Google Rolls Out BERT Globally
The BERT update was first launched in October in the United States only. But just recently, Google announced that it had rolled out BERT globally in 72 languages. This is set to affect the flow of traffic and rankings of websites, both globally and internationally.
So how does BERT work?
BERT is an algorithm that Google described as the biggest update in search for the past five years. With BERT being a milestone update, many website owners are starting to get panicky about its effect.
First of all, BERT affects how Google interprets search. Instead of interpreting the query based on individual word meanings, it’s now identifying the whole context with the help of BERT.
Through this process, internet users will receive better search results. On the other hand, website owners will lose low-quality traffic.
Moreover, BERT is expected to affect only 10% of all searchers, the same scale as it was launched in the U.S. months ago.
This deep-learning system will also directly affect rankings based on the relevance of the webpages to the entered search query.
How it affects international searches
As for the effect of BERT on international search, it would be the same as its effects in the U.S. but on a larger scale.
First, websites will experience a decrease in traffic. Since the BERT algorithm improves search results, you will lose low-quality traffic. Still, the decline should not be massive. If it does, you may want to check for penalties that are causing the problem.
Also, BERT will affect how featured snippets are generated. You may notice that your pages are no longer displaying rich snippets while others will be surprised that theirs are enjoying this benefit.
Still, this doesn’t mean that Google is giving favor to other websites. It just happened that other websites are well-optimized for the new algorithm. Also, you should note that BERT will not penalize webpages.
If you received any penalties, this is due to other algorithms or violations of Google guidelines.
The positive effect of BERT
Overall, BERT has a positive effect on both internet users and website owners.
Internet users will see more relevant results for their queries. In return, website owners will enjoy high-quality leads. In short, Google is re-aligning its search results to drive traffic to webpages that are more relevant to the query.
How to react to BERT
There’s nothing you have to do about BERT. As long as you produce high-quality and relevant content, you can survive this update. Google itself emphasized that BERT is just a change in how they interpret search queries.
On your end, all you have to do is to ensure that your content is highly relevant to your business and niche. Also, you can boost your optimization to improve your rankings.
Final words
The BERT update has revolutionized the way Google interprets search results. It’s a new update, but it will surely bring a positive change for the search engine. Besides, there’s nothing you should do about it. Just continue optimizing with relevant content and performing SEO efforts.
