Google has rolled out a new big update to its algorithm. Learn more about it with Clarity.
Probably you’ve heard the buzz lately: Google has a new update to its algorithm and rumours are it is a big one.
The first reaction of most website owners is to panic and try to understand “how to optimise for it, whatever it is, ASAP”. Relax, there is no need to worry, this article will get you some clarity on the issue and the best course of action.
The new update, as usual, has a name – BERT. Google definitely got everyone’s attention by announcing it as “the biggest change of the last five years” and claiming that it will affect “one in every ten searches”.
So, what does BERT do?
BERT is a Natural Language Processing (NLP) model that will help Google to get even better at understanding search queries. BERT will use all the words in a query at the same time, all the relations between the words, and their context. Before the update, Google could only analyse the words one by one in the exact order they were written. Now, with BERT, it is possible for Google to understand each word better by assessing the word before it and the one after. This bi-directional nature makes BERT really unique.
In actual practice, this means Google will learn to understand better the small details of long-tail search queries and deliver better results.
One of the examples of BERT´s power is that it takes prepositions into consideration. For example, if a user is searching “visa country A to country B”, the preposition “to” is extremely important. Before BERT, Google would just disregard the preposition and often serve the opposite of the desired results.
Is BERT already working?
Yes, it is now affecting search results in the USA in English. But, in time, Google will apply it to other languages and countries. On the other hand, when it comes to “picking content” for featured snippets, BERT is already functioning to some degree in most countries.
So how do we optimise for BERT?
The short answer is, we don´t. This update is all about Google understanding better what a user really wants and serving more useful results. So, the logic of “optimisation” for website owners is the same: create the best quality, most useful, content for your users. There is no specific change that needs to be done. At the same time, it is always good to keep yourself informed about such changes in Google, as a better understanding of the logic behind its algorithm can help you make better decisions.
For more information, bespoke strategies and efficient digital marketing solutions, just contact the Clarity’s girls through info@yourdigitalclarity.com or visit our website at www.yourdigitalclarity.com.
