Design Archives

Artificial Intelligence & Search Experience

This article is the third installment in our series discussing search results and the increasing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on search experiences. In this part, we delve into the coming evolution of search interfaces, the personalization of search experience, and the implications for digital marketing strategies.

As AI fully integrates into search processes, personalization will be more pervasive, making it less likely for two individuals posing the same query to encounter similar interfaces. While the search results might be the same, the presentation of these results could vary significantly based on the individual’s preferred method of processing information. The AI system will learn the users’ ages, how they consume data, and consider their environment and the question asked.

Search Results & The Mode of Learning

For example, visual learners might see pictorial representations of results. But, first, auditory learners could receive voice responses, and read/write learners may be presented with written summaries. Additionally, due to AI’s environmental awareness, it could provide an auditory response while a user is driving. Another layer of complexity in user interfaces (UI) stems from the subject matter of the inquiry. For example, the UI for a search on nearby movie theaters will differ from one regarding the latest political developments or stock market updates. AI will incorporate the preferred communication method of the subject matter experts into the UI design.

Search Results & The Age Effect

The age effect plays a crucial role in search experience personalization as well. A thought-provoking paper on this topic highlighted that individuals tend to consume content similarly to their generational peers, regardless of their primary learning mode. This phenomenon suggests that if most of an individual’s peers access search results verbally, that person is more likely to do the same, even if they are not primarily an auditory learner.

Search Results & Gender

Algorithms, vital in the digital age, impact many facets of modern life, from news feeds to healthcare delivery and now the Search Engines. However, they pose the same old problem again, as evidenced by recent research from NY University.

The study shows that due to gender bias in algorithms, they encourage misinformation and create online echo chambers on social media sites. The study highlights real-world effects and perpetuates societal inequality. According to the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, AI systems identify patterns in massive databases, yet these datasets frequently contain embedded cultural prejudices.

SO, the expectations of radical departure from current norms of search display may be less probable due to the introduction of AI. Nevertheless, there will be change.

Getting Ready For The Coming Search Experience

Putting all these together may sound overly complex, but I promise it is easier today than ever. Over a decade ago, DWG introduced “Lean Mean Marketing Machine diagram” to emphasize the importance of processing content through every available channel to create an effective marketing cycle on the web. It came with a checklist that allowed our clients to check off the content that had been converted and posted. However, despite its accuracy and all the tools, some clients needed help processing the concept. In response, we developed “The Cycle” for internal use and took on the load. Since its inception, we have continuously updated “The Cycle.”

“The Cycle” currently promotes and optimizes clients’ shows, courses, events, and content. Cycling content through platforms and directing them towards the point of sale remains relevant, with even more platforms available in 2023.

In previous articles, we discussed the steps digital marketers should take to adapt their SEO strategies in this emerging environment. As a result, marketing production schedules must accommodate the release of more content or risk falling behind.

Fortunately, AI offers solutions to help manage this increased workload. In addition, numerous tools exist to distribute content across various channels effectively. In the next installment of this series, we will explore the content life cycle in this evolving digital landscape.

You can now read about AI & Marketing Automation in our blog.

Dream Warrior Group, a Los Angeles Based web design and digital marketing Company, providing solutions for your online marketing needs. Our expertise includes Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Posts & Marketing & Google PPC campaigns. Call us now at 818.610.3316 or click here.

Keeping up with SEO updates

Your finest SEO efforts might fail at any time. The search engine rankings you anticipated may not occur. Your top rankings abruptly decline or vanish. You must be cautious, so you turn to the most recent information regarding what Google demands. You examine the SEO updates and search engine’s helpful content upgrade that launched.

Even though many algorithm changes are minor and sometimes go unnoticed, the well-publicized upgrade to useful content earlier this fall will prove significant.

On the Google Search Central Blog, it was suggested that content marketers that are SEO-focused consider the following questions:

Do you use a lot of automation to create content across various topics?
Are you primarily summarizing other people’s arguments without really contributing anything?
Do people who read your material feel like they need to recheck their sources for more accurate information?

If you answered yes to any of these, Google would not be happy with you.

Quality is at the core of the latest seo updates.

Google has always highlighted the need for websites to provide a pleasant user experience with timely, pertinent content that loads quickly. The search giant, has consistently emphasized content quality since the Panda update, which was launched more than 10 years ago and targeted pages with little to no substance.

Google Search AI is a complex code created for a very complex content environment. Because of the sophistication of the technology, websites now frequently rank for terms that aren’t even in their content. All of these developments have been gradual. With little fanfare, Google quietly updates its search engine algorithms, making over 4,000 changes in 2021 alone.

Code Complexity

One of the aspects of the complexity of the code, looks at the authority of a site in its space. When last year I was telling everyone to avoid duplicating their show names from one season to the next, I was repeating the Google’s mantra. But, as I quickly found out, the rules didn’t apply to the customers that were leading authority in their space, and for example, an Aladdin show for 2022 was indexed even though it had Aladdin indexed twice before showing under the identical name, with near identical content.

