It is possible to realize the “rising to the top on Google” plan, which is a dream for many SMEs and entrepreneurs, through regular SEO efforts. However, to do this, it is essential to follow Google’s latest algorithm changes, avoid repeating common misconceptions, and play the game by the rules.
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Google, which constantly tries to improve user experience and provide the most ideal content, has made changes to its search engine algorithm repeatedly since the early 2000s. Now, the search engine giant is focused on answering quickly online queries. To achieve this, Google has transformed into a “Semantic” search engine that corrects misspelled words with “Did you mean?” and predicts the end of incomplete sentences.
Content Should Be Written for Visitors
For most website owners, SEO is still thought to consist of unnaturally stuffing keywords into pages. Webmasters who place the target keyword everywhere on the site prevent users from reaching the accurate and qualified information they are looking for due to this unnatural method. The new “semantic” algorithm developed by Google has been implemented precisely to prevent this situation.
Actually, the foundation of this algorithm was laid with the Hummingbird update activated in 2013. Now, when ranking sites in search engine results, instead of how often the related word is used, Google measures how relevant the site is to the searched word using artificial intelligence software, and in this way, has succeeded in listing much more accurate results.
Google is Using RankBrain
On the other hand, one of the biggest components of the mentioned Hummingbird update went on record as RankBrain. Thanks to the RankBrain software developed using Artificial Intelligence (AI), the machines running Google’s search algorithm started to predict what users actually wanted to search for with the phrase they wrote while listing complex search results.
So, what do you think was the contribution of this semantic search technology to SEO efforts?
Search Engine That Understands the Intent Before the Word is Spoken
Thanks to the semantic algorithm changes realized in the background, Google, so to speak, started to understand the intent before the word was spoken. Predicting not only the phrases people search for but also the results they want to achieve, Google ensured that users reach the content they want in a shorter time.
With the emphasis on artificial intelligence studies, Google’s margin of error in SEO efforts was also minimized. Thus, using the target keyword abundantly within the same text started to lose its significance. Consequently, the quality of content published on sites increased, which is an innovation for the benefit of users.
On the other hand, providing direct answers to some basic questions on the Google search results ranking page also made it possible to easily reach the sought answer. As of now, when you ask Google “How old is Trump”, you can get the answer “71 years old” without visiting any site. Many functions such as tables, graphs, and maps are now presented to users quickly.