Here’s a stat worth paying attention to: 60% of Americans and 74% of those under 30 use AI to find information, according to an Associated Press-NORC poll.
This data point hit home for me recently when a young professional shared that his peers typically find a restaurant by using the ChatGPT app on their phones. I have to confess, I felt a little embarrassed that I still do Google searches on my desktop! Am I a dinosaur now?
As these examples show, the rise of AI search is upon us, and with this new territory comes a new set of questions for marketers and business leaders: Is SEO (search engine optimization) dead? Is Google a thing of the past? Do we need to rethink all the words and structure of our website in light of AI search?
At image.works, we help our clients improve their performance in both Google and AI search on a daily basis. Our experience has given us several insights that can provide direction for your future search efforts. Keep reading as we separate fact versus fiction when it comes to two common questions about AI’s impact on search.
Does the rise of AI search mean that SEO principles are no longer relevant?
There's good news on this front: the rise of AI search does not mean that every SEO principle is destined for the trash bin. In fact, many SEO strategies remain relevant in the era of AI search, those some modifications are helpful. In the "still relevant" category are:
- Regularly publishing fresh content related to key search terms
- Maintaining a clear, logical site structure
- Removing outdated pages
- Optimizing website health and loading speeds
But there are some modifications to make in light of AI. The most important is to incorporate content that targets the type of queries that AI users typically use compared to those used in a traditional Google search.
For example, in a typical Google search a user might type “Auto Loan Madison Wisconsin.”
But in AI, they’re more likely to ask a question like “Who offers the best auto loan rate in Madison Wisconsin with fast approval?”
Notice that the AI query is longer and more specific. These longer queries are called longtail keywords. And it’s this sort of precise, intent-based language you’ll want to incorporate into your website for better AI search performance.
Especially important is language that sets apart your brand and services as unique. For example, if your business offers personalized, in-person guidance, you’ll want to directly state that on your website. Or if your business provides the best digital tools, you’ll want to state that. Lastly, geographic terms are helpful for SEO. Name the geographic area you serve, not only on a locations page but on nearly every page and blog entry.
One simple way to include longtail keywords is to add FAQ sections to your product and service pages. FAQs are broadly informative for your audience, and they provide an easy way to directly state and answer the search queries of prospective customers.
AI tools are so powerful that I don’t really need SEO help anymore, right?
Given AI’s ability to create large amounts of content quickly and easily, some marketers might conclude that they should use it to take care of all their SEO efforts in house. While AI can certainly boost production, there are a few reasons doing SEO on your own might not be effective.
First, there’s a reason “AI slop” has become a popular term. AI’s writing tends to be formulaic, predictable and bland. If you want your audience (and search tools) to trust your brand, you want to ensure your content connects on a human level.
Second, a significant part of SEO work is research. What keywords are people searching for? What’s the volume and intent of those search terms? Which should you prioritize targeting first? At image.works, we have tools that allow us to access and interpret this sort of data, which is critical for setting your SEO strategy.
Third, SEO has a technical aspect separate from content creation. This technical side looks at issues like:
- The meta data and meta descriptions for your webpages
- Identifying and fixing broken pages and broken links
- Disavowing toxic backlinks that hurt your website’s credibility
- Maximizing page loading speeds and performance
While AI tools are impressive, SEO is still a technical subject that demands expertise.
The brands that will stay relevant in the next phase of search won’t be those that produce the most content, but those that produce the most relevant, trustworthy and well-structured content.
The good news is you don’t have to navigate this shift alone. At image.works, we help organizations stay visible and competitive across both traditional search and emerging AI platforms. We do this by combining original content creation with technical expertise.
If you’re wondering how your current website ranks, we’d be happy to take a look. Schedule a free Digital Marketing Assessment to get clear, practical recommendations. And if you want to continue learning, check out our on-demand webinar where we take a deeper dive into SEO and AI search.