The enterprise search revolution: From keyword matching to conversational answers

Why enterprise search must evolve

Traditional search focused on indexing pages and returning results. Still relevant, yes, but limited on its own based on today’s user needs.

As people became more digitally savvy, those limits became visible with occasional inconsistent results, dead ends, and a lack of transparency.

And when search experiences end in poor results, there’s a cost. When users can’t find what they need quickly, they abandon the journey altogether. For governments, that means citizens lose trust. For universities, it means students disengage. For professional services firms, it means lost opportunities.

What’s driving the rise of intelligent search?

Search is the default interface for how people interact with information online. What’s changed is not just technology, but user expectations. For many, typing a question feels faster and more natural than browsing menus or scanning long pages.

In the era of instant answers, search is now expected to be more intelligent by being:

• Contextual: understanding the meaning behind queries, not just keywords.
• Conversational: delivering answers in natural language, the way users ask questions.
• Trustworthy: surfacing results from authoritative, approved content only.

When information isn’t quickly and easily accessible on a website, Gen Zs and Millennials disengage quickly and look elsewhere. And because their habits set expectations for everyone, these patterns are now influencing every sector.

Why it matters for enterprises

This evolution reflects a bigger truth: search has become a strategic capability, not just a website feature. Organizations that treat it as the source of information people are looking for, not just a tool to get them one step closer to that information, are the ones gaining a competitive advantage.

We’re at a tipping point. Conversational search reflects not just technological innovation, but a fundamental shift in how people expect to access knowledge (today and in the years to come).

Inside the technology powering the search evolution

Traditional site search relied on simple keyword matching. Type in “enrollment,” and you’d get any page that contained that word, whether or not it contained the answer you needed. Squiz Funnelback advanced this model by introducing 70+ ranking signals, refined over 25 years of innovation, to weigh relevance, authority, and context. That foundation gave organizations more accurate, user-friendly results.

The next leap is AI-driven answers. Building on the Funnelback base, we have introduced Conversational Search, a feature designed to deliver instant, AI-generated replies that are, critically, drawn only from approved, authoritative content.

Unlike generic AI models that scrape the open web, having a conversational AI search tool on your website ensures answers are auditable, governed, and aligned with compliance requirements.

How it works (at a glance)

• Indexing with Funnelback: First, the platform crawls and organizes all approved content (policies, FAQs, course information, service details - whatever you want and approved it to use) using Funnelback’s 70+ ranking signals. This ensures the system knows what content exists and how authoritative it is.
• Retrieval step: When a user asks a question, the search engine identifies the most relevant pieces of that indexed content.
• Generation step: An AI model then takes those pieces and produces a natural language answer in full sentences, the way a person would respond.
• Two-step verification: Here’s where this solution is unique. Every AI-generated answer is checked by a second agent against the source content. If the response strays outside approved material, it’s blocked or flagged. This ensures accuracy, governance, and compliance at enterprise scale.
• Governance and transparency: Every answer links back to its source content, so users and teams can see exactly where the information came from.
• Analytics layer: All queries and answers are logged, giving teams access to data that highlights common questions, gaps in content, and emerging trends.

The combination of Funnelback’s precision search plus Conversational AI’s natural language answers represents the heart of the enterprise search evolution. It doesn’t replace traditional search; it complements it, allowing users to choose between exploring results or getting immediate answers.

The outcome is more than convenience. It means:

• Users get clear, accurate information without navigating complex websites.
• Content teams gain insight into what users are really asking.
• Organizations can build trust through transparency and consistency.

This is where the AI search future is headed: search that’s not only powerful, but responsible.

Conversational search trends

1. Content readiness is the new SEO

While traditional SEO is still relevant, now, enterprises must ensure their content is AI-ready: structured clearly, written in plain language, and tagged consistently so search engines can interpret it accurately.

This is where Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), also known as Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), complements traditional SEO. Content that’s “clean” and consistent feeds directly into better AI-generated answers.

2. Dual-search experiences

Forward-looking organizations are preparing for a dual-search future:

• Traditional search for users who prefer scanning results.
• Conversational AI search for those who want instant, synthesized answers.

The two modes work together, giving users choice and enterprises richer data about intent and behavior.

3. Governance and trust as a competitive advantage

As AI search grows, so do concerns about misinformation and trust. The most forward-thinking organizations are building governance frameworks that ensure accuracy, transparency, and equitable access to information. That includes meeting accessibility standards, not just as a compliance exercise, but as a marker of credibility.

In the age of AI, how responsibly you manage and present information will matter just as much as how quickly you deliver it.

Preparing your strategy for the AI search future

Search is no longer a one-off website feature to “set and forget.” In the era of AI, it has become an evolving capability. Organizations that treat search as a continuous program, constantly refined, audited, and optimized, will be better equipped for long-term success.

Practical steps for digital leaders include:

1. Audit search analyticsStart by examining what users are really asking. Look for unanswered questions, zero-result queries, and recurring themes. These insights often reveal gaps in content and opportunities for better structure.
2. Structure content for AI discoveryUse clear headings, plain language, and consistent tagging. Content that is easy to parse by both humans and machines is more likely to surface accurately in enterprise search evolution and AI-driven engines.
3. Adopt dual-search optimizationPrepare for both traditional SEO and GEO. Traditional SEO ensures visibility in web search. GEO ensures your content is discoverable and understandable by AI models that power conversational answers. Together, they future-proof your digital estate.
4. Embed governance and complianceBuild approval workflows and auditing into your processes. Every AI-generated answer should link back to approved content sources. This not only builds user trust but protects against reputational risk.
5. Plan for user diversityDifferent audiences want different experiences. Some prefer exploring results; others expect direct answers. By supporting both, you meet users where they are — and capture richer behavioral insights.

The AI search future will reward organizations that move early. Better findability leads to higher engagement. Trusted answers strengthen brand credibility. And continuous insight into user intent fuels smarter decision-making.

Next steps: From findability to intelligence

The enterprise search evolution is already underway. User expectations are shifting, AI is reshaping discovery, and governance is now as critical as speed.

At Squiz, we’ve built the tools to help organizations step confidently into the AI search future. By combining Funnelback’s precision search with conversational AI search governed by two-step verification safety, Squiz DXP gives you the foundation to deliver search experiences that are fast, intelligent, and trusted.

Ready to rethink search for your organization? Book a 30-minute consultation with a Squiz expert and explore how unified search including traditional findability and AI-powered intelligence can transform your digital experiences.