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The 4 Cardinal Virtues of Search Visibility in the Age of AI

Matthew Padbury

Updated: Jan 30

From Dial-Up to AI: The Evolution of Search from AOL to Today


Nestled in the rolling-hills of the North Yorkshire Moors, lies the quaint, picturesque village of Osmotherley. Famous for its free-roaming chickens and natural beauty, it was one of the last zones in the United Kingdom to be connected to the rest of the world.


For years, we villagers had dismissed rumors of the internet as mere fantasy - a myth only whispered about in dark corners of the village hall, ubiquitously considered a type of black magic.


But a few short years later, this once taboo subject was dominating village conversation from the Zumba society to the tables of the Golden Lion.


Lady Barbara Bottomley’s words bellowed at the village AGM ‘It’s pure witchery, nothing more! I’ll believe it when I see it!’, were short-lived, as only one year later, the men with the magic boxes arrived, dispersing the mysterious objects known as modems to anyone brave enough to accept one.


As Lady Bottomley violently threw her allotted modem deep into Cod Beck reservoir, the rest of the village crowded a state-of-the-art Gateway tower computer with bated breath. The tense silence was replaced with the dial-up tones of AOL - a chaotic symphony of screeches, beeps and static. ‘Lovely song that is, can I have a copy?’ exclaimed Dennis Billberry, a local cattle farmer, while incredulous glances were exchanged between the other villagers, all in disbelief at what was happening.


Jaws dropped and dentures clattered the floor, as the words ‘Welcome to AOL’ echoed throughout the packed room, connecting this tiny village to the world for the very first time.


As us villagers marveled at our newfound connection to the digital world, little did we know that beyond the confines of our idyllic hamlet, a revolution in information retrieval was already underway, reshaping how humanity would interact with the vast expanse of knowledge that was soon to lay at our fingertips. The primitive AOL interface that had so captivated our attention was merely the tip of the iceberg, as the foundations of modern web search were already being laid by innovative companies pushing the boundaries of technology.



In the early 90’s, Archie, Jumpstation & Webcrawler (later acquired by AOL) were the initial pioneers of web search, introducing web crawlers, indexing and later full-text search. These were soon replaced by Yahoo!, Lycos & AltaVista, which introduced us to more advanced search capability including natural language queries and Boolean search.


Everybody’s favorite butler ‘Ask Jeeves’ gracefully sauntered onto the scene in 1997. Famous for answering natural language questions, ‘Ask Jeeves’ ranked links based on popularity through traditional keyword searching.


Unfortunately for old Jeevsey, only a year later in 1998, Larry Page and Sergey Brin’s Google crashed the party. Not even his sharp dapper attire or witty repartee could protect him from Google and their revolutionary PageRank algorithm, which gave users superior relevance and speed. As Larry and Sergey ushered us into a new era of search, it became clear that they had given our beloved butler his final marching orders.



As Google's dominance grew, other players sought to carve out their own niches. Microsoft's MSN Search, also launched in 1998, evolved into Bing in 2009, introducing features like visual search and integration with Microsoft's ecosystem.


Meanwhile, Yahoo! partnered with Microsoft in 2009, allowing Bing to power its search results. This alliance aimed to create a formidable competitor to Google, combining Yahoo's web content with Microsoft's search technology. Despite these efforts, Google maintained its lead, but Bing established itself as a viable alternative, capturing market share and continuing to help innovate in the search space.


The Evolution of Search Algorithms: From Keywords to Contextual Understanding

In today's digital landscape, search algorithms play a crucial role in how we access information, from simple recipes to complex business documents. These algorithms have evolved significantly since the early days of the internet. This evolution has led to the development of sophisticated algorithms capable of understanding not just keywords but also the context and relevance of queries, which has become essential for businesses aiming for digital success.


The mechanics of search algorithms revolve around the three core components: Indexing, Search, and Ranking. Indexing organizes data for easy retrieval, while the search process involves parsing user queries, and scanning indexed data for relevant results. Ranking algorithms, such as BM25 and PageRank, determine the relevance of these results based on various factors.


