I’m going to introduce you to an innovation around Internet search you have possibly not heard about, but will undoubtedly dominate the conversation (excuse the pun) in the near future.
Every now and then there’s a paradigm shift that alters the way we behave and that moves from something niche, to serious mainstream. Have you ever read Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point? I recommend it to anyone interested in human behaviour and especially where everyday technology applies.
If you are relying upon your website and its performance in search and in 2025 that means Google, you need to understand there is a new kid on the block who is not going away.
That’s ‘Conversational Search’ or CCAI to give it the correct acronym. The usurper of SEO?
Have you noticed how you might have started to use conversational language in the search field? Example a search ‘Rolex For Sale Near Me’ becomes ‘What are the most popular new luxury watches that hold their value?’.
If people are searching the latter and you’ve optimised your site only to rank on Google or with less relevancy or authoritative information you won’t do so well in CCAI, that could have profound effects on your business. As the investment guru Warren Buffet says ‘If you have all your eggs in one basket, you better keep an eye on the basket’. I’d put money on the majority of business owners being myopic about their Google ranking with little interest in alternatives. Let’s be honest, people like me exist because many businesses are not even strong on Google!
So, is CCAI the future of online information retrieval? In January 2025, the landscape of online search is rapidly evolving. CCAI is gaining traction and challenging the traditional search paradigm nowadays dominated by Google. But could it replace the search giant and undermine our SEO tactics? I’m old enough to remember the Nineties where ranking, even inclusion on Yahoo was vital to search success. Anyone remember Alta Vista?
Advantages of Conversational AI Search
- Natural Interactions: Users can ask questions in their own words, making the search process more intuitive and user-friendly.
- Direct Answers: Instead of a list of links, CCAI provides concise, contextually relevant responses, saving time and effort. Great for research.
- Personalisation: AI can tailor responses based on user preferences and previous interactions, offering a more personalised experience.
Challenges and Limitations
- Accuracy Concerns: While improving, we’re still at ‘Ford Model T’ stage, AI can still misinterpret queries or provide incomplete information.
- Data Recency: Traditional search engines often have more up-to-date information, crucial for current events and rapidly changing topics.
- Comprehensive Results: Google’s vast index and sophisticated algorithms still provide a broad range of sources and perspectives although have you noticed how dated many search results are nowadays?
- Self Referencing: A real issue with AI is self referencing, where results from AI are included in new website content, thus in time overemphasise importance.
My Verdict
While Conversational AI search is making significant strides, it’s unlikely to completely replace Google in the near future. Instead, we’re moving towards a complementary ecosystem where both technologies coexist, each serving different user needs and preferences. As professionals, it’s crucial to stay informed about these advancements and consider how they might impact our industries. We’ve become complacent with Google SEO fettling, the future of these new search alternatives is exciting, and it’s clear AI will have a role in reshaping it.
What are your thoughts on the future of search? Have you begun to use conversational language in your Internet searches? What will you do to create content that searches effectively in all models?