While it's a powerful tool, if you rely solely on ChatGPT, you're missing out on a powerful SEO opportunity to get recommendations directly from the source.
Introducing Bard, Google's answer to the AI chatbot revolution. It's trained on a huge dataset, including Google searches. Think you can go straight to the source and get insights from Google as it crawls, indexes, and ranks your web pages.
Additionally, unlike ChatGPT, Bard has native access to the live web. It provides real-time information about search trends and can adapt to Google's algorithm updates to provide better recommendations.
Here are four different areas where Bard is making strides in the AI chatbot race for SEO.
- Generating schema markup
- On-page optimization
- Competitive analysis
- Technical SEO guidance
Important note: Use your head! Bard is experimental, so don't blindly rely on Bard for SEO advice. If you take a closer look at some of Bard's answers in this article, you'll see why.
Make your schema markup easier to understand
Schema markup is structured data that search engines like Google can use to better interpret your website and display information in search results.
With the looming “threat” of Google’s Search Generative Experience (or SGE), SEOs are scrambling to do whatever it takes to gain an edge in the SERPs.
Schema markup isn't required, but it helps Google better understand the context of your website. This allows search engines to display rich snippets of your site, making it more visible to searchers.
Bard's Schema Superpower
Bard's hallmark is its precision. No cookie-cutter schema markup templates are provided. Instead, customize the markup to suit your unique content and requirements.
Whether you run an e-commerce platform, local business, news site, or blog, Bard analyzes your content and recommends schema markup that precisely matches your content type.
Thanks to Bard's up-to-date knowledge of the Schema.org standard and Google's expectations, the schema markup generated by Bard is accurate and ready to implement.
Generating Schema Markup with Bard
Simply enter this prompt to get the most accurate and up-to-date schema markup for your web page.
- prompt: “Generates the following schema markup: [INSERT URL]”
Receives output schema for accuracy. In some cases, Bard may not be able to crawl certain information and may enter dummy data. In the Yeti.com example below, all information was retrieved as expected.
![Bard Schema Markup](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_SchemaMarkup1.png.webp)
![Bard Schema Markup](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_SchemaMarkup1.png.webp)
Let Google optimize your website
On-page optimization remains the cornerstone of a successful SEO strategy.
With the help of Bard, you can take your optimization efforts to new heights. What better tool to optimize your site for higher rankings in the SERPs than Google itself?
First, ask Bard to analyze your web page's on-page optimization. Then continue with the individual piece and tactical prompts outlined below.
Analyze web pages
Bard uses analysis prompts to generate insightful suggestions to enhance on-page optimization for a given page, aiming to increase rankings for identified keywords.
- prompt: “Analyze on-page optimization” [INSERT WEBPAGE URL] for keywords [“KEYWORD”] The goal is to increase the page's ranking in the SERP for this keyword. ”
![Bard - Analyze web pages](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_OnPage1.png.webp)
![Bard - Analyze web pages](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_OnPage1.png.webp)
Bard provides a variety of feedback including title, description, header tags, content, and more. You can explore any of these items further using the prompts outlined below.
Create an attractive title and description
One of the most important aspects of on-page optimization is creating a compelling title and meta description that entices users to click on your page in search engine results.
Bard helps perfect these elements by generating creative, keyword-rich suggestions. Just tell Bard your target keywords and it will generate catchy titles and meta descriptions that include those keywords to captivate your audience.
- prompt: “Create an attractive title and meta description” [INSERT WEBPAGE URL] keyword optimized [“KEYWORD”] The aim is to increase the page's ranking in the SERP for this keyword. Please keep the title under 60 characters. Meta descriptions must be 160 characters or less. ”
![Bard - Create attractive titles and descriptions](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_OnPage2.png.webp)
![Bard - Create attractive titles and descriptions](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_OnPage2.png.webp)
Bard's overall analysis provides an overview of the header tags on your web pages.
Individual prompts allow you to dig deeper into this important part of on-page optimization and uncover specific recommendations.
- prompt: “Create a detailed header tag analysis” [INSERT WEBPAGE URL] for keywords [“KEYWORD”] The goal is to increase the page's ranking in the SERP for this keyword. ”
![Bard - Build your header tag strategy](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_OnPage3.png.webp)
![Bard - Build your header tag strategy](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_OnPage3.png.webp)
Leverage competitive analysis with Bard
Let Bard be your competitive research buddy and let him guide you through the labyrinth of SEO strategies your competitors employ.
