Do you speak human as well as Google and other search engines? Language is our primary interface. It's the basis to your UX content strategy. What if semantic SEO, keyword research and topic mapping could support backend development and marketing technology project management? Senior Content Designer/Strategist Marie Eve explores how structured data can be surprisingly creative with potential applications and examples in banking and retail.

1. Headless Content or
the Art of Google-Fu
@megosemick
Marie Eve Gosemick, Content Lead (MTL)
MACH Lunch’N’Learn
creative semantic SEO

2. First off…
@megosemick

3. What’s the future-proof
collaboration between
commerce developers
and content strategists?
@megosemick

4. How can analytics and
creativity come together
through semantic SEO?
@megosemick

5. What potential
applications of
search listening in
banking and retail
can we explore?
@megosemick

6. Why we’re here
To start a conversation on a future-proof
collaboration between commerce developers
and content strategists (and marketers)
To investigate how analytics (structured data)
and creativity (idea generation) can come
together through semantic SEO
To explore potential applications of
search listening (discovery phase)
in banking and retail
@megosemick

7. This is the first discussion of many.
Now, let’s clarify the basics.
@megosemick
hopefully

8. Are we clear on “headless technology”?
Microservices-based
API-first
Cloud-native
Headless
@megosemick
A technology platform where
the frontend user experience
is decoupled from the
backend business logic
MACH architecture is a set of tech
principles making it fairly easy to
scale content across channels

9. Are we clear on “structured data”?
Also known as schema markup,
it’s an authoritative vocabulary
that helps search engines
contextualize, understand,
and accurately match
website content
to relevant search queries.
@megosemick
it’s the language of search engines

10. Are we clear on “content strategy”?
@megosemick
It’s the understanding,
planning,
creation,
publishing,
and governance of
useful, usable content
that helps reach business goals and
meet the needs of one or several target audiences.
create once, publish everywhere

11. @megosemick
Are we clear on “content”?
branding is manufactured
meaning (Debbie Millman)
Anything that communicates or transfers
meaningful information to a person.
It’s more about sensemaking than listing words,
be it in a text, image, video or audio file.
So content strategists are “meaning architects” (vs. IA).
Context is crucial because meaning isn’t universal.

12. #LoremIpsumNoMore
my hidden agenda (full disclosure)
@megosemick
or why headless technology might solve
the content designer’s worst nightmare

13. @megosemick
How Might We… stop the
screen-based thinking?
poor HMW question
(but you get the idea)

14. Remember that language
is our first interface
@megosemick

15. An interface is a shared boundary
to exchange information
@megosemick
Source : University of Duisburg-Essen,
Linguistics and Levels of Language
Phonetics (language sounds)
Morphology (structure of words)
Lexicology (structure of lexicons)
Syntax (structure of sentences)
Semantics (linguistic meaning)
Pragmatics (meaning into context)
Search engine bots are in human immersion.

16. Consider that decision
making isn’t rational
@megosemick

17. Information is
not sufficient
Direct the rider (rational brain)
Motivate the elephant (emotional brain)
Shape the path (the situation)
The way to persuade people is
to speak to the elephant first.
@megosemick
Source : Jonathan Haidt, The Happiness Hypothesis
(popularized by Dan and Chip Heath, Switch)

18. Apply learnings from
human conversation
@megosemick

19. Both parties cooperate to
establish agreed meaning
Quantity (just enough information)
Quality (just the truth)
Relation (relevant to what was just said)
Manner (just right: no obscurity, no
ambiguity, be brief, be orderly)
People converse with computers in much
the same way as they do with humans.
@megosemick
Source : Grice, Paul (1975). Logic and Conversation.
Harvard University Press.

20. Listening is part of any conversation.
@megosemick
enter semantic SEO

21. SEO, too, has
come a long way.
@megosemick
from a creative standpoint

22. Are we clear on “content SEO”?
@megosemick
it makes life easier for
the user (who uses
search engines)
It's about creating and optimizing content that helps
web pages rank high in search engines.
You’re most likely familiar with “technical SEO”: canonical
tags, mobile-friendly test, core web vitals, yadayadayada.
Again, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. From a
creative standpoint, I’d rather refer to it as search listening.

23. It actually seems to be “semantic search”
@megosemick
I’d still rather be a
“search listener” than a
“semantic search
strategist”

24. @megosemick
Google bots
almost speak
human now.
no more last-minute
SEO audit spreadsheet
which ranks #2 after
Lorem Ipsum
Perceivable
Operable
Understandable
Robust

25. Isn’t it similar to
domain and
content modeling?
@megosemick
can’t we work together to define
entities, actions, and relationships?

