3 Ways Artificial Intelligence Could Impact SEO

Artificial intelligence has disrupted numerous industries, so it’s only logical that it has a significant impact on digital marketing as well as SEO as its integral part.

Google updates and develops its search algorithm all the time, making different changes to the way website and content should be optimized in order to provide the best user experience. Let’s not forget that in October 2015, the search engine behemoth rolled out RankBrain, a machine learning-based algorithm used for sorting search results as well as for processing and understanding different search queries better.

Besides that, Google recently enhanced its search-ranking system with the help of BERT, NLP-based software capable of interpreting language nuances, especially in conversational searches.

So, given that AI at the core of Google reduces the odds of using various hacks in order to rank better, it’s essential to discuss in what ways AI could impact SEO, and what marketers can do to adapt to the new way of doing things.

Voice search will dominate

With the emergence of voice assistants like Siri and Alexa –which are some of the most common examples of artificial intelligence— an increasing number of people started using the benefits of voice search. In today’s hectic and fast-paced world, the possibility to multitask safely while you drive or do anything else that prevent’s you from typing and using your screen is a priority.

Back in 2016, Gartner predicted that 30% of all searches would be performed without a screen by 2020.

Speech recognition and natural language processing (NLP), a subset of AI, allow for this impressive functionality. Needless to say, voice search tremendously improves user experience. And, Google holds the satisfaction of its users in high regard.

All this means that digital marketers need to redefine the way they optimize their content for search engines. The way we speak greatly differs from the way we type. In other words, in order to improve their rankings, marketers will have to use phrases that are more conversational.

For example, people tend to be very concise and even incomplete when performing searches, so they type something along the lines of “weather New York City”. However, when performing a voice search, they are more likely to use full sentences and say “What’s the weather like in New York City today?”

So, by including how, when, where, what, and similar question words and keeping a conversational tone, it’s possible to optimize content for voice search.

Hyperpersonalization will be a must

78% of U.S. internet users say that they’re more likely to buy from brands that offer them personally relevant content.

It’s clear that nowadays customers expect brands to care and take their needs, interests, and preferences into consideration. The bar has been raised and SEO has to keep pace with these high standards.

It’s virtually impossible to personalize content and messaging at scale without AI-powered automation. Big data analytics plays an important role here because with its help it’s possible to collect, process, interpret and make sense of huge volumes of customer information.

This way, it will be possible to offer hyperpersonalized offers and recommendations to customers. By combining this strategy with geo-fencing, companies can create truly unique experiences – based on historic data, including past purchases, preferences, and interests, customers can receive personalized offers as they’re approaching the store.

Real-time data will be a must

Speed is an important factor when it comes to marketing and AI will transform the way it can contribute to the effectiveness of the way brands do business.

Real-time data will introduce some new possibilities, and dynamic pricing is one of them.

Amazon already uses an algorithm that allows it to change prices numerous times a day based on demand. For example, a price can be changed even after a customer has added an item in their shopping cart due to a promotion.

The online retail giant analyzes different factors, including its competitors and their prices, so that the offer they show to every particular customer has been accurately tailored to increase a chance of making a purchase.

Similarly, Uber operates on so-called “surge” pricing, meaning that at certain times of the day, passengers will be charged more or less, depending on peak hours, or supply and demand.

But apart from that, the company uses a sophisticated algorithm that takes a number of other parameters into consideration when forming every individual price. One of these factors is how affluent a particular area is. In other words, the price for a person traveling to a wealthier district will be higher as it’s expected that the person can afford to pay more.

No matter how advanced all this may sound at the moment, the truth is that we’ve just scratched the surface when it comes to the potential of artificial technologies in marketing and SEO. The goal is to offer the best possible user experience and help people find what they’re looking for on search engines without having to waste a second of their time on irrelevant results and content.