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== http://ezinearticles.com/members/mem_pics/Titus-Hoskins_1561.jpg Google's Last Dance - Could Semantic Search Mean The End Of Google? ==
As a full-time online marketer and webmaster I try to keep
my eyes peeled to what is happening with the search engines.
These complex creatures control the Internet. They truly
are the heart, soul and brains of the web.
Unfortunately, they also control the faith of many struggling
webmasters who are clawing their way to the top of SERPs in
organic search. Being listed on these first page results for
your chosen keyword phrases is the ultimate goal and it is
often the determining factor in the success of your site.
Recently, I have noticed some strange movements with my
closely watched keywords, especially in Google. Which
shouldn't alarm anyone because there are often sudden
movements and adjustments as Google tweaks and refines
its algorithm, the complex series of formulas it uses
to determine which pages and sites get featured.
(Side note: An excellent resource on Google's
Algorithm and ranking factors can be found here:
http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors#f41 )
It's way too early to jump to any conclusions but the big
question on everyone's mind: Is Google Moving Towards
Semantic Search?
Or more precisely will Google have to move to semantic
search if it has any chance of surviving in our 'here today
gone tomorrow' search world. Most of us old folks can easily
recall a pre-Google web. Is a post-Google web possible?
That's very hard to swallow but stranger things have
happened on the net. But the real question should be:
will Google have to embrace semantic search or perish?
Wikipedia defines Semantic Search or Semantic Web as the
evolving process of taking all the content on the world wide
web and "expressing it not only in natural language, but also
in a form that can be understood, interpreted and used by
software agents, thus permitting them to find, share and
integrate information more easily."
As can be imagined, finding the formats and framework which
all this data can be processed into meaningful responses
directly related to a search enquiry is mind boggling.
Technologies such as RDF(Resource Description Framework),
data interchange formats (e.g. RDF/XML, Turtle, N3, N-Triples),
RDFS (RDF Schema) and OWL (Web Ontology Language) will all
probably play a role. Many believe microformats will be
very important in this evolving semantic web.
New Semantic Search Engine
We now have our first search engine supposedly based on
semantics or meaning: Hakia (www.hakia.com). Is it the
first in a whole new wave of search engines generated
and powered by the Semantic Web which is now tagged as
Web 3.0? More importantly, can it compete against a
more text based search engine such as Google?
Hakia has some great features such as highlighting
potential answers to your posted question. For example,
ask it a question like: What is the population of Seattle?
And you will get an answer. But you will also get a gallery
page featuring all the relevant information about Seattle:
How to get there? Local Hotels, Restaurant Guides, Local
Weather...
Of course, do the same search in Google and you will also
find your information along with images and maps of Seattle.
However, using Hakia will show you the relevant information
faster because it is highlighted and easier to find. And in
my opinion having a whole gallery page of information somehow
makes your search more relevant and useful.
Can Google Compete?
Is this a better mousetrap? Maybe, maybe not... but it is
definitely pointing the way to a better method of searching
on the web.
Granted, this type of search engine has a long way to go
to match Google's massive resources and obvious dominance in
the search market. But even the most devoted Google user
like myself must admit Google's method of ranking pages
and content on the web is not without some flaws. Take
for example the issue of Google Bombing where different
webmasters influenced the listing of the keyword 'miserable
failure' to point to President Bush.
Google has now solved that problem but Google is basically
an elitist system where sites and content is judged by the
PR ranking system and its algorithm and filters. One would
like to believe it is a democratic system where the best and
highest quality content rises to the top. One would like
to...
For information is one thing but opinions and the quality
of those opinions is something entirely different. Will the
new semantic web/search be able to judge quality content and
rank it as good as Google presently does?
Problems For Webmasters
Regardless of how the whole Semantic Web scenario plays out,
it may have some consequences for webmasters and marketers.
At least in the initial stages until you can adjust or
optimize your sites to this new 400 pound Gorilla on the
block.
One major concern is how will the literal translation or semantic
meaning of your site's title and URL determine your placement
in a semantically themed search engine? Although most webmasters
know to place their major keywords in their site's domain name but
if you cover many topics within your site this is not always
possible.
Plus, does a semantic web mean everything will probably have
to be tagged to the nth degree as we are seeing in blogs, social
media and Web 2.0? Thankfully this can be easily done with free
software such as WordPress which has tagging already built into its
programming.
