Welcome back to our latest release on AI and SEO! For our new readers, please feel free to follow the link below and catch up on what we’ve discussed in the last 2 articles. In our previous article, we discussed the impact that artificial intelligence will have on the role of SEO and how we will need to adjust our sights. The reality is that we’re already seeing AI in work, and it isn’t a bad thing!
You And AI | Significance Of AI-First Search Engines
Today, we’ll be looking at the importance of user intent in AI-driven search engines and what it means for SEO. To understand the thought processes, we’ll look at what user intent is and how search engines interpret it.
What is User Intent?
User intent, often referred to as search intent, is the reason behind a user’s search query. It’s the goal they hope to achieve when they enter a search term into the engine.
Remember when we spoke about searching for a solution to a problem and being provided with products and solutions rather than an answer to the question? One can argue that the true user intention was not adhered to by Google, but then we also need to remember that Google is dependent on ad revenue.
In AI-driven search engines, the ability to correctly interpret and deliver results based on user intent has become increasingly sophisticated. Understanding these intent signals is critical for modern SEO.
How AI-Driven Search Engines Interpret User Intent
Traditional search engines relied heavily on keyword matching, where results were pulled based on how well the search query matched the words found on a page. While effective, this method often ignored the broader context of what the user was actually seeking.
With the growth of AI, particularly machine learning and natural language processing, search engines can now analyse and understand user intent on a deeper level. Google’s introduction of RankBrain and BERT are prime examples of how AI enhances search engine performance. To summarise how these tools are interpreting intent:
- Understanding Context: AI-powered algorithms don’t just match keywords—they analyse the context and relationships between words in a query. For example, a search for “Apple” can refer to the company or the fruit, and AI engines use context clues from the rest of the query to determine the right result.
- Personalisation: AI-driven search engines factor in personalised data like search history, location, and behaviour to better understand the user’s current needs. (To all the conspiracy theorists, you were right – we ARE being tracked!)
- Conversational Search: With AI, search engines have become better at interpreting conversational queries. Users now ask questions in natural language, similar to how they would speak with another person. AI understands this language and responds with relevant results, considering the underlying intent, not just the literal words.
Adjusting Your Strategy
Let’s pretend that we’re setting up a campaign for a company selling laptops. Their 3 main brands are Dell, Lenovo and HP. They offer AMD and Intel processors but AMD is only available in the Dell model. How would we set up their SEO campaign in order to ensure we get relevant clicks?
Assume we’re looking at the search term “Best laptops for students.” The chances are they are in the researching phase of making a purchase decision. If you’ve decided that you want to optimise for that specific search term, you should consider having that information available on your website. This can be done through a blog article, for example. If we’re not casting our nets that wide, a search term such as “AMD Dell laptops” might be a better term to optimise for.
Conclusion
By focusing on what we want the consumer’s intent to be, we can test and experiment with keywords that isolate consumers with that intent. As AI continues to grow, search engines are becoming far more adept at interpreting user intent, forcing a shift in SEO strategies. Optimising for user intent – rather than just keywords – is the new standard.
By focusing on intent, you can ensure your content remains relevant, ranks well, and ultimately meets the needs of today’s AI-powered search engines and their users.
Written by Christo Brand – Chief Geek at We Do Digital
Table of Contents
Toggle