Search Asset Optimization (SAO) is a term we first encountered to be used by Dan Taylor to describe a comprehensive strategy that focuses on optimizing all available search assets to improve visibility on search engine results pages (SERPs). Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses primarily on optimizing a single website, SAO emphasizes leveraging third-party platforms, User-Generated Content (UGC) sites, and other high-authority web properties to rank for competitive keywords.
This strategy is especially effective when your own website struggles to compete with the high-authority pages that dominate the SERPs for certain keywords. By tapping into other platforms with built-in authority, you can increase your brand’s visibility across multiple digital touchpoints.
SAO for China:
In China, SAO often involves making strategic use of Baidu’s ecosystem and other influential platforms. These search assets can include:
- Baidu Properties:
- Baike (Baidu’s Wikipedia-equivalent)
- Zhidao (Baidu’s Q&A platform)
- Baijiahao (Baidu’s blog like platform)
- User-Generated Content (UGC) Platforms:
- Zhihu (China’s equivalent of Quora)
- Bilibili (Video-sharing platform, similar to YouTube, but also for article form content)
- iQiyi (Video-streaming platform)
- Weibo (Micro-Blogging-Service)
By contributing high-quality content to these third-party platforms, brands can increase their chances of appearing in top search results on Baidu and other Chinese search engines. This strategy can be especially useful when Baidu’s own properties dominate the first page of search results, leaving little room for individual websites to rank organically.
Why SAO Matters:
- Leverage High Authority Platforms:
High-authority websites often outrank smaller, independent websites on search engines. SAO allows you to piggyback on the authority of these platforms, placing your content on UGC websites that already rank highly. - Diversify Search Presence:
By optimizing content across multiple platforms, you reduce reliance on a single website to appear in search results. This increases your overall SERP visibility and allows you to dominate multiple positions for the same keyword. - Increased Credibility:
Publishing on well-known UGC platforms or trusted content hubs like Baidu Baike or Zhihu lends credibility to your content, helping you build trust with your audience and improve brand authority. - Better User Engagement:
Platforms like Zhihu or Bilibili foster community-driven discussions and video content, allowing brands to engage directly with users. Contributing valuable insights, answering questions, or creating videos can lead to organic mentions of your brand across various digital channels.
Other Related Terms:
- SERP Optimization (Used by our Chinese SEO Team):
Internally, our Chinese SEO team has referred to this approach as SERP Optimization, emphasizing the goal of appearing in search engine results pages by leveraging high-authority websites. While this term is still in use within our organization, we are transitioning to the more precise term SAO (Search Asset Optimization). - Third-Party SEO / Leverage SEO:
Other terms for this strategy, often used globally, include Third-Party SEO or Leverage SEO. These reflect the concept of leveraging third-party websites to improve rankings, particularly when your own site struggles to compete. - Authority Amplification:
This term emphasizes using platforms with high domain authority to amplify your brand’s reach in search engines. Authority Amplification is another way to frame the idea of boosting visibility by leveraging external content hubs. - Parasite SEO:
A term that refers to using other websites’ authority to rank your content. Although effective, it may carry a negative connotation. - Piggybacking SEO:
Similar to Parasite SEO, this refers to leveraging high-ranking websites to “piggyback” on their success by placing your content in spaces where they already perform well in the SERPs. - UGC SEO:
This refers specifically to utilizing User-Generated Content platforms like Zhihu, Bilibili, or iQiyi to rank content and improve brand visibility through posts, answers, or discussions on these websites.
How SAO Works in Practice:
- Identify Top-Ranking UGC Platforms:
Begin by analyzing the SERPs for your target keywords. If UGC sites like Zhihu, Baidu Baike, or Bilibili rank highly, these are prime candidates for SAO. - Contribute or Create High-Quality Content:
You can either add answers to existing high-ranking posts (e.g., answering questions on Zhihu) or create new, highly relevant content optimized for Baidu’s ranking algorithm. The goal is to ensure that your contributions or new pages on these platforms appear in the top-ranking positions on Baidu, leveraging the authority of the platform to outrank competitors. - Optimize for Platform-Specific SEO:
Each UGC platform may have its own internal ranking system. For example, Zhihu values high engagement and thoughtful answers, while Bilibili prioritizes entertaining or informative video content. Tailor your content to each platform’s algorithm. Content that ranks well within the platform, often also has better chances ranking on Baidu (as the platforms grant better internal linking to good content, which gets picked up by Baidu). - Monitor Results and Iterate:
Track your brand’s appearance in SERPs and adjust your SAO strategy accordingly. By consistently contributing valuable content to these platforms, you can enhance your visibility and outrank competitors on multiple search assets.
Search Asset Optimization (SAO) is a powerful approach for brands that want to maximize their search engine visibility by leveraging third-party platforms and UGC sites. By making strategic use of high-authority platforms like Baidu Baike, Zhihu, and Bilibili, especially in the Chinese market, SAO allows businesses to appear in top search results even in highly competitive environments.
As our team transitions from using SERP Optimization internally, SAO reflects a more comprehensive, asset-focused approach to improving rankings and building a dominant presence in search engines.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
How is SAO different from traditional SEO?
SAO focuses on optimizing multiple search assets, such as UGC platforms and high-authority websites, rather than just optimizing a single website. It’s about leveraging third-party platforms to boost visibility across various digital touchpoints.
Why is SAO particularly important for the Chinese market?
In China, Baidu often prioritizes its own platforms (like Baike and Zhidao) in search results, leaving less room for independent websites. SAO allows brands to tap into these platforms and appear in top-ranking positions by contributing relevant content to Baidu’s properties or other UGC sites.
What’s the difference between SAO and SERP Optimization?
SERP Optimization is the term our Chinese team previously used to describe a similar process of leveraging UGC and third-party platforms. We now prefer SAO as it better encapsulates the broader strategy of optimizing all search assets.
What’s the difference between SAO and UGC SEO?
UGC SEO refers specifically to using User-Generated Content platforms like Zhihu and Bilibili to improve rankings. SAO encompasses a broader approach, including leveraging both UGC platforms and Baidu-specific properties like Baijiahao and Baidu Baike to dominate SERPs.
How does Baijiahao help with SAO?
By publishing on Baijiahao, your content is more likely to be featured prominently in Baidu search results, increasing visibility. Baijiahao articles are integrated into Baidu’s content ecosystem, making it a powerful tool for SAO in China.
How does SAO differ from terms like “Parasite SEO” or “Piggybacking SEO”?
While “Parasite SEO” or “Piggybacking SEO” can carry negative connotations, SAO is a more strategic and positive approach, focusing on optimizing multiple assets across various platforms to boost search engine visibility. It emphasizes content quality and the strategic use of high-authority and UGC platforms to dominate search results.