{"id":619866,"date":"2024-05-09T17:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-05-09T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/"},"modified":"2024-05-09T17:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T14:00:00","slug":"information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/","title":{"rendered":"#Information gain: Here\u2019s what this new SEO \u2018buzzword\u2019 really means"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28d1080aa9e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a28d1080aa9e\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Heres_what_information_gain_means_for_machine_learning_Google_patents_and_information_foraging_theory_%E2%80%93_and_how_to_leverage_it\" >Here&#8217;s what information gain means for machine learning, Google patents and information foraging theory \u2013 and how to leverage it.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#The_3_schools_of_information_gain_Humans_machines_and_search_engines\" >The 3 schools of information gain: Humans, machines and search engines<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Why_information_foraging_matters_for_SEO\" >Why information foraging matters for SEO<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#From_SEO_to_information_gain_optimization\" >From SEO to information gain optimization\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#The_rate_of_gain_explained\" >The rate of gain, explained<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Goal\" >Goal<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Patch\" >Patch<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Forage\" >Forage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Scent\" >Scent<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Diet\" >Diet<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Information_optimization_The_new_science\" >Information optimization: The new science<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#The_optimal_website_maximizes_the_value_gained_per_interaction\" >The optimal website maximizes the value gained per interaction\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Good_content_is_context-based\" >Good content is context-based<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Part_1_Content_structure\" >Part 1: Content structure<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Part_2_Information_architecture\" >Part 2: Information architecture\u00a0<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Part_3_Content_design\" >Part 3: Content design<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/information-gain-heres-what-this-new-seo-buzzword-really-means\/#Part_4_Content_difference\" >Part 4: Content difference<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_what_information_gain_means_for_machine_learning_Google_patents_and_information_foraging_theory_%E2%80%93_and_how_to_leverage_it\"><\/span>Here&#8217;s what information gain means for machine learning, Google patents and information foraging theory \u2013 and how to leverage it.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\nThe new buzzword in SEO is information gain. And like all new buzzwords, SEOs are throwing it around like we\u2019ve just discovered fire.<\/p>\n<p>But there\u2019s a massive problem. <\/p>\n<p>Information gain means different things to different people.<\/p>\n<p><!-- \/1038259\/SEL_Post-text --><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-1693000027709-0\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"post-break\"><\/div>\n<p>In this article, you\u2019ll learn about information gain and how to use it to your advantage.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-3-schools-of-information-gain-humans-machines-and-search-engines\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_3_schools_of_information_gain_Humans_machines_and_search_engines\"><\/span>The 3 schools of information gain: Humans, machines and search engines<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Information gain can be used in three topics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Machine learning.<\/li>\n<li>Google Patent.<\/li>\n<li>Information foraging theory.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Information gain is used to train decision trees in machine learning. And unless you are a computer programmer, we can largely leave that can of worms unopened (for now).<\/p>\n<p>When SEOs talk about information gain, they mainly refer to the Google patent.<\/p>\n<p>Google was granted a patent in 2022 regarding an information gain score that <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>lied to documents.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>This patent showed that Google had developed a way to measure the \u201csameness\u201d of content and either promote or demote it accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>This is a great way for Google to deal with content that is essentially unoriginal or simply copied from another source and reworded.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>But what about information gain in relation to the information foraging theory?<\/p>\n<p>Information foraging theory was documented in the book of the same name, written by Peter Pirolli.<\/p>\n<p>It applies the models of how animals search for food (<a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/topics\/medicine-and-dentistry\/optimal-foraging\">optimal foraging theory<\/a>) to how humans search for information (which we\u2019ll talk about later).<\/p>\n<p>As you can see, we have three different meanings for the same term.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>With regards to SEO, the Google patent is mainly easy to understand \u2013 just make your content unique.<\/p>\n<p>However, information foraging is more complex, so we need to examine it more thoroughly.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-information-foraging-matters-for-seo\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_information_foraging_matters_for_SEO\"><\/span>Why information foraging matters for SEO<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Recently, Google <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thinkwithgoogle.com\/intl\/en-emea\/consumer-insights\/consumer-journey\/the-consumer-decision-making-process\/\">started discussing information foraging theory<\/a> in their decoding decisions report (the messy middle).<\/p>\n<p>Indeed, information foraging theory seems to be the direction Google is heading, and to quote their report directly:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAn explosion in product choice and information has made it harder to feel confident about making the right decision.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Or, to put it another way, there\u2019s just too much information out there.<\/p>\n<p>If we have too much information, the time to make a purchase decision is increased, and this isn\u2019t good for anyone.<\/p>\n<p>You can see why Google SGE might help things if you think about this.<\/p>\n<p>By providing a generative AI response to a search query, a search user im<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">media<\/a>tely grasps the subject without needing to click a website.<\/p>\n<p>This initial information should help a user to make their next search decision.<\/p>\n<p>Take this result from a search in Perplexity.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1474\" height=\"1336\" alt=\"Perplexity - Best gym shoes for bad knees\" class=\"wp-image-440328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees.png.webp 1474w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-373x338.png.webp 373w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-662x600.png.webp 662w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-125x113.png.webp 125w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-768x696.