Conversational Search
Conversational search is an approach using natural language querying that allows users to ask questions as they would in human dialogue/voice search.
What is conversational search?
Conversational search is a search approach that uses natural language querying and interaction, allowing users to ask questions and engage with search systems as they would in a human conversation. Rather than typing fragmented keywords, users can speak or type complete questions using everyday language, and the search system interprets intent, context, and nuance to provide relevant answers. This approach is fundamental to voice search assistants, AI chat interfaces, and modern search experiences.
Conversational search provides key capabilities:
- Interprets natural language queries as users speak them, understanding intent and context
- Maintains context across multiple interactions and understands follow-up questions
- Provides conversational responses rather than simple keyword-matched results
- Powers voice search assistants and AI chat interfaces
For content creators, this means optimizing for how people naturally speak and ask questions—using question-based formats, clear answers to specific queries, and structured content that addresses the "who, what, when, where, why, and how" of topics. Content written in natural, accessible language is most likely to appear in conversational search results.
Learn more: Explore how conversational search is changing content strategy in our Natural Language Processing guide.
