How’s this for a click-bait headline? “Google Analytics is lying about your organic traffic and it’s been doing it for ages.” We bit and clicked as, after all, it is germane to our core business. 

The reported lie is that your Organic Search traffic is under-reported in Google Analytics due to attribution issues that result in Organic traffic being miscategorized as Direct traffic. 

Duh! 

We’ve always noted the likelihood of SEO analytics and traffic being under-reported. Not just due to the Direct traffic issue mentioned above. It also happens when Organic traffic becomes Unassigned traffic when the visitor ignores or does not agree to your website’s consent requests.

So, yes, Google Analytics is hiding some of the extra website traffic driven by your SEO efforts.

On the plus side, Google Analytics can also reveal the extra value of Organic Search traffic; the value of the quality of Organic Search traffic that extends beyond the quantity.

One example of the added value of Organic Search traffic is the “pre-qualified” nature of those visits. The journey started with someone posing a query expressing the information they were seeking. Then, they selected your website from the many options delivered on the Search Engine Results Page as the one providing the likely answer. 

This pre-qualification increases the likelihood of conversion. You can see this value by comparing the engagement and conversion rates of Organic Search traffic with other channels driving traffic to your website as reported via Google Analytics. You can also drill down to the Conversion Attribution Paths Report in GA4 to see how many touches Organic Search had along the visitors’ paths to conversion.

Go ahead and look for the hidden value SEO brings to your website in terms of traffic quantity and quality. We think you’ll be surprised to see how much more your SEO strategy is worth. 

When we launched our AI optimization strategy over 2½ years ago, the search engine industry was struggling with what to call this newfangled thing. It didn’t help that the new AI platforms kept changing how they referred to themselves.

Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) led some to talk about Generative Experience Optimization (GEO) which also led to GEO gaining traction for Generative Engine Optimization. But then, after over a year of being in testing mode, Google launched SGE with a new name – AI Overviews – and the AIO acronym for AI Optimization gained some traction. 

Then there was some push back on using AIO as a generic acronym that was tied to Google. Answer Engine Optimization – or AEO – got some favor as it expanded beyond the Google connection.

Two and a half years and we still don’t have industry consensus on what to call optimizing for AI engine citations. Neither GEO, AEO, AIO, nor DBE’s original coinage, SAIO.

We went with SAIO – Search AI Optimization – from the start for a couple reasons. 

1. We foresaw the impact these AI models would have on traditional search behavior. 
2. We developed our AI search optimization best practices as an extension of our SEO services. We preferred to keep the “S is for Search” value first.

Regardless of the name kerfuffle, the search community is increasingly aligning on one thing we’ve said from the beginning and have proven over time: AI optimization best practices are interconnected with SEO best practices.

Perhaps Rand Fishkin was right when he said maybe the collective industry “we” shouldn’t worry about what acronym we use for AI optimization and simply say we do SEO for AI. The idea being optimizing for AI is a subset of SEO which is a subset of digital inbound marketing. 

We at DBE are okay with that. We’re okay if you or company prefers AEO, AIO, GEO, SAIO, or something else. 

After all, it’s not the name that drives the success. 

Two questions on digital marketers’ minds these days are:

• “What is the impact of AI platforms on my organic search and paid search success metrics?”
• “What metrics should I be focused on to show digital marketing success moving forward?”

Let’s break it down and offer some answers.

What were the core SEO and Paid Search metrics before the AI era?

Historically, SEO success was tracked using keyword rankings, organic traffic, click-through rates (CTR), bounce rates, conversions (as possible), backlinks, and indexed pages.

Paid Search focused on impressions, CTR, cost-per-click (CPC), conversions, quality score, and impression share.

These metrics were rooted in how and where pages/ads appeared in traditional search engine results pages (SERPs), and how often these impressions were clicked relative to their exposure. ​

Why are these metrics less relevant in today’s AI-inclusive landscape?

• From an SEO perspective, the traditional SERP layout has changed. Google long ago shifted priority to the appearance of paid ads and other search features to the top of the page, pushing the natural search results down (and often below the fold on a mobile phone). Not only does the inclusion of Google AI Overviews content further this downward push of natural positions, its direct, conservational answers have reduced or zero-ed out organic and paid search clicks and CTR. ​
• Another issue facing Paid Search is Google’s double-serving policy shift earlier this year. This means an advertiser’s ad may appear in multiple positions in the same auction. The result is increased impression counts without driving a comparable rise in clicks. The impact of declining CTRs and diluted impression share are making these old benchmarks unreliable.

