Image representing MUM - Google update, the search beyond search box

The speculation is high that Google will roll out MUM very soon. But, are you ready for it? How is it going to impact SEO? Or, Is it going to kill SEO? Whoa! Wait! Let’s help you solve the MUM mystery step by step!

Google, as we all know, has always been keen on keeping website owners on their toes. They always came up with breakthrough changes shaking the digital marketing world, making it scamper around for the details. With each technology or algorithm update, SEO experts had to integrate a new set of guidelines or rules into their strategic plan. But, this latest announcement from the tech giant in May 2021 at the Google IO Conference is undoubtedly the most dramatic and mind-blowing one!

As a leading SEO agency in Chennai, we are here to help you learn the ropes of MUM. And, it is so exciting that we just can’t help but jump straight into the details.

Understanding MUM- The Multitask United Model

Google MUM is an AI-powered algorithm that can easily handle even the most complex search query within a matter of seconds. It is the latest search iteration and is undoubtedly the most technologically advanced version.

The concept behind MUM is considered to be 1000 times more powerful than the last iteration- BERT. MUM is specifically designed to analyse and generate reliable content, just as a human would do. MUM can also easily interpret videos, podcasts and images to retrieve information in 75 different languages. The primary goal of MUM is to handle complex search queries that require at least 8 searches to solve in the current scenario. Google is on the lookout to understand these searches and solve as many of them as possible on a single SERP.

If you are looking for a non-tech definition of MUM, then it is simply a powerhouse that can offer the best personalised search experience to anyone searching the internet. It makes it as easy as asking a doubt to a living human being. MUM is designed in such a way that it can easily break language barriers and scale globally.

MUM- The Quest to Understand Human Speech Better

Search engines started with keywords and then progressed to key phrases. Now, we are entering the realm of NLP ( Natural Language Processing) through BERT and the latest entrant, MUM.

As per the words of Google’s Vice President Pandu Nayak, the sole aim of MUM is to augment the user experience (UX). Let us now understand the concept of MUM using a simple example.

Imagine you want to know the authentic way to cook Hyderabadi Biriyani. You might use several search phrases like:

  • How to cook Hyderabadi Biriyani
  • Best Hyderabadi Biriyani recipe
  • Authentic Hyderabadi Biriyani recipe
  • Cook Hyderabadi Biriyani the local way.

In short, as per Nayak, you might have to use eight such search phrases to get the correct recipe you are looking for. This process of typing eight phrases to find the correct answer might be time-consuming for the user. Google’s first-ever NLP technology, BERT, solves this dilemma to a certain extent. It is capable of understanding the user’s natural language. It can easily understand whether you are looking for Hyderabadi Biriyani and not any other Biriyani or dish with almost the same name.

What Are the Changes Google MUM Will Introduce?

In simple words, MUM might impact your organic traffic in different ways, but not exactly in the way people might imagine. The one thing that differentiates MUM from the way Google carries out its search right now is that MUM is more intuitive.

Users will no longer have to break down their search into a series of keywords or phrases. Instead, they can simply ask a question and follow other similar questions. MUM will quickly understand what you have in your mind, just like a normal conversation you might have with your neighbour.

Impact of MUM on SEO- A Clear-Cut Analysis

The impending fear that MUM will kill SEO is not exactly true. Though there will definitely be noteworthy changes in the way content marketing works, the core concept will remain the same. The relevance of creating and publishing informative and engaging content consistently will remain the same.

In the post MUM era, you will notice that:

Keywords Won’t Matter Much

Users will no longer have to type in keywords to find the content they are looking for. The intuitive nature of MUM will make it look as if the user has a personal assistant to handle the search for them. The end result will be less dependence on keywords.

Images & Videos Will Gain Prominence

Though quality written content like articles and blogs will always be important, it will not be the only important thing on the web. MUM will utilise audio, video, and images to search and get information. Hence, you will have to give more focus on those elements too.

Search Competitors Will Increase

Till now, your search competitors were only those pages offering similar content in the same language. But, with the grand entry of MUM, all language barriers will be broken. And, that means your information will be competing against all similar information spread all across the world. Hence, it would be a great idea to consider the regional aspect of your content to ensure that it remains specific to a particular city or neighbourhood.

Voice Search Will Be Too Common

Although we have already started utilising tools like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant, it will soon be a common household thing in the upcoming days. AI will be a part of every household. And with the entry of MUM, brands and advertising companies will have to ensure that they have included AI-related elements into every content they generate.

Google MUM- Organic Traffic Entwined With Artificial Intelligence

While we are still waiting with bated breaths to see what the future holds for MUM, one thing is for sure- The addition of MUM to Google search will change everything. Since organic traffic will become more and more entwined with AI, as a business, you need to produce good quality content that clearly offers answers to the queries people are searching for.

And, if you are interested in learning more about MUM and its impacts on your business, we are here just a call away. Get in touch with our team today!

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I’m Eivine Renny, a content marketer who believes that words spell magic and trusts in the power of words above all! As a content marketer in the endless galaxy of contents, i can lend a helping hand in making your contents shine with a sparkle that captures attention!

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