As technology advanced, the shift from traditional keyword-based search to more complex semantic and vector search methods, have enhanced the ability to interpret user intent, and deliver personalized context-aware search experiences, marking a significant milestone in the field of information retrieval.


The Future of Search: Generative AI and the Evolving SEO Landscape

As we move further into the 21st century, generative AI technologies including ChatGPT, Search GPT, Copilot, and Gemini are reshaping how we conduct searches and interact with information. These AI models can generate human-like text, and provide contextually relevant answers, allowing users to engage in more conversational and intuitive searches.


This shift from traditional search engines to AI-driven interactions often enhances user experience - threaded conversation, for example, gives enhanced understanding and contextual relevance, enriching and refining the search interaction.


The integration of generative AI into search functionalities is transforming the way users access information, making it more efficient and tailored to individual needs. As these technologies continue to evolve, they promise to redefine the landscape of information retrieval, challenging the dominance of traditional search engines, and creating new opportunities for engagement and discovery.


Social Media as a Search Engine

Social media platforms are increasingly being used as search engines in their own right. Younger generations, are turning to platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube for information on everything from product recommendations to current events. These platforms offer a more visual and interactive search experience, often providing real-time user-generated content, that traditional search engines may not capture as quickly.

This trend is forcing firms to reconsider their digital strategies, as visibility on social platforms becomes as crucial as traditional SEO.


As Generative AI & social media cement their positions as search avenues, we will continue to see a more diverse and fragmented search landscape going forward, where success depends on continually adapting to multiple channels. Voice-activated search through digital assistants like Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant have become more prevalent in recent years, with visual search (searching with an image), enterprise search (Vertex AI Search for example) and vertical-specific search become more prominent in the evolving search landscape.


In 2024, we need to start thinking of SEO not just as search engine optimization, but more search everywhere optimization. To succeed and stay ahead in this new landscape follow these 4 Cardinal Virtues of Search Visibility in the Age of AI:


  1. Always remember to ‘EEAT’ well

The E-E-A-T principle in marketing emphasizes the importance of Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness in establishing a brand's credibility, and enhancing its visibility in search engine results and generative AI outputs. This framework is crucial for ranking well in both traditional search engines, and emerging AI-powered search platforms.


Experience demonstrates real-world application of knowledge; it refers to the extent to which the content creator has the necessary first-hand or life experience required for the topic. Expertise showcases depth of understanding - this involves creating high-quality content that is well-researched and informative, showcasing in-depth knowledge of the subject matter. Authority helps establish industry leadership, building trust with your audience and search engines through using citations and references. A strong, consistent brand presence across platforms also reinforces your authority in the market. Trustworthiness assesses the level of accuracy, honesty, safety, and reliability of the website.

Effectively integrate the E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) principles into your digital marketing strategy to ensure your content is authoritative and trustworthy.


  1. Prepare Your Site for Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE)

To effectively prepare your site for Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE), it's essential to adapt to search engine algorithm updates. Start by optimizing for long-tail queries, as SGE emphasizes the importance of detailed and personalized answers that address specific user questions. Focus on creating high-quality, original content that is well-researched, and incorporates multimedia elements such as unique imagery, videos, and infographics. Additionally, adjust your paid search strategies to accommodate more conversational searches; this means emphasizing phrase and broad match keyword targeting, to account for the increased variations in long-tail searches. Staying informed is crucial, so monitor Google's official communications, and follow reputable SEO news sources to keep up with the latest developments. After algorithm updates, analyze your website's performance, and adjust your strategies based on new best practices. Finally, conduct regular SEO audits, to identify areas for improvement and implement necessary changes. By following these steps, you'll be better positioned to navigate the evolving landscape of search and maintain your site's visibility in the age of SGE.


  1. Leverage Structured Data


What is Structured Data & How Does It Help AI?

Structured data is a standardized format for providing information about a web page and its content. It is often implemented using specific vocabularies or schemas, such as Schema.org, which can provide a consistent way to describe the content of a page.


Enhanced Understanding and Visibility

Structured data significantly improves how AI and search engines interpret and categorize content. By marking up elements like client case studies with structured data, search engines can easily identify key aspects such as industry, challenges, and results. This enhanced understanding often leads to better search results, including rich snippets or rich results—like star ratings, service lists, and price ranges directly in the search results. Additionally, detailed structured data boosts content visibility, by enabling features in special search formats, such as knowledge panels and carousels, ensuring your content stands out.


