SEO-BERT is an application of Google’s BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers) algorithm used explicitly for improving search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. It is a derivative of natural language processing that Google uses to understand the context of the words in search queries better.
BERT, first introduced by Google towards the end of 2019, is a pre-trained unsupervised Natural Language Processing (NLP) technique. It has greatly improved the understanding of search queries, especially for longer, more conversational ones or those which use prepositions like “for” and “to”. For example, Google previously would’ve missed the significance of the word “to” in a search like “2019 Brazil traveler to USA needs a visa”, while after implementing BERT, the search engine understands its importance and provides a more accurate result.
The application of BERT in the field of SEO essentially means that Google can better understand the context of the words involved in search queries. This results in improved matching of those queries with web pages that offer the most relevant and high-quality information in response. In general, although SEO professionals cannot optimize for BERT specifically, the update means that producing high-quality, user-focused content is more important than ever.
For example, suppose you own a pet store and have a blog with articles about pet care. Instead of focusing on specific keywords such as “pet food” or “dog grooming”, after BERT, it’s more beneficial to answer complex queries that readers might have. For example, provide detailed content on “What’s the best way to groom a pet at home?” or “What kind of food is best for older dogs?”.
BERT is just one of the many ways Google emphasizes the importance of content quality. Google’s Danny Sullivan confirmed this in a tweet, stating, “There’s nothing to optimize for BERT, I might add. BERT is just about us getting better at understanding the language and meaning of the full context of searches.”
Overall, SEO-BERT stands for the significant shift towards prioritizing user-focused, context-aware, and high-quality content over simple keyword optimization. Continuous updates like BERT is one proof that the field of SEO is highly dynamic and ever-evolving.
Sources:
1. “Understanding searches better than ever before”, Google Blog, October 25, 2019
2. “BERT Explained: What You Need to Know About Google’s New Algorithm”, Search Engine Journal, October 28, 2019
3. “Google BERT Update – What it Means”, The Search Engine Shop, November 10, 2019.
