SEO Strategy Based on Google Patent US 10,635,717 B2: Query Suggestion Templates

Understanding how search engines work behind the scenes can be a game-changer for SEO professionals. The insights from Google Patent US 10,635,717 B2 offer a powerful strategy to enhance query suggestions and content relevance, helping you stay ahead in the competitive SEO landscape.

This guide explains how the patent US 10,635,717 B2 can be applied to enhance your SEO strategy through query suggestions, entity-based optimization, personalization, and real-time query completions. By understanding these principles and translating them into practical steps, you can significantly improve your site’s search visibility and user engagement. Thanks to Koray who has given the engineer mindset in SEO, helping us think critically about the process.

I have completed more than 50 topical maps across various niches such as visa, lawyers, e-commerce, and local SEO. This patent is an excellent resource for research. If anyone wants to become an expert in topical maps and the Koray Tugberk GUBUR framework, understanding this patent is crucial. Here, I have tried to simplify and explain it to make it accessible for everyone.

Step 1: Entity-Centric Query Optimization

Patent Insight: The patent focuses on creating dynamic query suggestions using entity-based templates. These entities can be anything from geographical locations to services, products, or even specific categories (e.g., cities, restaurants, movies). The system uses these entities and their aliases (e.g., “San Francisco” vs. “SF”) to structure queries more effectively.

SEO Application: Entities are a core concept in semantic SEO, which refers to optimizing content in a way that focuses on meaning and context rather than just keywords. By structuring your content around entities and their variations, you help search engines understand your content better and improve its relevance for a variety of searches.

Example: Let’s say you’re optimizing content for a local business, such as a restaurant in San Francisco called “Gourmet Haven.” The main entity here is “San Francisco,” but you would also want to optimize for its aliases, such as “SF” or “Bay Area.”

• SEO Action: Include variations of the city name in your content, meta titles, headings, and internal links (e.g., “Best Italian Restaurants in SF,” “Top Dining Spots in the Bay Area”). By covering all these variations, your content will be more likely to rank for searches related to your location, and it aligns with Google’s entity-based indexing strategy.

Step 2: Query Template Creation and Ranking

Patent Insight: The patent outlines creating query templates based on matching terms and historical search data. It ranks these templates based on how frequently they’ve been used and their relevance to the user’s input. High-ranking templates suggest the most effective query structures.

SEO Application: In SEO, this translates to identifying common search patterns and creating content around those patterns. By focusing on high-probability queries, you can tailor your content to match user intent more closely.

Example: For “Gourmet Haven,” you might notice that users frequently search for:

• “Best Italian restaurants in San Francisco”
• “Top dining spots in SF”
• “Vegan food delivery in the Bay Area”
• SEO Action: Create a query template based on the common patterns:

Once you have these templates, use tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to find out which variations get the most searches and focus on optimizing content for those high-ranking queries.

Step 3: Partial Query Prediction and Real-Time Suggestions

Patent Insight: The patent also emphasizes the importance of completing partial queries based on the user’s input. For instance, as someone begins typing “Best bike shops in S…”, the system suggests “San Francisco” or other relevant locations based on entity templates.

SEO Application: For SEO, this highlights the importance of optimizing content for autocomplete and real-time search patterns. Structuring your content so it aligns with the phrases users are likely to type increases your chances of appearing in autocomplete results. To gather data on partial queries, consider using tools like Google Autocomplete, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to identify commonly searched terms that start with a particular phrase.

Example: For “Gourmet Haven,” if a user starts typing “best vegan restaurants in S…”, your website should be optimized to show up for “best vegan restaurants in San Francisco” or similar real-time queries.

• SEO Action: Make sure your meta titles, headings, and page content include the most common search terms that users would type. Tools like Google’s Keyword Planner can help identify these partial queries.

Additionally, use structured data (Schema markup) to help search engines understand your content better, especially for local businesses. This improves your chances of showing up in rich results, such as local packs.

Step 4: Integration with Topical Maps

Patent Insight: The system ranks query templates based on the structure and attributes of the entities involved. This aligns with the SEO concept of topical maps, where content is organized semantically to cover a subject comprehensively.

SEO Application: Creating a topical map ensures that all related aspects of your topic are covered. A topical map is a visual representation of how different subtopics relate to your main topic, showing a structured network of content that covers various facets comprehensively. By structuring your content around entities and their related attributes, you build topical authority, which improves your chances of ranking higher in search results.

Example: For “Gourmet Haven,” you can create a topical map that includes content for different aspects of your restaurant:

• Main Page: “Top Vegan Restaurants in San Francisco”
• Supporting Pages:
• SEO Action: Internally link these pages to each other and back to the main page. This reinforces the entity relationships and helps search engines understand your content’s structure. The more comprehensive and semantically linked your content is, the more authority your site will have on the topic.

Step 5: Personalization and User Behavior Monitoring

Patent Insight: The patent describes how query suggestions are adjusted based on user behavior and past interactions. This points to the importance of personalization in SEO, where search engines tailor results to individual users based on their location, behavior, and search history.

SEO Application: For local SEO, personalization is key. You can optimize content to cater to the specific needs of users based on their geographic location or search behavior.

Example: If a user in San Francisco frequently searches for vegan restaurants, Google is more likely to show results personalized to their location. To capitalize on this:

• SEO Action: Use geo-targeting and create dedicated landing pages for each location where your business operates. For example:

Personalize these pages with local customer reviews, specific offers, and localized keywords. Regularly monitor user engagement through tools like Google Analytics or heatmaps to see which content resonates most with users and refine it accordingly. Pay attention to specific metrics such as bounce rate, average session duration, and pages per session to provide actionable insights into user behavior.

Step 6: Continuous Monitoring and Adjustment

Patent Insight: The patent outlines a method for continuously refining query templates based on user interactions and performance metrics. This iterative process is crucial for maintaining relevance and improving rankings.

SEO Application: SEO strategies need constant refinement. Regularly monitor your rankings, traffic, and user engagement metrics to adjust your content strategies. Aim to conduct this monitoring at least once a month to stay on top of changes and adapt your strategy effectively.

Example: For “Gourmet Haven,” if you notice that searches for “vegan restaurants in SF” are increasing but “gluten-free dining in SF” isn’t performing as well, prioritize optimizing the high-performing pages. Add new content, FAQs, or customer testimonials to keep them relevant and engaging.

• SEO Action: Use tools like Google Search Console to track keyword performance and adjust your content based on search trends. Conduct A/B testing to determine which variations of query templates work best (e.g., “Best Vegan Restaurants in SF” vs. “Top Vegan Spots in San Francisco”).

Step 7: Expand and Refine Your Topical Map

Patent Insight: The system’s ability to continuously refine query templates and entity structures means you need to keep expanding your topical map as new search trends emerge.

SEO Application: Expand your content as user search behaviors evolve. Update your topical map by including new trends, entities, or queries that align with your business. For example, use keyword research tools like Google Trends, Ahrefs, or SEMrush to track emerging topics and evolving search behaviors, then incorporate these insights into your content strategy.

Example: If “Gourmet Haven” notices a rise in searches for “organic vegan food in SF” or “gluten-free brunch spots,” create new content targeting these terms while linking them back to your core pages.

• SEO Action: Regularly update your content based on new keyword research and search trends. This ensures your site stays relevant and continues to rank well as user intent shifts.