Bard provides guidance at every stage of your competitive research campaign, from identifying your SEO competitors to analyzing their content strategies, analyzing backlinks, and finding gaps in your content.
Identify your competitors
The first step in competitive analysis is to identify your SEO competitors. These are websites that rank for keywords similar to yours.
Bard helps you create a list of top SEO competitors by analyzing search results for your target keywords.
- prompt: “Identify my website’s top SEO competitors in the niche “Keyword or Niche Name.” ”
![Bard - Identify your competitors](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_CompetitiveResearch1.png.webp)
![Bard - Identify your competitors](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_CompetitiveResearch1.png.webp)
Analyze your competitors' content
Once you've identified your competitors, you can analyze their content strategies.
Bard can help by vetting your blog posts, articles, and landing pages. This will help you uncover the keywords you are targeting, your content structure, your backlink profile, and any gaps you can exploit.
Competitor research can be done for each keyword individually or as a group.
- Individual prompts: “Please analyze” [INSERT COMPETITOR URL] As my competitors in the “Keyword or Niche Name” niche, I will provide insight into keyword usage, content structure, content gaps, and other insights. ”
- Group prompt: “It analyzes your competitors' content in the niche 'Keyword or Niche Name' and provides insights into keyword usage, content structure, content gaps, and more.”
![Bard - Analyze your competitors' content](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_CompetitiveResearch2.png.webp)
![Bard - Analyze your competitors' content](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/October2023_Bard_LaurenBusby_CompetitiveResearch2.png.webp)
Get general technical SEO guidance
Technical SEO issues can be elusive and hide beneath the surface, hurting your website's performance. But navigating this complex landscape of technical SEO is a challenge Bard continues to grapple with.
This is one area where ChatGPT (powered by GPT-4) and its plugins have a clear advantage. Plugins allow ChatGPT to leverage external resources to identify key technical SEO challenges such as broken links and duplicate content.
Bard is trying its hand at technical SEO, but its features are still evolving and not fully refined for high-stakes SEO tasks.
Good for general guidance
Bard has established itself as a powerful resource, providing foundational knowledge and strategic insight into Google's best practices when addressing technical SEO recommendations. Bard can highlight the impact and potential resolution options for slow page loads, broken links, duplicate content, and more.
Conducting a live audit of your website to pinpoint these technical issues is another challenge. SEOs can find more precise assistance through the ChatGPT plugin or by leveraging proven resources such as Screaming Frog and Google Lighthouse.
Bard's Technical SEO Claims and Realities
In some technical SEO prompts, the tool claimed to have access to various paid SEO tools (Sitebulb, Semrush, Screaming Frog). It's important to address the elephant in the room. Given the paid nature of these platforms, Bard's access is questionable.
Bard is likely not accessing these tools themselves, but rather acquiring content that references these tools.
![Bard's Technical SEO Claims and Realities](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/image-17.png.webp)
![Bard's Technical SEO Claims and Realities](https://searchengineland.com/wp-content/seloads/2023/10/image-17.png.webp)
Rather than relying on Bard to identify technical SEO issues on your site, stick to tried and true methods for performing a technical audit. Then talk to Bard to get actionable insight on how to fix the problem.
Bard’s strategic benefits for SEO – with some caveats
AI-powered tools have emerged as game-changers in the SEO industry, opening new avenues for optimization and success. ChatGPT often gets attention, but it would be short-sighted to ignore Bard's potential contributions.
Bard's first-hand knowledge of Google's algorithms and the live web is invaluable as it allows him to fine-tune his SEO strategy in a way that resonates with the search engine giant. This enhances content optimization and competitive audit workflows, leading to improved rankings and visibility.
However, it is important to remember that Bard is an emerging technology that is continually evolving and refining its capabilities. As with any tool in its early stages, a cautious approach is recommended. Test its boundaries. Let's see what we can do. However, use his SEO knowledge as the basis for the strategies you implement.
Dig deeper: What traditional search bots do better than AI chatbots: Learn more
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily those of Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.