How else are AI chatbots and generative search agents (ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, etc.) changing search performance measurement?

• AI search and chatbots tend to “summarize” their answers from a variety of sources that often do not include direct brand citations with links. In some cases, brands are actually competing for visibility with their product distributors or being cited with competitors based on competitive reviews on publisher websites.

• The traditional digital customer journey has been upended as AI-focused search results and AI chatbots are gaining traction as key steps in the brand discovery and research phases. While there is growing evidence that people are not leveraging AI platforms as their only search vehicle, we now have a chicken/egg attribution challenge as to where, when, or even, if a click or conversion was impacted.

What are the important metrics for search marketers moving forward?

• Conversions and Conversion Value: We’re still going to track traditional metrics like clicks, CTR, etc. as they are good signals of optimization gains and opportunities for improvement. However, the most important success metrics in this AI era should be overall Conversions and Conversion Value that can be used to determine ROI. This is why Conversion Goal Setting is a critical part of our client onboarding Discovery Phase.

• Brand Authority and Visibility: Authoritativeness is one of Google’s E-E-A-T core ranking/relevancy guidelines. Authority is also widely viewed as a significant factor behind brand citations/links. We track Moz Authority scores to demonstrate improvement over time. We also track Target Keyword Visibility through Advanced Web Ranking (AWR) over time as indication of optimization success. Impressions can also be used as an indicator here.

• Competitive Presence and Advantage: One of the great things about digital marketing is you can track and compare competitive authority and visibility to demonstrate success. Even paid search offers Auction Insights to show your share of voice vs. competitors.​

Final Thoughts

In today’s digital landscape, the most valuable question on search metrics is no longer “How many clicks or impressions did I get?” Instead, marketers must now focus on “How visible and trusted is my brand before a click ever happens?” To thrive, embrace search measurement frameworks that prioritize conversions, brand perception, and competitive positioning that are consistent with search and consumer journeys as they evolve in the AI era.

Can you believe we’ve reached the end of the 3rd Quarter 2025? January seems both long ago and yesterday at the same time, especially in the ever-changing world of SEO/SAIO.

Here’s a month-by-month recap of some of the industry’s key news stories as covered in our Perspective Marketer newsletter with our perspective on how the impact of the story has changed over the course of the year:

January

Are People Clicking Links In ChatGPT Search? Brands Say Yes. The sub-head summary was: “Brands report anecdotal evidence that users are clicking links in ChatGPT and Google Gemini search results, driving traffic and sales.” What’s changed since then:

• There is now definitive analytical evidence that people are using AI engines and clicking on links as part of their purchase journey. In fact, we call ChatGPT the “Google” of AI search in terms of the percentage volume of clicks it delivers to websites.

• We’ve learned ChatGPT is using Google rankings as part of their algorithm for including link citations (see August below).

• We liked that ChatGPT had a search mode but the interface no longer supports that mode with a clickable button. In many cases you now have to prompt ChatGPT to provide its citations and links via prompts.

February

DeepSeek Now In Perplexity’s AI Search—U.S. AI Dominance Challenged. This story suggested Perplexity’s adoption of DeepSeek’s “innovative R1 reasoning model” solidified Perplexity as a leader in AI-powered technology. What’s changed since then:

• DeepSeek itself has not become a SAIO target for optimization as a stand-alone AI platform, and Perplexity is nowhere close to dominating the AI search space. According to Perplexity’s link citations, Perplexity has an estimated 22-30 million monthly users while ChatGPT has 782-838 million estimated monthly users. We are seeing corresponding disparities between ChatGPT and Perplexity in terms of the sessions and conversions data being captured in GA4. That said, we still believe Perplexity is an important independent AI search platform.

March

Google begins testing AI Mode while rolling out Gemini 2.0 AI Overviews. AI Mode was only available in Search Labs. It appeared to be Google’s response to DeepSeek “thinking” as a way to go deeper in your searching in ways that AI Overviews did not. With respect to a question posed in the article about Search Console filtering AI queries and data separately from Organic Search data, Google said “We currently don’t have anything to share about the reporting tools for this experiment, but will let you know if that changes.” What’s changed since then:

• Google opened AI Mode to all users in May – much faster than it took them to get AI Overviews out of the lab. According to Perplexity’s link citations, AI Mode is estimated to have 100 million monthly users.