Summary

For us mere mortals, the rules will apply. However, if you are building your site authority then there is flexibility to this September’s announcement. So, what should you do if you are not one of the sites of authority?

Ensure quality, relevant content is on all pages
FAQ about your programming, your stage, your product, or service should be added wherever possible
Make sure you have your program book, press release or e-book, or product manual attached in PDF and HTML versions if possible.
Use a lot of videos but be sure to include transcripts and captions
Pay attention to WCAG for accessibility

ARTdynamix® is keeping up with the changes

The impact of this is not yet clear but applying these will help SEO and it never hurts to prepare. By the way, if you are an ARTdynamix® customer, you already have the tools needed to make the above points reality. In fact, the tools have been available for your use since 2013. The latest version of ARTdynamix® has built in Voice search and “Near Me” search optimization capability.

Often when we inform folks that ARTdynamix® has a Press Release module, an FAQ builder, a program-book uploader, etc. that can be attached to their shows or content on demand, that is met with excitement because of the efficiency changes but it also substantial for SEO and authority. Here’s the impact: Google has been hinting at this change for a decade (especially if you can read between the lines), and now Google has made it a standard.

As a reminder, in February 2022, Google has already made the schema a mandatory of their SERP (search engine results page) rules, and now followed by the above noted content update

Dream Warrior Group, a Los Angeles SEO Company, provides the needed solutions for your online marketing needs. Our expertise includes Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media Marketing & Google PPC campaigns. Call us now at 818.610.3316 or click here.

Mobile First…and Primary

DWG has been building and spreading the word on mobile first for a long time…remember “.mobi?” Times have changed since then and at some point the emphasis flipped from a mobile site as an accessory to your desktop version to mobile primary. This concept is so important that we thought a refresher may be helpful. The idea is simple – the site needs to respond to the visitor and visitors are on their devices.

A few reasons:

It is now often your first impression. Where do you open your emails and click links? So do your visitors
Google – This isn’t a surprise or a secret especially if you keep up on Google various email channels. If your site does not have mobile friendly interface, you will be downgraded. Google considers mobile primary — they are not wrong.
Why not? At the end of the day, all of your versions should be well-designed and fully functional.

Your visitors use your mobile first, so it should be primary to your design.

Pacific Symphony Launches with Tessitura Ticketing Integration

Congratulations to the team at Pacific Symphony on your beautiful new website! You can see it here – Pacific Symphony Website

Pacific Symphony sought an entire web presence that could represent their nationwide brand with passion and excitement (in addition to California style). Pacific Symphony wanted to maximize the user experience by fully integrating custom functions including Tessitura ticketing system.

ARTdynamix™ Enterprise fit that request perfectly. Thus, DWG collaborated with Pacific Symphony through the entire process and the new web presence launched in December of 2021. Yay!

As we began developing the Pacific Symphony’s Website, the need for a shopping environment for REST handshake with their Tessitura software in order to replace their existing SOAP based environment. Having converted other Tessitura clients from SOAP to Rest, we began the task by understanding the way that Tessitura is customized for Pacific Symphony. Tessitura refers to itself as “arts enterprise software”.

It is an enterprise application used by performing arts and cultural organizations to manage their activities in ticketing, fundraising, customer relationship management, and marketing.

As many of you know, Tessitura happens to be amazingly flexible and allows the end user to create their ticketing environment pretty much any which way they care to. As such, understanding the client ticketing paradigm is essential to creating a great Shopping platform.

We were able to cover the gamut ranging from short flex series with special pricing, to long term category based fixed packages, to group sales, individual tickets, and donations.

The Vital User Experience

When I (LaMae) do presentations about web design and navigation, the User Interface / User Experience, the discussion is always lively because inherently everyone understands that UI/UX is vital. I often tell the story of a mirror I installed in our home hallway and how I was so pleased with myself for the handiwork. Then, I showed my husband who happens to be taller than me, his head was chopped off and I realized the great job I had done would only work for me … or those very close to being the same height as me. Missed the mark on that one.

A simple UI problem

This picture is a more analog example of the user experience. Imagine how many folks had difficulty using this paper towel dispenser for someone to have taken time to make and tape up an additional explanation? My experience was just as confusing. I read the sign, “PLACE HAND RIGHT BELOW THE GREEN LIGHT …” but the green button was nowhere to be found unless you moved your hand under the dispenser, and then it was intermittent. Most of us would eventually figure this out and frankly, it is only an annoyance, but how many people are choosing someone else because of an annoyance?

UI/UX on your site

The user interface (page design including the look and its ease of use), as well as the user experience (how do the site pages flow work together to get things done), should be the primary, or at least one of the primary planning considerations. Can the visitor find what they want, is it aesthetically pleasing, can they/will they buy? These questions are your goals (or should be). There are probably others, too.

If someone wants to buy – let them. Heck – make it easy for them.

Finally, this brings me to Quality Assurance. Check your site (or paper towel holder) based on real users and not your own expectations and assumptions and minimize annoyances.