For as long as SEO has been around, keywords have always been a top priority for great results. While it’s true that keywords still have a significant role in a solid SEO strategy, there’s no doubt that other tactics are now becoming equally prevalent. One recent development in Google’s search toolbox is machine learning. Let’s see exactly how understanding this could boost your brand’s SEO results.
How does Google use machine learning?
It may seem like a 2019 buzzword, but machine learning is very real, and it’s being harnessed by companies across the globe. In the case of Google, it’s gathering and analysing behavioural data from users making searches on the platform, then using this information to shuffle search rankings. The specific Google algorithm we’re talking about is called “RankBrain”, and it’s responsible for changing the face of modern SEO.
The impact of machine learning on SEO results
So how exactly does RankBrain affect SEO? Well, put simply, RankBrain tracks the behaviour of users who make searches on Google, then go on to click a link in the results – but it doesn’t stop there. The clever part is that RankBrain is able to see how quickly a user jumps back to the results, presumably because the page they clicked didn’t address their query. This knowledge can then be used as one of many ranking signals (such as backlinks, domain authority, etc.) to increase or decrease page rankings.
How to optimise your website for Google RankBrain
Now that Google has deployed RankBrain, it’s essentially learning about a website’s utility to its users via real-world data. This means that the best way to ensure RankBrain doesn’t affect your rankings is to try to keep users on your website. How do you do that? It’s simple: you address the queries you’re targeting in a satisfying way and offer true value which encourages repeat visits. You don’t need to keep users on your site for hours, of course, you just don’t want them to hit your site and bounce immediately. By tweaking your on-site content to be as valuable as possible to your audience, you can encourage visits in a genuinely valuable way – and get an SEO boost in the process.
Want to know more about how Google’s machine learning will change SEO? Get in touch with Healy Web Design today and we’ll offer you practical advice and help to boost your business in search.
