How Do Search Engines Work? A Translator for Owners

How Do Search Engines Work? A Business Owner’s Translator to SEO, AI Mode, and Visibility

Introduction: I’ll translate search engine “code” for business owners

If you have ever stared at your analytics dashboard wondering why traffic dropped while you slept, or why a competitor with a worse website is outranking you, you aren’t alone. For many business owners I speak with, search engines feel like a black box—a mysterious lottery system where Google picks winners based on secret rules. With the recent explosion of AI Overviews and chat-based search, that black box feels even more opaque. Here is the reality: Search engines aren’t magic, and they certainly don’t read your website like a human does. They follow a strict, logical code.

I am going to act as your translator. I will decode exactly how search engines operate—from the traditional crawler to the new AI brain—and give you a practical mental model you can use today. This isn’t about chasing the latest hype; it is about understanding the mechanics so you can stop guessing and start building a visibility engine that works. Whether you run a local service business or a growing SaaS, understanding this pipeline is the difference between hoping for leads and predictably generating them.

How do search engines work? The 3-step pipeline: crawl → index → rank

When I explain SEO to clients, I always start with the same mental model. Forget the jargon for a moment and imagine a library. Before a book can be checked out (ranked), the librarian needs to know it exists (crawl) and file it correctly in the catalog (index). If any part of this chain breaks, nobody finds the book.

Search engines operate on a precise three-step pipeline. If you aren’t showing up in search results, the problem is always located in one of these three stages:

• 1. Crawling (Discovery): Googlebot (the librarian) sends out scouts to find your page.
  The Check: Can search engines technically access your URL?
• 2. Indexing (Filing): The system analyzes the page, understands what it is about, and stores it in a massive database.
  The Check: Is the content allowed to be stored, or is a technical tag blocking it?
• 3. Ranking (Retrieval): When a user asks a question, the algorithm sorts through the index to find the best answer.
  The Check: Is your page the most relevant, authoritative, and helpful answer?

If I only had 10 minutes to diagnose a site with zero traffic, I wouldn’t look at keywords first. I would look at the pipeline. A ranking problem is often just an indexing problem in disguise.

Step 1: Crawling (discovery) — how Google finds pages

Crawling is simply the process of discovery. Google sends out software known as “spiders” or “bots” to follow links from one page to another. If your new service page isn’t linked to from anywhere—not from your menu, not from your blog, and not from another website—it is essentially invisible. We call these “orphan pages.”

I often see business owners launch a beautiful new landing page but forget to link it in their main navigation. They wait weeks for traffic that never comes because the crawler simply couldn’t find the door. To ensure you are being crawled:

• Check your Robots.txt: This is a simple text file that tells bots where they are allowed to go. Make sure you aren’t accidentally blocking your whole site.
• Submit an XML Sitemap: Think of this as handing the librarian a list of every book you just bought. You can submit this directly in Google Search Console.
• Audit Internal Links: Ensure every important page has at least one internal link pointing to it.

Step 2: Indexing (storage + understanding) — how to get “in Google”

Just because a bot found your page doesn’t mean it will show up in Google. Indexing is the processing phase. The search engine renders the page (which can be tricky if your site relies heavily on JavaScript), analyzes the text, and decides if it is worth storing.

There is a common myth that submitting a URL guarantees it will be indexed. Reality check: Indexing is a privilege, not a right. Google frequently excludes pages it deems as “duplicate,” “thin,” or low value. Here is the vocabulary you need to know:

• Noindex Tag: A piece of code that explicitly tells Google “do not store this.” I have seen businesses accidentally leave this on after a website redesign, killing their traffic overnight.
• Canonical Tag: If you have three versions of a page (e.g., one for ads, one for organic), this tag tells Google which one is the “master” copy to avoid duplicate content penalties.

Step 3: Ranking (ordering results) — relevance, quality, and trust signals

Once you are in the index, ranking is where the competition happens. When a user searches “how do search engines work,” the algorithm scans the index for pages that match that intent. It isn’t just matching keywords; it is evaluating Helpfulness and Trust.

When I audit a page for ranking potential, I ask: Does this answer the query faster and clearer than the competitors? Ranking factors generally fall into three buckets:

1. Relevance: Does the content match the user’s intent (Informational? Commercial? Local?)
2. Authority (E-E-A-T): Does the site demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness?
3. Page Experience: Does the page load fast, and is it mobile-friendly?

How do search engines work in 2025? AI Mode, AI Overviews, and the shift from links to answers

If you master the crawl-index-rank pipeline, you understand 90% of SEO history. But we are now in the era of AI Search, and the rules are evolving. We are shifting from a “search engine” that gives you a list of links to an “answer engine” that synthesizes information for you.

Google’s AI Mode and AI Overviews (formerly SGE) represent a fundamental shift. Instead of sending users to your website immediately, the search engine uses AI to read your content, combine it with others, and present a complete answer right at the top of the results. This has massive implications for your traffic.

This doesn’t mean SEO is dead. It means the goal is changing. You aren’t just fighting for a click; you are fighting to be the source the AI cites.

