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Glossary

Semantic Search

AEOeye editorial team · AEO Glossary

Search that matches meaning and intent rather than exact keywords, using language models to understand what a query really means.

Semantic search interprets the meaning behind a query instead of matching literal keywords. It's the foundation under AI answers: the system understands that 'tool to see if ChatGPT mentions my brand' and 'AI visibility checker' express the same intent, even with no shared keywords.

For content, semantic search rewards clearly answering the underlying question over stuffing exact-match phrases. Covering a concept thoroughly — synonyms, related sub-topics, plain definitions — signals relevance better than keyword repetition.

Authoritative sources

Related terms

Large Language Model (LLM)Knowledge GraphPrompt Intent

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