It is a fact that we go to Google for everything. From finding out how to make a paper boat to queries on climbing a mountain and machine learning. Sometimes, there are complex search queries that require multiple searches.

So how is Google going to help out everyone who has complex queries and has to search on things multiple times to get what they want?

That's where MUM comes in. It was only in 2021 that Google introduced the new algorithm called Google MUM, a Multitask Unified Model. The mission was to help people find answers to their complex queries in fewer searches. 

In this blog, I will introduce you to Google MUM and also tell you how MUM will affect SEO

What is Google MUM?

As I mentioned before, MUM is an abbreviated form of Multitask Unified Model. This new technology will help Google to answer complex search queries. This rollout will be complete by early 2022. 

Google MUM is an AI-designed technology that helps analyze and generate content just like a human. This technology is an evolved form of the BERT algorithm, and it is quite powerful.

The main objective of MUM is to answer complex search queries adequately. Presently, approximately eight searches are required to resolve a few types of queries. Google is putting in efforts to determine what kind of searches these are and trying to address most of these complex searches on a single SERP.  

However, it can be said that Google MUM has another main objective, which is to bring AI into the context. Google is trying to utilize Artificial Intelligence technology in its various departments in the hope that MUM can help in resolving various challenges in finding the answer to complex queries. 

What will change when Google MUM Comes?

MUM's goal is clear – a single SERP to handle increasingly complicated search queries and encompass more of the buyer's journey and enhance user experience. Let us take a look at some changes that await us when MUM comes or, in simple words, the features of MUM:

Updated Google Lens

With Google MUM, you can use Google Lens to take a picture and ask a question about what you see in the image.

Multi-linguist Google MUM

Google MUM can study the data in 75 languages and tries to find the best results for asked questions, even if you have entered your query in a different language. Sometimes, the best answer for the query may not be available in the language that is used to search. The MUM algorithm will look for the best result in 75 different languages and produce the best results for the query.

More large Images

For some inquiries and searches, Google uses MUM to determine when visual SERPs are to be triggered and which images from the SEO ranking sites are to be shown.

In-depth Video Analysis

Google will be able to analyze videos more thoroughly and find subjects connected to different areas of the video with the aid of MUM. As a result, Google will be able to utilize its recommendation engine to give better recommendations for what to watch, read, or consume after watching a video.

Things to Know

Things to know is a SERP feature that Google is introducing so as to refine your search and recommend more. Though it is not a new feature, it is an advanced version of the existing one as it will give you more accurate and far-stretched suggestions.

SERP Rank will be less Significant

As Google MUM becomes more prevalent, ranking in SERP will become increasingly irrelevant. In short, it does not even matter if you rank first after approximately ten “non-organic” search results, with so many features filling the top half of SERP. 

Google MUM gives the context of the question substantially more weight. This implies that two people searching for identical things will certainly receive two different SERPs. Search history, location, buyer journey stage, and general content preferences will all play a role in the difference. 

Even though it is not new, Google MUM will refine it and give you more specific answers. 

How will Google MUM affect SEO?

The main objective of MUM is to find the answer to complex search queries and create a good experience for the user. The emergence of a super-powerful MUM update will definitely affect old SEO tactics used for ranking the website.

Let's find out how MUM will affect SEO:

Getting rid of Language Barriers

Language is the biggest obstacle for many users. The websites that are not adapted to multilingualism appear least in SERPS. The MUM algorithm can break all these boundaries with 75 languages. 

Understand Information in different Formats

The MUM algorithm will look beyond the written words to emphasize video, audio, and image content as well. It will help Google to gain deep insights and find more useful information for the user's search queries.

Producing predictive Answers

This new update will help Google in predicting the full, multi-layered search intent behind a user's query. The main objective is to provide the best-tailored results and helpful content without asking the user a series of various questions.

Integrating various Sources into One

It integrates various results to produce unique prose. You will get a unique result for your query. In short, the result will be a summarized form of the most useful and relevant points.

Final Words

The MUM algorithm does not need any radical adjustment in the SEO strategy. That means you do not need to stop making use of old SEO tactics.

However, you need to pay more attention to new SEO elements such as entities and advanced content markup. Also, you should pay close attention to customer journeys. The new Google algorithm is introduced with one major intent to produce good results for the users' queries. 

In order to better comprehend what you might be looking for, Google's MUM aims to learn more about us than any other search engine has ever done. With the coming of Google MUM, you will be bidding farewell to BERT. 

Do you want to know more about SEO, or are you thinking about leveling up your website with SEO? Contact us for assistance!

                                                                                                                              Editor: Amrutha

Frequently Asked Questions

MUM employs T5, or the Text-To-Text Transfer Transformer model, to transform various NLP tasks into a standardized text-to-text structure, fostering a deeper grasp of information and knowledge across a wide range of contexts.

The May 2021 introduction of the Google MUM update is set to profoundly influence SEO strategies in 2022 and beyond. This update, emphasizing search intent and harnessing AI, supersedes BERT, enhancing Google search outcomes by delivering optimal results to users.

On May 20, 2021, Google's I/O developer conference unveiled a game-changing update for their search engine: MUM, the Multitask Unified Model [1]. BERT had served as the search engine's backbone for the past two years, setting a remarkable standard. However, MUM's introduction marked a new era, surpassing BERT's capabilities and redefining the state-of-the-art in search algorithms.

MUM, an evolution of the BERT algorithm, surpasses BERT in power. Its core purpose is to tackle intricate search queries effectively, making it a significant advancement in natural language processing for search engines.