How does the Human Brain Think? How does it decide? How does it work? What is the connection between SEO and the brain? … Although it takes years of humankind to understand this complex structure, the way to solve this structure is, let us say, one in a billion. However, as you may know, the researches about human brain’s working system has gone reached to the nerve synapses. But the complexity of the relationship with the sensory organs that feed the brain makes it harder to understand.
Psychologist Paul Reber says, “There are about 100 billion neurons in the human brain. Each of these neurons establishes an average of 1000 connections, which means about 1000 potential synapses. When we take the total number of these synapses, which store the data, it gives us 100 trillion data points, that is, these links, which are perfectly processed, establish 100 TB of storage in the brain. “
We will be able to better understand our thinking system when we understand this mysterious system in our skull, which has an average width of 140 mm and a length of 167 mm. Our perception about the speed of transmission of neurons in our brain is as follows; In Type A internode nerve minilines, our transmission speed from our toes to our brain is about 15-100 m / sec.
Let’s confine ourselves with this brief information about our unbreakable brain. Keep this brief information in mind. Because it has to do with how Google lists its results. I will give you more details.
Now let’s make a quick switch to “behavioural sociology”, the sociology of our behaviours. The brief information above, the billions of synopsis connections has a very close relation with artificial intelligence, search engines, marketing, advertising and SEO. Now I’m going into the details of how this complex relationship is set up.
First, let’s look at the parts related with our behaviours through an example.
- Think like “I wish I had a cup of tea to drink”.
Your brain will constitute a whole of sensations together with the tea, tea cups or tea glasses, the smell of the tea, the taste of the tea, the shape of the tea, and the other memories and feelings that we have left by tea in you. Let us name it as “database history heap.” If we make a short synapse chain from keywords that symbolize this heap, this list shall include the words such as tea, cup, glass, guest, pleasure, flavour, tea machine, teabag, Ceylon tea, tea maker, tea, a place or a brand of tea we liked and etc. Our brains form a heap from the words we think. Google transforms the information that occurs in our memory into textual expressions. (Preliminary Information: Consider this as your keyword list)
I will continue with another example.
Now look at the faces in this picture.
Did your brain recognize the people in these small square frames? Did your brain try to match the images of someone who was previously registered in your brain with the images in the frames while trying to identify them? Relax, that’s how everyone else’s brain work.
Our memories connect our past with today. Our new experiences take the reference of our memories first. This means that the way we remember the things depends on the important references in our past codes. Steven Pinker says: “We are probably what our memories are”
In short, your brain made a Search in the information database. This Search was performed in the pre-created log records in your brain. If there is no information in the records, your brain added it as a new information. I will not mention about the artificial intelligence, although adding new information falls into the area of learning with artificial intelligence.
These searches come not from a single channel (a synapse) but from synapses that are connected to the end point at different points. Assuming that you recognized one of the persons in these pictures; you don’t remember an information about that person but the information heap as a whole.
This is like combining puzzle pieces in a short period of time lesser than a second.
We are such weird creatures with a complex recording mechanism that while we never forget an event in our childhood, we cannot remember the food we ate yesterday. Why we cannot forget one, while we cannot remember the other?
Now we can see how our log records are created.
CODING IN MEMORY
The long memory (memory database) in our brain is formed by coding forms. There are logs in our brain register that define us. We create this log records as we live. A line appears when a brain cell sends a signal to the other. This line becomes permanent as it is repeated. It is much easier to remember when we frequently use a connection. Think of it as a favourite, a shortcut, or a process of adding to favourites in a web browser. Conversely, unused connections break apart over the time. At the same time, brain forms a new connection according to frequency of use. According to this frequency, the information comes to the front memory for easy access. (Preliminary Information: Think of it as promotion in the search engine too)
Memory experts say that remembering takes place in context (the environment around us). Things that come to our minds are directly related to the environment we are in. It’s possible that we can control what we want to remind if we give the tips right. (Preliminary Information: Consider this as the search volume of keywords)
TANGIBILITY AND VISUALITY IN THE LOG RECORDONG TO MEMORY
Our mind prefers the tangible one. It is more difficult to keep abstract concepts in mind than to tangible ones. For this reason, the information associated with the images is easier to remember as it is easier to learn. It is easier and faster to remember the information as we associate it with the images.
