How Does Natural Language Affect SEO?
SEO is a hallmark of internet marketing. Optimizing your website ensures you reach local consumers, most of whom are turning to the web to find local businesses. Without SEO, you could be posting wonderful content that quite simply no one is ever going to read. The good news is that SEO is something you can take into your own hands. The even better news is that keyword stuffing is a thing of the past, and in fact contrived keywords are also on their way out in favor of natural language. What does this mean for your website’s SEO? You should start rethinking the way you optimize your content.
The Future of Search
Search engines like Google are starting to serve up search results based on the intentions of the user, rather than a few keywords in the query. If a searcher says “Where can I get my spine adjusted?,” the search engine may return (paid and organic) results that include local chiropractors. In the past, a user may have seen results that focused primarily on the words “spine” and “adjusted,” which would likely lead to at least some irrelevant pages.
Voice Search
Siri, Cortana, and other voice recognition systems on smart phones are also impacting how you need to optimize your website. If someone searches for an optometrist using Siri on an iPhone, for instance, they are more likely to say, “Where can I get an eye exam?” than “Eye Exam San Diego.” If the SEO on your website is geared towards forced keywords like “Eye Exam San Diego,” you may not get found by people searching using voice commands.
Optimizing Your Content
So, how does natural language affect SEO? Start creating content that is written more naturally, rather than choosing a few keywords and writing your content around them. Use titles for your blogs that are likely to match a natural language search. For instance, “What are dental implants?” or “When do dogs need to get vaccinated?” would likely come up in search engine results related to similar queries.
Also think about the terms that people use in real conversation when you optimize your site. For example, while you may prefer to be called a veterinarian, remember that actual pet owners are very likely to conduct a search like “Which San Diego vets do spay and neuter?” – which includes the term “vet.”
Including natural language on your website will improve your SEO moving forward. Need some new website content, or have other questions about SEO? Contact one of our Internet Consultants today for a review of your current website SEO at 1-800-IMATRIX.
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