How Natural Language Processing in Google Search May Affect Your Site

 Posted on December 12,2019 in Changes with Google

The vast majority of people use Google search to find the information they are looking for online, and Google is constantly looking to improve its algorithms to make sure its users get the best possible search results. Because showing up in Google search results is so important, any website owner will want to stay up to date on the latest trends in search engine optimization (SEO). One of the latest developments that may affect a firm’s marketing strategy is the implementation of natural language processing (NLP) in Google’s algorithms.

Google’s BERT Algorithm

Google recently announced that it has updated its search algorithms to use a technique called BERT, which stands for Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers. This update to the algorithm uses artificial intelligence and neural networks for natural language processing. That may sound like a lot of jargon, but basically, it means that Google wants to be able to understand how people use language when performing searches and how the context of different words affects what they are looking for.

Notably, the term "bidirectional" means that Google will not necessarily read words in a search query from left to right, but it will look at a phrase as a whole to determine what a person means. This can be especially helpful as more and more people use voice search, type in questions, or use longer queries that take a conversational form. Google has also noted that it now uses "neural matching" in local search results, which allows it to return results based on how the words in a business’s name or description are related to the terms people are searching for.

How NLP in Google Search Can Affect Law Firms

With an increased focus on natural language, this means that attorney websites will need to include content that addresses the questions people will be asking and the legal issues they will be searching for. For example, if a person searches for "should I file for divorce first," Google will return results that provide helpful, informative answers to that question.

Because Google is looking to provide results that answer the specific questions and queries people are asking, high-quality website content is more important than ever. Building a website that fully describes your practice areas and the services you provide while offering informative information that people will be searching for can ensure that potential clients can find you and get in touch with your firm. In addition, regularly publishing blogs on your site can provide fresh content that addresses changing legal issues and adds value for people who are searching for legal information.

Contact Our SEO Professionals

By making sure your website shows up in search results for relevant queries, you can not only answer people’s questions, but you can help potential clients find your firm. At OVC, INC., we can help you develop a successful website and online marketing strategy. To learn more about the services we provide, contact us at 630-635-8000.

Sources:

https://blog.google/products/search/search-language-understanding-bert

https://twitter.com/searchliaison/status/1201549327144898567