How is Semantic Search Impacting SEO?

Have you noticed a difference in the results you get when searching for information on Google – the most popular search engine in the world? Are you finding that the information that pops up is more relevant… closer to what you were looking for?

These were rhetorical questions because the fact is that your experience on Google has changed and the info popping up is almost certainly more relevant. These changes impact the requirements for achieving better search engine optimization, i.e., the requirements to optimize a website's content to appear higher in online searches.

Technological innovations such as smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home and speech-to-text search on smartphones have changed the way people search online. Suddenly people were asking their questions verbally rather than typing it out, and we do speak differently than the way we type. We use terminology and phrases when we talk that we don’t when typing in a search.

Google realized that their algorithm – based on a rigid framework of keywords – was no longer (and perhaps never was) providing the best experience for people searching for information online, and because they wanted to remain the number one search engine in the world, they knew that something had to change.

So in 2002, Google implemented its first in a series of algorithm updates that sort and rank websites. Suddenly, efforts to game the system through excessive link baiting and keyword stuffing no longer worked. Now, webmasters had to provide relevant and useful content if they wanted their websites to show up near the top of a search.

Then in 2013, Google launched its Hummingbird algorithm update, which really changed the SEO game. This update focused more on the intent behind the search query rather than specific words and verbatim phrases. The person searching didn’t even have to spell the words correctly or put them in a particular word order to find more relevant information than they ever did before.

You might be wondering how this new update works. A big part of it is RankBrain, an AI (Artificial Intelligence) program that can interpret complex searches in terms of what the user intended rather than what they said or typed. The focus on intention gave rise to what is called “semantic search.”

Today, link baiting and keyword stuffing no longer help people find your website, but Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is more important than ever. It’s just that it’s changed so that it’s more about the web user experience and less about a formula.

Here are four benefits semantic search has brought:

The new algorithms are more intuitive, which produces more relevant results.

Webmasters can no longer rely on keyword stuffing and similar tactics to try to get their websites to show up at the top of Search Engine Results Pages (SERP). Only good, quality content will be found by Google’s new algorithms. Content writers don’t have to focus as much on getting the perfect keywords in the ideal place. This means that content can be genuine and useful.

Rich Answers provide a direct response to a query, so you don’t have to click on a website that pops up on the SERP. A Rich Answer can include featured snippets, charts, tables, sliders, answers provided by Google, maps, and forums. For example, asking a question like, “How old is Jane Fonda?” brings up a box that says 80 years and December 21, 1937. You don’t need to go any further; you have your answer.

Keywords are still relevant to SEO strategy, but it isn’t your end game. Since keywords are no longer the focus, SEO experts can’t “trick” Google into sending users to their website if it isn’t relevant to the user's initial query. Instead, they need to focus on the intent of the user by providing great content that adds value to the end user. It may be a little more challenging for marketers, but in the end, it provides a better experience for the end user and drives more relevant users to your website.

The old SEO tactics no longer work. If you haven’t optimized your website for semantic search and taken the time to keep up with the latest algorithm changes, you’re losing business. To discover how well your website is following the new SEO guidelines, get a free SEO checkup.

If you’d like to achieve better results, give PMI a call at 484-297-6395 or contact us online. We’d love to discuss how we optimize your content with a cohesive marketing strategy that includes SEO strategies that really work.

This blog is a summary of “ The Positive Impacts of Semantic Search for SEO.”