New Yext Features and Algorithm Update Bring AI Search Optimizations to Businesses

Yext clients can reap the benefits of test search tools, data connectors, a new apps framework, and other features that are now available for general access.

Yext, Inc., the AI Search Company, today announced the general availability of its Summer ’21 Release, which is underpinned by Yext’s new “Phoenix” search algorithm update.

In addition to features powered by Phoenix like dynamic reranking, the release introduces revamped test search and experience training, as well as a reimagining of Yext’s data connector and app frameworks — all to equip businesses with modern and powerful search solutions.

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“As business information evolves and the questions customers ask become more complex, it’s critical for businesses to have a search experience that can learn, evolve, and embrace that complexity in order to serve their customers well,” said Marc Ferrentino, Chief Strategy Officer at Yext. “With each release, the algorithms powering Yext’s AI search platform get smarter and stronger, empowering businesses to optimize their search experiences even further and continue providing customers with the best answers to their questions.”

The Summer ’21 Release includes the following features:

• Phoenix Algorithm Update: Yext’s newest algorithm update makes it possible to analyze and dynamically rerank the best-performing search results. For example, if customers consistently click on a blog post when searching for vaccine information on a healthcare organization’s website, dynamic reranking will push that content to the top of the search results page so it appears first any time someone searches about vaccines. The Phoenix update also introduces more relevant results for queries about locations that are “open now” and rich text fields, like lists, in featured snippets.
• Data Connector Updates: A business’s data can come from multiple sources and exist in various formats, and unifying it is key to powering a robust AI search experience. With the new update to Yext’s data connectors framework, businesses can use a low-code “extract, transform, load” (ETL) tool that extracts all of their data and transforms it into the same format for easy integration into their knowledge graph (a unique brain-like database of facts).
• Apps with Configuration: Businesses that prefer to self-serve can now build their own unique configurations in the Yext platform and package them into installable apps. They also have the option of downloading pre-built solution templates to get their search experiences (or that of their clients and sub-brands) up and running more quickly.
• Search Experience Training and Test Search: It’s now easier than ever for businesses to test their search experiences as if they were a customer. An upgraded test search tool enables Yext platform administrators to see results for any given query and identify opportunities for improvement. The updated experience training also gives admins the ability to allow or block certain results from appearing.

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