Why now is the time to start caring about the Semantic Web

Segun Ogunsheye, head of web operations, WebNarrative (web division at MPG Media Contacts), explains why brands need to understand semantic technology right now…

What is the semantic web?

In a nutshell, the semantic web makes it easier for search engines to understand the exact meaning of any information published on the internet. By adding a bit of extra code (also referred to as semantic markup) to your web content, you increase your chances of being seen and standing out when users search for what you provide. Potential customers can be made aware of your features and services because search engines can now extract what’s relevant to the digital consumer and present this information with ease.

With Semantic technology being taken up by all the major search engines, it is becoming increasingly important for brands to comprehend the effect this has on their search ranking and the way information gets displayed in search engines.

What is Schema and why is it a game changer?

In June 2011, Google, Yahoo and Bing announced schema.org, which has introduced a new standard for Semantic ‘markup’ that makes it finally possible for search engines to make better sense of your web content and online information.

Indicative of how widespread the semantic web has and will become, schema.org is likely to become an industry standard and encourages best practise. Instead of having a number of markups to choose from, brands will now have just the one. Schema has future proofed and standardised an important part of the semantic web, which marks the dawn of a new age for online marketing. Its use by all leading search engines effectively forces brands to adopt it, or risk falling behind their competitors in search rankings and incurring reduced clickthrough rates.

How does semantic technology affect search rankings?

The vital part to remember when working out your digital strategy is that at this moment in time semantic web technology will not automatically increase search rankings. However, it will affect how results are being displayed via search, which can lead to increased clickthrough rates to your site – which, depending on how many consumers click through and engage with your site, can eventually effect how high your brand will appear in the ranks of natural search.

As an example, Google ‘Rich Snippets’ uses semantic information to display additional and relevant content such as product reviews, prices, addresses or dates for upcoming events, all of which benefits the consumer.

It makes it easier for the user to identify the results which are most relevant to them and as a result increases the quality of the consumer clicking through to your site.

One of the early adopters of semantic web technology was BestBuy, who reported an increase in organic search traffic of 30% after they made small changes to the code of their product pages.

So what does this mean for brands?

The launch of schema.org is the first indication of the semantic web going mainstream and makes the technology a ‘must have’ and important part of the SEO toolkit. Brands adopting this immediately are likely to increase their clickthrough rates and might also increase their search rankings. This will allow them to steal a march on any competitors who do not implement semantic technology, though the field will even out as more and more brands incorporate semantic markup into their web pages. Early adopters will by that time have built up the expertise to move on into more advanced uses of semantic technology and continue to stay ahead of their competition.