Google is fine tuning their algorithm, this in the attempts of making their organic search results a lot more semantic for their users. What Semantic Search results produces are direct factual information to a users search query, rather than providing links to websites as it did in the past. This may however produce a few challenges along with new opportunities for SEO marketers who optimizes organic searches.
The theory behind Google and they wanting to adopt semantic search is beginning to pick up steam, this primarily to defend their leading position as the world’s leading search engine. It’s estimated that they command close to 65% percent of all organic searches performed on the Internet.
They are also aware that Bing, Microsoft’s search engine, along with their other key competitors are all rearranging their algorithms to comply with how consumers are obtaining search information.
Apple for instance has developed a mobile voice activated search known as Siri, while Facebook allows consumers to share and search for information on their products, services or subjects. These are the same queries that the users at one time searched on Google, so as a result, they’re losing market share.
Semantic Search Methods
Microsoft for a while has been developing their own semantic search technology. Their approach is to attempt to understand what their searchers are looking for by providing the exact information.
For instance, if there’s someone who searches for “population of New York City,” Bing, as well as Google, will instantly show the latest US Census Bureau population estimate as the very first result. They’ll do this rather than providing a link to the Census Bureau site for the data or another website.
What semantic search allows is all of these major search engines to understand and then provide or predict the exact and accurate organic information and intent that the searcher is looking for, instantly.
Google’s Knowledge Graph Semantics
What Google refers as their semantic search protocol is “knowledge graph,” which involves constructing as well as organizing the relevant data. They prefer this term rather than using semantic search.
Google claims that it’s a new and improved approach towards better search technology which will produce better and more relevant search results. They are connecting both the exact intent of the searchers query and matching it with exact true web content.
When someone performs a search for further information regarding “Ford Mustangs” for example, Google will instantly recognize the words surrounding the main search query to determine that the searcher is looking for information on the car instead of the horse. So as a result, what will be produced are the results for the Ford Mustang car.
What Google has being doing for a while is collecting all of these exact search queries, storing them, and then converting this raw data to produce better instant results. This based on better understanding what the search question is and then deciphering all the data that’s available.
Google has however admitted that the Knowledge Graph is still pretty much limited. If you search for the “8 highest mountain ranges in North America,” for example, the results may be acceptable but not necessarily accurate.
Online Search Marketing And Semantics
Experts in search marketing technology claim that Google is indeed racing towards developing a complete semantic search platform and have been for a while, all this to protect their position and to provide their users with accurate instant information.
And since it appears that Google is making progress towards their goal, they’re leaning towards better understanding what the searchers intents are to the point they are able to customize the results based on the users past behavior. This includes their location as well as the type of device that the user is using.
This push is to get more people talking about Google and what they’re doing, which raises awareness and thus can be viewed as a public relations initiative. Although Google remains the leader when it comes to organic search, they’re still wanting more users to talk about them rather than what Bing, Facebook or Apple is doing.
Google Semantics And Paid Ads
Once the semantic search project eventually goes mainstream, it’s not however expected that the semantics will initially have much of an impact when it comes to their successful paid search ads.
But it’s believed to be under development as it would only make sense for Google to further analyze the content of the landing pages of the ads through their semantic engine.
They will do this to determine which of the most relevant paid search ads will appear in the search listings. So what semantic search does is it will force all of their advertisers to produce better landing pages and descriptives.
The Potential Drawbacks Of Semantic Search
There are a few concerns from those who produces content for the web as well as from those who contribute valuable and unique information through their sites or blogs.
If Google does indeed move towards providing their own Knowledge Graph results to their searchers queries rather than offering links to websites, then Google may end up “taking” their advertisers revenue. This may potentially become an issue according to marketing experts.
Google claims that they have plans on offering better ways to present better paid search ads, which is the bulk of their revenue. For instance, although Google won’t resolve this, search ads in the future may include a lot more relevant information which is related directly to the search query, this within the text of the ads showing directly on the search results page.