Artificial intelligence is no longer an abstract notion that was mentioned in fiction films many years ago. It has become an inevitable part of our lives due to its utilization in many industries. In particular, machine learning as a branch of artificial intelligence is also widely used in search engine algorithms. This means that SEO and link-building strategies should also be adjusted according to the new requirements of the AI-based algorithms.
Why is link building important?
Webmasters heavily rely on link building because this tactic is extremely powerful when it comes to boosting website ranking. The process of link building is not easy though as it requires a lot of time and effort. However, the investments in link building bear fruit which results in ongoing stable organic traffic.
Gaining backlinks on the web is certainly possible without dedicating much attention to it but this approach works mainly for already well-known brands. Other websites also may include a link to a certain website in case its content is of high quality and contains valuable information. Even though such things might also happen to your website as well, this does not often reveal the full power of link building.
To let more people know about the website, there is a well-known approach that implies creating an outreach campaign. That way marketers reach out to webmasters of other online resources asking them to link back.
With the implementation of machine learning in search engine algorithms, websites and backlinks are no longer analyzed by agents but by AI-based systems. Those are usually embedded algorithmic structures that work based on certain rules developed during machine learning. In particular, they scan the links incoming to your website and analyze them. They also aim to detect whether those backlinks are legitimate and come from businesses in the same industry.
How is machine learning implemented in search engines?
The process of analyzing websites is rather complex as it has to consider many factors for ranking. Probably 20 years ago the process of website ranking was done manually by Google agents, but nowadays that all is taken over by algorithms.
A typical algorithm is developed based on the series of so-called educational procedures described in the programming code. Basically, the embedded AI-based system learns to distinguish what is right or wrong, in simple words, by undergoing a series of pattern recognition procedures.
The most well-known algorithms are Penguin and Panda that are implemented within the biggest search engine Google. Panda concentrates on the content analyzes of the web pages, while Penguin is dedicated to monitoring the backlink profiles of the websites. Other search engines also have their proprietary algorithms designed for analyzing websites and developing their rankings.
As technologies go further, algorithms are also updated and improved to provide better search results to users on the web. Subsequently, the rules utilized by algorithms when analyzing websites and backlink profiles change. When such updates occur, algorithms start paying attention to particular parts of the websites and their characteristics. That is why marketers need to go in line with them in order to understand how to perform their SEO activities and refine SEO strategy.
How does machine learning influence SEO link building?
Even if you already have a strong backlink profile and your website performs well, you need to keep track of any changes in search engine algorithms. You can also improve backlinks profile with AI to make sure that it meets the most recent trends.
In case you just start the process of link building, you should also learn the most recent rules applied by search engines for ranking websites. Those basically refer to the currently used machine learning principles and their implementation in search algorithms. In simple terms, it means that you have to discover which aspects mean much for Google or other search engines.
Observing a website on the first page of SERP is a cherished dream for marketers and webmasters. Link building is capable of making those dreams come true, however, it is always important to not exaggerate. Thus, gaining backlinks at the speed of light won’t probably bring the expected results as search engine algorithms would consider that suspicious. Expand your backlink profile gradually to gain stable and continuous traffic growth.
The quality of backlinks is as important as their quantity. Recent updates in search engine algorithms based on machine learning have a sharper eye on the backlinks coming from forums and comments. It means that they pay more attention to them as many spammy links are created that way. As time goes by and SEO rules implemented in those algorithms get updated, you should always keep track of them.
Another important factor to consider is the relevance of the backlinks leading to your website. They should definitely come from the websites owned by those businesses that operate in the industry adjacent to yours. Owing to machine learning, search engines can now understand when the link is relevant and when not.
Thomas Lore is a 25-year old writer. As a creative and diligent freelance blogger, he is always seeking new ways to improve himself.