BERT and MUM: How Google Understands Natural Language Through Artificial Intelligence

Have you ever wondered how Google understands your questions even when you spell them "wrong" or use colloquialisms? The secret is in two revolutionary algorithms: BERT and MUM. They taught Google to "think" like a human, understand the context, and even predict what you really want to find. The short answer: BERT and MUM are AI algorithms that analyze the context and meaning of words, not just keywords, making Google search as accurate and human as possible.

⚡In Brief

  • ✅ Key Takeaway 1: BERT (2019) taught Google to understand the context of words in a sentence, including the order and relationships between words

  • ✅ Key Takeaway 2:

  • ✅ Key Takeaway 3: These algorithms have changed SEO: it's now important to write naturally for people, not stuff keywords for robots

  • 🎯 You will gain: an understanding of how BERT and MUM work and how to adapt your content to these algorithms

  • 👇 Read more below - with examples and practical tips

The content of the article:

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🤖 What is BERT and why has it changed search

"Before BERT, Google understood words separately. After BERT, Google understands sentences as a whole, just like a human does."

📅 BERT's birthday: October 2019

BERT stands for Bidirectional Encoder of Representations from Transformers. Does it sound complicated? It's easier: it's a technology that teaches a computer to read text like a human - from left to right AND from right to left simultaneously, understanding the context.

BERT Revolution: Until 2019, Google analyzed the words in a query separately. After BERT, it understands how words are related to each other in a sentence.

🎯 How BERT works: examples

👉 Example 1: Prepositions matter

Query: "2019 brazil traveler to usa need a visa"

(Does a Brazilian traveling to the United States need a visa?)

  • ❌ Before BERT: Google focused on "Brazil", "USA", "visa" - it could show results about Americans traveling to Brazil

  • ✅ After BERT: Google realizes that the word "to" is critical - the Brazilian is going TO the US, not the other way around

👉 Example 2: Word Ambiguity

Query: "can I get money from a bank"

  • ❌ Before BERT: Could show results about financial institutions OR glass containers for money

  • ✅ After BERT: Understands the context - it's about a loan or deposit in a financial institution

👉 Example 3: Complex long-tail queries

Query: "how to make hair grow faster without special products at home"

  • ❌ To BERT: Google took keywords separately - could show articles about professional products

  • ✅ After BERT: Understands that the user does NOT want to buy products - is looking for natural home methods

📊 BERT's impact on search

After the launch of BERT in October 2019:

  • 🌍 10% of all English-language queries started to be processed in the new way

  • 🌐 By December 2019 - expansion to 70 languages, including Ukrainian

  • 📈 Query understanding accuracy improved by 15-30% for complex questions

  • 🎯 Featured Snippets became 3 times more accurate

⚡ Important: BERT does not replace the previous algorithms (Panda, Penguin, RankBrain) - it works together with them to improve the understanding of user queries.

✅ Quick conclusion: BERT has made Google "smarter" - now the search engine understands the nuances of language, just like a human does. This means that sites with natural, conversational content have an advantage over sites full of keywords.

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🚀 What is MUM: The Next Level of AI

"If BERT is a smart child, then MUM is a professor with a doctorate who understands 75 languages and sees the world through images."

📅 The MUM Revolution: May 2021

MUM is a Multitask Unified Model. Google calls it "the biggest breakthrough in information understanding in recent years."

Scale: MUM is 1000 times more powerful than BERT. It doesn't just understand the text - it analyzes the context at a level unattainable by previous algorithms.

🎯 MUM Superpowers

1. Multimodality: understands text image video

MUM can analyze information from different formats simultaneously:

  • 📝 Reads text on web pages

  • 🖼️ Analyzes images (what is shown, what is the context)

  • 🎥 Understands video (what is happening, what is being said)

  • 🎵 Can even analyze audio

👉 Example: Query "what is the height of Hoverla compared to Mont Blanc"

MUM can show photos of both mountains, a comparative table of heights, a map of routes, a video of the ascent, and even compare the difficulty of the ascent.

2. Multilingualism: understands 75 languages simultaneously

MUM can find the answer in Ukrainian, even if the best information exists only in English, Japanese, or German.

👉 Example: You search for "how to make authentic Thai curry" in Ukrainian

MUM can find original Thai recipes, translate them contextually, and even show you Japanese cooking techniques if they are better.

3. Understanding complex multi-step queries

MUM can handle queries that would have previously required 5-10 separate searches.

👉 Example of a complex query:

"I climbed Hoverla in the fall. Now I want to climb Mount Fuji. What do I need to prepare differently?"

MUM understands:

  • You have experience climbing Hoverla

  • Fuji is higher and more difficult

  • You need to compare the requirements: altitude, climate, permits, equipment

  • The answer should be personalized to your experience

MUM result: One comprehensive answer instead of hours of searching for information on dozens of sites.

