The Word “Search” Doesn’t Mean What It Used To
Breaking down Paid Search, SEO, and AI Search for today’s marketer
If you’ve been feeling confused by what people mean when they say “search,” you’re not alone. I’ve been asked at least a dozen times this past week:
“What’s the difference between paid search, SEO, and AI Search?”
It’s a fair question — and an important one.
Because "search" used to be synonymous with Google. But now? It’s fragmented across platforms, formats, and algorithms.
Let’s break it down.
Paid Search
Paid search is the most straightforward of the three. You bid on keywords in tools like Google Ads to show up at the top of the page.
Immediate visibility
Full control over messaging
Ideal for high-intent conversions
But it stops when your budget does. Paid search is rented space. Valuable to boost your visibility and drive scale.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
SEO is where you earn your visibility. You create content, optimize it for search engines, and aim to rank organically.
Sustainable traffic
Builds trust over time
Foundation of long-term content strategy
But SEO is also more competitive than ever. You’re not just fighting for the top 3 positions — you’re fighting for attention, period.
AI Search
Now here’s where things get interesting — and where most marketers feel a little lost.
AI Search is when tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overview, Perplexity, and Gemini generate full answers in real time — pulling information from content across the web.
These tools don’t surface links first. They surface answers. And instead of ranking pages, they extract passages — short, clear chunks of content that directly respond to a question.
Which means:
You can rank on Google and still be invisible.
If your content isn’t cited in the AI-generated response, it’s skipped entirely.
Why This Matters for Marketers
Search is no longer just about ranking. It’s about being the answer.
And showing up today means knowing which search environment you’re writing for:
So What Now?
Here’s how to get started in the new world of search:
Google your top 5 queries. Are you in the AI Overview?
Ask ChatGPT and Perplexity the same questions. Whose content is being pulled?
Rewrite 1 page as an answer-first explainer — short, structured, and easy to summarize.
Track visibility, not just traffic. If you're not showing up in AI responses, you're not part of the decision-making moment.
Final Thought
AI Search isn't replacing SEO. It's evolving what it means to be visible. And for marketers, that means learning to speak the language of all three types of search.
You don’t have to be everywhere overnight. But you do need to start adjusting how and where your content shows up.
