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A recent article by Mikhail Sazonov touched on an interesting topic: how SEO specialists are trying to find ways to bypass the new Yandex algorithm called “Baden-Baden”.
Baden-Baden was launched without fanfare. This algorithm, in a brief summary, is aimed at combating texts specifically written for search engines. SEOs are actively discussing it on blogs, expecting a blow to their methods. In response, Yandex claims that the main ranking factor is the usefulness of the text for users, and everything else depends on the work of neural networks, which, by the way, even the search engine developers themselves cannot accurately predict.
Here we can clearly see the desire of optimizers to find a new hack, but not to follow the standards. The problem with the Baden-Baden algorithm for them is that these standards do not seem to exist. Or they are known only to the neural network on which the algorithm runs. Just recently, two Facebook bots began speaking in their own language, which surprised the developers. How many surprises will Baden-Baden have in store for SEO specialists when the neural network learns to operate?
Mikhail Sazonov suggests that the Baden-Baden algorithm will actually destroy SEO as a science of numbers. SEO specialists have always tried to work with numbers: the number of links, characters, keywords, checking this data against benchmark tables. This created the illusion of a scientific approach, where deception of search engine algorithms became something reasonable. Let us recall the match between G. Kasparov and Deep Blue, after which the champion continued to doubt that a computer could defeat a human in chess. However, in 1997, Deep Blue II still won. It looks like search engines have gotten smarter and can now quickly fix vulnerabilities in their algorithms without waiting for major updates. The rules of the game are becoming less and less predictable, and finding a universal key to success is becoming increasingly difficult.
Optimizers have always loved to analyze the top search results and calculate the average number of characters in the texts of the best pages. However, a Yandex representative said that if the text on a page does not make sense, then its presence, on the contrary, reduces the page’s ranking. The author of the article describes this situation as “professional cretinism.” Yandex, in turn, makes it clear that it is not going to continue playing numbers with optimizers. SEO specialists can be understood: they are looking for the easiest way to achieve results. Who wants to write for people if all their life they have been rewriting other people’s texts in other words, using copy-paste from other TOP sites?
The problem may not be with the optimizers, but with Yandex. If gray promotion methods are still working, then they are unlikely to disappear anytime soon. It’s surprising that Yandex allows you to manipulate “accounts and forecasts” so actively. But whether Baden-Baden will truly learn to deal with SEO perversions remains a question. However, a trend is already clearly emerging.
Title and description were also targeted. Now Yandex is actively looking for re-optimization in these elements. This means that one of the most important tools is being taken away from optimizers, but the actions of the search engine are logical. Title and description may be too attractive for search engines, but at the same time misleading to users if they do not correspond to the content of the page. Headings with several keywords and 160 characters in snippets are no longer what you want to read. Spam in the title is unacceptable, but the title itself should clearly show what the article is about.
Mikhail Sazonov suggests that Yandex will eventually force SEO specialists to create texts focused on people, not algorithms. Now more and more complex technical specification generators for writing content are appearing on the market. Very strict tasks are already written for them on exchanges: “Text for 1245 characters, 10 occurrences of keys, 9 points according to Glavred and no more than 10% water.” Have you ever read articles like this? This will be absolutely meaningless text that will not benefit anyone except the search engine.
SEO is not dying, and SEOs are still useful for a website if they take modern realities into account. But someone needs to put an end to the degradation of SEO sales articles, and I don't mind if Yandex does it.
If you have questions about SEO, write to the SEO studio "SEO COMPUTER" at info@seo.computer.
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