Has Google’s BERT update disrupted your campaigns? Don’t panic, automate.

Just when you thought you had your search strategy running smoothly, Google introduced the BERT update. It’s proven to be one of the most significant changes to Google’s search algorithm in almost five years. 

BERT is a technique for natural language processing that Google claims better understands the nuances and context of words in searches, to better match queries with more relevant results. Instead of considering each word in a search individually, Google will now conduct a more holistic analysis to understand the meaning of our sometimes convoluted human query language. 

Search marketers are already noticing disruption to search engine results pages (SERPs) and scrambling to adjust. If you’re in that boat, don’t panic. Above all, just be sure you carefully monitor, reevaluate, and adjust your campaigns to get back on track. In fact, this is a good time to ensure automation is a key part of your strategy. 

Change can create opportunities

A core update like BERT can alarm concerned advertisers of underperforming campaigns in Google. Digital marketers might worry that ads are not reaching the right consumers or are dropping lower in the SERP.  With BERT in place, search marketers need to be less generic, and more focused and relevant in their ad copy and term choices. Long-tail search terms will become more important, and you’ll need to think harder about how people really use language when they search. But remember, your competitors are impacted by this update, too. So the change may also create opportunities to gain a competitive edge if you monitor your landscape carefully.

To take advantage of the reshuffle and ensure you don’t get caught off guard in the future—either by Google updates or the reactions of your competitors—now’s the time to launch automated monitoring.

Letting machine learning do the work for you has a number of benefits:

  • Proactively monitoring competitor moves and shifts in the market 
  • Notifying you quickly to emerging trends and changes by your competition 
  • Empowering you to seize market opportunities to stay ahead of your competition
  • Providing transparency and data granularity where none previously existed  
  • Helping you stay on top of market and competitor shifts, saving you valuable time and resources

Ultimately, search marketers needn’t feel helpless in the face of algorithm changes. With automated monitoring solutions, such as Adthena’s Smart Monitor, you’ll have extra eyes on your own search performance and your competitors’ strategies at all times. You’ll be able to respond quickly and effectively to market shifts and SERP shake-ups. Adthena’s Smart Monitor uses deep-data analytics and advanced relevancy and monitoring filters, ensuring you’re always one step ahead of your competitors, by surfacing market and competitor shifts that matter the most. 

Don’t let market change blindside you, request a demo to find out more about our new Smart Monitor technology. 

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