• What hasn’t changed – Google Search Console is still not filtering AI Mode or AI Overviews usage data. It’s all wrapped up with the organic search data which has some in our industry speculating about what Google may be hiding.

April

Google officially rolls out links in AI Overviews to its own search results. Yes, it’s worth repeating, Google AI Overviews started including links back to its own search results. This further fueled industry speculation about the motive for this “enhancement.” Some saw it as an effort to monetize AI Overviews by moving searchers back to the traditional platform that includes ads. What’s changed since then:

• AI Overviews still includes links to Google search engine results pages. There is now discussion that in addition to the monetization aspect, Google is trying to bolster the losses of search referral clicks due to the zero-click aspect of AI Overviews results (an issue we also discussed in Perceptive Marketer in April).

May

Turn chats into checkouts. ChatGPT Shopping Search announced a pending feature that allows merchants to submit product feeds to allow Instant Checkouts with a sign-up waiting list. This feature will put ChatGPT more in direct competition with Google and Amazon shopping features. What’s changed since then:

• ChatGPT Shopping Search launched in September. Details on purchase volume are not yet available but consider that an estimated 60% of shoppers use AI recommendations for product searches.

June

90% of AI search traffic comes from desktop: Report. Surprised? We were, too, but there were reasonable technology issues with mobile (e.g., lag times in results displays and click functionality in AI apps) that affected referral clicks. What’s changed since then:

• Another surprise – not much has changed. Seems people who are using AI to research topics and/or create content are more likely to want to use desktop over mobile.

July

Explaining The Great De-Coupling To C-Level. Remember that story in March about AI Overviews impacting Google’s traditional search click-throughs? This story explains how AI Overviews and AI Mode data are dramatically increasing search Impressions in Google Search Console reporting but the Click-Through Rate is dramatically dropping which in turn translates to a drop in reported Organic Search Clicks. In fact, if your website shows up in both AI Overviews and traditional search results, Search Console will capture that as two Impressions when the likelihood is you will only Click on one of those Impressions. What’s changed since then:

• There has been growing discussion about what success looks like in SEO/SAIO. Should we just be counting Impressions as a sign of brand visibility? Should we ignore Impressions and just be counting combined traditional Search and AI referral clicks to the website? Stay tuned for developments and industry consensus on how best to align available data with brand KPIs.

August

ChatGPT is using Google Search, multiple tests suggest. We shared reports that showed occasions where up to 90% of ChatGPT’s cited URLs matched Google’s top results. See how quickly things change as we first started talking about ChatGPT Search in January.

September

Google’s Danny Sullivan: ‘Good SEO is good GEO’ . “Generative engine optimization (or whatever the new acronym is for optimizing for AI search experiences) is the same core work SEOs have always done: creating unique, valuable content for people and providing a great page experience”.

• So, in other words, what is good for the SEO goose is good for the SAIO gander. It’s furthering the concept that SEO and SAIO are complementary in nature while allowing for differences in execution.

Stay tuned to Perspective Marketer for what changes arise in the 4th Quarter 2025 and, in the meantime, let’s all sing along…

🎵 Time May ChAInge Search, But We Can TrAIce Time

9/4/25 Update: In the first week of September, a Federal judge ruled Google did not have to sell Chrome as part of the resolution to address its antitrust monopoly ruling. The ruling did, however, require Google to share “some of its search results with qualified competitors.” Whether Perplexity or other AI search engines will qualify as qualified competitors remains to be seen. With this caveat, this blog still offers insights into Perplexity’s thinking in relation to the potential impacts of having access to Google search data.

If you are reading this, you no doubt heard the news about Perplexity’s offer to buy Google’s Chrome browser for $34.5 billion dollars.

Google hasn’t responded to the bid and initial reactions from industry sources say it is unlikely to come to fruition soon; Google is still working through its response to the DOJ’s suggestion that it divest Chrome as part of the search antitrust settlement.

But what if it happens? Or if a different AI company like OpenAI (aka ChatGPT) gets Chrome? How would this impact the digital marketing world of SEO, paid search, and analytics? More specifically, how would this change the use of the inter-related Google platforms we currently rely on to do our jobs?

