If you have accessed social networks in recent days, you are probably already aware of the news about Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools that are moving the market.
On the one hand, Microsoft will invest heavily in ChatGPT’s technology, an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by OpenAI, which must be incorporated into the Bing search service. On the other hand, Google was ahead in announcing Bard, an intelligent chatbot that should integrate Google Search in the near future.
In the middle of this dispute are users, SEO professionals and brands. Everyone is keeping an eye on the consequences that this change can bring to their day-to-day activities, to strategies for Content Marketing and for business.
Next, I talk about what the implementation of artificial intelligence in search engines can mean for the future of SEO and how brands and professionals can prepare.
It all started with ChatGPT
ChatGPT emerged in late 2022 as an artificial intelligence language model trained by OpenAI. The tool can be used in conversational applications, virtual assistance systems and many other applications where human interaction with text is important.
Intelligent chatbots are nothing new. However, ChatGPT caught the attention of the entire internet for the ability to generate coherent texts and answer questions on a huge variety of topics, all in a natural way.
And, of course, the news would attract the attention of the tech giants. Recently, Microsoft announced a $10 billion investment in the owner of the tool, with the aim of integrating the model into its search engine, Bing.
And if ChatGPT has already moved the market, the turbocharged version of Bing can mean an even bigger revolution in the way we find information online. The technology incorporated by the engine is even more powerful than GPT-3.5, the current model of ChatGPT. This is because it must have a more updated and evolved version of the AI, GPT-4.
Google joins the fray
Google doesn’t want to be left behind. The company has been on alert since last year, as the launch of ChatGPT could pose a threat to its leadership in the online search market.
A few days before Microsoft’s official announcement regarding the future of Bing, Google announced Bard. It is a chatbot similar to that of OpenAI, however, with LaMDA technology, from Google itself.
The company hasn’t given much detail about Bard’s features and power. However, they intend to make access available to the public in the coming weeks. What we do know is that the company invested $300 million into the Artificial Intelligence company Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI researchers.
Apparently, the fight will be good, considering the history of rivalry between the two companies and the importance that the incorporation of an intelligent chatbot can mean for search engines as we know them today.
The future of search engines
All of this news isn’t just impacting Microsoft and Google investors. Advancing in the incorporation of artificial intelligence to search engines in an efficient way can bring the next great internet revolution.
The way we deal with online searches today can change completely. Search results will be shorter, simpler and more objective. The experience will be more humanized, since it will be based on natural language. In addition, we will be more agile in the search for specific answers.
More than having a quick and accurate answer, this type of intelligent tool can be associated with different activities of our day to day, whether for our personal lives or for activities related to our work routine.
It will be possible to summarize articles, change the tone of voice of texts, build lists, write pieces of code… The possibilities are literally endless.
However, not everything is rainbows and butterflies. Like ChatGPT, Bing doesn’t always get the answer right. It is possible to see the tool deviating from the proposed theme and even bringing untrue information about a certain subject or news.
Another controversial issue is related to the authorial rights of the contents that serve as a source for the AI engine. This is because chatbots like ChatGPT use existing content as a basis for creating their responses. However, it seems impossible to detect plagiarism or be sure of the source of the information used.
Apparently, technology still has a long way to go. But, judging by the beginning, it can already be considered revolutionary.
How to Prepare for the Future of SEO
If there is a technology capable of creating content and bringing (almost) satisfactory answers, what about the future of SEO and brands that want to attract clicks on the first page of search engines?
Next, I bring some tips and possible trends that should be considered in this context by professionals who want to get ahead of the changes.
Offer what artificial intelligence cannot deliver
The AI is good at delivering what it can find on the internet. That’s why focusing on more humanized content can be a good outlet for brands that want to stand out and attract more visitors.
For this, it may be interesting to explore individual experiences, bring new perspectives to a given subject and focus on exclusive content. Offer what the public can’t find on any other page.
Focus more and more on quality
I never tire of repeating: quality is a fundamental part of a good SEO strategy. Natural language-based chatbots mimic human language very well, but — at least so far — they aren’t great at it.
Have you ever had the experience of doing a Google search and coming across dozens of articles that say the same thing, but with different words? Well, creating quality content will set you apart from competitors and possibly artificial intelligence.
That’s why one should invest in creating quality content written on the basis of research, by experienced professionals, who have mastered specific subjects and techniques of SEO and conversion.
Produce niche content
A trend that is on the rise in Content Marketing and can be a good strategy in this context is the production of niche content, aimed at specific audiences and sectors.
For example, instead of just writing about “X benefits of Y for the market”, write more specifically about “X benefits of Y for market Z”, and so on. Being more specific can help you not only target the right audience, but stand out from intelligent chatbots, which tend to be more generalist.
Tests, tests, tests
Last but not least, test! We still don’t know all the implications that artificial intelligence will bring to SEO. Will Google lose leadership of the search engine market? Will there be new SEO rules for optimizing websites? How will the links be displayed on the SERP?
We still don’t have the answer to these and other questions. However, having strategic thinking and understanding the market are differentials that will continue to be valid regardless of what the future holds. Therefore, follow the changes, understand the possibilities and put into practice what you believe can bring good results.
The internet has gone through several transformations and incorporated new technologies over the years. Even in the case of a change that promises to revolutionize the market, there will always be ways to take advantage of the news.
Remember, take advantage of artificial intelligence to optimize your strategy and process, but do not give up the differentials that only human intelligence can offer.
After all, why would a user click through to your site to consume AI-created content if the search engines will already deliver it at the top of the results page?
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