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1474px) 100vw, 1474px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees.png.webp\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1474\" height=\"1336\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees.png.webp\" alt=\"Perplexity - Best gym shoes for bad knees\" class=\"wp-image-440328\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees.png.webp 1474w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-373x338.png.webp 373w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-662x600.png.webp 662w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-125x113.png.webp 125w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Perplexity-Best-gym-shoes-for-bad-knees-768x696.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1474px) 100vw, 1474px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Within seconds, my knowledge of the best gym shoes for bad knees has increased, and there are many links and suggestions.<\/p>\n<p>My next click will be to look at the suggested shoes, not to read another five blog articles.<\/p>\n<p>If SGE works similarly, you can see how it will radically change commerce.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re no longer optimizing for Google. We\u2019re optimizing for AI.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: LLM optimization: Can you influence generative AI outputs?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-from-seo-to-information-gain-optimization-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"From_SEO_to_information_gain_optimization\"><\/span>From SEO to information gain optimization\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Google has been involved in AI for a long time, and AI is part of many of its systems.<\/p>\n<p>They used BERT to improve their understanding of language, and I\u2019m sure many more systems are in use.<\/p>\n<p>The point is that Google is trying to understand content to serve search engine users better. Therefore, Google itself is reading your content.<\/p>\n<p>Sure, not like a human does, but they are reading it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>So, it makes sense to apply a similar approach to increase Google\u2019s information gain from content, just like humans.<\/p>\n<p>In essence, we become information optimizers.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Our job as SEOs is to continually increase the rate of information gain.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-rate-of-gain-explained\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_rate_of_gain_explained\"><\/span>The rate of gain, explained<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Information gain rate, when it comes to information foraging theory, <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nngroup.com\/articles\/information-foraging\/\">is described as<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><em>Rate of gain = Information value \/ Cost associated with obtaining that information<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>You see, while search engines carry a cost for indexing and retrieving documents, so do humans.<\/p>\n<p>When we use our brains, we consume calories, and the body is highly efficient at not wasting them.<\/p>\n<p>We use heuristics (mental shortcuts) to filter the world and make decisions.<\/p>\n<p>Information foraging theory suggests that we seek to do the same. We attempt to gain as much information as possible from a source in as little time as possible.<\/p>\n<p>To do this, we go through a five-stage process.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-goal\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Goal\"><\/span>Goal<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>What information do we need?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-patch\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Patch\"><\/span>Patch<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>We decide on what source of information would best deliver our goal. This could mean that we go to <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/trip-and-travel\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"10\" title=\"Trip &amp; Travel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Trip<\/a>advisor, TikTok, YouTube or any website\/ search engine that comes to mind.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-forage\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Forage\"><\/span>Forage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>Here, we search for the information we need on the platform of choice. For this example, we\u2019ll stick with Google. You type into the search engine keywords to try and find the information you need.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-scent\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Scent\"><\/span>Scent<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>When we head to search engines, we\u2019re looking for the scent of good information sources; signals such as reviews, higher rankings and page titles that encourage clicks.<\/li>\n<li>We click on sites, scan information and decide whether to invest time reading the resource.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-diet\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Diet\"><\/span>Diet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>We consume information from multiple sources before making decisions. This is what Google refers to as the messy middle of search.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>For brands\/ sites, being part of your consumers\u2019 information diet increases the propensity that they will come to depend on you for information and trust you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As we know, that trust leads to purchases or increased clicks (which can lead to advertising\/ affiliate revenue). So this means that SEO should include optimizing around information scent.<\/p>\n<p>But if you\u2019ve read the above, you can see that Google search works similarly, just a machine version.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-information-optimization-the-new-science\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Information_optimization_The_new_science\"><\/span>Information optimization: The new science<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>If we\u2019re going to optimize around information gain, we need to understand that it requires a greater understanding of two factors:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Machine learning.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>Human learning.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>We already know that Google wants original, experience-based information from the best sources.<\/p>\n<p>They also want to reduce the cost of extracting that information.<\/p>\n<p>Yes, Google wants an easy life. So, how do we do this on a practical level?<\/p>\n<p>Simply put, we make extracting information easier for both machines and humans (at the same time), and here\u2019s how.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-optimal-website-maximizes-the-value-gained-per-interaction-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_optimal_website_maximizes_the_value_gained_per_interaction\"><\/span>The optimal website maximizes the value gained per interaction\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Contrary to what many think, fast websites might matter, but if the information gain rate from a website is low or has a high perceived cost, then the person will leave.