How to Implement Structured Data


Choose the Right Schema

Use Schema.org or other relevant vocabularies to identify the types of data you want to mark up. This might include articles, products, reviews, events, and more.


Add Structured Data Markup

Implement the markup in your website's HTML. Common methods include using JSON-LD (JavaScript Object Notation for Linked Data), Microdata, or RDFa.


Validate Your Markup

Use tools like Google's Structured Data Testing Tool or Rich Results Test to ensure your structured data is correctly implemented and free from errors.


Monitor and Optimize

Regularly check how your structured data is performing, and make adjustments based on changes to your content or schema updates. By leveraging structured data, you help AI systems and search engines better understand and present your content, which can lead to improved visibility and user engagement.


  1. Consider Diversifying your marketing channels

As we touched on earlier, Gen Z are increasingly searching for products and services on platforms like TikTok and Snapchat. If relevant, ensure your brand has a presence on these platforms, and that your website is easily accessible from these searches.

  • Research buyer personas to understand where your target audience looks for your services

  • Understand and map your customer journey and plan how you can add value at each stage

  • Tailor your content for each platform, while keeping brand messaging consistent

  • Optimize your channel selection based on your audiences’ preferences

 

Reddit for example, is often overlooked by marketers and can be a valuable channel if approached thoughtfully. According to SEMrush data, Reddit is the third most visited website in the Unites States and receives over one billion monthly unique visitors - making it one of the largest and most engaged social media platforms in the world. With Reddit, brands should focus on community engagement, authenticity, and providing value to users rather than direct promotion. By understanding the platform's unique culture and leveraging its strengths, companies could effectively reach and connect with their target audiences through the 100,000+ active communities known as subreddits.


Engaging with audiences on platforms like Facebook and Instagram fosters community, and drives traffic to the main site. Campaigns with unique hashtags encourage user participation, and generate valuable backlinks that improve search rankings.

Video content in particular has become crucial, significantly boosting engagement, and search rankings while being favored by AI algorithms. Generative AI search engines increasingly consider social media engagement when returning results, analyzing likes and shares to assess content relevance and authority. Incentivizing customers to share reviews and repurposing user-generated content, create authentic marketing that resonates with both potential buyers and AI algorithms. By addressing search queries directly on social media, brands can strengthen their visibility, and remain relevant in a competitive online environment.


Staying Ahead in the Ever-Evolving Search Landscape

To conclude, maintaining a strong online presence in today's dynamic digital environment requires a multifaceted approach. By embracing the Four Cardinal Virtues of Search Visibility - EEATing well, preparing for SGE, leveraging structured data, and diversifying marketing channels - businesses can build a solid foundation for success.


The key to staying ahead lies in vigilant monitoring of search trends. By leveraging advanced SEO tools, businesses can stay informed about emerging search terms and patterns, track their keyword rankings, and identify gaps in their keyword strategy compared to competitors. It's equally crucial to keep an eye on competitor mentions across various PR channels and media outlets, as well as the channels they are using, providing valuable insights into industry movements and opportunities.


Staying attuned to evolving language trends ensures that your content remains relevant and resonates with your target audience. As new mediums of search emerge, practice putting yourself in your customers' shoes and see if you can find your own company by searching through them. By keeping a finger on the pulse of these dynamic trends, you can continuously adapt your digital strategy to meet changing user behaviors and preferences.


Looking ahead, we can expect AI and machine learning to play an even more significant role in search, potentially revolutionizing how we interact with information. Preparing for this future means not only adapting to current trends but also fostering a culture of innovation and agility within your organization.


In the fast-paced world of search, this proactive approach is not just beneficial—it's essential for staying competitive and ensuring your brand remains visible and relevant in an increasingly crowded digital landscape. Start implementing these strategies today to help position your business at the forefront of the digital revolution.


'Has anybody seen me cows?' Dennis Billberry, Cattle Farmer & AOL Enthusiast, North Yorkshire Moors, United Kingdom


 



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