What impact will Google’s BERT algorithm have on SEO?

Introduction

Search engine optimization (SEO) is an essential component of online marketing strategy. As search engines are the primary online navigation tool for consumers, Google continues to update its algorithm to provide better search results. In late 2019, Google announced the Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT), which many analysts predict will be a significant shift in how Google processes search queries and its impact on SEO. This article explores BERT, how it works, and its impact on search results and SEO.

What is BERT?

BERT is a neural network-based technique for natural language processing (NLP) pre-training. It is designed to understand the context and meaning of words in a search query, allowing Google to deliver more relevant search results. BERT stands out from other algorithms as it uses machine learning and large amounts of data to help it understand the nuances of language. Google claims that BERT can improve understanding for 1 in 10 English queries.

How BERT Algorithm Works

The BERT algorithm analyzes the entire phrase of a search query instead of only individual words. It uses a pre-trained deep neural network to understand the context of words and phrases in the query, thus interpreting longer and more complex search queries with more accuracy.

BERT’s Impact on Search Results

Since its implementation, BERT has improved the accuracy of search results for conversational queries by 7%. With BERT, Google can now provide more relevant results that align with the searcher’s intent. For example, Google can better understand a search query for “Can you get medicine for someone pharmacy?” and provide results related to picking up medication on behalf of someone else.

BERT’s Impact on SEO

The impact of BERT on SEO depends on how businesses react to changes. However, it’s essential to take into account the five following changes:

1. Focus on Content: BERT rewards websites with high-quality, relevant, in-depth, and unique content that answers users’ search queries. Websites with thin and shallow content may experience a decline in their search rankings. Regular updates of website content ensure that the website is comprehensive and of high quality.
2. Keyword Research: BERT provides accurate search results for conversational queries, prompting businesses to focus on long-tail keywords and natural language when optimizing website content. Conducting keyword research identifies commonly-used questions and phrases to optimize website content.
3. Optimize for Featured Snippets: Google uses featured snippets to deliver quick and relevant answers to users. Optimizing for featured snippets is crucial since BERT understands context effectively, making it increasingly important.
4. Don’t Overuse Keywords: With BERT, keyword stuffing is penalized by Google since the algorithm can understand the context and meaning of keywords better. Natural and engaging website content that includes relevant keywords without overusing them is crucial.
5. Organize Website Content: The structure of a website helps users find information they need, making website organization critical. An easy-to-use website structure that uses clear and descriptive headings and subheadings that explain content provides value to visitors.
6. Use Structured Data: Structured data provides additional context to search engines, improving search rankings. Google places more emphasis on structured data when delivering search results after BERT.

Conclusion

The BERT algorithm demonstrates Google’s commitment to understanding the context and meaning of search queries. Although its impact on SEO is still felt, the algorithm is continually learning and adapting, making it essential for businesses to keep up with their SEO strategies and tactics to improve search ranking, deliver better user experience, and gain more leads and customers.