RankBrain is a self-learning AI-system from Google, which has been an integral component of the overarching Google search algorithm Hummingbird is in use. Its main task is to Intention behind Keywords and Search phrases to interpret the relevance of the Search results for the user.
How RankBrain works
The functionality of RankBrain is based on machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Google receives billions of search queries every day, and around 15 to 16 percent of these queries have never been made in this exact form before. This includes new terms, colloquial expressions, neologisms or complex long-tail phrases. RankBrain was developed to effectively process these novel or ambiguous search queries.
The system converts the spoken language of search queries into mathematical vectors, also known as „distributed representations“. By comparing these vectors with already known patterns, RankBrain can recognize similarities in meaning and better interpret user intent, even if the exact words are not available in Google's database. This continuous learning process enables RankBrain to constantly improve its precision in interpreting search queries and deliver more relevant results.
RankBrain and its importance for SEO
RankBrain has the Search engine optimization (SEO) by focusing even more strongly on the user intention and the semantic relevance of Contents directs. Google itself has described RankBrain in the past as one of the most important Ranking factors designated, according to content and Backlinks. Even if the exact influence of the further development of the Google algorithm by other AI technologies as BERT was added, its fundamental importance for the interpretation of search queries remains.
For webmasters and SEO experts, this means that optimization is no longer primarily aimed at individual keywords, but at providing comprehensive, high-quality content that answers users' actual needs and questions. A good user experience, low Bounce rates and a high dwell time on the website are indirect signals that help RankBrain to assess the relevance of a page for a specific search query. The creation of semantically relevant keyword clusters and the use of natural language patterns promote the comprehensibility of content for RankBrain and other Google AI components.