What is AI Mode in Google Search and why it matters to businesses

Q: What exactly is AI Mode?
A: It is a conversational layer on top of the search index. Instead of matching keywords to documents, it uses Large Language Models (LLMs) like Gemini to understand complex questions and generate synthesized answers.

Q: Does this hurt my business?
A: It depends on your strategy. If your content is generic definitions, AI will replace you. If your content provides deep, experience-based insight, AI will cite you as a source. Visibility now includes being mentioned in that AI summary, even if the user doesn’t click immediately.

Why zero-click behavior is rising (and what that changes in reporting)

It is frustrating to see your rankings stay high but your traffic dip. This is the “zero-click” phenomenon. Users get their answer from the summary and leave. As a business owner, I reframe success here. I look at:

• Impressions: Are people seeing my brand name in the answer?
• Branded Search Growth: Do people search for my company specifically after seeing an answer?
• Conversions: Often, the traffic that does click through is higher intent and more qualified.

The translator framework: what to do now (Traditional SEO + AEO + GEO)

Understanding the theory is great, but let’s get to work. How do you actually execute this? I use a unified workflow that covers Traditional SEO (ranking links), AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).

Here is the exact order I would follow to build content that ranks and gets cited. If you need to produce this kind of structured, high-quality content at scale, tools like a SEO content generator can help you maintain these standards across hundreds of pages without burning out.

Step-by-step workflow (7–9 steps) to earn rankings and AI answer visibility

1. Identify the Query & Intent: Don’t just pick a keyword. Decide if the user wants to buy (Commercial) or learn (Informational).
2. Map to Page Type: Is this a blog post, a service page, or a product page? Don’t mix them up.
3. Draft the “Answer-First” Block: In the first 100 words, directly answer the user’s core question. This is pure gold for AI Overviews.
4. Expand with Unique Value: Add specific data, personal experiences, or contrarian takes that AI cannot hallucinate.
5. Add On-Page Essentials: Optimize your H1, Title Tag, and URL slug.
6. Implement Structured Data (Schema): Label your content so machines understand it (more on this below).
7. Internal Linking: Link to this new page from at least 3 older, high-authority pages on your site.
8. Publish & Request Indexing: Go to Google Search Console and inspect the URL to jump the queue.
9. Measure & Iterate: Check rankings in 7 days; check for AI citations in 30 days.

If you only do 3 things: Write a direct answer at the top, use clear headings, and link internally.

AEO vs traditional SEO: what’s different (and what stays the same)

People love to overcomplicate acronyms. Here is the plain English difference: Traditional SEO is about convincing an algorithm your page is popular (backlinks) and relevant (keywords). AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about formatting your content so a chatbot can easily read it and repeat it.

AEO rewards content that is structured like a Q&A database. It loves bullet points, clear definitions, and logical flows. SEO rewards depth and backlinks. You need both.

What is GEO and how businesses can use it (citations, metadata, and structure)

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the frontier. It focuses on maximizing the likelihood of your brand being cited in generative responses. While AEO is about structure, GEO is often about citations and “entity presence.”

In GEO, I am writing not just for people, but for models that extract and remix data. Tactics include using standard “entity” names (e.g., consistently calling your product by its full trademarked name), adding citations to trusted sources, and emerging tactics like llms.txt files that explicitly guide AI agents. There are no guarantees yet, but clarity is your best bet.

On-page + technical essentials that help both rankings and AI understanding (with a checklist table)

You don’t need to be a developer to get the technical basics right. I think of on-page SEO as “tidying up” for the bots. If your house is messy, the guest (Google) can’t find the bathroom. If your code is messy, Google can’t find your content.

Here is what I check on every single page before I hit publish. If you are managing a large site, using an AI article generator that automatically formats headings and metadata can save you hours of manual “tidying.”

Checklist table: page elements that communicate meaning to search engines and AI systems

Structured data (schema): when it helps, when it’s optional

Schema markup sounds intimidating, but think of it like adding labeled sticky notes to your content. Instead of hoping Google guesses a string of numbers is a phone number, you explicitly tag it as "telephone": "555-0199".

For most local businesses, LocalBusiness schema is non-negotiable—it defines your hours, location, and type. For blogs, FAQ schema used to be powerful for taking up space in SERPs; while Google has reduced its visual prominence, it remains excellent for feeding Answer Engines. You don’t need to code this manually; most modern SEO plugins handle it for you.

Internal links and site navigation: the underrated driver of crawl + context

If I see a site with 50 blog posts and no internal links, I see a wasted opportunity. Internal links are the highways bots use to travel your site. They also pass authority. If your homepage has high authority, linking to your new service page passes some of that “juice” along.

Try this: Every time you write a new post, find 3 older related posts and link to the new one. When I add 10 smart internal links to a stagnant page, I often see a ranking bump within two weeks. It is the cheapest, most effective SEO tactic available.