We thought it would be interesting to get Perplexity’s take on these questions. Our prompt was to write a blog summarizing the potential impact of the acquisition on digital marketers. Perplexity’s blog response follows below. Here’s the conclusion as a teaser for reading the whole blog:

Perplexity’s potential acquisition of Chrome marks a paradigm shift that digital marketers cannot ignore. While Google’s ownership currently provides a stable, integrated environment powering SEO, paid search, analytics, and tag management, a transition to Perplexity promises both disruption and innovation.

We’re also including the list of the 25 sources Perplexity used to research its response. It’s a fascinating list that includes big media names like Fortune and The Wall Street Journal, social outlets like LinkedIn and YouTube, some known trade publications, and then some websites you maybe haven’t heard of. It’s a good example of the depths to which Perplexity draws from and how the citations lend authority to its response.

Enough from us, here is Perplexity in its own words…and remember what Perplexity says may be misleading or not even accurate (as is the case with all AI generated content).

Perplexity’s Response on the Perplexity Bid for Google Chrome

Owning Chrome: Potential Impact of Perplexity’s Acquisition on Digital Marketers and Google Tools

Perplexity AI’s audacious bid to acquire Google’s Chrome browser heralds a potentially transformative moment for digital marketers, SEO specialists, and paid search advertisers who rely heavily on Google’s ecosystem. Beyond the headline-grabbing $34.5 billion offer, the prospect of Chrome shifting from Google to Perplexity ownership could reshape how core Google tools operate, influence search rankings, and disrupt paid search and analytics workflows. Here’s a detailed exploration of what this ownership change could mean—specifically for Google Search results and rankings, Google Ads and Keyword Planner, Search Console, Analytics, Tag Manager, and the strategic advantages Perplexity may unlock.

Google Search Results and Rankings: AI Enhancements Under Pressure

Currently, Google Search enjoys unbeatable SEO leverage due to Chrome’s dominant market share and tight integration of advanced AI features like AI Overviews and AI Mode. These capabilities use billions of Chrome user signals and historical click data to refine search rankings and drive visibility. Marketers benefit from:

• Consistent, high query volumes funneling through Google Search as the default engine

• Advanced AI-powered summaries and interactive search experiences helping users find information faster

• A feedback loop where Chrome behaviors influence algorithmic ranking adjustments

Should Perplexity take ownership, this feedback pipeline could be disrupted. Google’s proprietary AI features may become limited or segregated, while Perplexity could integrate its own AI-powered search and assistant (such as its Comet browser’s agentic AI). This could lead to fluctuations in SEO rankings as new algorithms and data dynamics evolve, adding uncertainty for marketers dependent on stable Google Search rankings. The convergence of browser and AI search under Perplexity might open alternative ranking signals or new visibility layers, forcing marketers to adapt rapidly.

Google Ads and Keyword Planner: Data Quality and Targeting Challenges

Google Ads currently leverages Chrome’s vast first-party data to power highly targeted campaigns anchored in robust user insight. This includes seamless conversion tracking, ad performance optimization, and competitive auction insights.

• Keyword Planner access to accurate keyword volume, competition, and forecast data is also critically dependent on people signed into their Gmail accounts user behavior data.

• If Perplexity gains control, Google could face reduced access to granular real-time browsing behaviors, potentially diluting the precision of Google Ads targeting and campaign performance measurement.

• At the same time, Perplexity might develop its own ad platform or modify privacy frameworks, creating opportunities for alternative paid advertising ecosystems.

• Keyword Planner data quality may suffer temporarily, with less accurate search volumes and forecasting until new data models stabilize.

Google Search Console, Analytics & Tag Manager: Shifts in Reporting and Tracking

Google Search Console currently benefits from Chrome user experience metrics, driving rich reports that inform SEO strategies. Similarly, Google Analytics enjoys stable, granular Chrome data feeds ensuring powerful web traffic insights, while Google Tag Manager depends on Chrome’s scripting environment for smooth tag deployment.

• Ownership changes could limit Google’s access to user data streams, potentially reducing report accuracy or causing shifts in metrics visibility.

• Privacy-conscious measures by Perplexity might restrict browser data sharing, compelling marketers to recalibrate tracking approaches and anticipate gaps in UX insights.

• Google Tag Manager might face compatibility challenges as new browser security or performance policies are enacted, affecting script execution reliability crucial for campaign measurement.

