I spend a lot of time in SEO circles rubbing elbows with people who’ve been in this game from the beginning. The amount of analysis out there on the internet is astounding. Sifting through it to find those hidden gems that can specifically help authors and other creatives with their search engine optimization is both exciting, interesting, and a lot of work.
Today I was checking out a recent blog post on SparkToro about a study researching how people actually use Google. They had some interesting statistics that just go to show that search engine optimization is important for everyone.
How Does Search Intent on Google Impact Authors?
One interesting part of the article was about search intent. According to the study analysis, just over half of all Google searches are looking for information about a topic of interest or need. To me, this means that people are still out there Googling things they want to learn more about. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that you have your ducks in a row. When a reader comes searching for you – you want them to find you. And, more than that, you want them to find the information you want them to find. That’s why I created a Google Knowledge Panel course for authors.
The next largest piece of the pie shows that about a third of searches are navigational. These are people who know what they’re looking for and are using Google to get there. The remainder are those who are window shopping or looking to make a transaction of some kind.
How Does Search Demand Affect Authors?
The topical classification of Google search demand was also really interesting from an author’s point of view. According to the study analysis, the Arts & Entertainment category lead the charge at an incredible 17.46% of search topics. The next category, Computers & Technology, came in with 13.42% – while no other topic surpassed 8%.
This shows just how many searches are focused on movies, television, books, actors, authors, artists, musicians, etc. In fact, I strongly believe this is a big part of WHY Google has put the effort into building out comprehensive knowledge panels for authors, books, etc. They know that people are searching for entertainment, so they’re trying to make sure they make it easy for searchers to find what they’re looking for so they keep coming back.
So, Do People Search for Authors on the Internet?
Looking at the data, it would be silly to assume they don’t – especially with Arts & Entertainment being the #1 search category. This is why making sure your online assets are working for you is hugely important for SEO. Google has essentially handed authors the keys to the top-of-search real estate that most people only dream of.
When people search for your name or your books, you MUST dominate the top of those search results. And the #1 easiest way to do this is to make sure the Google Knowledge Graph knows who you are so you can get a Google Knowledge Panel that shows the information you want to showcase when people come looking for you.
How Do I Get a Google Knowledge Panel?
Sometimes Google Knowledge Panels just happen organically. Other times, Google needs a little encouragement to recognize your author name as its own entity. Thankfully, I know how to make it happen. In fact, I built an entire class to teach you exactly how to make this happen for yourself. Check it out here: 