26. @megosemick
Our collaboration
from start to
finish seems
obvious.

27. How we do content strategy at Valtech
Sources: Content Strategy for the Web, The Elements of Content Strategy, Valtech’s Blue Book
discover design & build run & optimize
deliverables
EVALUATE
= Research + Analysis
DESIGN
= Planning + Structure
EXECUTE
= Create + Publish
People
Content
@megosemick

28. @megosemick
Let’s try to model content discovery
with CX/UX researchers
and information architects
(and you?)

29. Why bother? Because the
“Day 2 Problem” is all too common.
post-launch “what do we do now?”
“we need a landing page/microsite/app!”
@megosemick

30. @megosemick

31. @megosemick
in banking (B2C, B2B) and
retail (wine, gardening)
How about some context
(and potential applications)?

32. Start with the question
“What are we talking about?”
substance comes before
structure and style
@megosemick
Everyone thinks and searches differently, so
mapping out the audience’s mental model
of a subject domain is key.

33. Mapping non-branded keywords as subtopics
@megosemick
What’s the natural language around “money” in B2C banking in Canada? What queries and conversations are users having in search engines and on social media?
lorem ipsum is used
deliberately as an
empathy exercise
towards content creators
Users generally perceive “investment” as ”spend”, not “save”, and “make” is strongly associated with career choices and job searches.

34. Creative ideas for customer onboarding in B2C banking
Quotes, videos and long-form
articles shared via
personalization, because a
salary means so much more
than a paycheck.
Career
Inspiration
Pay period analysis and recap
through stats and ratios to
recommend the most
appropriate actions to stop,
start or change.
Short- and mid-term
predictions of goal completion
from past actions and future
ambitions in the form of a
timeline.
When Can I…?
Calculator
Pay Day
Insights
relevant
depending on
brand positioning
and target
audience(s)
not because of “best practices” or
whether competitors do it or not
@megosemick

35. Looking at long-tail keywords hierarchically
Sources: Cognitive SEO, Contently, Content Marketing Institute, Curata, Moz, Nielsen, HubSpot
QUESTIONS OBJECTIVES METRICS
Are prospects aware of their
problem/challenge?
Do they know us?
Are we known for the right
reasons?
AWARENESS
[more traffic]
Consumption
Retention
Sharing
Engagement
Are we differentiated?
Does our value proposition
have the intended meaning?
Do prospects favor us over
direct and indirect
competition?
CONSIDERATION
[more leads]
Lead generation
Lead nurturing
Marketing pipeline impact
Do prospects know where to
find us and how to buy from
us?
CONVERSION
[more clients]
Customer acquisition
Sales pipeline impact
Do our current clients need
support using and re-using
what we offer?
Are they satisfied?
Do they talk about us?
LOYALTY
[more satisfied clients]
Impact on repurchase volume
Impact on customer lifetime value (CLV)
Client referrals
Reviews
Automation
Personalization*
*earlier if
account
creation
@megosemick
the content
marketing
funnel

36. Mapping search results similarly to a decision tree
Let’s look at “business loan” to discover the natural conversations happening around this typical offer in B2B banking in Canada.
The most common categories coming up look immensely discriminatory (female/black/young/poor), reflecting the pale–male–stale dominance in business.
@megosemick
gender is usually specified when
seeking business advice for women

37. Analyzing negative keywords to position the brand
@megosemick
A brand could rightfully want to stay away from the biased categories to connect on another level with women entrepreneurs, for example.
The semantic search would be around typical requests from potential and current business women (e.g. gaining confidence and being successful/avoiding failure).
“Negative” keywords could be treated in the editorial style (including a perceptual map to set the right voice and adapting tone) to prevent low ranking.
lorem ipsum is used again
as an empathy exercise
towards content creators

38. Creative ideas for lead generation in B2B banking
An interactive introspection tool
to identify business and life
values in order to define the
true intrinsic motivation behind
entrepreneurship.
Business
Purpose Finder
Interviews with successful
women entrepreneurs
addressing biased topics
highlighted in searches without
creating gendered products (e.g.
Woman Entrepreneur Grant).
An invitation to women
entrepreneurs to curate
practical advice from business
books and increase public
speaking skills in a safe space
(in-person, online, metaverse).
Credibility
Book Club
Ask Them
Anything
search listening
insights must be
cross-checked
with actual leads
testing creative ideas in B2B
is a must just like in B2C
@megosemick

