The Future of SEO with Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer a buzzword that can be thrown about and ignored. Nowadays AI is more than a concoction taking place in a galaxy far, far away; it is a reality marketers have to account for and work into their digital marketing strategies. Do not shy away from AI, but rather, take advantage of it and build a campaign that is likely to improve your SEO and business’s reach.

Adopting AI elements to rank web pages effectively is a smart marketing move because although SEO rules remain almost the same, understanding AI and how it works is key to unlocking the secrets of ranking highly in the SERPs.

What kind of AI-driven strategy do you need to put in place then?

Understand how AI has changed the SEO landscape

Firstly, you need to know why AI is important and how it has changed SEO. The likes of Google and other search engines have deployed AI and machine learningMachine Learning is the branch of artificial intelligence (AI) that gives computers the ability to learn without being explicitly programmed. to interpret user queries; these new measures pick up more human phrases.

What does this mean, exactly?

The more natural and human your content is, the more likely Google will reward you for having keywords and content that resembles proper spoken language. Gone are the days when caveman-like keywords (e.g. clothing store London) were ranking over more eloquent key phrases.

Why has Google made these changes?

Well, not only has the improvement in technology allowed this to happen, but Google is always trying to give a better user experience to its searchers. This is so that searches can be more relevant and to-the-point, but also the rise in smart home hubs appearing in people’s homes.

Think about it, when we speak to our smart home hubs, do we ask full questions? This is so that we get the best results possible. Therefore, you need your keywords to be conversational if you want your answer to be recalled back to the user.

For instance, you would ask “Where is the nearest Thai restaurant?” rather than “Nearest Thai restaurant.” A smart home hub cannot understand the inflection you add onto the end of a sentence when asking a question; therefore, you need to have full sentences that include “Where,” “What,” “Who,” “Why,” and “How?”.

AI and content creation

Your content needs to be optimised for voice search if it hasn’t already. Voice search improves the user experience and allows for faster and more convenient results, and if your website is optimised correctly, then your business could be the first business a smart home hub suggests.

Voice search optimisation tips

Voice search is different to searching online through text. People may be prone to typing in short hand when it comes to looking up an answer; however, when it comes to voicing a question to their smart home hub, they are likely to use proper sentences and phrases.

• Use conversational language
• Have an FAQ that is optimised and regularly updated
• Use long-tail keywords and key phrases
• Have informative and authoritative content

You need to think about how you would ask a question and then come up with an answer that is good enough for featured snippets. You need to answer questions accurately but also in a to-the-point manner. This cannot be done by repeating a keywordKeywords are the words and phrases that potential customers might search for to find your business. over and over again; it is about quality content and a question that is frequently asked.

When it comes down to effective SEO for voice search, you need to consider the following:

• Natural-sounding language
• Concise answers
• Long-tail keywords
• A fast, mobile-friendly website
• Searchable content
• User intent

Local SEO

As discussed, AI and machine learning allows Google to better read content, helping to audit a site and position it in the SERPs. The best way to feed Google your data, however, is to start a Google My Business (GMB) listing – this allows search engines to crawl your information more easily but also focuses on voice search.

GMB is a free tool for businesses to use so that they can help establish their web presence. It is very easy to operate, simply claim your GMB page and follow the instructions. Of course, Google will need to verify your business, which can take up to 1-2 weeks.

Once your GMB is verified, it is time to:

• Add your business’s name, address, and phone information
• Choose the correct category for your business
• Add a business description
• Add business hours
• Upload photos
• Ask customers and clients to leave reviews

If you are unsure on how to create an effective Google My Business process or how to optimise local SEOLocal SEO is the process of optimizing your website to rank on the 1st page of Google for a search term and geographic location that is relevant to your business., be sure to speak with our team about our local SEO services.

AI, voice search and the future

While it is deemed that a lot of AI is theorised more so than practiced, it is still a concept that you should include in your digital marketing strategy. Voice search is on the rise, and AI and machine learning is only going to get smarter as the days go by – overlooking the impact of AI is a marketing mistake. This is especially true to local SEO and local businesses, as people are more likely to use voice search are wanting a local answer – e.g. “Alexa, find a plumber near me,” or “Alexa, where is the nearest cinema?”

Futureproof your business by ensuring your website has quick loading times, has good quality content that is optimised, and that all keywords and language is conversational. As with SEO in general, there are many pieces to the puzzle when it comes to making your website more appealing to search engines.

If you are unsure on how to optimise your content for SEO and AI, be sure to speak to the professionals who can help with auditing your website and suggesting solutions to any issues that may arise.