Strategic Advantages and User Benefits for Perplexity

Owning Chrome unlocks unparalleled competitive leverage for Perplexity, providing it with:

• Immediate access to billions of daily users and the behavioral data essential for building AI-powered search and advertising solutions.

• A platform to seamlessly integrate its own AI assistant technology (as showcased in their Comet browser), enabling highly context-aware, conversational browsing experiences.

• The ability to create new ad frameworks within Chrome, potentially disrupting Google’s digital advertising hegemony.

• Opportunities to foster innovation around privacy-first data use, evolving web standards, and AI-enhanced search tools.

For Perplexity users, this could translate to direct benefits such as deeply personalized AI interactions, faster research workflows through browser-integrated automation, and improved relevance and trustworthiness of search results.

Conclusion

Perplexity’s potential acquisition of Chrome marks a paradigm shift that digital marketers cannot ignore. While Google’s ownership currently provides a stable, integrated environment powering SEO, paid search, analytics, and tag management, a transition to Perplexity promises both disruption and innovation. Marketers may face volatility in search rankings and data fidelity in the short term but could eventually access novel AI-driven insights, new ad platforms, and fresh ways to engage users.

From a strategic perspective, Perplexity would secure the world’s most valuable digital real estate, turbocharging its AI search ambitions and fundamentally reshaping the browser and search landscape. For users, the promise is more intelligent, contextualized, and automated browsing experiences that sync seamlessly with AI-enhanced tools.

Digital marketers should closely monitor developments, prepare for shifting data ecosystems, and remain agile in strategy to thrive through this potentially revolutionary transition.

Sources

1. https://www.phocuswire.com/perplexity-bid-google-chrome-travel-seo-search
2. https://www.theinformation.com/articles/wild-chrome-bid-perplexity-hunting-browsers
3. https://fortune.com/2025/08/13/perplexity-chrome-acquisition-bid-comet-ai-browser-next-google/
4. https://www.thenationalnews.com/future/technology/2025/08/13/perplexity-ai-google-chrome-bid-industry-impact/
5. https://www.zdnet.com/article/why-perplexity-is-going-after-google-chrome-and-yes-its-serious/
6. https://www.sevenatoms.com/blog/google-ai-overviews
7. https://www.buildersociety.com/threads/throttling-of-keyword-planner-for-low-level-accounts-by-google-confirmed.2109/
8. https://support.repli360.com/knowledge/how-to-transfer-ownership-gsc
9. https://help.piwik.pro/support/privacy/how-will-googles-phasing-out-of-third-party-cookies-in-chrome-affect-my-tracking/
10. https://spyglass.org/i-offer-to-buy-jupiter/
11. https://www.wsj.com/tech/perplexity-ai-google-chrome-offer-5ddb7a22
12. https://fortune.com/2025/07/24/googles-ai-overviews-eating-internet-search-traffic/
13. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dXsz__IwUDg
14. https://www.reddit.com/r/webdev/comments/1ko4ra8/new_owner_for_domain_name_from_google_search/
15. https://www.simoahava.com/gtm-tips/chrome-samesite-warnings-google-tag-manager/
16. https://searchengineland.com/perplexity-bid-google-chrome-460683
17. https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/08/perplexity-offers-more-than-twice-its-total-valuation-to-buy-chrome-from-google/
18. https://blog.google/products/search/google-search-ai-mode-update/
19. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXmuEzfLtuQ
20. https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/04/search-console-ownership-token-management
21. https://www.thenationalnews.com/future/technology/2025/08/13/perplexity-ai-google-chrome-bid-industry-impact/
22. https://www.wsj.com/tech/perplexity-ai-google-chrome-offer-5ddb7a22
23. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/technology/perplexity-google-chrome-bid.html
24. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-08-12/perplexity-makes-34-5-billion-bid-for-google-s-chrome-browser
25. https://www.marketingprofs.com/articles/2024/51363/google-ai-overview-impact-seo-marketing-advertising

Google’s been changing its Google Ads Serving Policy and how the company is capturing/counting AI Overviews and AI Mode data in Google Search Console. Here’s our double take on what it all means.

Let’s start with the change in Google Ads Serving Policy. Prior, Google would only run one of your company’s ads on a Search Engine Results Page (SERP). Now, the policy standard (or should we say double standard): they can run multiple ads on the same SERP so long as they are in different places on the page. 

