search logs – what are people searching for
This article is part of a series about search log analysis which includes bounce rates, spotting real opportunities and the geographical element.
As I explained on Friday I’ve been categorising the top 500 referring keywords for RNIB.org.uk.
Before I did the categorisation, Helen Keller and RNIB were far and away the biggest referrers. Both are a magnitude of 10 larger than any other individual query. But the third largest query is for Glaucoma and other specific eye conditions appeared frequently throughout the logs (as do a multitude of Helen Keller related queries) so I was interested in other significant types of query.
So after my arbitrary categorising I ended up with these types (these are not actual keywords):
- Helen Keller
- Specific eye conditions
- RNIB
- Welfare support and benefits
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Eye tests
- Equality and disability rights
- Fundraising ideas
- Louis Braille
- Talking Books
(these ten cover about 50% of all the keywords)
As I said earlier the categories are a bit arbitrary. I could easily have grouped eye conditions and eye tests into ‘eye health’ and Helen Keller and Louis Braille could be “historical figures”. The categorising helps more as a activity for immersing myself in the full 500 list and getting a feel for what is significant in the logs. The actual rankings are a bit of a red herring.
Next: bounce rates