🤖AI chatbots such as ChatGPT and AI-supported search engines such as Bing are fundamentally changing the way we search the internet. Companies must adapt to the fact that in future it will be less about top rankings on the first search results pages and more about structuring content in such a way that it can be understood and correctly reproduced by AIs.
🗣️Armin Doll, Lead Solutions Engineer at Yext, observes the changes in search behaviour. He emphasises that Google remains the main gateway to online searches, but that the type of search is changing. Instead of simple keyword matches, semantic interpretation is becoming more important. Users are increasingly asking for complete sentences, which provides more precise results. Modern language models enable search engines to provide not only lists but also direct answers to complex questions, making searches more dialogue-based.
🔍The choice of search channels is also changing. Platforms such as Reddit and TikTok are becoming increasingly important, so companies need to ensure that they are present there and provide consistent, up-to-date information. Missing or contradictory information can lead to AI systems providing incorrect information.
✨The future of search is not only taking place in traditional search engines, but also in AI chatbots and social media. Companies should keep their data up to date and disseminate it on various channels to ensure the reliability of their information.
🛠️In addition, many companies need to intensify their data work, especially on their websites. Relevant or up-to-date information is often missing, which impairs findability. The content should be tailored to the typical search queries of the target group.
☝️The requirements for websites have also changed. Instead of just providing page-orientated content, companies should store their data in a structured way in order to be found more easily in the new search systems. Modern technical developments are required to update information in real time, for example when opening hours change, in order to fulfil the requirements of the new search landscape.
