When it comes to SEO, writing and readability play a crucial role. At Yoast, we emphasize the importance of creating content that is not only user-friendly but also search engine-friendly. While we focus on optimizing content for users, it’s equally essential to understand how search engines like Google interpret and analyze that content. In this post, we’ll delve into how Google comprehends online text and what it means for your website’s SEO performance.
Are we sure Google understands text?
Google’s ability to understand text is integral to its core function of matching user queries with relevant search results. While user signals like click-through rates are important, Google also employs sophisticated algorithms to read and assess the actual content on a webpage. Even if a keyword is not explicitly mentioned, Google can still interpret the context and relevance of the text.
How Google understands text
While the specifics of Google’s text understanding process remain undisclosed, the search engine has made significant strides in contextual comprehension. Techniques like word embeddings, where words are mapped in a dimensional space based on their relationships, enable Google to grasp the nuances of language and concepts.
Word embeddings
Google has developed word embeddings to analyze how words are interrelated and clustered together. By leveraging vast datasets and sophisticated models, Google can establish connections between words, phrases, and entities, thereby enhancing its understanding of text and context.
Google has heavily invested in NLP
Google’s investment in Natural Language Processing (NLP) technologies like BERT and the recent introduction of MUM demonstrate its commitment to advancing language understanding capabilities. These models enable Google to interpret text, extract insights, and provide comprehensive answers to complex search queries.
MUM: Google’s language model
MUM is a groundbreaking language model that integrates multilingual, multimedia, and multi-tasking abilities to enhance Google’s information retrieval and processing capabilities.
Does the rise of AI change all of this?
With the advent of AI technologies, Google is incorporating advanced algorithms and NLP models into its search engine functionalities, paving the way for more sophisticated search experiences.
Practical conclusions
Understanding how Google interprets text underscores the importance of context and readability in content creation. By focusing on clarity, structure, and relevance, you can enhance both user experience and search engine visibility.
Google wants to be a reader
Google’s evolution towards understanding text mirrors that of a human reader, emphasizing the need for well-structured, informative content that aligns with user intent and search relevance.
Read more: SEO copywriting: the ultimate guide »
Camille is a content specialist at Yoast, passionate about creating SEO-centric content that resonates with users.
