Semantic search in SEO: a guide to understanding its importance

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What is Semantic Search in SEO?

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Today, search engine optimisation has become one of the pillars of success for any website or online business.

To attract visitors and improve search engine rankings, it is essential to have a solid and effective SEO strategy.

Among the various elements that make up this strategy, semantic research plays a crucial role in search engine optimisation (SEO).

In this article, we'll explain what semantic search is in SEO and why it's so important for your website.

1. What is semantic search?

Semantic search is an approach that seeks to understand the meaning of user queries rather than focusing solely on individual keywords. It takes into account several factors such as context, synonyms, linguistic variations and user intentions to provide more accurate and relevant results.

2. The evolution of search algorithms

In the past, search engines relied mainly on the keywords present in pages to rank sites in their results. However, with the evolution of search algorithms such as Google HummingbirdThe priority is now on the meaning of queries and the intention of users. Semantic search has therefore taken on a predominant role in search engine optimisation.

3. The notion of user intent

One of the main objectives of semantic search in SEO is to understand the intention or goal of users when they carry out a search. Intentions can be of various kinds, such as looking for information, buying a product, finding a service, etc. By understanding these intentions, search engines can provide more tailored and relevant results for each query.

4. Context and linguistic variations

Semantic search also takes into account the context and linguistic variations surrounding keywords. For example, the word "apple" may return different results depending on whether it is associated with terms such as "computer", "fruit" or "recipe". It's essential to take these nuances into account if you want to offer relevant content on your website.

a) Synonyms and similar words

Semantic search algorithms are able to recognise synonyms and words with a similar meaning. This enables search engines to offer broader and more varied results, encompassing the different ways in which users can express their queries.b) Common expressions

It's also important to consider common expressions and terms related to your sector of activity. Internet users will often use these expressions to carry out their searches, so it's a good idea to include them in your SEO strategy.

5. Quality of content

With semantic search, Google places great importance on the quality and relevance of the content on pages. This means that to rank well, you need to provide content that is rich, informative and relevant to users. Content that is superficial or not very useful will be penalised by the algorithm.

6. Optimising meta tags and other on-page elements

To optimise your website with semantic search in mind, it is essential to take care of your meta tags tags, as well as other on-page elements such as titles (H1, H2, etc.), the internal networking and alt attributes for images. Each of these elements must be consistent and reflect the general meaning of your content and associated queries.

7. External mesh

External links, i.e. links pointing to your site from other websites, also play an important role in semantic search. Visit backlinks from authoritative sites in your sector can increase the relevance of your content in the eyes of search engines.

8. Structured data

The structured data is information added to your code HTML to help search engines better understand your content. The use of diagrams, for example, can facilitate the semantic interpretation of your website and give you an advantage in terms of visibility in search results.

9. The importance of social networks

Signals from social networks, such as shares, likes and comments, can also influence how your site is perceived by search engines in terms of semantics. Interactions on social networks can reflect the public's interest in your content and its relevance to the keywords searched for.

10. Measurement and continuous improvement

As the SEO landscape is constantly evolving, it's essential to regularly measure your website's performance and make improvements based on the changes you observe.

Tools such as Google Analytics and Google Search Console will help you track key SEO metrics related to semantic search, such as click-through rates, impressions and average position in search results.

In conclusion, semantic search plays a key role in search engine optimisation (SEO), as it provides a better understanding of user queries and helps to promote relevant, high-quality content.

To take advantage of this approach, it is crucial to adopt a holistic SEO strategy, taking into account users' intentions, the linguistic context and all the on-page and off-page elements.