Same, same but it’s different

In one sense, the answer is that SEO is not dead but the outcome we can expect from it has changed. While we can expect to have less traffic from search, there is still the opportunity to feature prominently within AI search results. To achieve this we must consider how AI pulls in information from the internet into its summaries.

In the majority of cases, AI relies on similar sources of information as search engines. They are looking for recent, reliable and clear information that is backed up and effectively endorsed by other reliable digital sources of information.

Common to both SEO and AI prominence are;

• Reliable sources of factual information (business name, address etc) that is consistent and would appear in places like business profiles and listings
• Clear, authoritative web content that is regularly updated
• Good reviews, maintaining volume, score and recency

The AI world is wracked with fear of inaccuracy so AI results are looking to draw on authoritative sources of information, so it is important to ensure peripheral sources of information are also up to date. Now is a good time to review and update Wikipedia and other profiles that are key reference points used by AI 

An area that is perhaps of less importance to AI search results is that of technical performance. Since AI is also less concerned about sending a user to a site, accordingly less value is afforded to factors affecting the site experience  such as site speed and navigation.

This is not to say that these can be forgotten about.  Search results remain important. As do the human users who are still, and always will be, our end customers.