Traditional search returns a list of links based on keyword matching and link authority.
Traditional search returns a list of links based on keyword matching and link authority. Conversational search uses AI to synthesise a direct answer from multiple sources, meaning your content needs to be clearly structured and factually precise to be included in responses.
AI systems evaluate businesses through entity clarity and structural signals. The businesses that appear in AI-generated answers are not necessarily the biggest or best known — they are the ones AI can interpret most clearly.
If you build websites or manage digital presence for clients, understanding how AI search works is becoming essential. The signals that determine AI recommendations are different from traditional SEO ranking factors, and the gap between businesses that optimise for AI and those that don't is growing.
— Adam Parker, Rank4AI
www.rank4ai.co.uk
