Google Algorithm Updates & How AI Search Engine ‘Magi’ Affects Your SEO

Google’s March 2023 Algorithm Core Update

Google is constantly refreshing its search algorithms via seemingly unnoticeable small updates. However, core updates occur every few months, most recently in March 2023 and before that in September 2022. When Google undergoes a major update, changes to the search engine occur which affects the SERP (search engine results page). On March 15th 2023, such changes were introduced to further enhance how the SERP ranks content and to ultimately amplify the user experience. It’s important for marketers to understand these Google algorithm updates in order to assess how their content can be improved and rank higher in Google's search results.

Features of the update

Within this core update, Google aims to improve their overall assessment of content and reward relevant, up-to-date and unique web pages. It isn’t purposed for any specific site type and targets all types of content across regions and languages, identifying naturally occurring changes across the internet. The updated algorithm seeks to deliver content which is reliable, valuable and centred around the user experience. These changes support Google’s desire to promote E-E-A-T content - that which demonstrates experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness.?

How does this update affect you?

All businesses must consider Google’s algorithm updates, as it can impact their website’s traffic, conversions and keyword positioning. Whilst the core update can positively impact a website, such as causing a page that was previously under-rewarded to rank higher in search results, it can also do the opposite. The ‘black-hat’ SEO community will be largely negatively affected, as they use tactics which violate Google’s guidelines and terms of service in order to rank higher in the SERPs. However, it still might be too soon to determine the outcome as Google’s crawlers need time to index and reassess webpages.?

It’s advised to take action and self-assess your content in light of Google’s core algorithm update. It may be useful to adapt your strategies, monitor your content and optimise your technical SEO techniques. Google suggests focusing your efforts on creating quality content that is helpful and reliable, and provides advice on how to successfully prioritise a seamless user experience.

How Google Magi Affects SEO

Now you’re up to date on Google algorithm updates, how much have you heard about AI? Maybe you’ve seen a Dall-E-generated image of Shrek using Nicholas Cage as a toothbrush? Artificial intelligence (AI) has had a fun run as the internet's new toy, but things are getting serious now Google has entered the game. Google is the search engine of choice for 92.61% of the world population, so their new project ‘Magi’ could make big waves for marketers. Magi will use AI to provide personalised, conversational responses to search prompts. But this leaves a big question mark over future search engine optimization practices.

The Scramble to AI

OpenAI got ahead of Google in the AI field with ChatGPT. This functions like a chatbot, responding to prompts that can range from simple everyday queries to writing short stories. It uses a large language model, or simply put, an algorithm that takes in and chews up masses of text data and spits out human-like responses.?

This has all been fun and memes. But with its primary investor and partner, Microsoft launching a similar chatbot technology on its search engine 'Bing', ears have perked up. All eyes have been on this new technology since its launch in November 2022, leaving whispers of a power shift in the search engine world looming over Google.?

Samsung has recently aggravated this with rumours of replacing Google with Bing as their smartphone's default search engine. If this follows through it would cut Google out of a 26.1% worldwide share of smartphone user searches. So of course, Google has quick-stepped into AI-centred search with Magi.

What is Google Magi?

Magi will be a new AI-powered search engine from Google that aims to respond to search queries in a conversational way. It uses AI to understand your query and respond with results that match your search's context. The response it gives will mimic natural speech from a real person instead of snippets from articles or websites. This aims to provide more specific and personalised results.

This sounds kind of like Google Bard which has already launched in selected markets, mostly in the US and UK. However, Magi will learn your needs based on past searches and behaviour, to answer your queries in real-life contexts. The features are also more advanced than Bard. It will allow purchase transactions and Google ads; a key contributor to Google and many companies' revenue.

Optimise for Magi

With Magi still in the learning stages, the features and SEO metrics are still up in the air. This is something we're used to with frequent Google algorithm updates. But we can work from what we do know to ensure we aren’t left in the dust of the AI search sprint. Here are some potential SEO best practices for Magi.

1.Conversational Language

We know Magi is using its AI algorithms to respond in a conversational, human-esque way. Writing in a conversational tone that matches the natural speech of your field can help create AI-friendly content.

2.Query-Driven Content

This is already a large part of SEO content but could become even more nuanced and situational. As Magi’s algorithm uses people's past searches to guess the context queries, writing on more nuanced topics could help signpost Magi to matching responses.?

3.Unique Content

As AI replaces website snippets in the search results page, actual clicks through to websites are up in the air. Creating content that provides a unique use or benefit to users could help entice users off Magi’s results page and onto your website.?

4.User Retention

Changes in click-through rates will mean content goals need to focus on returning users or page bookmarking to ensure site visits. Utilising all sources of traffic alongside AI can keep your views more stable until we can be sure of Magi’s SEO metrics.

5.n-Depth Research

This applies to your user’s needs and questions as searches become even more specific and query focused. We need to deeply research target audiences and create informed content plans around their needs.

6.Re-Optimise

Although Google's current search platform is not going anywhere fast, it could be an idea to re-optimise content for new AI searches. This is already a good idea for key content with more people using voice search devices and constant Google algorithm updates.

7.Conversions

Magi will function for online transactions and Google ads. However, there is no more detail on how these will look or work on the results page. It has been suggested that Google ads could change from the current, cost-per-click (CPC) model to a cost-per-action (CPA) model. With this, advertisers only pay when a user completes a specific action, such as a purchase.

8.Learn from existing AI search

While we wait for Google to bless us with this new technology, we can look to the existing AI tools. This can give us a sense of the format and direction of this technology and how to use it to inform our content plans.

Magi is still being tested and has no official release date. This means marketers still have time to learn and adapt their SEO practices to AI search engines. Leaning into new Google algorithm updates and the trends being set by voice search and current AI platforms seems like a good place to start. As we hear more about Magi it will be clear how AI search will affect marketers SEO.?