Is SEO Dead? The Future of Search and AI Optimization
“SEO is Dead… Again. But Here’s What’s Actually Happening”
“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated.” ~ Mark Twain
If AI experts are telling you to dump your precious SEO or SEM investments, then they are leading you the wrong way.
Check with Simon Kemp and his excellent DataReportal resources; you will see that Google, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram remain giants in search and search-intent measurement.
Although AI is becoming increasingly critical in the recommendation mix, I wouldn’t allocate more than 10% of the existing budget to experiment with and understand how LLMS handles recommendations.
The truth is that many who claim to know how it makes recommendations are uncertain about its inner workings. The only ones who know are the ones feeding LLMs’ training data. So, ditch the reports and use a common-sense approach to this. You don’t break something that is working toward a future vision, which will, anyway, become a monetised model.
Is SEO still relevant when AI can recommend products and brands without a search?
Short answer: Yes. But it’s evolving—fast.
LLMs don’t search like humans. They synthesise. Instead of showing page rankings, they deliver direct answers. So the real question isn’t “How do I rank on Google?” but:
“How do I get AI to mention my brand?”
Here’s how the SEO game is shifting:
Traditional SEO (text, video, voice) is still foundational. You need structured, high-quality, and AI-readable content to be in the mix.
AI Optimisation is the new frontier. LLMs draw from trusted sources, user signals, brand authority, and schema-rich data.
What should brands do now?
Structure content for LLMs – Focus on clear, well-structured, semantically rich information.
Own your brand narrative – Ensure consistency across all digital touchpoints.
Build relationships with authoritative publishers – LLMs trust credible sources.
Experiment with AI-native formats – Think: AI summaries, API integrations, plugins, or embeddings.
Monitor AI outputs – Know how AI describes your brand (and your competitors).
And monetisation?
Future opportunities will look like:
Sponsored responses in AI assistants (transparent, opt-in).
Brand integrations via LLM plugins or native experiences.
Training data partnerships between brands and LLM providers.
Performance-based discovery models (think: affiliate meets AI).
This is not the end of SEO. It’s the next phase: AI Experience Optimisation.
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