After the announcement about Google RankBrain, the world of SEO was jolted up. People were left jaw-dropped after knowing the fact about Google RankBrain, which is forming the core of Google’s algorithm. Analyzing search queries and another related phenomenon with an entirely new technology strengthens what we usually perceive – Artificial Intelligence is the technology of the future! This is what Google RankBrain proves as it makes use of AI.
What is RankBrain? How does it work? Will it affect your SEO? What should we do to keep our sites top ranking with RankBrain? Let’s delve into the details!
Google RankBrain – AI-Based Algorithm!
RankBrain is the core algorithm of Google which leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to process search queries. It determines the most relevant to various search queries. With the help of artificial intelligence, RankBrain embeds large data of languages into mathematical values, which can be understood by a computer. These data packs are known as ‘vectors’.
It is a smart algorithm, which, by exploiting the power of artificial intelligence, interprets the incoming search queries and analyzes which results to display. When it comes across an unfamiliar word or a search query that isn’t previously recorded in its database, it quickly evaluates the input and makes guess about similar words or phrases that may have a similar meaning. It then presents the most relevant results to the users, making it possible for them to get the desired information even while entering new keywords.
Earlier, Google was reliant on a basic algorithm that determined what results should be presented to the enquirer after receiving a search query. Now, since 2015, Google has been using the power of machine learning in the form of RankBrain AI to deliver the most desired search results to the users.
With this smart technology, Google has proved itself to be the most effective search engine while looking up for newer search keywords or search queries that have never been entered into a search engine before. This is the reason how Google gives you the most related, and at times, your desired information when you enter queries with typing errors and spelling mistakes.
How Google RankBrain Was Disclosed
Google was silent when people expressed their astonishment about the smart predictive abilities of this search engine. Google has successfully outnumbered many of the previously famous search engines with its incredible search results. However, back in 2015, Bloomberg unveiled its secretive core algorithm that drives all the braininess of this remarkable search engine. Bloomberg exposed its name as Google RankBrain. Then, after the RankBrain Bloomberg news, Google revealed the details about this algorithm to Search Engine Land, after which, people came to know more about this mysterious, smart, and astonishing algorithm core.
GoogleRankBrain is a major breakthrough in the world of internet technology, as it bridges the way between artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the world of SEO. This futuristic approach turned up new leaves for artificial intelligence, opening new horizons for the application of AI.
Is Google RankBrain Algorithm A Separate Entity?
Owing to the buzz which Google created after officially declaring its new core component, people got confused about the actual entity of RankBrain. For some time, it was called upon as ‘RankBrain software’. Later on, it was perceived to be a separate algorithm.
So what actually is Google RankBrain?
RankBrain is not an algorithm on its own. Instead, from what we have found from Search Engine Land, RankBrain is actually a part of the overall search engine algorithm of Google, which is known as ‘HummingBird’. It was not until 2013 that Google overhauled its then unnamed algorithm and blessed it with the name ‘HummingBird’.
How Essential Is RankBrain For Search Results?
Basically, Google works on various ‘signals’ to decide about the possible ranking of a web page. By the term signals, we refer to everything that empowers Google to rank a page. For instance, Google analyzes the content, precisely, the words, so, ‘Words’ can serve as signals. Similarly, the words in bold or any other format may also serve as a signal. Likewise, if a web page is mobile-friendly, this feature can also be a signal.
All these signals go into the Google semantic search and present to you the most relevant search results upon your queries or keywords.
RankBrain is also essential for Google since it also works as a signal. If we talk about the official Google signals, than RankBrain is the third most important signal for Google to refine its search queries and search results. (Google has not officially revealed the other two, but according to Search Engine Land, the first signal may be the ‘votes’ on a link, and the second may be the ‘words’ on a web page.)
Being an important part of Google search algorithm, RankBrain certainly holds key responsibilities regarding what we get on the SERPs. Reportedly, RankBrain is accountable for about 15% of all online searches.
How RankBrain Works
As said above, RankBrain works by converting all the search queries to mathematical values or ‘vectors’ – that is the precise language decipherable by a computer. Using this input information, it empowers the overall semantic search algorithm to sort and filter out the most relevant results against a search query.
Even if a keyword or a search query is unknown, using the RankBrain AI, Google can quickly predict the intentions of the enquirer. Hence, it presents the most relevant results by analyzing word and phrases conferring similar meanings. This is how it remains efficient at delivering flawless search results even for novel search queries.
Moreover, RankBrain, leveraging the power of AI, analyzes the location, or the country from where a search query is coming. This data is essential for Google to know what the people living in different parts of the world want to see their keywords. It is because of this RankBrain algorithm that Google present different results to the people living in different countries for the same search query.
