What is RankBrain?

Definition

RankBrain is an essential part of Google’s algorithm that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning. The goal is to learn more about users and how they react to search results – especially for previously unknown search queries. The program observes how people respond, learns the meaning behind the query and the information being searched for.

Of all the search queries that are entered on Google every day, about 15 percent of them are still completely unknown to the search engine. RankBrain was developed to help Google process these queries. It was launched in October 2015 and has since risen to become the third most important ranking indicator. Meanwhile, RankBrain is involved in most of the search queries on Google.

The importance of RankBrain

RankBrain was admittedly designed to help him focus on the yet unknown Google search queries. Nevertheless, Google has pointed out that as part of the algorithm, it is now a crucial factor in organic search. According to Google’s Senior Research Scientist, Greg Corrado, removing RankBrain would extremely hinder the user experience. In relation, that would be about like not indexing half the pages on Wikipedia properly.

How can I avoid being penalized by RankBrain?

While Google has not explained how exactly RankBrain will affect search. Most likely, though, it’s mostly important in helping the algorithm understand content and produce more accurate results. To keep your content ranking at a good level, you should consider the following steps:

1. Focus on creating high quality content. This should deal in detail with relevant topics and above all answer customer questions.
2. Use schema markup to make it easier for the algorithm to understand your content. While this doesn’t currently seem to have an impact on rankings, it’s possible that will change in the future as Google introduces more AI into its algorithm.
3. Monitor your traffic and conversion rates so you don’t miss any drops and increases. They can tell you if your efforts have been successful.

Relevance for SEO

RankBrain is a highly interesting advancement as it has integrated AI into the Google algorithm. It is likely that this trend will continue in the future, as the search engine is also working to make its algorithm smarter. Finally, the user experience should be maximized. By arming yourself with user-friendly content and RankBrain-friendly markup now, you can ensure that your sites are ready for any future algorithm changes.