Google is advancing towards major changes which do not seem quite distant. It seems that the users will have to rely less on search queries. And it’s not just about the end of SERPs; it is mainly about the fundamental changes.
In this scenario, it is important to discuss what those changes mean for SEO.
Google Discover
Google Discover is basically a content recommendation system which suggests websites and webpages based on search history and preferences. The concept of this system is not new as it was first introduced in December 2016 with a name of Google Feed. Google later made that feed a part of the Google homepage.
The recent revamp and rebranding brought with it some features which are worth talking about.
- Topic headers for categorization of feeds.
- More videos and images.
- Evergreen content
- Toggle that tells Google about the content that you want to see.
It is worth mentioning that development of Google Discover is not a revolutionary step. As a matter of fact, it is an overdue. Nevertheless, this feature seems to set a direction regarding how users will interact with the content in the future.
Google Assistant
Many of the Google users are not quite aware of the Google Assistant but it is a fact that this feature of Google is actually a revolution. It was first launched in February 2017 and its users instantly felt this change to be more like an upgrade to Google Now.
With the growth of this feature, the Google users will be able to find a new way to interact with the web while decreasing reliance on search.
The major tasks Google Assistant can perform mainly include:
- Searching on the web
- Scheduling alarms and events
- Displaying information about Google account
- Adjusting the settings of device
The most amazing and crucial difference between Google Assistant and Google Search is that Google Assistant allows users to get results from the internet without even looking at device.
Another capability of this feature is that it can identify different types of pictures.
SEO without search
The features mentioned above mainly aim at allowing users to interact with the web without having to enter queries. Google Discover tells suggests you the content based on your preferences and search history while Google Assistant’s search part will search for the queries based on your verbal instructions. In both these scenarios, it may be quite challenging for the marketers to develop SEO strategies. The reason is that they will have to think above the optimization of search queries.
The important recommendation in this regard is to focus more on content rather than entirely focusing the search queries. The reason is that you might not be able to beat Google when it is focusing on searching within itself rather than bothering users to do the searches. The more the Google pays attention to its users, the more challenging it becomes for the marketers to comply with the Google rules. However, you will certainly be able to do well if you focus on users rather than paying huge attention to how Google works.