Google RankBrain is practically proven to be delivering the most accurate results, even better than the previous Google practices. Upon a test for guessing Google’s possible ranking for various websites, the Google search engineers showed a 70% success rate. However, RankBrain was found to be 80% successful.
How Is It Different From PageRank?
After RankBrain became popular, and its core responsibilities in the Google predictive search results became known, people started to confuse it with something similar to, or a modification of PageRank. However, this is not the case.
Although RankBrain and PageRank are both parts of the Googles search engine algorithm, they both are significantly different.
PageRank is a way of giving credits to the web pages based on the backlinks they acquire from other sites. PageRank holds a significant position in Google history since it is the first component ever named by Google – that too – named in 1998. It is because of this PageRank thing that you need to put efforts for link acquisition whenever you start a blog or a website.
On the other hand, RankBrain is simply a part of Google’s hummingbird that empowers Google to sort out relevant results to be presented against a search query.
How It Affects Your SEO
Since Google RankBrain is smart enough to predict and analyze search queries, it significantly affects your site SEO, with particular reference to the keywords in your site content.
Previously, when Google RankBrain was not there, the Google engineers have developed some mathematical algorithms to determine search rankings. These algorithms used to work on the basis of predicted search queries, or the keywords.
It was because of these algorithms that you had to have the keyword-rich content on your site to get it adequately ranked on top SERPs. In fact, keywords were considered to be solely responsible towards a successful SEO campaign for a blog or a website.
However, with the RankBrain update in its search algorithm, Google’s search engine predictions and ranking abilities have improved markedly. The algorithm is now constantly learning, and continually modifying. Hence, you need to keep working on your site’s optimization, influencing more towards an agile and adaptable SEO landscaping.
RankBrain SEO Revolutionizes Conventional SEO Practices
As described above, RankBrain has revolutionized the way Google used to rank web pages earlier. Instead of being solely driven by keywords, it now focuses more on page quality and relevancy of the content to rank a link on a prominent position on SERPs.
To cope up with this modification, you are compelled to modify your basic search engine optimization strategy and SEO practices. According to what Bill Slawski says while discussing the basics of the RankBrain algorithm, “With RankBrain, context matters… Making sure you capture that context is possibly a key to optimizing for this machine learning approach”.
Hence, for a better SEO of your web page, it is better to understand these three factors to know how to use RankBrain for your website ranking.
1. Various Search Queries Are Driven By Different Signals
Before RankBrain was put into practice, Google SERPs were mainly driven by a set of signals that could be easily leveraged to optimize your site. These signals were predominantly the content depth, link diversity, and keyword matching. However, in a post-RankBrain SEO world, optimizing your site merely on the basis of these signals is not enough. With RankBrain, your site’s SEO should be focused on catering the needs of the users.
It means that, instead of relying on acquiring quality backlinks, your focus should be more towards having quality content that satiates the appetite of your reader. It does not mean that start ignoring other signals. However, you should jazz up your site’s content mainly with quality and informative content, then adorn it with all the necessary signals for the best site optimization.
2. Your Website Reputation Is Based On Ranking Signals
Today, SEO is significantly affected by your site’s online reputation. The way your website proves itself to be trustworthy for both the humans as well as the search engines is critical to optimize your site. It is because of the content-driven core of Google’s algorithm that you have to move your focus from conventional mathematical SEO tricks to the quality content. With RankBrain, establishing a robust online reputation is imperative, and for this, decorating your web page with the most relevant and quality content having well-placed keywords is essential.
3. Having Only One Keyword Per Page Will Kill your Web Page
Today, as the Google semantic algorithm becomes smarter, relying on a single keyword becomes more harmful. In fact, it is similar to killing your website’s entity. To make your site rank on top for most SERPs, you should decorate your content with all the relevant keywords present on a single page. The old practice of developing multiple pages with similar keywords is now obsolete. Remember, with RankBrain, you have to make your content user-friendly, and having multiple pages with similar or related information, or with a repetition of content will annoy the reader. Therefore, your focus should be on providing one comprehensive page with all the relevant keywords that could actually engage your user.
Wrapping It All
Google RankBrain has revolutionized the world of search engine optimization. Its conventional semantic search algorithm now focuses more on the site’s quality instead of mere mathematical signals. Therefore, if you want your site to reach top SERPs, try understanding the basics of Google RankBrain, and implement all the newer strategies to enhance your site’s optimization. Make your websites stand out among others by leveraging the presumable top three Google ranking signals – the votes, the words, and the RankBrain. Jazz up your site with quality and information-driven content that could engage your readers. Once you hold up to it, you would definitely enjoy the new SEO techniques welcomed by Google to boost your web pages.