Whether it’s Google’s AI (artificial intelligence) Overviews or AI-powered SEO (search engine optimisation) tools, this emerging and fast-developing technology has fundamentally altered the SEO landscape.
But has it killed SEO?
Spoiler alert: SEO isn’t dead because of AI, but there’s also no denying that it’s made a big difference.
How has AI changed the SEO landscape?
Availability of AI website optimisation tools
With a wide range of AI-powered SEO tools now readily available, many businesses may choose to carry out a larger proportion of their SEO activities in-house, such as content creation and keyword research.
While this approach may initially save businesses some time and money, their SEO strategies could quickly become stale and ineffective without the expert oversight, human creativity, and strategic guidance from industry professionals.
Content strategies require adaptation
According to Search Engine Land, 88 per cent of Google AI Overviews target informational queries – the type of ‘how to, how much, what is’ queries that tend to be the focus of traditional content strategies.
This has forced businesses to find new ways of building their online visibility with content strategies (for example, by targeting more commercial and navigational keywords) or to adapt the way they create content to boost their chances of being cited within the AI Overviews themselves.
Decrease in click-through rates
Previously, top-ranking websites benefited from extra online visibility and organic traffic, but since AI Overviews started to dominate search, especially for informational keywords (though commercial and navigational queries are rising), click-through rates (CTR) are down 30 per cent, as reported by Search Engine Land.
So, is SEO dead?
No, SEO is not dead at all.
While it’s true that AI Overviews have led to a drop in traffic for many websites, SEO remains a vital digital marketing strategy for improving the online visibility of businesses, but why?
Crucially, AI Overviews and other AI-powered tools are only as accurate and reliable as the information they can find online.
There’s no new ranking algorithms, originality, creativity, or thinking for themselves – they rely completely on what’s already out there by ‘piggybacking’ search engines.
In fact, according to Surfer SEO study reported by Embryo, 52 per cent of sources in AI Overviews already rank in Google top 10 organic results – most of them around position five.
So, as long as customers still use search engines to search for information, products, and services, SEO should remain a key element of your online marketing strategy.
However, just because SEO isn’t dead, that doesn’t mean it’s not evolving.
On the contrary, SEO practices are adapting at a startling rate as agencies start to gain a clearer idea of AI’s impact and how they can support their customers with appearing in all the right places.
Adapt your SEO strategies with Aqueous Digital
As a trusted digital marketing agency, Aqueous Digital has made it our team’s shared mission to get to grips with the full impact of AI on the industry and adapt our SEO strategies accordingly to keep delivering fantastic results for our valued customers.
To learn more about increasing the online visibility of your content, products, and services, pick up the phone today and speak to a friendly member of our team on 0800 285 1424.
You can also email your enquiry to hello@aqueous-digital.co.uk or fill in our online contact form to book your free, no-obligation initial consultation.
