What is Conversational Search?
Multi-turn search where follow-up questions inherit context from earlier ones. Pages that define entities clearly and cover adjacent subtopics get pulled into longer answer threads.
Related terms
Query Fan-Out
When an AI system expands one question into many sub-queries behind the scenes to gather sources. Broad, well-structured topic coverage wins fan-out because more sub-queries land on your pages.
People Also Ask (PAA)
Expandable related-question boxes revealing how Google decomposes a topic. PAA questions are a free brief: answer each one in a dedicated section or FAQ.
Search Generative Experience (SGE)
Google’s earlier name for generative search features, superseded by AI Overviews and AI Mode. Historical SGE studies still inform how zero-click and citation behavior is measured.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Answer Engine Optimization is the practice of structuring pages so answer engines and AI assistants can extract, trust, and quote them: a direct definition up top, scannable steps, quotable facts, and FAQ or Article schema behind them.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Generative Engine Optimization improves how often a brand or page is cited inside AI-generated answers. It combines classic SEO (crawlability, relevance) with quotability: clear facts, named entities, sources, and machine-readable structure.
AI Overviews
Google’s AI-generated summaries at the top of some results pages. They synthesize multiple sources and link to them, which can reduce clicks to publishers even when a page ranks well organically.