How artificial intelligence is changing SEO positioning

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Constant efforts to optimize the user experience led Google, in October 2015, to integrate the famous RankBrain into the search algorithm, which is basically an artificial intelligence (AI) system capable of better understanding the search intentions of users. In this way, the results it delivers truly satisfy the needs of the surfer and prevent them from being directed to spam or poor quality websites. Since then, SEO positioning has changed, at least, in the following aspects.

Its reason for being is the user

This is the first thing to understand. Google's purpose with this band database system is not to provide businesses with tools to work on the SEO positioning of their sites, but to force them to adapt their content to the criteria of quality and informative value that users seek.

Fooling Google is no longer easy

RankBrain makes the execution of Black Hat SEO techniques a difficult and dangerous task (if you take into account the penalties), because it is able to differentiate between a text designed exclusively for positioning (with a high density of keywords, for example) and one whose content is really valuable and of quality for a user looking for specific information.

Information is more relevant than keywords

The new algorithm can rank sites higher that do not contain the exact search words, but do contain quality content closely related to the general concept of the query.

You have to position meaning, not text

The cornerstone of good SEO strategies is content, whose composition and format are determined based on the application of analytical tools that allow us to see, among other factors, which keywords a target audience is using to find information of interest.

Sometimes this became a problem because some words are polysemic or difficult to embed in a coherent and quality text. However, Google, starting in 2013 (with the Hummingbird update) and then since 2015 with RankBrain, solved this problem by equipping its search engine with the ability to consider concepts and not words, understand complex queries and interpret content.

The market niche gains importance

To optimize your position, according to RankBrain, it is better to create different pages focused on specific topics, rather than a single one that addresses them together even if they are related, since the system is able to understand the degree of specialization of each site and considers it an important factor for ranking results.

Optimization of sub- algorithms

For positioning, the algorithm takes into account several factors that, thanks to RankBrain, are determined based on the user's search intent. In other words, it does not always use the more than 200 classification parameters , but rather it takes into account those that, in its opinion, are most relevant to optimally satisfy the query. Consequently, meta title, pagerank , keywords and others must be very well defined.

Frequent keyword optimization

Since it is an algorithm that learns autonomously, the terms used at a given time to position a site at the top of the results page may be the same ones that place it at the bottom.

Because?
If a site ranks well based on certain keywords, but users enter and leave quickly, the site will be considered to be of poor quality and will be relegated to lower positions.

Comparisons

The algorithm has the ability to identify the best website in a specific commercial sector. And once it does, it becomes the benchmark for ranking the others within its market niche. Thus, good SEO strategies must take this parameter into account and consider, at least, the possibility of modifying the structure and composition of the pages based on this “best” one.

Targeted Backlinks

For a few years now, links (both outbound and inbound) have been of vital importance for SEO. However, since AI began to be implemented in search algorithms, it is essential to segment them according to the market niche. If links from different sectors are mixed, the algorithm interprets this as a practice aimed at deceiving it and penalizes the site by placing it at the bottom of the search results.

Different formats

It has been known for some time that the use of images, videos and other non-written content increases traffic and, therefore, the position of the site. But if it is not done properly, that is, using high-quality pieces that are really related to the topic, it is harmful because the algorithm is able to interpret and classify them according to their informative value and real content.

In short, SEO techniques should focus on segmenting and delivering quality content in various formats and with high informative value. This is something that users have been asking for years, when spam or low-relevance sites hindered their experience and did not fill their information gaps.