Search has dramatically transformed itself from basic beginnings and has firmly established its prominence in our tech-suffused lives. At first, search was about typing a few keywords onto a webpage, and then waiting for a series of blue links to pop up, with the top one ideally being the thing you were looking for. But by the time the modern internet had come into being in the late 1990s, and certainly by the time Google had arisen as a search leader in the early 2000s, it was already obvious that keywords were not going to be a sufficient means of expressing what people were trying to find.
How technology for searching has changed over the years
The part played by models of language in today's search engines
Why it matters for marketers making the move from good old SEO to AEO
How pledge.ai can help you get with the program
From Single Words to Sentences: The Journey of Search
Recall the time when we all believed that having more keywords equaled having better search results? In the past, search engines were laboring under the tyranny of exact keyword matching to dredge up relevant pages. They were the dark ages before Mike K. invented the query we now know as "best pizza near me." Today, search is more like a conversation.
Consider engines of a well-tuned car. Instead of matching exact phrases, language models comprehend user intent and the context of a request. For example, you might ask a language model, "Tell me a joke," or you might say, "I need a laugh." Both lead to similar outcomes — searches for the kind of entertainment that might bring one back to a more balanced emotional state
Current search engines forgo the use of those inflexible keywords and instead rely on language models "tuned to pick up on the patterns and, more importantly, the human nuances that make up our conversations and writing."
These models are so advanced, they could almost be considered artificial intelligences, given how much they know about us.
The engine is now more intelligent. It is not just looking at your words but at what you really mean and why. It understands you are asking for a way to accomplish something, in this case, an ambiguous social media accomplishment.
So, what's happening here? Clearly, it's an engine reading your intent with greater accuracy.
The engine is now more intelligent. It is not just looking at your words but at what you really mean and why. It understands you are asking for a way to accomplish something, in this case, an ambiguous social media accomplishment.
So what are the implications for marketers or anyone moving from tried-and-true SEO to this new world? Well, it's the same new world of opportunities! With language models, creating content that's naturally written, addressing potential user queries in an organic way, is key. So, think less about awkwardly squeezing in your keywords and more about the conversational flow.
Marketers like you who are venturing into this new territory can use this as a quick checklist:
Make sure the content you create is conversational in nature.
Write like you speak so that you're mirroring a natural back-and-forth that people have when they hold a conversation.
Answer questions—in a way that's as straightforward as possible—that you imagine your audience might literally ask.
Even better, consider the broader context of their queries:
What could their search say about their current state of mind or need?
At pledge.ai, we are dedicated to ensuring your success in this transition. We have an array of tools and insights that are designed to help you create a content strategy for language models. Think of us as your kind, helpful sidekick on this journey, providing everything you need to accomplish your mission.
In summary, the evolution of search is not something you can simply keep up with. It is something you must lead. When language models steer the direction, understanding your audience and serving them becomes the navigational priority. Pledge.ai invites you to leap with us into this new search epoch. Sign Up now, and order tomorrow.
