Editor’s note: This article kicks off a four-part series exploring how AI is reshaping search, discovery, and content strategy. Over the next four weeks, we’ll look at building brand presence across the new content ecosystem, creating human thought leadership in an AI world, and designing a marketing playbook built for AI-driven discovery.
I remember when…
An SEO strategy was to write a “killer” blog, sprinkle in some keywords, extend it out to 1,500 words, wait for Google to smile on that wonderful work, and watch the leads roll in.
Well, my friends, that world is fading. Fast.
Picture a cliff. Not a gentle slope. I’m talking about a steep cliff that drops straight down. That cliff represents what’s happening to traditional SEO traffic. Five years ago, roughly half of all Google searches ended in a click to an organic result. At the end of last year, that number fell to 36%. It’s not just a “correction,” but more like a familiar business model eroding right in front of us.
So does this mean that SEO is dead?
NO!
But it certainly suggests that it’s not the front door any more. Think about your own search behavior lately. When you consult Google on a subject, do you scroll down through the results or do you simply skim the AI summary at the top? I’m willing to bet it’s the latter and not the former.
That has serious implications on how your prospects find you. The way they used to find you is disappearing. If your marketing strategy depends on that first click, you’re in trouble.
Want some good news? I can safely say that effective marketing has always been about finding and meeting people where they are. So, all we have to do is get crystal clear on where that is. Easy, right?
Here’s the thing – it’s not a single destination any more. It’s a combination of places, like social media, groups, podcasts, inboxes, and user-generated content. I like to say that it’s “everywhere and nowhere all at the same time.”
I know it sounds foreboding and impossible, but trust me, it’s not. If AI answers are shaped by what the entire ecosystem knows about you, then the opportunity is simply to show up everywhere else first. Create a brand presence that is too big for those tricky algorithms to ignore.
So, let’s bid a fond farewell to the old SEO playbook. It’s getting a makeover. But that cliff? It’s not the end, but just the beginning of a new climb.
Coming next week: How to build your brand presence across the enormous content ecosystem we currently reside in to ensure that AI can’t overlook you - even if Google’s front door is hard to open.