Semantic Search
Semantic search is search that tries to work out what a person means, not just match the words they typed. Google Cloud describes it as a technique focused on the meaning and intent behind a search, looking at how the words relate to each other, the searcher's location, their earlier searches and the context of the search.
Source: Google Cloud, What is semantic search, and how does it work? (updated January 14, 2026), checked October 29, 2026
What Semantic Search means for your business
You'll also hear neural search, for semantic search built on AI that turns text into numbers so that words with close meanings end up close together. Google Cloud treats that number-based method, vector search, as one way to do semantic search, not the whole idea.
Google says one of its own ranking systems, neural matching, matches ideas rather than exact words.
That helps, but we wouldn't count on a search engine connecting your site to a service you never name, a town you never mention or a problem you never describe. We'd make sure each page says those plainly. We'd also spell out the exact things people type word for word, like brand names, model numbers and street names.
If your site talks around what you do without ever saying it, writing pages that state it in plain words is the first fix we'd make.
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. All terms
How AI answers it today
On October 29, 2026, Google's AI Overview opened with a definition close to Google Cloud's and cited Wikipedia, database companies and YouTube, mostly about building search into apps. ChatGPT explained it with a stress-relief example and comparison tables and cited nothing.
Our run through ChatGPT and Google's AI Overview, October 29, 2026. A sample, not what every buyer sees.
Related terms in answers and how content gets used
Find out where your brand stands.
Tell us what you're trying to figure out. We'll get back to you within one business day with a time to talk.