According to TechCrunch, YC-backed startup RankScience has the potential to put “hundreds of thousands” of SEOs out of work.
The software-as-a-service (SAAS) claims to be able to run thousands of A/B tests automatically, from which it will determine the changes that need to be made to improve Google rankings of web pages.
The very goal of RankScience is to disrupt the SEO industry with software that can replace human SEOs:
“Ultimately that’s who we do see ourselves replacing… It is an industry that I think we can disrupt. Humans are tweaking and measuring and changing, and software is really where things are going — and we think this is the start of that.”
With only a couple of dozen customers at the time of this writing, RankScience is already making bold promises to boost to organic search traffic by 37% within three months of using the software.
Founder Ryan Bednar is confident RankScience can stand out in the crowded marketplace of SEO software because it offers more than just analytics, dashboards, and data. As Bednar puts it, RankScience collects the data, identifies areas of opportunity, and then actually does the work for you.
RankScience works by routing traffic through its content display network (CDN). Bednar claims a simple “one-line code change” will have the software running thousands of simultaneous split tests. Though there are some humans working behind the scenes, as far as the customer is concerned everything is 100% automated.
Bednar says the software utilizes only white hat tactics which are compliant with Google’s best practices. If there’s any concern about RankScience’s CDN causing a delay in page speed, Bednar claims there’s typically a latency of 16ms or less. The use of a CDN allows RankScience to implement changes on your behalf.
Having launched in May 2016, the company has not amassed a large user base due to lack of marketing. Going forward, Bednar says the company is focused on scaling its product, which it is well on its way toward doing.
It’s rare for SEO tools to make it into YC, a high profile seed incubator. The next step is to secure a round of VC funding — if RankScience manages to get a series A it would be a big stamp of approval for the company. Expect to hear more about RankScience as they continue to scale.