If we do get truly semantic search wouldn't on page factors play
an even greater role for ranking? Special care would have to be
taken as regards to your keywords and keyword variations. Great
care will also have to be taken with page Titles, Meta Tags and
your URLS.
I notice I am listed in Hakia for certain keywords but those have
the direct phrases in the URLS.
Keen observers will also note that Google is now listing five or
six related links in the number one SERPs position for certain
keyword phrases. All these links come from the same site but
are they more semantically related to the search enquiry than
traditional links we have seen in Google? Or are they more in
line with the gallery pages we see in Hakia?
Of course, jumping to any conclusions based on just one or two
examples is foolhardy to say the least. Especially where search
engines are concerned.
Brave New Internet
No doubt, Semantic Search or a Semantic Web poses some difficult
obstacles and challenges as we seek a more human response from
all those bits and bytes. For example, will semantic search mean
we will have more closely focused sites strictly sticking to the
topic of the url or domain name. Will the semantic web be more
restricting than liberating?
When it is all said and done, will we really be able to devise a
computer/machine/system that will be able to truly interpret the
vast stored knowledge and give us the right meaningful answers to
our questions? Will it be able to be programmed so its human enough
to not only understand but also interpret the subtle differences
and meanings we have for different words in the whole context of
a webpage?
Perhaps the most intriguing question, can someone take the present
day 'www index' and then apply microformats or even new technology
to this massive data and build a supplemental exclusive extension of
the present day web? Turn it into a more semantic 'natural language
search' accessible index. If such a gigantic feat was even feasible,
you would also have to wonder who could have the resources to make
such a creature possible!
As we have seen from Google a dance is not necessarily a dance
and a slap is not necessarily a slap. Could an index be more than
an index? It may be too early to tell but Google will probably be
better equipped to quickly adjust than anyone to this new Semantic
Web whatever shape or form it takes.
Long Live BackRub!
...
The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous niche
websites, including two sites on Internet Marketing. For the latest
and most effective web marketing tools try: Internet Marketing Tools
Or for the most powerful marketing software try:
Internet Marketing Software
Copyright © 2007 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed
if this resource box stays attached.
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As a full-time online marketer and webmaster I try to keep
my eyes peeled to what is happening with the search engines.
These complex creatures control the Internet. They truly
are the heart, soul and brains of the web.
Unfortunately, they also control the faith of many struggling
webmasters who are clawing their way to the top of SERPs in
organic search. Being listed on these first page results for
your chosen keyword phrases is the ultimate goal and it is
often the determining factor in the success of your site.
Recently, I have noticed some strange movements with my
closely watched keywords, especially in Google. Which
shouldn't alarm anyone because there are often sudden
movements and adjustments as Google tweaks and refines
its algorithm, the complex series of formulas it uses
to determine which pages and sites get featured.
(Side note: An excellent resource on Google's
Algorithm and ranking factors can be found here:
http://www.seomoz.org/article/search-ranking-factors#f41 )
It's way too early to jump to any conclusions but the big
question on everyone's mind: Is Google Moving Towards
Semantic Search?
Or more precisely will Google have to move to semantic
search if it has any chance of surviving in our 'here today
gone tomorrow' search world. Most of us old folks can easily
recall a pre-Google web. Is a post-Google web possible?
That's very hard to swallow but stranger things have
happened on the net. But the real question should be:
will Google have to embrace semantic search or perish?
Wikipedia defines Semantic Search or Semantic Web as the
evolving process of taking all the content on the world wide
web and "expressing it not only in natural language, but also
in a form that can be understood, interpreted and used by
software agents, thus permitting them to find, share and
integrate information more easily."
As can be imagined, finding the formats and framework which
all this data can be processed into meaningful responses
directly related to a search enquiry is mind boggling.
Technologies such as RDF(Resource Description Framework),
data interchange formats (e.g. RDF/XML, Turtle, N3, N-Triples),
RDFS (RDF Schema) and OWL (Web Ontology Language) will all
probably play a role. Many believe microformats will be
very important in this evolving semantic web.
New Semantic Search Engine
We now have our first search engine supposedly based on
semantics or meaning: Hakia (www.hakia.com). Is it the
first in a whole new wave of search engines generated
and powered by the Semantic Web which is now tagged as
Web 3.0? More importantly, can it compete against a
more text based search engine such as Google?
