If you’ve been around the marketing block, the “SEO is dead” articles probably don’t concern you. SEO predictions are just that — predictions — and the morbid ones haven’t come to fruition yet.
But something feels different now. Your friends are seeing real declines in traffic (maybe you are, too), and even some SEO giants have experienced dry spells.
SEO is still a crucial marketing channel, but not in the way it used to be — your strategy (and results) will be different.
Read about how AI is changing the way people search.
The old SEO had its day in the sun, and the sand in the timer has inevitably run out. The future of search is here. And it will wait for no one.
What should you do about it? See what top marketers are doing to pivot.
The future of search looks different from the traditional SERPs (search engine results pages) we’re all used to.
Search happens in many places now, from AI chatbots to social media platforms. The SEO best practices of yesteryear aren’t as relevant in this new landscape. Shift your focus from SEO (a set of tactics) to a cohesive strategy for search (a broader channel that spans a variety of platforms).
Marry your shift in perspective with modern, AI-focused search tactics. Pay attention to where your pages are landing on platforms like Perplexity, SearchGPT, and AI Overviews.
The effort is worth it, as these platforms send referral traffic to websites through citations. And people who click through to your website from AI search citations represent more qualified traffic (more on that later).
Basically, don’t give up on SEO. Just add AI search optimization tactics to your strategy.
Bonus: Meet GEO, generative search optimization, and learn even more new search tactics.
Why are websites losing traffic to AI platforms and AI Overviews? Searchers can get answers to top-of-funnel queries (like “what is hypothyroidism” or “leukemia recurrence rate”) from AI-generated results. They don’t need to click through to your webpage — the answer is right there for them.
Don’t fight this reality — adapt to it. Invest in creating content around the information that people want to dig into. And make sure your website is ready to engage, connect with, and convert the qualified traffic that’s coming in.
Read how Johns Hopkins Medicine is approaching this.
Support that middle- and bottom-of-funnel content by using schema markup (aka structured data) on the backend of your website. Schema markup isn’t a new concept, but it’s becoming more important as we step into the future of search.
This behind-the-scenes work helps search engines (including AI) understand your content, improving your discoverability in all the places where people search. Learn more about schema markup.
Remember, AI has the high-level, top-of-funnel queries covered — so savvy marketers like you will focus on richer information that people can’t get from AI-generated results.
Create unique content that addresses niche topics and questions that align with your audience’s needs. Aside from bringing in more qualified traffic, this can also boost your brand’s authority in a crowded space.
AI tools have made it easier than ever to collect data that can guide your search strategy. This is a great thing. But don’t overinflate the importance of the metrics.
You already know this, but it can’t be overstated: Effective marketing doesn’t just drive traffic — it connects and engages real people. Produce content that resonates with humans.
With AI-generated content flooding search results, people are craving authenticity, originality, and, above all, a voice they can trust. Be that for your patients.
Authentic content stands out on SERPs and sets you apart from brands with a plug-and-chug attitude about content marketing. Prioritize the kind of content that makes your brand a trusted source for health information.
Need an SEO industry crystal ball? You know we’ve got you covered.
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