Think of this information as the product, content, and use of image in social shares. You can also consider them as images and visuals in search engines.
So, what else also effects the log recording on memory?
AFFECT OF OUR EMOTIONS TO LOG RECORDING
Generally speaking, the understanding of those, who deal with marketing and advertising, the human memory actually forms the building block of this business. Because much of the emotions and thoughts that influence consumption are unconsciously. Otherwise, you cannot explain going in the market to buy a detergent but going out with a full shopping basket. 🙂
Human memory works emotion-based. Otherwise, how can you explain buying a bag for 600 thousand of a watch for 700 thousand. What bought here is not the product, it’s the emotion. It is all about our brain releasing the hormone of happiness.
Each communication contains messages full of logic, information, symbols and emotion. The reason for not remembering the things although we give our full attention to them is that it lacks emotions.
Clotaire Rapaille tells that the key to remembering is emotions. The stronger the emotions, the more learning and remembering will perish. In the past, the French peasants, when they reached the age of 18, took the boys to the four points that set the boundaries of their property and beat them everywhere; so that children remember these 4 points for life and protect the possessions of the family.
The people who lived through the 17th August 1999 Earthquake can never forget their memories despite the passing years. The reason for that is the intense fear they lived. Emotions freeze what we lived in our memory. Memories without emotion are deleted from our memory.
Briefly; as it is scientifically proved, anchors of our memory are emotions. (Preliminary Information: Let’s call it anchor text + backlink)
Many neurologists have proved that our memory system processes positive emotions differently than the negative ones; negative emotions diminish over the time while positive emotions stay longer.
It is very important for brand managers working in fields like Seo and Marketing to know how human memory works. Memorability of the messages they give depends on this knowledge. If the name and offer of a brand is not remembered by the consumers, then there is something wrong. Conversely, the value of brands that come to mind first in a product category and coded in a clear sense in the minds of consumers is very high. (Preliminary Information: Search rate on Google with your brand = organic traffic and loyalty)
There is a famous saying in advertising. “The aim of the advertisement is to change the order of the consumer’s need. If necessary, create new needs. ”
So even if we are not aware, our perception can be managed by doing some kind of hacking into our brain. Any information that we’ve never heard before can go into popular search listings in months in Google.
Now let’s combine this information as SEO-centric.
SEO ALGORITHM
As you know, Google uses an artificial intelligence algorithm named rankbrain. It matches the searches with different results just in seconds like our brain as a result of operation of this algorithm. So, those who engaged in SEO business competes each other to be at the top of the list in search results, to get more clicks by making regulations of basic rules of this algorithm.
I made a list from the “Preliminary Information” headings that we added to the passages for the question of “what kind of work comes out in the top?”:
1- Choose a short and easy to remember name. Use visuals that can be remembered. Like “When it is said biscuit, we all remember ….” 🙂 Use a domain name, a slogan that can be placed on the front memory. Use of keywords that prove you are within the industry helps even more to remember.
2. Prepare the keywords and images that define your project in such a way to trigger emotions. Also set your priorities according to search volumes.
3. Look at Google’s previous memory log records, the search results, look where your competitors are and how they are remembered. Then take action accordingly. Take advantage of the same data, but confront the users with different things. Be original.
4. Use off-page articles, backlinks and social media actively to increase memorability and visibility.
5- Do not forget to design a responsive website that is well-designed and fast-opening to create loyalty.
6- Respond to comments on social media or on the website to strengthen brand loyalty. Keep a positive interaction with potential customers.
These studies will help you to establish positive connections between you and your customers, to get to top in search results and become more advised.
Wish you luck..