At first glance, this sounds like a great opportunity for advertisers to double up their visibility. Indeed, Google Ad Impressions have seen great growth in the months following the policy change. But this Impressions growth is part of a double-edged sword, because most searchers are not going to click on both of the ads on the page. Therefore, the increase in Impressions leads to a decrease in Click-Through Rate (CTR). This means advertisers have to reevaluate CTR as one of the bedrock PPC metrics in reporting as a signal of relevance of ads with target audiences, or at least recalibrate expectations for what a “good” CTR is.

Moving on to the bind Google has created with Google Search Console (GSC) reporting… SEOers have long used improvements in the GSC Impressions, Clicks, CTR, and Average Position data as indicators of Organic Search optimization success.

The news that Google is now including data from AI Overviews (as part of the SERP) and AI Mode (as a separate search mode) could be initially seen as a way to gauge SAIO (Search AI Optimization) success via GSC. Until, that is, you find out the data from Organic Search, AI Overviews, and AI Mode is all being mixed together and not being presented separately. Not only is this a double cross in terms of Organic Search data transparency, but it also has the potential for double counting Impressions on the SERP with listings in both AI Overviews and the traditional search results. We are seeing a similar impact on CTR as with Google Ads and the blurring of the value of Average Position data as it now includes positions in AI Overviews and AI Mode as part of the overall average.

Will Google double back on the double trouble these double-barreled data actions have taken? *Picture me doubling over in laughter.*

I was reminded of the wealth of SEO data analytics insights we can glean by an article in a recent Perceptive Marketer. It talked about how Google Search Console data could tell or, rather, foretell, a story of declining consumer perceptions or attitudes toward a brand.

Here are three other types of broader business insights we can provide (and have provided) by leveraging various SEO data analytics tools to look beyond just website visits and higher keyword rankings:

Impact of Business-Shifting Events

Want to know how tariffs may be impacting purchase intent? Track shifts in relevant customer journey keywords via the Google Ads Keyword Planner. The Keyword Planner provides Average Monthly Searches along with Three Month Change and YoY Change percentages that provide a sense of shifting sands. Google Trends will provide charts showing shifts in keyword volume over years going as far back as 2004. Both tools allow you to view the keyword data by country or city so you can customize your data and related stories to your company’s target customer base.

Website User Experience Issues

Are you driving traffic to your website but not seeing the payoff in conversion actions? GA4, Google Ads (if you are running Paid Search), and Google Search Console can provide insights on Conversion Rates based on the keyword/query that was clicked on to get to the webpage that started the searchers’ visits. Screaming Frog can help pinpoint technical issues that may be affecting conversion rates on specific pages. And if there are no technical issues, it may be time to reexamine your SEO keyword and content alignment along with the prominence of your Call-To-Action on the page.

Competitive Insights

Are your industry competitors the same as your online “search” competitors? What do you have to do to outmaneuver them? Advanced Web Ranking (AWR) can monitor competitive activity over time and report on shifting dynamics in terms of keyword visibility. Moz can track Domain Authority, Page Authority, and Brand Authority over time for you and your competitors. We also use Moz for SEO Best Practice Competitive Audits. Google Ads Auction Insights will show how your campaigns stack up against competitors in terms of Impression Share, Overlap Rate, and other data indicative of their Paid Search activity.

What Can SEO Data Do For Your Business?

These are just a few examples of how we leverage various SEO data sets on an on-going basis to find insights that could have ramifications for your business beyond just Organic Search traffic. Let us know what questions you may have about your business situation, and we’ll put our tools to work to find answers in your SEO data sets.

Picture the iconic “March of Progress” image in your head. You know, the one that shows the evolution of man from an essentially crawling hominid to a fully erect Homo sapien. 

Now let’s take a similar, more abbreviated view of the evolution of search. For this, we don’t have to go back millions of years — just to the 1990’s amidst the dawning era of the internet.

Early Years – Answer Engines

The earliest search engines like Archie, Veronica, and Jughead actually only indexed file names for websites and did not index the contents of these websites. Similarly, the Yahoo Directory was a list of website links organized by category and not content-based. 

According to Wikipedia, WebCrawler was the first “all text” crawler-based search engine that allowed users to search for any word on any web page. (Love the similarity of “crawling” as a start for both man and search engines.)

AltaVista introduced natural language queries and a simple interface. Ask Jeeves (later just Ask.com) is credited as the first search engine to use a natural language question aimed at providing direct answers. 

