What is Semantic Search?

In this episode, Marie shares her thoughts on semantic search. Semantic search is search that’s based on understanding the meaning of words and the connections between them. In 2013, the Hummingbird algorithm made it possible for Google to expand their semantic search capabilities. With each new advancement in AI and NLP, they get a little closer. Semantic search could possibly explain how Google can algorithmically tackle the questions they give us in their article on what site owners should know about core updates. This episode discusses how SEOs can use a knowledge of semantic search to improve the quality of their websites in Google’s eyes.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Sponsor:
https://contentfly.com/searchnews

Newsletter episode 232
https://www.mariehaynes.com/newsletter/episode-232-light-version/

MHC’s algo update list:
https://mariehaynes.com/algo

Danny Sullivan on Search Engine Land writing about Hummingbird:
https://searchengineland.com/google-hummingbird-172816

WSJ article with Amit Singhal describing Hummingbird calling it “semantic search”:

https://web.archive.org/web/20150503223300/http://www.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052702304459804577281842851136290-lMyQjAxMTAyMDEwNDExNDQyWj.html

What site owners should know about Google core updates:
https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2019/08/core-updates

Stanford seminar by Xin Luna Dong on the knowledge vault and knowledge based trust:
https://www.youtube.com/clip/Ugkxy93C30py9Kvj8Xd8pYYndOQghr6BKTis

MHC’s QRG book:
https://mariehaynes.com/book

How AI powers Google’s search results:
https://blog.google/products/search/how-ai-powers-great-search-results/
https://www.mariehaynes.com/google-ai-and-seo/

The Quality Update:
https://searchengineland.com/the-quality-update-google-confirms-changing-how-quality-is-assessed-resulting-in-rankings-shake-up-221118

Amit Singhal Panda questions:
https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2011/05/more-guidance-on-building-high-quality
Is MUM Google’s next step in becoming a semantic search engine? By Olaf Kopp:
https://searchengineland.com/google-mum-update-seo-future-383551

Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜR on topical authority:
https://www.oncrawl.com/technical-seo/importance-topical-authority-semantic-seo/

Some of Marie’s teachings on E-A-T:
https://www.mariehaynes.com/resources/eat/

3 part YT series on E-A-T:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDUhcogUl44

Contact Marie and the MHC team:
https://www.mariehaynes.com/contact


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