What is Information Retrieval?
Information Retrieval (IR) is the process of extracting information from a given source. In SEO, this typically refers to a searcher’s query, which prompts the search engine to extract information from an index in order to provide results.
More About Information Retrieval
There are a number of different methods that can be used for Information Retrieval (IR), including manual extraction, automated extraction, and dedicated software tools.
Search engine bots use automated IR. They rapidly scan a large amount of stored data (the index) to provide possible answers in the SERPs.
An IR system or program is different from Data Retrieval (DR), because it analyzes content as opposed to a database. It provides results by relevance, but doesn’t guarantee an exact ‘match’ or a ‘correct’ response. In a nutshell, it provides the user with possibilities as opposed to solutions.
