Glossary
Search Grounding
Search grounding is a form of grounding in which an AI system retrieves search results and uses them to support its response. The term emphasizes the retrieval source: public search indexes rather than a private document collection, uploaded file or internal database.
In plain terms
The answer is supported specifically by search results.
Why it matters
Search-grounded answers connect technical indexability, content quality and external authority directly to AI visibility.
How to apply it
- Verify that important pages are indexed.
- Analyze which query variants retrieve each source.
- Compare owned-domain and third-party citations.
Example
An AI answer about compliance software draws from indexed vendor pages, review sites and government guidance returned by search.
Sources
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Related terms
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