AI Search vs Traditional Search
Search engines have always tried to help you find information.
But what if the way that we search and find information is changing?
Traditional search usually returns a list of links based on a search query; AI search can understand natural language questions or statements, and can utilize an approach that delivers a conversational response.
This evolution has implications for website discovery, SEO, and content creation.
So what is the difference between AI search and traditional search, and what does it mean for you?
The Difference Between AI Search and Traditional Search in a Nutshell
Traditional search is focused on helping you find relevant information sources.
You enter a search query such as
"How to create a content strategy"
in a search engine, and it will return relevant results. You then have to click on the links and read the articles to find relevant information. This is a classic discovery experience, where the user researches their options before making a choice.
The sequence is simple:
search → results → click → read → compare → decide
Traditional search is great if you want to compare multiple options and/or you want to read the information on a specific website.
AI search aims to help you understand and act on information. A natural language question such as
"Create a content strategy for a small business with limited resources that wants to increase organic traffic"
can be acted on directly by an AI. The approach is much more conversational:
ask → understand → summarize → refine → act
This is a different experience, where the user receives a direct answer or assistance in accomplishing a task.
Some differences between traditional search and AI search include the following:
| Traditional Search | AI Search |
|--------------------|-----------|
| Keywords or short queries | Natural language questions |
| Links, snippets | Direct answers or summarized information |
| Multiple searches | Conversational follow-ups |
| Compare options | Organize information |
| Discover sources | Discover and synthesize information |
| SEO: rank and receive clicks | Be useful and possibly receive citations |
| Great for discovery | Great for quick understanding and research |
These two approaches are not mutually exclusive, and can be used in tandem.
The Shift From Keywords to Intent
One of the biggest differences between traditional search and AI search is the increasing emphasis on intent.
With traditional search, keywords have always been the cornerstone of SEO. Keywords are still important, but understanding what the user is looking for is becoming much more important.
Take, for example, a search query such as
"best CRM software" or "CRM software for small sales teams".
The intent behind these queries is different: one is a generic product search, while the other specifies the target audience.
"How do I choose a CRM for a 5-person sales team?" moves from a product search to a recommendation search.
A good content strategy should recognize this and attempt to address the intent behind the search rather than simply optimizing for keywords.
The End of Website Traffic as We Know It
AI search can change the dynamics between search and website traffic. With traditional search, a user would see a result in the search engine, click on it, and read the full article. With AI-generated results, users may receive the information directly in the search results.
This fundamentally changes the value proposition of websites as we know them. The emphasis is no longer on driving clicks to websites; instead, the value of the website must be differentiated from something that could be synthesized by AI.
As such, marketers and content creators should strive to understand what makes their website unique, and how they can leverage that to their advantage.
The value could be in original research and thought leadership, advanced tools and calculators, white papers and downloadable resources, customer support and engagement, products and services, or a compelling experience.
SEO Is Not Dead, But It Has Changed
SEO will continue to be critically important, but it will change.
While keywords are still important, creating a good informational resource that anticipates and directly addresses the user intent is paramount.
Website owners and content creators should continue to focus on the fundamentals of SEO, including people-first language, good site architecture, relevant topics and subtopics, internal linking and related resources, factual accuracy and good UX, original language and intellectual property, and expertise and authority.
At the same time, however, content creators should recognize that their information may be summarized by AI and should strive to make it useful and valuable.
The Value of Original Language and Information
One of the challenges with AI-generated content is the tendency to summarize or paraphrase existing content. While AI can certainly create valuable summaries of information, it cannot do it if there is no information to summarize. Original information will always have value.
That being said, creating unique information resources is extremely valuable for your website's visibility, because it encourages discovery and allows your information to be used or cited by others.
Instead of writing generic blog posts, consider creating unique information resources such as your own survey results, original industry reports or data, white papers, case studies and benchmarks, interviews and expert advice, and other original information, accompanied by well-researched opinion pieces.
The more unique information you can provide, the more valuable your resource will be.
How Content Creators Can Leverage These Changes
If you create content for your website, do not abandon your SEO strategy - optimize it further.
Here are a few recommendations:
1. Answer the question upfront
Do not make the user research your article to find the answer - state it clearly at the beginning, and then provide supporting information.
2. Go beyond the obvious
If you write an article that answers one question, but the user has a follow-up question that is not addressed, they will have to go somewhere else.
Consider writing a series of articles that address different facets of a topic.
3. Write naturally
Avoid unnatural-sounding questions and keyword stuffing.
Write as you speak.
4. Add your own information and opinions
Support your information with your own research, experience, and/or data, or clearly-marked expert opinions.
5. Do not write isolated articles
Create a knowledge base around topics and subtopics.
Instead of writing unrelated articles, group them together to create a useful resource. For example, content strategy can be broken down into the following subtopics:
- Content Strategy
- → Content planning
- → Keyword research
- → Content calendar
- → SEO content
- → Content distribution
- → Content measurement
- This creates a resource for the user, as well as an opportunity to improve your SEO.
6. Keep your information up to date
Time-sensitive information should be reviewed and updated as needed.
If statistics, examples, or recommendations are no longer relevant, update them.
Opportunities for Brands to Benefit From AI Search
The opportunities are not all one-sided, however. While search engines benefit from having more information to summarize, brands that provide high-quality information can benefit from being discovered by more people.
In addition, companies can take advantage of the opportunities presented by AI search to conduct research, develop new ideas, organize information, assist customers, and so on, while retaining control over the end result and ensuring factual accuracy.
The Search Engine Content Strategy for Marketers and Content Creators
A good content strategy should take advantage of the opportunities afforded by both traditional search and AI search.
For traditional search, the traditional SEO approach still works, but can be optimized around user intent, including questions and tasks:
SEO: keywords + search intent + SEO + website experience
For AI search, the focus should be on providing answers and assisting the user:
Answers: useful information + context + original information + structure + authority
This dual approach can help you implement a powerful search content strategy, which can be summarized as follows:
discover → understand → trust → explore → take action
An Example
Let's say you maintain a website about digital marketing topics, and you want to optimize your content strategy for search.
A traditional approach to SEO would be to optimize your content for keywords such as
"content strategy", but a superior approach would be to build a resource around content strategy topics, including:
What is a content strategy?
How to create a content strategy?
Content strategy examples
Content strategy templates
SEO content strategy
B2B content strategy
How to measure content strategy
Common content strategy mistakes
This way, you address the intent behind the search, provide information and/or tools, and optimize for both traditional search and AI search.
The Future of Search
Search engines are evolving to become more conversational.
People do not always want to sift through search results; sometimes, they want an answer or assistance in accomplishing a task.
However, sources still matter. This creates an opportunity for marketers and content creators to become valuable sources of information. It requires a shift in mindset, from optimizing for search engines to creating information resources that people will trust and use.
Ultimately, search engines are people-centric: the user always comes first. In order to optimize for search, you need to optimize for people.
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