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AI, SEO, and the Truth No One Wants to Admit

AI has officially changed Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Anyone who says otherwise isn’t paying attention.

Between generative search results, AI Overviews, and content being produced at scale in seconds, the rules we played by for years have shifted. Rankings don’t feel as predictable. Traffic doesn’t behave the way it used to. The old formula of “publish more optimized content and wait” just doesn’t have the “wow effect” it used to.

But here’s the part that often gets lost in the noise: SEO isn’t dead! It’s just been exposed. The tactics that worked only because search engines were less sophisticated are fading. The strategies that were always built on real value? Those still work and, in many cases, they work better than ever.

What AI Has Changed in SEO

AI has dramatically raised the baseline for content quality. Search engines are no longer impressed by keyword-stuffed pages or thin blog posts written purely to rank. They’re evaluating context, intent, and usefulness at a level we haven’t seen before.

AI also means:

• Users are getting answers without clicking
• Duplicate or generic content is easier to detect
• What was once “good enough” content is now invisible

If your strategy relied on volume over value, AI didn’t break it. It revealed the weakness.

What Still Works (and Always Has)

Despite the changes, some SEO fundamentals remain rock solid. In fact, they matter more now.

1. Search Intent Still Wins

AI didn’t eliminate search intent. It has reinforced it. Pages that clearly and directly solve a user’s problem still perform. If your content answers the why, how, or what next better than anyone else, it has a place in search.

2. Original Insight Beats Perfect Optimization

AI can summarize what already exists. It can’t replace lived experience, real data, or unique perspective. Content that includes firsthand knowledge, case studies, opinions, or lessons learned continues to stand out—especially in competitive spaces.

3. Authority Is No Longer an Optional Thing

Relevant authority matters more than ever. Sites that consistently cover a subject in depth, not just one-off posts, are harder to replace and easier for search engines to trust. AI favors sources that demonstrate expertise over time, not shortcuts.

4. Technical SEO Still Matters

Fast sites, clean structure, proper indexing, and strong internal linking are still all-important. AI didn’t remove technical SEO. If your site is hard to crawl or slow to load, nothing else matters.

5. Branding Is an SEO Strategy Now

People don’t just search for keywords anymore. They search for names they recognize. Branded searches, repeat visitors, and direct traffic all signal trust. AI can generate content, but it can’t generate credibility for you

How I’m Approaching SEO in an AI-Driven World

I don’t see AI as the enemy of SEO. I see it as a filter. It forces transparency.

My focus has shifted to:

• Creating fewer, better pieces of content
• Writing like a human, not an algorithm
• Building content that supports an entire topic, not a single keyword
• Using AI as a tool, not a replacement for thinking

AI helps speed up research, outlines, and innovation, but the strategy, experience, and judgment still come from people.

The Bottom Line

AI didn’t kill SEO. It killed lazy SEO.

What still works is what always worked: relevance, usefulness, authority, and trust. The difference now is that there’s no hiding behind stale tactics that don’t serve the user.

If your content genuinely helps people, your site is technically sound, and your brand stands for something real, SEO is still one of the strongest long-term channels available – AI and all.

Honestly I think that’s a good thing.