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s an example.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve asked ChatGPT for some information about a hotel in Paris. It gives me the information the best way it can.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"909\" height=\"686\" alt=\"ChatGPT output - Paris hotel\" class=\"wp-image-440329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel.png.webp 909w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-448x338.png.webp 448w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-795x600.png.webp 795w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-150x113.png.webp 150w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-768x580.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 909px) 100vw, 909px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"909\" height=\"686\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel.png.webp\" alt=\"ChatGPT output - Paris hotel\" class=\"wp-image-440329\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel.png.webp 909w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-448x338.png.webp 448w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-795x600.png.webp 795w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-150x113.png.webp 150w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/ChatGPT-output-Paris-hotel-768x580.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 909px) 100vw, 909px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>It gives a lot of information I can easily extract at a low cognitive cost. But how should a website deal with this?<\/p>\n<p>Tripadvisor has a whole page dedicated to the hotel. Look at how they\u2019ve optimized one section for information gain rate.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1273\" height=\"719\" alt=\"Tripadvisor - Paris hotel page\" class=\"wp-image-440330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page.png.webp 1273w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-598x338.png.webp 598w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-800x452.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-200x113.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-768x434.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1273px) 100vw, 1273px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1273\" height=\"719\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page.png.webp\" alt=\"Tripadvisor - Paris hotel page\" class=\"wp-image-440330\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page.png.webp 1273w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-598x338.png.webp 598w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-800x452.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-200x113.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tripadvisor-Paris-hotel-page-768x434.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1273px) 100vw, 1273px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The content \u2013 which uses symbols, scorecards and lists room types \u2013 is designed for humans (and machines) to gain the most information in the least time\/cost.<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s this that we have to get our heads around to help search users.<\/p>\n<p>But we need to destroy some myths around content.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-good-content-is-context-based\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Good_content_is_context-based\"><\/span>Good content is context-based<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I read a lot of good content, but most of it\u2019s in my inbox in the form of blogs people have written that are not designed to gain traction from search.<\/p>\n<p>Good content for SEO is wildly different.<\/p>\n<p>When we search online, we have an emotional need state that requires solving.<\/p>\n<p>Kantar and Google <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thinkwithgoogle.com\/intl\/en-emea\/marketing-strategies\/search\/how-consumer-needs-shape-search-behaviour-and-drive-intent\/\">did some research<\/a> a while ago.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"352\" alt=\"Google &amp; Kantar research on search intent\" class=\"wp-image-440331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent-600x264.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent-200x88.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent-768x338.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"352\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent.png.webp\" alt=\"Google &amp; Kantar research on search intent\" class=\"wp-image-440331\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent-600x264.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent-200x88.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Google-Kantar-research-on-search-intent-768x338.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In this study, the above need states were used by searchers, who came to search engines looking for them to be resolved.<\/p>\n<p>Some words that stand out across from each need state are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Quick.<\/li>\n<li>Laser focused.<\/li>\n<li>Specific phrases.<\/li>\n<li>To the point.<\/li>\n<li>Simplicity.<\/li>\n<li>Uncomplicated.<\/li>\n<li>Trust.<\/li>\n<li>Ratings.<\/li>\n<li>Reviews.<\/li>\n<li>Competence.<\/li>\n<li>Location.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It\u2019s these attributes in information that search users look for in content online.<\/p>\n<p>Strikingly, we can see how Tripadvisor\u2019s content displays these attributes, and we can also see how applying them to content would increase the information gain rate for humans and machines.<\/p>\n<p>But how can we start to take the approach of information optimization to content?<\/p>\n<p>Well, here\u2019s a four-part process to get you started.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-part-1-content-structure\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Part_1_Content_structure\"><\/span>Part 1: Content structure<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Look at how your page should be structured for search to increase the information gain rate.<\/p>\n<p>A good example is the Tui website:<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1254\" height=\"467\" alt=\"Tui website - faceted search buttons\" class=\"wp-image-440332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons.png.webp 1254w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-600x223.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-800x298.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-200x74.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-768x286.png.webp 768w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 1254px) 100vw, 1254px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1254\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons.png.webp\" alt=\"Tui website - faceted search buttons\" class=\"wp-image-440332\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons.png.webp 1254w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-600x223.png.webp 600w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-800x298.png.webp 800w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-200x74.png.webp 200w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Tui-website-faceted-search-buttons-768x286.png.webp 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1254px) 100vw, 1254px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>They\u2019ve used faceted search \u201cbuttons\u201d to help users find what they are looking for.