The semantic field is based on optimizing the accuracy of searches to provide more relevant results. This new way of doing SEO is about understanding the intent of the searcher and the contextual meaning of the terms arranged in the search bar.

Born with the Colibri algorithm

This new method of referencing was born the day Google launched its Hummingbird (Colibri) algorithm, in mid-2013. At that stage, few of us imagined that this would radically change the way we do SEO.

Until then, the search engine only understood the keywords and their synonyms. So after each search, it would read the words and search for them in its indexes linked to each keyword. He then showed results in the order determined by his algorithms. We can say that at the time, Google did not understand the meaning of searches or their intention. For the search engine, it was the keywords that caught its attention.

The beginning of human results

Based on the semantic field, search engines have started to deliver “more human” results. They now analyze in the search bar the position of the words and the relationship that the terms themselves have between them. Thus, Google has taken the plunge: it is now a response engine instead of a search engine.

To do this, he considered “entities”, an essential concept around this new way of doing SEO. It is no longer, from now on, a question of keywords, but of entities which can be an object, a person, an event, etc. So when you type a common term into the search bar, instead of seeing it as a keyword, the search engine sees it as an entity. 

These terms must be integrated into our texts. They must be “co-occurring” to give strong signals to the search engine on the subject of our content. Co-occurrence doesn’t just mean appearing in the same text, but also how often keywords appear together and how close they are.

Based on the analysis of millions of documents, search engines determine that certain terms tend to co-occur in documents that deal with a certain subject. When we include them in our text, we signal to the search engine that our article is also on this topic.

The importance of semantically related words

There are other terms that the search engine understands as words that relate to the semantic field. These are mainly:

  • Variations by sex: the search engine understands that if the search contains the pronoun “he”, the result will be masculine, and if it includes the article “la”, the result will be feminine.
  • Variations in the singular and in the plural: according to research, the SERP shows results in the singular or in the plural, by understanding the intention of the Internet user.
  • Synonyms: the search engine can interpret synonyms. The result will, therefore, always remain the same.

How to take advantage of the semantic field?

At this point, you already understand that semantic searches are more specific. They, therefore, go beyond the exclusive focus on keywords. To do this, we will check the following points:

Determine the entities corresponding to each page

It will therefore be essential to define the entities that correspond to each of the internal pages of your website. Keep in mind that entities represent terms with multiple definitions, whether it is a person, a place, an object, an event, etc.

To find the entities, you can use tools like Semantria, TextRazor, or AlchemyAPI. However, these tools work best with information in English. So look for an authority website that has information on the topic you want to cover to find entities related to that topic.

Integrate entities indirectly

Of course, this integration must be achieved through your content. The words you use in your text should send a clear signal to the search engine about the entity’s identity to promote their interpretation.

It will not be enough to use synonyms; it will be necessary to go further. If your article deals with, for example, “diets”, entering “plan”, “diet plan”, etc., will not suffice. You will need to create a context that accompanies these terms, that is, define other words that are related to each other and give a clear message of their meaning. Ensure that the related times are as close to each other and that their frequency is high.

If you take advantage of the semantic field, you can improve your website’s position in search engines, and as a result, get more potential traffic.
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