Artificial intelligence, or AI as it is more commonly referred to, has been one of the most groundbreaking digital marketing trends, specifically search engine optimization or SEO, in recent years. Apart from its ability to quickly analyze the different relationships between websites, content, and search rankings, it can identify active topics in a specific field and present businesses with opportunities to fill in any existing competitive gaps and optimize their pages to drive inbound traffic and aid them in meeting their marketing goals. And because of the limitless potential it holds, it isn’t surprising that many digital marketing firms and Seattle SEO companies have begun to incorporate this tool into their respective strategies. For those who remain unconvinced, I’ve listed down a few reasons why AI could be the future of SEO.
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1. Video and image intelligence
Let’s face it: the majority of us prefer videos and images over text. Whether it’s checking current events or learning how to wear a tie, it’s much easier to watch it than it is to read, after all. However, search engines have, for a long time, been limited to text. And the only real way to improve the search engine optimization of these kinds of content was to equip them with relevant keywords through their tags and descriptions. However, as machine learning and AI continue to evolve, it’ll soon be intelligent enough to understand audiovisual signals. This means that it’ll be able to discern the content of both images and videos alike instead of being limited solely to meta-tags and accordingly rank them.
2. Voice commands
One of the first major shifts in SEO was when the number of active online users superseded their desktop and laptop counterparts. With the rise of AI, the next significant shift will be the reliance on voice commands for searching instead of text. And with the convenience that it offers, it isn’t hard to see why. As the technology behind it advances, artificial intelligence will be able to decipher and understand vocal orders much better. And provide users with an adequate response.
3. Improved personalization
Few things can influence and impress a user more than businesses that put effort and thought into personalized communication that directly addresses their needs. But what was once a service provided by marketers whose area of expertise lies in the promotion of products and services for a specific demographic will soon be handled by artificial intelligence. The more information that is collected, the better the algorithms behind learning machines can allow the AI to make better decisions in improving the personalization of its communication with consumers.
4. Smart customer support
Despite its relative infancy, businesses have been utilizing AI to help improve the user experience through smart customer support via the use of chatbots. Since search engines take note of users’ engagement, having a chatbot assist them at all times with their inquiries and requests is just as helpful as having the services of a Seattle SEO digital marketing agency. And it can go a long way in helping a website rank up in the search engine results pages or SERPs.
5. Better attribution analysis
A problem that many marketers continue to face is measuring the impact of their content up the line. To put it another way, it’s the challenge of identifying the content that leads to conversions. Because most reporting is usually done via a last-touch approach, the credit tends to go to the traffic’s source or the recent click. But as everyone knows, the buyer’s journey is anything but simple. And before customers decide on making a purchase, they often have to interact with the chosen brand repeatedly. And this attribution model only shows a small part of the journey. But with artificial intelligence and machine learning, better algorithms for attribution can be developed that can accurately assess the consumers’ behaviour and determine what drives conversions.
6. Content optimization
The greatest challenge in marketing is understanding what the intended audience wants and how to convert them into paying customers. While the traditional strategy of developing buyer personas is an effective way of answering the above-mentioned questions, it’s a very involved task that requires a lot of planning and research. However, artificial intelligence has the potential to achieve the intended results without the work. Through its careful analysis of website traffic, social media interactions, and email communication, AI can help a business create a more accurate and comprehensive profile of their target market. And as a result, allow them to generate relevant content to keep them better engaged than they would’ve been otherwise.
7. A reduction in black hat SEO methods
Black hat SEO methods are generally used to exploit flaws and weaknesses in the algorithms behind search engines to achieve better rankings for a website. But with the continuous advancements in artificial intelligence, search engine optimization techniques that prioritize quality, relevancy, and consistency will soon put a stop to black hat practices. From the identification of spam to penalizing irrelevant links, marketers will no longer be able to benefit from questionable strategies.
8. Lower costs
Achieving high returns in SEO is all about gaining leads without paying a lot in the process. While this may be more cost-effective when compared to traditional advertising methods, ads and paid searches can still amount to a hefty sum of money. With AI, however, costs will be lower. In fact, over fifty per cent of businesses have claimed that artificial intelligence like chatbots can save money on the generation of leads.
Artificial intelligence in SEO, in its current state, is little more than a means to enhance the productivity of a company’s marketing efforts. However, it holds the potential to completely transform the way search engine optimization works. And improve a business’ ability to achieve its advertising objectives. And when paired with a capable Seattle SEO agency and exceptional content, AI can become an excellent tool that can aid a company in keeping up with the perpetually changing algorithm of popular search engines and make the best use of digital marketing strategies to attain more conversions.