Authority in the AI era: why brand mentions can matter more than backlinks

In the old days (meaning 2023), backlinks were the undisputed king of authority. If many sites linked to you, you were important. Today, that is shifting. Research indicates that for AI visibility, brand mentions—where your name appears even without a link—are becoming critical.

Why? Because LLMs are trained on text patterns. If “Kalema” appears frequently near “SEO strategy” and “Content Intelligence” across the web, the AI learns to associate the brand with those topics. Backlinks still matter for traditional ranking, but your “Authority Portfolio” now needs to be broader.

Practical mention-building plays for US businesses (ethical, repeatable)

You don’t need a massive PR agency to build mentions. Here are three plays I recommend for SMBs:

• The Local Partner Swap (2 hours): List your partners on your site and ask them to mention you on theirs. “Proudly working with [Your Company] for plumbing services.”
• The Niche Podcast Tour (Monthly): Don’t aim for Joe Rogan. Aim for the specific industry podcast with 500 listeners. Being interviewed creates a high-quality transcript associated with your expertise.
• Quote Contributions (Weekly): Use platforms like ‘Help a B2B Writer’ to answer journalist queries. Even if they just mention your name and company, that is a positive entity signal.

How I measure visibility now: rankings, AI answers, and the tools emerging around GEO

Measurement is where most business owners get anxious. The old dashboard of “Organic Sessions” doesn’t tell the full story anymore. You need to track hybrid metrics. This part is evolving fast, so I stick to what is stable while experimenting with the new.

Tools like Evertune AI and Ranketta are emerging to specifically track how often brands appear in AI-generated responses. While these are powerful, you can start simpler. If you are running a high-volume publishing operation, using an Automated blog generator that integrates with your analytics can help you correlate publishing frequency with these visibility metrics.

A simple measurement dashboard (table): what to track weekly vs monthly

Agentic AI search agents: what they are and why your content needs to be machine-legible

We are rapidly moving toward “Agentic AI“—autonomous software that doesn’t just answer questions but performs tasks. Imagine a user saying, “Find the best plumber near me and book an appointment.” The AI agent scans the web, compares reviews, checks pricing, and executes.

To survive this, your content must be machine-legible. If your pricing is hidden in a PDF, the agent can’t read it. If your hours are wrong on your footer, the agent won’t book. 79% of organizations report some adoption of agentic AI, so getting your structured data clean is essentially future-proofing your business.

Common mistakes (and fixes), FAQs, and next steps

I have audited hundreds of sites, and the same mistakes keep popping up. The good news is that they are usually fixable.

Common mistakes & fixes (5–8): what I see most often on business sites

• Mistake: Leaving the “Noindex” tag on production pages.
  Fix: Check the source code of your top pages for content="noindex".
• Mistake: Thin location pages that are just copies of each other.
  Fix: Add unique local details (reviews, team photos, specific projects) to every location page.
• Mistake: Ignoring internal links.
  Fix: Create a “related articles” section on every blog post.
• Mistake: Writing for word count, not answers.
  Fix: Cut the fluff. Get to the point in the first paragraph. I’ve made this mistake too—writing long intros thinking it looked “professional,” only to lose the reader instantly.
• Mistake: Forgetting Schema.
  Fix: Install a plugin to handle LocalBusiness and Article schema automatically.
• Mistake: Obsessing over keywords instead of topics.
  Fix: Focus on covering the full topic comprehensively rather than stuffing the phrase “best lawyer” 50 times.

FAQs: AI Mode, AEO, GEO, brand mentions, and monitoring tools

What is AI Mode in Google Search and why does it matter?
AI Mode is Google’s conversational interface that synthesizes answers using Gemini. It matters because it shifts user behavior from clicking links to reading summaries, requiring businesses to optimize for citations rather than just ranking position.

How is AEO different from traditional SEO?
I think of AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) as formatting for robots. While SEO focuses on backlinks and keywords to rank in a list, AEO focuses on concise, structured answers (like bullet points and Q&A) to be featured in chat responses.

What is GEO and how can businesses use it?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the strategy of influencing generative AI outputs. Businesses use it by standardizing their brand entity information and using structured data to increase the likelihood of being “recommended” by the AI.

Conclusion: 3-bullet recap + 3–5 next actions I recommend

We have covered a lot of ground, but don’t let the technical details paralyze you. Here is the recap:

• Search is a pipeline: Crawl (Discovery) → Index (Storage) → Rank (Selection).
• The game is changing from “10 blue links” to “AI-synthesized answers,” making content structure and brand mentions critical.
• Success requires a hybrid approach: Traditional SEO technicals + AEO answer formatting.

If I were in your shoes, here is what I would do next:

• Run the Pipeline Check: Open Google Search Console and check your “Indexing” report for errors.
• Optimize One Key Page: Take your most important service page and add an “Answer-First” definition block at the top.
• Add Schema: Ensure your LocalBusiness or Organization structured data is valid.
• Set a Calendar: Commit to reviewing your visibility dashboard once a month—no more, no less.

Start with one page, improve it end-to-end, then repeat. You don’t need to beat Google; you just need to be the clearest answer in the room.