Search Engine Optimization
| Category | Foundational concept |
|---|---|
| Used in | Search, information retrieval, AI-mediated search |
| Related concepts | |
| Generative Engine Optimization Answer Engine Optimization Search Everywhere Optimization The Great Decoupling of Search | |
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving the visibility of websites and information in search-engine results. In AI SEO, conventional SEO remains important because generative and answer systems can depend on web search, crawlable documents, indexes, links, structured data, and other signals produced by the open web.
Relationship to AI SEO
AI SEO extends the optimization problem beyond ranked links. A page can contribute to an AI answer through retrieval, citation, entity evidence, or recommendation even when the user does not click a traditional search result.
Retrieval and indexing
Search visibility can affect whether a document is available to retrieval systems used by generative engines. Technical accessibility, internal linking, canonicalization, content quality, and external references therefore remain relevant upstream conditions.
Measurement
Traditional SEO emphasizes rankings, impressions, clicks and organic sessions. AI SEO adds measurements such as citations, mentions, selection rate, recommendation frequency and visibility over repeated prompts.
See also
- Generative Engine Optimization
- Answer Engine Optimization
- Search Everywhere Optimization
- The Great Decoupling of Search