4 AI SEO Trends You Should Know
Artificial intelligence (AI) is still relatively new, but its very nature means it’s always evolving. As such, it continues to have a significant impact on a broad spectrum of industries.
The digital marketing sphere is no exception.
AI has already revolutionised search engine optimisation, but how does that affect traditional SEO strategies?
Whether you’re a marketer, an entrepreneur, an analyst or a blogger – here are four AI SEO trends you should know.
SEO experts are no stranger to surprises. However, the 2015 introduction of the machine learning algorithm, RankBrain, had forced them to rethink their practices. Google uses it to interpret the overall context of queries to provide even more relevant search results.
According to one of Google’s analysts, RankBrain makes an educated guess of what a user is likely to click based on historical search data. While it was initially designed to augment Hummingbird, Google’s previous algorithm, it’s now the third among 200 ranking factors.
However, the search engine’s later algorithm update named BERT, expanded even further upon user intent and concepts, instead of keywords alone.
As machine learning continues to streamline search results, content that promotes user intent and relevancy has become essential.
According to Octopart, everything from smartphones and the Internet of Things (IoT) devices to coffee machines and cars have voice recognition capabilities nowadays.
Consequently, voice searches are on the rise.
They’re more conversational and are typically framed in question form when compared to their written counterparts. These elements change the way brands have previously understood how users search for information. Businesses will need to adapt their SEO strategies if they hope to stand out among their competitors.
An increase in voice searches means that brands must produce more dynamic content that also answers conversational queries.
The latest data from Statista reveals that there’ll be an estimated 17.72 billion smart devices operating worldwide by 2024. That’s a lot of potential leads.
It’s also no secret that mobile-friendly sites tend to have better SERP positions than their non-optimised counterparts. While it may be an independent factor, it still affects AI-driven user intent and possibly your ranking.
With the projected rise in global mobile use, optimised websites and online content are fast becoming a necessity.
Leveraging AI for SEO Practices
AI is starting to shift traditional SEO practices by prioritising user intent, voice search optimisation and mobile friendliness. However, it can also be leveraged to improve SEO strategies in the following ways:
