Thread by @semrush

Will Google ever be able to understand every word on every page perfectly? No.

But perfection is not a prerequisite for where things are headed…

“Usability” is the future of SEO.

Sounds nuts?! Here’s why it’s not:

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

There’s a convergence set to shake SEO big time.

#1 Google’s ability to understand what the heck is on your pages
#2 CMSes getting pretty good at handling the basics of tech SEO

(

https://twitter.com/JohnMu/status/1361258962767777792

)

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

Let’s have some fun. Let’s play this out to its logical end. Google can understand everything & CMSes handle all tech SEO (again, just playing things out).

How is that? @mordyoberstein #SEOThread

Let’s say 2 pages have pretty much the same content compared to a laptop. Both relevant to whatever query except one has some tables & graphs while the other just text.

In terms of the user’s experience, which page is better? The one w. The visuals.

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

When Google gets so good at understanding the content from a relevance/quality POV usability comes strongly into focus.

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

Things like, which page is more efficient at presenting info become extremely important. Once you get past worrying about relevance/quality per se, you get to go all-in on analyzing which page better transmits that relevant & quality info! Usability.

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

So even if Google understands content perfectly… you still need to worry about which page does a better job transmitting that information?!

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

Meaning, things like having the right format, page structure, internal linking, & tone at the right time for the right audience becomes REALLY imp!

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

The same applies from the tech side of things. You see it already with CWV. How the page performs is going to be so much more important. And I’m talking beyond CWV, at least CWV as they are now.

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

There’s clearly a ton that goes into making a site more usable from technical POV from 404 pages to broken links & beyond. (Not to discount things like noindexing your pages, obviously!)

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

So, Google nor any CMS is never going to be perfect but as we inch in that direction usability is going to become a real thing. How effective & efficient is a page or a site at delivering its message?

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread

Perhaps you can think about the future of SEO like this: It will be less about doing things to have your pages understood by Google & more about proving those pages are worthwhile.

@mordyoberstein #SEOThread