GOOGLE RANKBRAIN is primarily targeted at improving Google’s ability to infer the intent of search users. The aspect of RankBrain which sets it apart from previous algorithm updates is its machine learning underpinnings. This architecture enables it to automatically refine itself over time. But how does RankBrain analyse sites at a technical level and is it something which website designers will need to take into account in their work in order to ensure that pages are correctly optimised going forwards? RankBrain has a greater interest in the way in which content on a site is worded, rather than in layout or accessibility. While RankBrain may not care whether a site is mobile-friendly or replete with pop-ups, Google already has these other areas covered with existing elements of its algorithm.
Google has confirmed that the learning process takes place offline and uses samples of search data. Site owners should therefore focus on pursuing SEO best practice going forwards, especially when it comes to content creation. It is vital that you and your website designers give it due consideration in your SEO efforts. This capability has been around for a while, with ‘stemming’ which allowed the search giant to understand variations of words such as ‘cook’ and ‘cooking’. It has also been able to interpret synonyms, so a search for ‘trainers’ would also return pages with ‘gym shoes’. It also enables the firm to predict how complex searches may relate to given topics, associating groups of searches with the most likely appropriate results for the user. Given the current available information, it is believed that the best way in which to work with this new development is to ensure that website designers give proper context. Given the history, it seems a logical evolution for websites to inform an AI algorithm as to precisely what it’s reading but it’s still important for businesses to understand that Google is now taking un-stated context into account when users search. By factoring it into your on-going SEO strategy, one can stay one step ahead of competition thanks to this newly implemented and yet highly important ranking signal.