Why SEO Still Matters in an AI-Driven Internet
Everywhere you look right now, someone’s declaring SEO is dead, and that you’re going to have to do so much more in terms of your marketing.
For example, Google’s got its new AI Overview trying to keep people glued to the search results page, ChatGPT is spitting out essays in seconds, and half the internet thinks people don’t bother clicking through to websites anymore.
And sure, all of this sounds dramatic, right? But here’s the reality: SEO isn’t dead. Not even close.
While all of these people, journalists, CEOs, and influencers might be pushing that narrative, it’s just wearing a new outfit. Basically, at the end of the day, the internet is still about one thing: being seen. If your business isn’t showing up where people are looking, it might as well not exist. AI hasn’t changed that; it’s just moved the furniture around.
AI Doesn’t Invent
It doesn’t invent; instead, you can expect it to just borrow. But yeah, that’s the thing people just seem to forget when it comes to AI, it doesn’t come up with new knowledge.
It’s not sitting there brainstorming like some genius robot. It’s pulling from content that’s already out there. So if your business doesn’t have a seat at that table, meaning, if your site’s invisible, AI’s not about to mention you.
So, of course, that’s where SEO still comes in. You’re basically making sure your name is in the pool AI fishes from. Meaning, no content, no visibility, no seat at the table, and obviously, once you’re invisible online, it doesn’t matter how good you are in real life.
People Still Google
While it’s true that people are leaning on AI chatbots for quick answers (which honestly isn’t a bad idea), like “What’s the capital of Spain?” for example, there’s no harm in those quick answers.
But for questions like “Who should I hire to remodel my kitchen?” Well, that’s a whole different story. When money’s on the line, people want receipts. They want websites, reviews, portfolios, and real names.
And sure, AI can hand someone a summary, but nine times out of ten, that person’s still opening Google to double-check. And if your business doesn’t pop up there? Well, as you can already guess, you don’t even get considered.
Credibility Still Matters
Just be honest with yourself here; would you ever hand over thousands of dollars to a business you couldn’t find online? Probably not, right? Well, if you’re a contractor, even nowadays, you’re still going to need SEO for contractors services, and those services aren’t going anywhere either.
Again, if money is on the line, people want to know where to look for a good and reliable contractor (especially considering a good chunk of them are shady). People want to click through your website, read reviews, see the process, and obviously not get scammed.
SEO isn’t Dying
Seriously, ignore those headlines online, because it’s not going anywhere; it’s just a little more polished now. It’s not about keyword stuffing anymore; it’s about authority, trust, and being part of the sources AI and Google pull from.
Small businesses especially can’t skip this. Sure, big brands already hog the spotlight with ads and massive social followings.
But at the end of the day, SEO is the way to make sure the little guys actually get seen, both by humans and by AI.
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