Machine learning is becoming an important aspect of digital marketing. However, it is yet to become popular among SEO experts. This is so because machine language is still a name and experts resort to using on-page and off-page SEO techniques. Machine language is yet to penetrate SEO landscape. It is important that SEO experts warm up to machine learning so that they do not fall back on this and entities lose business in the process. If SEOs keep ignoring this aspect then they will for sure find themselves in an alarming situation. Usage of machine learning algorithms on site’s visibility will only increase with time.
So what is Machine Learning?
Machine learning as defined in Wikipedia is a program which imparts in computer the ability to learn without using programming language or coding. It is a sub-field of artificial intelligence which is gaining popularity in digital world. Application of artificial intelligence teaches machine to perform an activity which needs human intelligence.
One needs to play closer attention to these:
User Search Friendly Content
Content is the most important cog in a website. The way it is presented is crucial. It is the driving force of search engine optimization just like other factors for user experience such as links, on-page factors and technical things.
The most important thing that Google does while searching is to pull out websites to the front page. This is possible only when the site has fresh content, in-depth knowledge in the subject, articles that are well researched and give a different perspective. So akin to digital marketers and content marketers SEOs have to be at the same platform as they share a similar goal to provide best UX and get ranked on the search engine at the top.
Key responsibilities of SEOs include checking whether content satisfies user intent, positive user experience, content is useful enough for users to lead a conversation, and content is of sublime quality and relevant to the website.
Links Creation and On-Page Optimisation
The advent of machine learning algorithms has revolutionized the way page optimizations were done. Conventional methods are replacing traditional ones including Meta descriptions, title tags, URLs, and text.
Creativity will stay as the bulwark for SEOs to excel in attracting visitors to website. Strategies which cannot be addressed now can be addressed with the help of artificial intelligence algorithms along with SEO professionals who consistently modify their methods and strategies. If anyone is found guilty of violating the norms then they would be punished. Black hat optimisation and grey hat optimisation are things of the past.
Organic links will also not hold much importance. Once Google updates with machine learning techniques it can verify the website without relying on link building techniques or methods. Using Deep mind Google can ascertain whether a link provided has been correctly placed within the content or not and analyze the users’ behavior on that particular link. In case Google finds no relevance or zero value for the link then it will not link the value to give a high SERP to the Webpage.
Google is smart and instead of focusing on organic backlinks it will focus more on looking at backlinks cloud. If Google finds the back link cloud to be in organic or manipulated, then it will lower the website’s SERP.
Technical Side of SEO
SEOs need not worry much about expertise and technical knowledge.Robots.txt files, Sitemaps, and scripts will be decided and analyzed by suitable programmes. As world becomes more techs savvy human interventions in websites will be minimal. However, this doesn’t mean SEO will be completely out of picture.
Google focuses on usage of AMP, structured data, optimization for Alexa, voice search as the website needs to be analyzed by artificial intelligence and will then be able to rank it as well.
The health of a website can be best gauged from its CTR and user engagement whether they live up to the expectations of the users. Google’s machine learning algorithms will ensure that they are able to experience a website’s page as a human interaction. UX text is easily read with artificial intelligence and can be ranked accordingly.
SEOs will need to work with designers, developers, digital marketers and business analysts to develop strategies by critically examining their sites and ironing out weak links including UI / UX spots and ensure that the website is fast enough while loading. It is always a collective team effort.
Conclusion
Google has already shifted to artificial intelligence and machine learning making SERP not an easy option for everyone associated with the task whether it is SEO, website designer, web developer or analysts. You need to learn and earn.
