Understanding How Google’s RankBrain Algorithm Affects Your SEO Strategy

If you go back 15 years (which is a lifetime in "Internet years"), it was possible for websites to get search engine traffic simply by using specific keywords multiple times. Since this was so easy to do, it lead to lots of abuse and quickly hurt the quality of search engine results. The founders of Google felt like there had to be a better way, which is why they created their search engine with an algorithm that looked at how many other websites linked to another one.

This concept did work very well, and is directly responsible for making Google one of the biggest tech companies in the world. However, the Internet has come a very long way over the last decade and a half. During that time, the needs and expectations of search engine users have continued to evolve. There have also always been people who look for ways to shortcut Google’s algorithm.

Dealing with both of those issues has resulted in Google continuing to refine how it ranks its search engine results. Any business that has been online for at least five years undoubtedly remembers both the Panda and Penguin updates. The latest development in Google’s evolution is a technology known as RankBrain. We’re going to cover everything you need to know about RankBrain, along with how it should affect your SEO strategy.

What is Google’s RankBrain?

RankBrain is a machine-learning artificial intelligence system that Google is now using to help sort through its search results. What makes machine-learning a form of AI is it allows a computer to teach itself how to do something based on large set of data.

How Important is RankBrain?

Based on all the information that’s publicly available, RankBrain is pretty important. It’s long been known that as Google’s algorithm has evolved over the years, it has incorporated hundreds of ranking signals. It’s believed that out of all those signals, RankBrain is currently the third most important

What is the Role of RankBrain in Google Search?

The main use of RankBrain is to interpret the searches that people submit to find pages that might not have the exact words that were searched for. One of the likely implications of this is Google is becoming less reliant on exact keyword phrases and more interested in returning results to searchers that cover a topic in a comprehensive manner.

This is the syndicated copy of an original article posted at WebStrategyPlus.com.

I am Michelle Hummel, a passionate internet marketer with an internet marketing degree and 15+ years of successful online marketing experience. I am the owner of WebStrategyPlus.com - web design, web development and digital marketing company