Middle Years – Search Engines

RankDex was the first site-scoring algorithm that used hyperlink analysis as an indicator of content relevance. 

Google introduced its PageRank algorithm shortly after that also ranked pages based on the quality and quantity of backlinks. Google continued to refine its algorithm and its presentation of results to deliver what the algorithm judged to be the most relevant (or in Google’s words “helpful”) website pages.

The evolution of Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP) to include separate sections including the Knowledge Graph, Featured Snippets, Product Listings, Google Business Listings, etc. started to provide direct answers as well as the traditional list of links to potential websites/content pages based on the inferred intent of the searcher. 

Advanced Years – Search AI Answer Engines

Enter AI models that quickly gained the ability to crawl the web and synthesize what they found into conversational answers to prompts. Perplexity AI leans into this mission by saying it is “dedicated to building the world’s best conversational answer engine” by delivering direct, cited answers instead of just links.

ChatGPT provides similar direct-answer synopses of relevant content in response to search-like prompts and provides citation links (albeit in less prominence than Perplexity). Recent studies suggest that while ChatGPT searchers’ Click-Through-Rate (CTR) to link citations websites is low, the quality of traffic measured by user intent and conversion likelihood is notably higher. 

Google’s AI Overviews is now so geared to providing direct responses/answers to search queries that the CTR for traditional search listings have dropped significantly — even for pages ranking in the Top 3 positions. The issue has prompted Google to show upwards of 43% of its AI Overviews citation links as links to Google Search Results.

The Moral of This Evolutionary Tale

Clearly, the evolution of Search AI platforms has both advanced expectations around the modern search experience and circled back to the roots of early days to provide direct answers. 

Make no mistake, answer engines and search engines leverage different methodologies and algorithms to arrive at the results they show. So, it should be no surprise there is less of an overlap in citation sources and SERP listings than one might expect. One recent research shows “ChatGPT results overlap only 12% with the Google SERP.”

Have you evolved your search marketing strategy to include both traditional SEO and Search AI Optimization (SAIO)? It’s the best way to ensure you walk tall in this new era of search.

Traditional search algorithms were designed to deliver the most “relevant” results in response to a search query. Here’s Google’s explanation:

“To return relevant results, we first need to establish what you’re looking for — the intent behind your query. To do this, we build language models to try to decipher how the relatively few words you enter into the search box match up to the most useful content available.”

(Note we added the emphasis on “relatively few words” and will circle back on that in a moment.)

It has been a long-standing SEO best practice to bucket and prioritize target keywords that align with these four search intents:

• Navigational – the searcher is looking for a specific website.
• Informational – the searcher is looking for an answer to a specific question.
• Commercial – the searcher is researching products or services.
• Transactional – the searcher is looking to purchase products or services.

The optimization of content, tags, and link/social signals around the target keyword is designed to make the “relevance” connection for Google algorithms to rank the page based on how well it meets the inferred intent of the keyword usage.

Over time, Google’s algorithms and layouts for its search engine results pages (SERPs) have improved their ability to quickly address the inferred intent of a search query — especially for navigational and informational searches (e.g., with featured snippets, knowledge graph panels, Google Business maps, etc). SEO best practices have evolved to gain visibility in these features in addition to the traditional organic results section.

Now, we have AI engines like Perplexity, ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, etc. that offer users a variety of capabilities from content creation to coding, and of course, to searching. (Check out our coverage on the huge volume of searches that are now being conducted on AI platforms.)

Instead of search queries of “relatively few words,” we now have prompts that can extend from those few words to full sentences or even to paragraphs, depending on the intent of the user/searcher.

So, how do you optimize individual pages for the numerous keyword variations used when a prompt can extend to 30 words or more? The answer is you can’t.

This is why our approach to Search AI Optimization (SAIO) is focused on topic clusters instead of keywords. One element of our SAIO optimization strategy is to provide structured content blocks on a single page that cover a range of related topical keyword variations. AI models can then select the most relevant content block for citation as they parse the intent of searchers’ prompts. Many of these lengthy prompts will most likely fall into the Commercial- and Transactional-research-intent realm, which means those citation links will bring visitors that are more inclined to take action.

If your intent as a marketer is to gain visibility for and conversions from your website, you really need to leverage both SEO and SAIO strategies to address the search intents of your prospective customers, whether they are expressed with short keyword queries or longer prompts.