📊 MUM in action: real-world applications 2024-.2025

FunctionHow MUM worksBenefit for you
Things to KnowShows key aspects of the topic that you may not have known aboutGain a deeper understanding of a topic in less time
Refine SearchSuggests refining queries based on your searchFind the information you need faster
Visual MatchesSearches for visually similar products or objectsFind a product by its photo, even without knowing the name
MultisearchCombines a text query with an imageMore precise search (photo "in red")

✅ Fast conclusion: MUM is a quantum leap from a "search engine" to an "information understanding system". Google no longer just searches for keywords - it understands the essence of your question and the context in which you ask it.

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🔬 How BERT and MUM work together

BERT and MUM are not competitors, but partners. They work at different levels of the search engine:

🎯 Roles

BERT is responsible for:

  • 📝 Understanding the context in a short query

  • 🔍 Analyzing the relationships between words in a sentence

  • ✅ Fast processing of simple and medium complexity queries

  • 🎯 Featured Snippets and quick answers

MUM is responsible for:

  • 🧠 Complex multi-step queries

  • 🌍 Cross-language search and analysis

  • 🖼️ Multimodal analysis (text image video)

  • 🎓 Deep insights into expert topics

👉 A practical example of interaction:

Your query:

  1. BERT analyzes: Understands that "for programming" means the need for a powerful processor and RAM, and "Python" indicates the need for compatibility with dev tools

  2. MUM connects: Analyzes reviews from programmers from different countries, compares laptop characteristics, takes into account current prices, takes into account that Python does not require a powerful video card (unlike game development)

  3. Result: A personalized selection explaining why these models are ideal for Python development

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💡 How to optimize content for BERT and MUM

✅ Golden rules of optimization

1. Write naturally, as you speak

  • ❌ Old approach: "buy a laptop Kyiv cheap laptops online store"

  • ✅ New approach: "Where in Kyiv can I buy a quality laptop at an affordable price?"

2. Answer questions in a complete and structured way

  • Use question headings (H2, H3)

  • Give a direct answer at the beginning of the section

  • Then expand on the details

      • 3. Use context and semantics

      • Instead of repeating a keyword 50 times, use synonyms and related terms

      • Example: instead of "SEO" 100 times, write "optimization," "promotion," "ranking," "visibility in Google"

          • 4. Add multimedia with descriptions

          • 🖼️ High-quality images with alt text

          • 🎥 Videos with transcription

          • 📊 Infographics with text description

          5. Structure content logically

          • Use lists, tables, footnotes

          • Break long paragraphs into short ones

          • Use boldface to highlight important things

              • ❌What to avoid

              • ❌Keyword stuffing

              • ❌ Unnatural constructions for the sake of SEO

              • ❌ Superficial answers without details

              • ❌ Copying content from other sites

              • ❌ Ignoring user experience

              💡 Expert Tip: BERT and MUM reward sites that answer user questions better than others. Focus on becoming the best source of information in your niche. Content quality is more important than the number of keywords: Panda and Penguin: Google's Algorithms

              ✅ Quick conclusion: Optimization for BERT and MUM is not about "tricks", but about going back to basics: create high-quality, useful, well-structured content for people. The algorithms have become so smart that they can tell the difference between genuine expertise and an attempt to manipulate rankings.

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              ❓Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

              🔍Can BERT and MUM be "fooled"

              No. These algorithms are based on machine learning and analyze billions of patterns. They recognize manipulations better than any SEO expert. The only way to "win" is to create truly high-quality content.

              🔍Does text length affect BERT and MUM? A 500-word article that fully answers the question is better than 5000 words of "water". But usually, a high-quality, comprehensive answer requires 1000-2000 words.

              🔍Do I need to optimize for voice search separately?

              No, not if you are already optimized for BERT. Voice queries are natural language that BERT understands perfectly. Just write the way people speak, and you're automatically optimized for voice search.

              🔍How fast does MUM index changes on the site? For new sites, it can take up to 2-3 months.

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              ✅ Conclusions

              BERT and MUM are not just algorithms, but a new evolutionary era of search. Let's summarize:

              • 🎯 Key takeaway 1: BERT taught Google to understand context and language nuances, MUM took it to the level of expert analysis with multimodality and 75 languages

              • 🎯 Key takeaway 2: The era of "keyword stuffing" is over - the sites with natural, expert content that truly helps users are now winning

              • 🎯 Key Takeaway 3: The future of SEO is not about technical manipulation, but about creating the best possible user experience

              • 💡 Recommendation: Review your content: is it written naturally? Does it fully answer user questions? Is there any expertise there? If so, you're on the right track.

              💯 Summary: BERT and MUM made Google the smartest search engine in history. They understand not only words, but also intentions, context, and emotions. This means that SEO specialists and content makers have to become real experts in their niches, not just keyword optimizers. Quality has won over quantity. Expertise has won over manipulation. And this is great news for Internet users.

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              📚 Read also:

              This article was written by the founder and leader of a company with 8 years of experience in web development - Vadim Kharovyuk.

              Ключові слова:

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