AI search glossary

    What is SEO?

    Also known as: Search engine optimisation

    SEO is the work of helping search engines find, understand and rank your pages.

    Google says SEO best practices remain relevant for its AI features, because they are built on its core ranking and quality systems.

    Why it matters for your business

    Google says its AI features are built on its core ranking and quality systems. Good SEO is still the foundation for being found in AI answers.

    How it works

    1. 1

      Crawling

      Search engines discover your pages by following links and sitemaps.

    2. 2

      Indexing

      They store and understand what each page is about.

    3. 3

      Ranking

      They decide which pages best answer a search.

    Common misunderstandings

    Myth

    SEO is dead because of AI.

    Reality

    Google says SEO best practices remain relevant for its AI features.

    What to do about it

    • Confirm your important pages are indexed in Search Console.
    • Make every page answer one clear question better than the alternatives.
    • Fix slow, broken or duplicate pages.

    Questions people ask

    Is SEO different from GEO?

    Google treats optimising for its generative AI features as part of SEO. GEO is a name for the AI-answer side of the same work.

    See where your business stands

    Run the Free Check

    Sources

    Answers that explain this

    Related terms

    GEOAEO

    Defined by Dr. Radhakrishnan KG, founder of WebNamaste · Reviewed 6 October 2026