How semantic search will alter the ranking of your website?

Google, as we all know, is the intermediate between the consumers and the services and businesses. Businesses try to apprehend Google’s mechanism to rank higher in the search engine list. A decade ago the concept of keyword reigned the SEO world and businesses used keywords repeatedly in their content irrespective of their relevance to the subject matter. They operated under the impression that employing keywords in their content could only increase their ranking.

This raised a challenge for Google to provide relevant results to users as keyword stuffing leads to too many irrelevant results. The search giant had to deal with all the junk to make search results more relevant for the users.

Hummingbird and Rankbrain

In the year 2010, AI was taking shape and was in the move to enter the search engine industry. The Hummingbird algorithm introduced by Google in 2013 revolutionized the way search engines operated. Not all people are good with language and spellings, still, they need to used search engines.  Google has been imperative in helping its users and enhancing their user experience. The introduction of Hummingbird simplified the process of searching. Despite misspelled words or phrases, Google wanted to identify what people are really looking for i.e. the intent behind their search.

With the Hummingbird update, Google advocated natural language queries, understanding the intent/logic behind the searcher. This attempt by Google contributed to the evolution of the theory of semantic search.

Rankbrain, another Google brainchild launched in 2015, an AI, analyses the ranking of the websites based on the theory of semantic search.

Hummingbird and Rankbrain together changed the rankings of websites from keywords based rankings to ranking based on user intent and semantics.

Voice search

The technological improvement in the Smartphone industry has piloted voice search feature. People no longer want to type anything; they simply talk to their phone which is translated to text. The search engine has to identify the voice, the language, and the intent behind the search. And what we write is totally different from what we speak. The voice search may include more spoken language dialects, accompanied by more questions and lengthy phrases. The virtual assistants- Siri and Alexa hence are befitting themselves to comprehend the intent -the semantic, conversational style of the searchers, and satisfy them with the results accordingly.

Because voice search is in phrases and question format, businesses are introducing contents structured on the query style.

It helps to understand what semantic search is and how to use it in SEO.

Semantic search aspires to find the most accurate results by comprehending –

• The searchers’ intent
• Query context
• The relationship between words

The word semantic means “essence” or “intent”.  Semantic when implemented to search means to contemplate the thought and logic behind the search. How do you think it happens? Semantic search collaborates synonyms, concept matching, natural language algorithms, transforming the unstructured and structured data into a responsive and intuitive database; arriving at a near to accurate result.

Google’s knowledge graph depicts the efficiency of semantic results.

Advantages of Semantic searches

1. User-friendly experience

Internet users are up for a more user-friendly and accurate result. Now they can worry less about spelling mistakes or arriving at a wrong page. They now can use voice search and semantic algorithm which will give them more relevant results.

Earlier they had to be accurate in their search subject and try several times before they could arrive at the accurate search.

2. Good content

The website owners can now make their content more relevant rather than compromising on accommodating the keywords. The content can be more informative, high quality and well searched.

Content is the king and can upgrade your ranking in no time.

3. Snippets and SERPs

A snippet or small capsule of information accompanies all the web searches.  They show what the website is about so that you needn’t go to the website specifically to find it. Google uses semantic search to bring more relevant and updated snippets in its SERPs.

4. Topics take prominence over keywords

The complete focus of Google shifts from keywords to topics. Although keywords are important to decide the topics, they needn’t be spread all over the content/blog making no sense whatsoever. Businesses must understand the user’s intent and create content accordingly. An elaborate content that guides the user and makes their searches worth will work best for semantic searches.

5. Voice-search oriented content

The searching style changes when it is voice oriented. We ask questions when we voice our searches. In order to be relevant for voice searches, webmasters need to make their content more vocal. The content must begin with answering a common question related to the topic before moving on to elaborately discussing the topic.

Employing structural data can help search engines to interpret your content.

6. Focus on user experience

Semantic search makes the users a high priority for the website owners. Google wants users to have a memorable experience while searching. Although users may find the right result on your website, if they have a hard time reaching or interacting with your website, Google can push down or eliminate your site from the search due to poor UI experience.

This is why there is a lot for SEO to focus on. You need to make the website mobile-friendly, improve page speed, optimize mobile site and check bounce rate and other metrics.

The Takeaway

If you have not thought of making your website semantic search oriented, you are missing on a crucial flow of traffic. Act now and make your website semantic search friendly with the help of an expert SEO who will not only help to upgrade your rankings but will also contribute in encapsulating your content and formulating a striking marketing strategy.