156 - Stop Falling for Made-Up SEO Terms
- Meredith's Husband
- Aug 11
- 2 min read
Updated: Aug 12
Busting SEO Myths: Semantic Chunking and How AI Searches the Web
If you’ve spent any time talking to SEO agencies or reading AI-related marketing materials, you’ve likely run across a flashy term or two. In this episode, Meredith’s husband takes aim at one of the latest—semantic chunking—and shows why website owners shouldn’t be intimidated by these buzzwords.
Why Buzzwords Exist in SEO
The SEO industry is infamous for creating complicated-sounding terms to make strategies seem more mysterious than they are. Agencies may do this to position themselves as indispensable, similar to how a car mechanic might overwhelm you with obscure jargon. For business owners, it’s easy to feel out of your depth and trust the “expert” without realizing the concept might be simple—or even obvious.
The Truth About Semantic Chunking
“Semantic chunking” is often presented as an advanced AI technique. In reality, it’s just breaking text into logical pieces based on meaning—something humans already do naturally when writing or speaking. AI tools (and people) can follow content more easily when each thought or idea is complete before moving on.
According to ChatGPT’s own explanation, semantic chunking isn’t “snake oil,” but it’s hardly groundbreaking. It’s essentially:
Split text where an idea ends
Keep each section self-contained
Avoid splitting sentences mid-thought
In short, it’s common sense writing packaged with a sophisticated label.
How AI Tools Actually Search
Many people assume AI tools have some magical way of “searching the web.” In truth, when ChatGPT or Google’s AI mode fetches fresh answers, it’s using search engines—just like you do, but faster. AI queries an index (a database of web content, such as Google’s index), retrieves relevant results, and summarizes them.
AI can’t roam the web freely, following links like a human. It can visit a direct URL if provided, but it operates within the boundaries of an existing index. This means AI’s ability to “find” your site depends on whether it’s already included in a search engine’s index.
The Takeaway for Website Owners
Don’t let new terminology scare you into paying for unnecessary services. If a concept sounds complex, break it down—chances are it’s simpler than it appears. Writing clearly, structuring content logically, and ensuring your site is well-indexed will benefit both human readers and AI systems.
Additional Resources
Meredith’s husband’s free “IQ builder” glossary of SEO and AI terms, where he debunks jargon and explains real-world value.
