SEO Bootcamp: Learn the Basics of SEO in 2 Weeks (2016)
Chapter 2. Limitations of the search technology
The search engine is the most popular tool for looking for information on the web. However, even with all the improvements in search algorithm and page crawling technology, this tool still has plenty of limitations. For instance, a search engine cannot directly tell on its own if a webpage is relevant to users after crawling and indexing it. It needs to look for more clues in order to know if a certain page should be on the top of the search results for certain keywords.
Your job as a webmaster and search marketer is to provide search engines with the clues they will need to put you on the top result. Search engine experts refer to these clues as ranking factors. Ranking factors are the information that search engine spiders look for when they arrive at your website. They compile these ranking factors during indexing. A webpage’s position in the search results for keywords will depend on how well their ranking scores are, based on these factors.
Even when considering hundreds of ranking factors, search engines still have many limitations.
What are the limitations of search engines?
· Crawler bots rely on links to get around
The search engine crawlers’ purpose is to make a virtual map of the entire searchable internet, and by that, we mean the parts of the internet that regular people can access. To jump from one page to another, they use hyperlinks in the pages that they crawl. These digital bridges are an important ranking factor.
If there are some pages in your website that does not have a link leading to it, you should expect that it will not be indexed and not show up in search result pages.
· They cannot crawl to pages protected by online forms
It is common for websites to ask their visitors to become members. To become one, you need to fill up a membership form. Search engines are not equipped with the programing to fill up all types of forms. Because of this, they cannot crawl any information that webmasters exclusively show to members.
· They are specialized for text-content
Search engine crawlers specialize in gathering information from text-based websites. Their ability to collect and organize information from non-text content is severely limited. A crawler bot for example will not be able to tell on its own, how a picture looks. They also face similar challenges with video, audio, image, flash and plug-in contents.
To work around this, search companies ask webmasters to include text information with these contents. Without this additional information, certain types of content in a webpage will not be given much weight when ranking it.
· They require keywords to match
When a user uses the search engine, they generally type in a phrase that describes what they are looking for. The search engine algorithm has evolved and they are more capable than ever to provide you with relevant webpages 90% of the time. Users may run into some issues however if they are not using the right terms. Millions of users use uncommon terms when searching for something unfamiliar.
This limitation is common among people who are new to the English language. When they do not know the word for something, they may use adjectives to describe it. A native English speaker will know what he may be trying to say but search engines do not have the programming to understand what a non-native speaker may be asking for.
This issue also becomes difficult to work with when we are using language subtleties that are unfamiliar for the search AI. The difference in spelling of the same words among different English speaking countries for example will affect your search result ranking. If you use“behaviour” in place of“behavior” consistently for example, the search engine may think that your webpage is designed for British users. This will affect your ranking among American users.
Success in search marketing will greatly depend on your knowledge of the language that you are working with. If you are targeting a specific minority group as prospect visitors for your website for example, you should know the subtle differences in their use of language. It also helps of you have knowledge of their searching behavior.
· Proper names vs general names
Because of the dependence on keywords, search engines also have the challenge of reading words in the right context. This challenge becomes more difficult as users use keywords that have multiple meanings. For example, popular culture has been using the word“black” quite extensively. There are songs, movies, and brands that contain that word. People who type them in search may also be referring to the color of an item they are looking for. Because of this, search engine users tend to make longer phrases when they search to make the results more specific to their needs. Because of this search behavior, webmasters started targeting long-tail keywords. These are phrases that people usually use when searching. They are more than three words long and they refer to very specific needs of the searcher.
The search technology is constantly changing. Engineers are continuing to develop new forms of technology so the A.I. can work around these limitations. It is because of these limitations that we need to optimize our webpages for both users and the search engines.
Activity for Days 3 and 4:
You should take the time to review the limitations of search engines discussed in this chapter and think of the difficulties of your prospective visitors in reaching your website through the search engines.
You should also take the time to check your website’s visibility in search engine results page. Use generic keywords and phrases for your industry or niche. If you cannot find your website in the first three pages, you need to do a lot of work. If you are in the top three pages but you are not in the first page, your goal is to climb up the ladder. Regardless of your position, you should use the strategies and information in this book to improve your website’s ranking.