AI vs. Algorithms: How SearchGPT Differs from Traditional Google Search
You might have read our recent blog post about the launch of SearchGPT and how it differs from Google search. In this post, we’ll dive deeper into its functionality and examine how AI powered search compares to conventional search algorithms. We’ll also explore how to stay ahead of the AI curve by examining ways to optimise websites and their content for SearchGPT.
SearchGPT uses Natural Language Processing (NLP) to improve the way it understands, processes, and responds to user queries. NLP is a form of AI that focuses on enabling machines to comprehend and generate human language in a way that feels natural and intuitive. It helps ensure that search interactions are conversational, rather than simply providing closed-ended answers. As a result, AI powered search can handle more complex queries than traditional algorithm-based search engines, leading to more detailed and relevant results while also encouraging further exploration through follow-up searches.
With the use of NLP, SearchGPT appears to be adept at understanding not only complex, long-tail searches, but also broad and ambiguous search terms. This technology enables the AI powered search engine to recognise individual user patterns, which in turn helps identify user intent even when your search is very vague. While Google and Bing do also leverage NLP to enhance traditional search results, SearchGPT applies NLP in a more conversational, interactive, and contextually aware manner, thanks to its AI powered conversational model. As such, whether vague or overly complicated, SearchGPT seems to have the potential to better understand non-standard searches when compared to its more traditional competitors.
Example: After searching for multiple terms related to paper mâché projects within SearchGPT, Google and Bing, we ran a search across all three for a single word, ‘Tips’. Whilst Google returned results about tips for the workplace, the banking acronym TIPS, and advice on using the Apple app store, Bing returned results about tips for placing bets on horse racing, news articles related to tipping rubbish, and again tips for the workplace. In comparison, SearchGPT provided the following:
Note: The result contained 7 separate top tips specifically for paper mâché projects, from multiple different websites.
SearchGPT has the ability to pull in real-time data, providing insights on current events such as live sports scores, weather reports, breaking news and more. This feature gives SearchGPT an edge over standard search engines like Google and Bing, both of which rely on static indexing. Rather than being limited to pulling results from data that has been previously indexed and stored on a periodic basis, it has access to live data which can be dynamically integrated into its responses. This is especially beneficial when searching for time sensitive queries as it greatly reduces the risk of the information presented being outdated. Users can make informed decisions based on results at speed, rather than having to spend time sifting through static results that may not reflect the latest developments.
In summary, SearchGPT’s real-time data integration ensures that users get accurate, fresh information relevant to time-sensitive queries. This represents another potential advantage over traditional search engines, offering a more dynamic and relevant response, particularly in situations where timing and accuracy are critical.
As touched upon above, SearchGPT offers an element of contextualisation previously not found within conventional search. As seen within the paper mâché example, it uses NLP to help provide context and personalisation to results. Google, Bing and similar search engines often provide the same results for all users, whereas SearchGPT tailors responses based on individual preferences, past searches, and contextual relevance. Not only does this help provide more useful results for its users almost as soon as you start searching, it also has the ability to evolve with each individual user based on their ongoing search behaviour. By continuously evaluating and learning from your search patterns, SearchGPT improves its understanding of your queries, accounting for variations in phrasing, slang, and synonyms. This enables it to offer increasingly precise and contextually appropriate responses with every interaction.
We are all familiar with the structure of organic Google search listings – multiple website listings containing a meta title and description, with an accompanying URL, website name and favicon. An example of this can be seen below:
SearchGPT has strayed from this traditional model, instead displaying detailed information in the form of conversational, contextually-rich responses. It presents answers directly within the SearchGPT interface, often providing concise summaries, relevant facts, and real-time data, all tailored to your specific query. This format eliminates the need for users to click through multiple links to find the information they need, making the search experience faster, more efficient, and again more personalised. Additionally, SearchGPT can offer follow-up prompts and adjust its responses based on user interaction, creating a more dynamic and engaging search experience compared to static search engine listings.
SearchGPT offers encrypted searches and minimal data storage, ensuring security and confidentiality for users. Whilst conventional search engines such as Google and Bing can retain personal search data for targeted advertising purposes, SearchGPT doesn’t. Users can enjoy a secure, ad-free experience – at least for the time being. SearchGPT is still very new and so who knows if this might change in the future.
Now that we have a clearer picture of how SearchGPT delivers results, let’s explore how we can adjust our SEO strategies to align with AI powered search.
SearchGPT is better at understanding natural language than its traditional counterparts, due to its advanced use of AI and NLP. Therefore, optimising your content for conversational queries is key. Rather than relying on short, traditional keywords, consider using long-tail, question based phrases that reflect how users actually speak. For example, instead of targeting generic keywords like “paper bags wholesale,” try phrases like “Where can I buy wholesale paper bags online in the UK?”. This type of long-tail, question-based query aligns more closely with how users naturally phrase their searches, and SearchGPT is better equipped to process and respond to such nuanced inputs.
By optimising content to reflect the way people naturally talk, you increase the chances of your site being displayed in relevant SearchGPT results, providing a more tailored and useful response to users. This shift towards natural language search is not only in line with how AI and NLP are evolving, it also helps improve user engagement by providing answers in a way that feels intuitive and conversational.
Similar to the above approach with keyword targeting, ensure the content following question based queries is structured to answer said question(s). AI-driven tools look to provide content that directly addresses users’ queries, so it is essential to format your content to answer questions clearly and concisely. Use headings, bullet points, and FAQ sections to make information easy to find. This way, AI can pull key insights from your content – whilst also making your content more likely to show up as a featured answer or snippet in Google search results.
Schema markup, or structured data, helps search engines better understand your content’s context and relevance – this applies to AI powered search and conventional search engines alike. By tagging information such as events, products, reviews, and FAQs with schema, you make it easier for SearchGPT to interpret your site accurately. This can increase your chances of appearing in results, boosting both visibility and click-through rates / website traffic.
As explained earlier within this blog, SearchGPT has access to real-time data, rather than having to wait for periodic crawling and indexation. As such, it is incredibly important to always ensure your content is relevant and up to date. AI based search, similar to traditional search, will also prioritise content that it knows is current and accurate – especially when it comes to topics that change frequently. Regularly updating your content not only shows that your site is active, but also signals to SearchGPT that your website is up to date. Frequent updates can also help you rank better for real-time queries, again further enhancing your visibility.
Another factor that AI powered search will take into account when choosing content to display is the user experience provided by a website. Again, this is no different to traditional search engines such as Google and Bing. It is as important as ever to ensure that your site is fast, mobile-friendly, and easy to navigate. Accessibility is also important – if you are unsure of how accessible your site is, whether site speed is negatively impacting your results or if your content is mobile friendly, a Bespoke SEO Audit may be just what you need. We can review many different areas of your website in order to help ensure that it is equipped to rank effectively in AI-driven search results and organic Google SERPs, keeping you ahead in the ever-evolving SEO landscape.
These are just a handful of the ways in which we recommend optimising your website for AI powered search. We have no doubt that we will be posting many more in the not-so-distant future. So keep your eyes peeled in order to stay ahead of the innovation curve.
There is still a lot to learn about SearchGPT, and the Innovation team here at Varn are busy at work testing and researching the impacts of AI powered search on SEO. If you would like to know more, check back regularly for our most recent SearchGPT articles. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch. We would love to hear from you.
Varn is an expert & specialist SEO search marketing agency. Technical SEO * AI & Data Analytics * Offsite SEO * Paid Search
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