39. Finding search patterns to manage repurposing
@megosemick
Sources: Contently (Shane Snow, The Storytelling Edge)
TIMELY SEASONAL EVERGREEN
INTERESTS &
VALUES
COMPANY &
EMPLOYEES
PRODUCTS &
SERVICES
story matrix
(content life cycle)

40. Wine subscriptions in
Canada could be offered
on a weekly basis from
Dec 1st to Jan 1st
The increased frequency could be presented
as a gift basket opportunity to respect
“responsible drinking” as a brand value.
Evergreen content such as “What fits you best:
red or white wine?” and “How fine should the
fizz of your sparkling wine be?” could be
repurposed with a gift spin for the holidays in
different formats across relevant channels.
@megosemick
assuming that logistics
could allow it

41. Paid Shared
Earned
Owned
Source : Content Marketing Institute & Gini Dietrich, Spin Sucks [simplified version]
Search Engine Marketing (SEM)
Advertising
Display
Sponsorships
Sponsored Content
Affiliate Marketing
Partnerships (paid)
Brand Ambassadors
Influencers (paid)
Media
Reviews
Comments
Recommendations
Social Media Platforms:
YouTube, LinkedIn,
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,
Pinterest, TikTok, Clubhouse
And also: Wikipedia, Medium,
Reddit, Quora, Glassdoor,
chat applications, …
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Media Relations
Partnerships (not paid)
Investor Relations
Community Relations
Influencers (not paid)
Website
App
CRM
SMS
Email
Phygital Events
POS
Trust
Credibility
Growth
Control
Considering SEO as a journalist (not a bot)
@megosemick
the content distribution model
(PESO media/channels)

42. Gardening in the UK
can apparently benefit
from the power of
search and tech.
New ‘gardening tech’ startup Sproutl
launched on July 26th, 2021, with €7.6
million seed funding.
The marketplace invites a new audience
to take up gardening and gives them the
world-class e-commerce experience
that digital natives expect.
@megosemick
backend technology isn’t
specified in the media

43. @megosemick
key takeaway
#dialup
Listening is crucial to
experience design.
there’s a shared boundary
between cool and creepy
#beware

44. May headless be
limited to technology so
content can be heartful.
@megosemick

45. What’s our next step to get there?
@megosemick
Let's explore projects,
or at least relevant verticals,
where we could work together
from the early start
to expand our own modeling/mapping.
Couldn’t we turn
our ever-present collaboration
into a money plant!?
linguistic capitalism is real
(and this is why brands need values)

46. Key resources if you’re curious
• Designing Connected Content (Mike Atherton & Carrie Hane, 2018)
• Content Design (Sarah Richards, 2017)
• The Elements of Content Strategy (Erin Kissane, 2011)
• Content Strategy for the Web (Kristina Halvorson & Melissa Rach, 2009; 2012)
• The maturing content discipline (John Collins, LinkedIn Pulse, 2021)
• What is content engineering? (Cruce Saunders, [A], 2016)
• A List Apart Magazine (esp. “Designing inclusive content models”, 2021)
• Lingthusiasm Podcast (esp. “Layers of meaning [Gricean maxims and pragmatics], 2018)
• SEO/SL: Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Ahrefs, SEMRush, LongTailPro, Ubersuggest,
Google Search-Autocomplete-Trends (private mode), BuzzSumo, Answer the Public
• Grice, Paul (1975). Logic and Conversation. Harvard University Press.
@megosemick

47. Key virtual events if you want to experiment
• Content Modeling Weekly (Marcelo Lewin, Headless Creator)
• UX Foundations: Content Strategy (Morten Rand-Hendriksen, LinkedIn Learning)
• Become an SEO Expert (D. Booth, A. Alexander, M. Bailey, B. Batesole, LinkedIn Learning)
• Avanced SEO (Google Search Central)
• SXSW (esp. Conversation Design with Google)
• C2 Commerce + Creativity (esp. Social Art for Behaviour Change with One Drop)
• Service Design Network (esp. Behavioural Economics with Bridgeable)
• IDEO U (esp. Storytelling for Influence and Hello Design Thinking)
• Button Conf (esp. Product Content Ops)
• UX Writers Collective (esp. Content Research & Testing)
@megosemick

48. @megosemick
structured
“Without data, you're just another
person with an opinion.”
William Edwards Deming

49. Marie Eve Gosemick, Content Lead
Valtech Montreal
@megosemick
Let’s be friends
best