Voice search; the practice of using spoken queries, through a smartphone, smart speaker, or voice assistant, to search the web or ask a question, instead of typing. Tends to favor
Knowledge graph; a database of real-world entities, people, places, organizations, concepts, and the relationships between them, that search engines use to understand and connect information rather than treating each webpage
E-E-A-T; a framework Google’s quality raters use to assess content, standing for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. Not a direct ranking factor itself, but a heavy influence on the systems
Semantic search; a search approach that interprets the meaning and intent behind a query rather than matching only the literal keywords typed in, allowing more conversational or vaguely worded searches
Schema markup; a specific vocabulary of structured data, maintained through Schema.org, used to label webpage content in a format search engines and AI systems universally recognize. The most common technical
Structured data; a standardized format for labeling information on a webpage, like product prices, reviews, or article authors, so search engines and AI systems can read and interpret it more
GEO, or generative engine optimization; the practice of optimizing content so it gets referenced, summarized, or cited by generative AI systems, a term often used interchangeably with answer engine optimization.
AI SEO; the practice of adapting search engine optimization strategy to account for AI-powered search features like AI Overviews and chatbot answers, while also using AI tools to support keyword
Answer engine optimization; the practice of structuring content so AI-driven answer engines and chatbots can easily find, understand, and cite it in direct responses to user queries. An emerging strategy
A highlighted answer extracted from a webpage and displayed prominently within search results. A search feature designed to provide a quick response without requiring a click.