<\/p>\n<p>Consider how best to design your page for humans and search engines to increase the information gain.<\/p>\n<p>UX matters, as does the information on the page.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-part-2-information-architecture-nbsp\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Part_2_Information_architecture\"><\/span>Part 2: Information architecture\u00a0<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Consider how you want your information to be structured for maximum information gain.<\/p>\n<p>You might consider giving information early and quickly, for example:<\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cWhen is the best time to travel to Jamaica?\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cMarch is the best time to travel to Jamaica.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Look at your content and aim to add some, if not all, of the following attributes.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Quick adventure.<\/li>\n<li>Laser focused.<\/li>\n<li>Specific phrases.<\/li>\n<li>To the point.<\/li>\n<li>Simplicity.<\/li>\n<li>Uncomplicated.<\/li>\n<li>Trust.<\/li>\n<li>Ratings.<\/li>\n<li>Reviews.<\/li>\n<li>Competence.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-part-3-content-design\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Part_3_Content_design\"><\/span>Part 3: Content design<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The last impact is the design of the content.<\/p>\n<p>Consider how best to add value, such as using unique images to your posts to help explain information or data.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"751\" height=\"537\" alt=\"Backlinko graphics\" class=\"wp-image-440333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics.png.webp 751w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics-473x338.png.webp 473w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics-158x113.png.webp 158w\" data-lazy-sizes=\"(max-width: 751px) 100vw, 751px\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"751\" height=\"537\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics.png.webp\" alt=\"Backlinko graphics\" class=\"wp-image-440333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics.png.webp 751w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics-473x338.png.webp 473w,https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Backlinko-graphics-158x113.png.webp 158w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 751px) 100vw, 751px\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Backlinko <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/backlinko.com\/rank-high-on-google\">uses images like the above<\/a> to convey data in an interesting format.<\/p>\n<p>This leads us to the final part.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-part-4-content-difference\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Part_4_Content_difference\"><\/span>Part 4: Content difference<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you do all of the above, you should have content that is very different from what already exists.<\/p>\n<p>But if you don\u2019t, ensure that you do.<\/p>\n<p>There are 1,000 different ways to say the same thing, but it requires creativity and consideration about how best to display your unique angles and viewpoints around this.<\/p>\n<p>But here\u2019s a little challenge.<\/p>\n<p>Head to a site like Backlinko or HubSpot and look at their content.<\/p>\n<p>Find an article and apply the above four-part system, and think about how you would improve it based on your unique views or experience.<\/p>\n<p>This could serve as a suitable workshop for agencies and in-house staff to consider the information gain and how best to apply it.<\/p>\n<p>Because in the era of generative content, information gain is king.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"about-author\">\n    About the author<\/p>\n<div class=\"information\">\n<div class=\"author-module\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-3 text-center\">\n<div class=\"avatar\">\n                        <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" alt=\"Andrew Holland\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2022\/05\/Andrew-Holland.png.webp\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"img-fluid rounded-circle avatar-border\" src=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2022\/05\/Andrew-Holland.png.webp\" alt=\"Andrew Holland\" width=\"140\" height=\"140\">\n                                            <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-lg-9\">\n<div class=\"about\">\n<div class=\"name\">\n                            <strong>Andrew Holland<\/strong>\n                        <\/div>\n<div class=\"row g-2 pt-2\">\n<div class=\"col-auto twitter\">\n                                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/follow?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fsearchengineland.com%2F&amp;region=follow_link&amp;screen_name=Zooglymedia&amp;tw_p=followbutton&amp;variant=2.0\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-x-twitter\"><\/i><\/a>\n                            <\/div>\n<div class=\"col-auto\">\n                                    <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/andrew-holland-seo\/\" aria-label=\"opens in a new tab\"><i class=\"fab fa-linkedin\"><\/i><\/a>\n                                <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>                        Andrew Holland is the Director of SEO at <a rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/jbh.co.uk\/\">JBH, an award-winning Digital PR and SEO agency<\/a>. His SEO background stems from a 17-year career in the police, where a number of years were spent within intelligence, utilizing SEO within internal systems to catch criminals. After developing chronic asthma, Andrew left the police and launched a freelance SEO and digital marketing career, and has worked with a wide range of clients, from SMEs to 8-figure businesses. Today, he directs the SEO delivery for one of the UK&#8217;s fastest-growing Digital PR and SEO agencies. Building organic visibility, trust and fame for consumer brands.                   <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/what-information-gain-seo-means-440326\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here&#8217;s what information gain means for machine learning, Google patents and information foraging theory \u2013 and how to leverage it. The new buzzword in SEO is information gain. And like all new buzzwords, SEOs are throwing it around like we\u2019ve just discovered fire. But there\u2019s a massive problem. Information gain means different things to different&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":619867,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2024\/05\/Information-gain-Heres-what-this-new-SEO-\u2018buzzword-really-means.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[149397,78070],"class_list":["post-619866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-artificial-intelligence-optimization-aio","tag-seo"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=619866"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619866\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/619867"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=619866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=619866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=619866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}