy whiteboard user) since 2001 🙂 Glad you liked the video. I know, I need to differentiate from Moz – maybe a chalkboard? Some SEO written on the street might be fun too! Just playing, thanks man!! 🙂

      • StokedSEO
        — Reply

        @dan_shure ooooo “Street SEO” I like it!! I’m not sure a chalkboard would work, we call them “blackboards” in the UK. Might give the wrong impression!

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