Improve your SEO with video games and Google exploits - Mark Williams-Cook - BrightonSEO April 2025

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lol

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You

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You Competitors

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You Competitors Google

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Understanding system goals

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No content

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Player fun

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DLCs, loot boxes, micro-transactions Player fun

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DLCs, loot boxes, micro-transactions Gaming reality Player fun

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No content

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Good SERP

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Helpful content Good SERP

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Helpful content I have done this, but I don’t rank :( Good SERP

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Good SERP

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Making ungodly amounts of money Good SERP

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Making ungodly amounts of money Good SERP

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Making ungodly amounts of money Ranking reality Good SERP

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Ranking reality

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Ranking reality Google updates

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X: @searchandstuff IG: #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly Documented things “The meta”

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If you want a fun time and not a long time, you can abuse the meta

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly Ranking reality Google updates lol

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly Ranking reality Google updates lol 0 to 1.3M visitors in 16 weeks

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly “Helpful” Content Update

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly Topical Authority

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly Martin McGarry (@searchassistance.co.uk)

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly 0 to 40k visitors in 2 weeks

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly with one page for casino terms

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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The content is still not as important as you think

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly lol

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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All content is delivered in context to the site

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No content

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The community

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The community

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Understand the underlying mechanisms

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“Inside” information

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1/ DOJ documents / patents 2/ Leaks and stuff :o) 3/ Googlers “Inside” information

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1/ Googlers 2/ DOJ documents / patents 3/ Leaks and stuff “Inside” information

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X: @searchandstuff IG: #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly There were ~2,000 properties which conditionally appeared

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly 2019 “Twiddlers”

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly Ranking Re- Ranking The Twiddler Framework Twiddler Twiddler Twiddler Twiddler Twiddler Framework

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“We don’t use CTR directly in ranking” ~Gary Illyes / Google Now it makes sense Ranking Post- Ranking

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly 2016: Paul Haahr

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly DOJ exhibits (actual slide from Google, not a child)

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User behaviour + ML are some of the most important signals

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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There is a “Site quality score” patent

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X: @searchandstuff IG: #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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Sometimes you’re optimising for a race you’re not part of

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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Google classifies all queries in rq_semantic_query_class: SHORT_FACT OTHER COMPARISON CONSEQUENCE REASON DEFINITION INSTRUCTION BOOL

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly rqpredictor.streamlit.app

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X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff #SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly

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#SearchandStuff #SearchandStuffAntaly a X: @searchandstuff IG: @searchnstuff No time, many graph, sign up: coreupdates.com

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Understand and align your strategy with the system goals

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Or just exploit the meta for profit: Gary is not a cop

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“Inside information” can verify your understanding

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Many important inputs are no longer things you can directly impact.

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Be cautious: apply evidence and logic before you add to your model Play more video games!

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