The New SEO

Search is now about recommendation, not ranking

Recent studies found that 60% of people don’t actually click on links from Google anymore. But if they aren’t exploring further on the search engine… where are they going?

The same place I did to get this statistic – Google’s AI overview. Or, skipping Google entirely, and going straight to AI, no search-engine middle-man required.

The way consumers are navigating to find answers is evolving, and our strategy to reach them needs to evolve with it.

No longer is it about ranks, SEO boosts, or outsmarting Google’s algorithm – it’s about being recommended.

HOW THIS NEW LANDSCAPE WORKS

With Google, you type a question into the search bar, and navigate through top-ranked links, using your own judgement and discernment to find the answer. There are thousands of possibilities to explore, endless potential responses at your fingertips.

Whereas, seeking answers through a Large Language Model (LLM) or AI, you input an intentional prompt into a system designed to interpret it and deliver a custom response. You don’t see the full breadth of possible answers – only what the model decides and discerns is relevant to you.

The difference?

1.      The tailored response and refined recommendation list.

2.      The reduced requirement to click-through – you no longer have to explore when it’s laid out right in front of you.

This is why click-through rates are collapsing and why traditional SEO isn’t driving the same engagement it once did.

One AI trained company put it simply: Google is your go-to travel directory listing every possible destination, while ChatGPT is your personal travel assistant giving you a tailored itinerary.

The latter requires that your content hit the right keywords to successfully appear in AI’s response. If someone searches for Brisbane’s best dog-friendly café close to the CBD, your website must clearly state your location and benefits, easily discoverable so that it will flag relevancy to the AI model. If those cues aren’t there, the model has no reason to consider you relevant to the query.

WHY THIS SHIFT IS HAPPENING

Ever since ChatGPT entered the conversation, individual’s approach to knowledge sourcing and content generation has been undergoing a radical shift. It’s faster, more convenient and delivers more precise responses than is possible through alternate search methods. Interestingly, when Google introduced its own AI overview, jumping on the AI trend was the very thing that made traditional SEO obsolete. The information people previously searched for through links was now packaged in the overview at the top of the page.

Forbes estimates this shift could carve out around $74B from traditional marketing models, no longer needing SEO in the traditional sense, but instead, desiring AI visibility.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

While it’s an SEO specialist’s nightmare, it is a modern digital marketers’ opportunity. Optimising content still remains to be a key strategy for promoting brands, but the way it’s done is a little bit different. The priority is no longer appearing in a long list of links. It’s proving to AI that you’re the right answer.

Here’s what we recommend to help get you, recommended.

1.      Proof through PR

I know, we are biased. But PR has never been more important to boosting consideration for your brand, reinforcing the need for consistent good press. AI sources information already in the public domain. This includes your digital magazines, your news sites, your local listicles, reviews or credible features. If someone is putting in a prompt for Brisbane’s best restaurants to AI, the LLM is going to scour through and pull from trusted, high-authority sources. If you are listed on a trusted magazine or newspaper as one of Brisbane’s best, chances are, your brand will be pulled through in the AI results.

2.      Reviews that serve as recommendations
Don’t get us wrong, Google Reviews still matter – just in a new way. They help AI distinguish who is the top, highly rated or best, discerning one brand from another based on real human input and authentic feedback. Trip Advisor or similar platforms will also be integral pieces of the puzzle here to enhancing your brand’s competitive edge in shining through in the results. We recommend finding ways to encourage engagement with reviews, whether that be small prompts, personalised nudges, or QR codes, anything that can make it easier for customers to leave reviews that lift your credibility.

3.      Clear keywords that help AI identify you

AI won’t know you’re the best at what you do unless you tell it. LLMs analyse millions of data points across the internet, but (for the most part) they won’t assume you’re eco-friendly, what amenities you offer, where you’re located or why someone should choose you. If it’s not stated, it’s not seen. You need to communicate your strengths clearly across every touchpoint by highlighting exactly what your service is, your uniqueness and what sets you apart.

Approach your content as if you’re answering FAQs, pre-empting what people might type into ChatGPT, by using the cues and keywords that help the AI recognise you as a match. If you want to appear in results for Brisbane’s best riverside dinner spot for families, highlighting your family-friendly features and location benefits are key.

SEO hasn’t disappeared, it has just evolved. With a new way of searching comes a new way of boosting visibility. These strategies are about earning authority through trusted sources and giving AI reasons to select your brand as the answer to a specific prompt, constantly proving it’s relevancy.

Need help making your brand AI-ready? PR is a powerful place to start. Consider this your prompt and contact us to find out how to get started.