Hakia has some great features such as highlighting
potential answers to your posted question. For example,
ask it a question like: What is the population of Seattle?
And you will get an answer. But you will also get a gallery
page featuring all the relevant information about Seattle:
How to get there? Local Hotels, Restaurant Guides, Local
Weather...
Of course, do the same search in Google and you will also
find your information along with images and maps of Seattle.
However, using Hakia will show you the relevant information
faster because it is highlighted and easier to find. And in
my opinion having a whole gallery page of information somehow
makes your search more relevant and useful.
Can Google Compete?
Is this a better mousetrap? Maybe, maybe not... but it is
definitely pointing the way to a better method of searching
on the web.
Granted, this type of search engine has a long way to go
to match Google's massive resources and obvious dominance in
the search market. But even the most devoted Google user
like myself must admit Google's method of ranking pages
and content on the web is not without some flaws. Take
for example the issue of Google Bombing where different
webmasters influenced the listing of the keyword 'miserable
failure' to point to President Bush.
Google has now solved that problem but Google is basically
an elitist system where sites and content is judged by the
PR ranking system and its algorithm and filters. One would
like to believe it is a democratic system where the best and
highest quality content rises to the top. One would like
to...
For information is one thing but opinions and the quality
of those opinions is something entirely different. Will the
new semantic web/search be able to judge quality content and
rank it as good as Google presently does?
Problems For Webmasters
Regardless of how the whole Semantic Web scenario plays out,
it may have some consequences for webmasters and marketers.
At least in the initial stages until you can adjust or
optimize your sites to this new 400 pound Gorilla on the
block.
One major concern is how will the literal translation or semantic
meaning of your site's title and URL determine your placement
in a semantically themed search engine? Although most webmasters
know to place their major keywords in their site's domain name but
if you cover many topics within your site this is not always
possible.
Plus, does a semantic web mean everything will probably have
to be tagged to the nth degree as we are seeing in blogs, social
media and Web 2.0? Thankfully this can be easily done with free
software such as WordPress which has tagging already built into its
programming.
If we do get truly semantic search wouldn't on page factors play
an even greater role for ranking? Special care would have to be
taken as regards to your keywords and keyword variations. Great
care will also have to be taken with page Titles, Meta Tags and
your URLS.
I notice I am listed in Hakia for certain keywords but those have
the direct phrases in the URLS.
Keen observers will also note that Google is now listing five or
six related links in the number one SERPs position for certain
keyword phrases. All these links come from the same site but
are they more semantically related to the search enquiry than
traditional links we have seen in Google? Or are they more in
line with the gallery pages we see in Hakia?
Of course, jumping to any conclusions based on just one or two
examples is foolhardy to say the least. Especially where search
engines are concerned.
Brave New Internet
No doubt, Semantic Search or a Semantic Web poses some difficult
obstacles and challenges as we seek a more human response from
all those bits and bytes. For example, will semantic search mean
we will have more closely focused sites strictly sticking to the
topic of the url or domain name. Will the semantic web be more
restricting than liberating?
When it is all said and done, will we really be able to devise a
computer/machine/system that will be able to truly interpret the
vast stored knowledge and give us the right meaningful answers to
our questions? Will it be able to be programmed so its human enough
to not only understand but also interpret the subtle differences
and meanings we have for different words in the whole context of
a webpage?
Perhaps the most intriguing question, can someone take the present
day 'www index' and then apply microformats or even new technology
to this massive data and build a supplemental exclusive extension of
the present day web? Turn it into a more semantic 'natural language
search' accessible index. If such a gigantic feat was even feasible,
you would also have to wonder who could have the resources to make
such a creature possible!
As we have seen from Google a dance is not necessarily a dance
and a slap is not necessarily a slap. Could an index be more than
an index? It may be too early to tell but Google will probably be
better equipped to quickly adjust than anyone to this new Semantic
Web whatever shape or form it takes.
Long Live BackRub!
...
The author is a full-time online marketer who has numerous niche
websites, including two sites on Internet Marketing. For the latest
and most effective web marketing tools try: Internet Marketing Tools
Or for the most powerful marketing software try:
Internet Marketing Software
Copyright © 2007 Titus Hoskins. This article may be freely distributed
if this resource box stays attached.
{{QuickAdd
| City =
| State =
| Country =
| Phone =
| Email =
| Web =
| Contact =
| Title =
}}
=== Share this page ===
<sharethis />