What is New Search Marketing?

“New” search marketing focuses on AI-driven personalization, voice/visual search optimization, local SEO, and integrating search with broader omnichannel strategies, moving beyond traditional SEO/PPC to leverage contextual understanding, user intent (not just keywords), and emerging search platforms (like TikTok, YouTube) for hyper-relevant content and ads that capture users across their entire journey, emphasizing user experience and deep data analysis for better ROI.

Key Changes in “New” Search Marketing:

1. AI & Personalization: Using AI to understand complex user intent (beyond simple keywords) and deliver highly personalized ad experiences and content, as seen with Google’s SGE (Search Generative Experience).
2. Voice & Visual Search: Optimizing for spoken queries (voice) and image-based searches (visual), requiring different content strategies (long-tail, conversational, descriptive alt text).
3. Video & Social Search: Treating platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram as major search engines, requiring video SEO and social-native ad formats.
4. Local SEO Evolution: Focusing on “near me” searches, Google Business Profile optimization, and local reviews to capture nearby customers.
5. Omnichannel Integration: Connecting search efforts (paid/organic) with email, social, and offline experiences for a seamless customer journey.
6. Data-Driven Experience: Heavy reliance on analytics (Google Analytics 4, Search Console) to refine strategies, focusing on user behavior and journey mapping, not just clicks.

Core Components (Still Relevant, but Evolved):

1. SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Earning organic visibility via technical optimization, quality content, backlinks, and now, AI/voice readiness.
2. PPC (Pay-Per-Click)/Paid Search (SEM): Bidding for ad spots on search engines (Google Ads, Bing Ads), now enhanced with AI bidding, audience targeting, and rich ad formats (Shopping, Video).

The “new” search marketing is about being where your customer is, speaking their language (voice/visual), anticipating their needs (AI), and delivering value across all touchpoints, not just waiting for them to type a keyword.

New Search Marketing Components (AI-Powered):

New search marketing involves evolving beyond traditional keywords (SEO) to optimize for AI-driven search, focusing on AEO (Answer Engine Optimization for direct answers), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization for AI summaries), LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization for AI comprehension), and AIO (AI Optimization for trustworthiness), aiming to get featured in rich snippets, voice answers, and generative AI overviews by structuring content as Q&As, using structured data, and building authority for new AI search experiences like Google SGE.

Here’s a breakdown of the key terms used online:

1. SEO (Search Everywhere Optimization): Optimizing for all digital channels for various types of content (text, image, audio, and video).
2. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): Optimizing for direct answers in voice search, featured snippets, and AI overviews (e.g., Q&A formats, concise answers).
3. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Getting content into AI-generated summaries and narratives within generative search.
4. LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization): Structuring content for AI understanding using clear, cited facts, definitions, and entity relationships so LLMs can use it as a source.
5. AIOO (AI Overview Optimization): A broader term for using AI to improve content and strategy, ensuring AI tools trust and recommend your content.
6. SGE (Search Generative Experience): Google’s AI-powered search interface, where these new strategies (GEO, LLMO) are critical for visibility.
7. AISO (AI-driven SEO): Sometimes used to describe the overall shift, incorporating AI tools for research and optimization.
8. SAO (Search Agent Optimization): Creating and optimising content that AI agents can easily understand and use in their responses.
9. SXO (Search Experience Optimization): An umbrella term that integrates SEO, AIO, GEO, and AEO, focusing on the complete user journey and experience across all search types.

It’s about making content not just keyword-friendly, but AI-friendly, ensuring it’s authoritative, structured, and answers questions directly or serves as a credible source for AI to cite in new search formats. Learn more at https://aiso.blog/

About Suresh

Suresh

Hi, I’m Suresh and I am a marketing professional, content creator, domain investor and go-getter with over 15 years of experience in helping brands connect with their customers using online marketing channels.

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