@FAQ: What is semantic search, is it important?

Yes, it is an Important Parameter to Consider for Search Ranking.

 

For a definition we will use Wikipedia:

Semantic search seeks to improve search accuracy by understanding searcher intent and the contextual meaning of terms as they appear in the searchable dataspace, whether on the Web or within a closed system, to generate more relevant results.

Today, people are becoming increasingly dependent on search engines. From education to information, from health tips to online shopping, from legal filings to entertainment; a lot of search happens everyday. And the demand for quality (relevant) search results is certainly increasing. Needless to say, major search engines are increasingly using semantic markup to put typed searches into context, and show the most accurate answers.

So when a user types “restaurants in Mumbai,’ he/she gets a set of responses that are specific to that location. And when the user asks for more specific queries, such as ‘Thai food in South Mumbai’ or ‘what is the best place to eat Thai food in South Mumbai’, search engines use semantic markup data to identify the most relevant websites / webpages through out the web. This is where the most important change in SEO has happened.

Google Hummingbird Update in 2013

With this update and its subsequent upgrades, Google today looks at the context in which a search query is used. And results depend on how specific a query a user is typing… Its algorithm then crunches a number of factors to deliver the most relevant results;

• User search history
• User location to filter results that are more relevant
• Global search history for related terms
• Results from variations in search query characteristics
• Linked domains on the same topic and more…

Craze Egg’s article on 14 Insights into Semantic Search and SEO is a beautiful roundup on why should we care about semantic search.