The AI System: RankBrain

Voice Search & Artificial Intelligence or AI is a technology which is accelerating, and for search engines like Google this is the introduction of RankBrain into Google’s Hummingbird algorithm. SEO Sydney has found RankBrain being the augmented element to the current algorithm. Powers Google’s searches to be faster, have more content which is relevant to the search and provide the basis for voice searches. Voice searches are increasing with advancements in AI technology and product technology, thanks to the smartphone market with assistants such as Siri, Cortana and Google now, we are seeing an increase in users searching the internet via voice search with google search queries in 2016 up 35x over 2008 – Google trends, Search Engine Watch. This is made possible thanks to innovation in AI technology such as RankBrain. 

When a user searches a particular topic, RankBrain will interpret the search that was submitted and search for relevant keywords and other factors to display the best possible webpages. However due to the cleaver nature of the AI, RankBrain will also show pages where the keywords were not used. However other content factors which RankBrain establishes to be important in the search, are shown to the user as long as they are to be of benefit to the users search. As an AI system it learns and adds webpages which possess potentially beneficial information when the exact keywords do not match the intent for the search, to aid the results being shown and ensuring they are what was searched for.  With this self learning element it allows for stronger results for future searches with the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPS). For example, Traditionally when searching for information on a product google shows the web pages with the relevant content and keywords, however a webpage may be missed if the keywords are not included… now RankBrain will find a source which it establishes as beneficial content and shows it within the SERPS.

Google’s AI system presents the digital marketing community with a  problem however, whereby the AI will develop new ranking factors for websites on its own through its own learning. This can result in a large hurdle for digital marketers as the guidelines to follow for their SEO with google are now blurred. This also opens up the AI to another potential outcome. Biased search results based off its own computer learning and its own learned perception  of “right and wrong”.

This potential for bias was discovered with researchers from Boston University and Microsoft Research New England, found that when computers begin to start to associate words like “programmer” with “man” and “homemaker” with “woman” that biases can occur in the algorithm. Meaning that from an SEO perspective, distinguishing points can be lost and SEO Strategy outcomes negative due to the computer bias.

An example of this algorithm bias in the United States is as follows, woman were being show fewer online job offers with salaries of more than $200,000 compared to their male counterparts. 

However the future of AI within the search engine space will shift in a positive direction also. This shift includes minimising blackhat practices on websites content by minimising keyword stuffing, unnatural link building, Over optimised anchor text, link stuffing and low quality content. The benefit of this is a focus on delivering user satisfaction of the webpage and its content to the user. The webpage and its content will be a ranking factor for the Google AI system as well as additionally now RankBrain and the intent of the searcher.

Further to this the AI search system will learn from the user experience on websites; such as the time spent on a webpage, and the use of big data coupled with the machines learning ability to help distinguish the ranking of sites based on what is of the most benefit to the person searching. This will aim to ensure that the results being shown are the best suited to the user from a data perspective. The AI is trained to perceive and analyse various data categories which includes: content, links, user behaviour, trust, citations and patterns. This is another job RankBrain now undertakes in order to distinguish which results to show and in what order. Thus ticking off these best SEO practices with these patterns in mind will provide you with the most optimal results for the SERPS.

To read more on how RankBrain analyses page relevance Click Here

How this AI System will impact the SEO landscape with voice search

With growing technology innovations, such as advancements in phone technology and now audible home software, we are seeing the rise of searches being conducted via voice control. Digital Assistants such as “Hey Siri” are an example of voice-controlled searches. These growing voice searches are expanding more and more. With an increase in the number of voice searches being used. It is said that already between 20-25% of searches on mobile apps and Android devices are voice searches. It is believed that by 2020, 50% of all searches will be conducted via a voice search. Having SEO strategies ready for the explosive increase of mobile/home-based voice searches will be hugely beneficial to any business.

Voice searches on google are 30 times more likely to be of action-oriented intent, which can lead to fast transactional or informational searches which with strong SEO can benefit any business immensely. These searches which are mobile-based will most likely tend to be locally focused. In order to be effective with the SEO to a specific intent group, the use of long-tail keywords and specific topics will aid the SEO tactics for voice-based searches greatly. 

The new challenge for SEO now is to optimise business and prepare for the future of growth with AI technology which enables the possibility of voice search. And with technology and improvements in AI technology, this number of voice-controlled searches is like to continue to rise.

Due to the nature of voice search, web pages will undergo a drastic change in the facet of the content they produce. In order to remain competitive with voice searches, many different SEO long-tail keywords will have to be included in the webpage content to cater for those using voice search to search for particular topics. These changes and long-tail keywords will change the intent of the user when performing a search.

The intent of the voice search then becomes more focused on narrow search intent which is interpreted as a dominant interpretation, or, a specific search that is very clear. This specific intent or narrow search intent is due to voicing search needs that are direct and simple.

For example “Siri find me the nearest coffee shop” is a specific and detailed question based on a query, whereas simply typing the phrase “coffee shop” into a search engine may show a snippet of 12 coffee shops within a specific radius around you. Thus the voice search was a more narrow and specific search query, requiring more long-tail keywords.

To read more on how voice search affects SEO tactics Click Here

The Impact of User Intent

The intent of a user has a more prominent role looking forward,  based on the AI algorithm which google now uses. The intent will be a huge factor to remain competitive.

The intent of the user can fall down to

Narrow search intent is looking for a particular topic, and focusing on only that topic while searching for information or products based on the topic.

OR

Exhaustive search intent is a more widespread search on a specific topic or topics. This includes searching for multiple sources of information or browsing through multiple products of the same category.

By understanding the narrow search intent or exhaustive search intent, we are able to draw conclusions on the search users needs when undertaking a search to better fit SEO tactics which will increase the ranking factors with RankBrain.

The interpretation of the query can be used to define the intent

Dominant interpretation is the search for a specific query. These are clear searches for a topic. Common interpretations are any given query that can have multiple interpretations.

By understanding these interpretations and how they will impact user searches, the SEO strategy formed will be effective with the AI technology algorithm for searches.

The added benefit of understanding the user intent for the search query will aid in the SEO implementation in the form of having an understanding of why someone is searching. For informational purposes? Transactional purposes? This will provide an understanding of how to apply SEO to drive greater results through the RankBrains AI algorithm. This is more or less an understanding of your users and their needs so that the optimised content can reach them best, and in turn, will improve search rankings within RankBrain.

The importance of this is demonstrated in a research study conducted by “Experienced Dynamics” which showed that unoptimised page content will prompt 70% of users to leave in search of another site in order to complete their search.

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