With AI-driven search evolving and Google reducing organic visibility, here’s how to stay ahead and keep traffic flowing:
- Shift From “SEO Content” to “AI-Optimized Content”
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- AI-first content wins. Google’s AI-powered results summarize content without sending traffic to your site.
- Solution: Structure content so Google must credit & link to you by optimizing for AI Overviews.
How to Adapt:
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- Answer Questions Clearly – Format content in FAQ-style, bullet points, and concise explanations.
- Use Schema Markup – Enhance Google’s ability to understand and feature your content in rich results.
- Optimize for Featured Snippets – Google scrapes clear, well-structured answers—if you’re the best answer, you get the click.
- Integrate First-Party Data & Unique Insights – AI can’t replace real-world expertise, so case studies, proprietary research, and expert insights will rank better than generic SEO articles.
Example:
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- Instead of “Best CRM Tools for 2024,” write “We tested 10 CRM tools—here’s what we found.”
- Instead of just keywords, use stats, graphs, or embedded video summaries for better engagement.
- Build Authority & Trust (E-E-A-T Matters More Than Ever)**
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- Google prioritizes “trusted” sources—if you’re not an authority in your space, you’ll lose visibility.
- Solution: Develop deep expertise signals Google can verify.
How to Adapt:
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- Author Pages & Bio Signals – Make sure content is written by real experts (LinkedIn profiles, Google Scholar links, past publications).
- Showcase Real Experience – Use case studies, testimonials, and first-hand data to prove credibility.
- Get More Branded Searches – Google sees “people searching for your brand” as a trust signal (e.g., “SteerPoint marketing strategies”).
- Acquire Real Backlinks & Mentions – Build high-authority links from media, partnerships, and expert contributions.
Example:
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- Add “Written by John Doe, 15+ years in cybersecurity” to articles.
- Get your company cited in relevant industry blogs, news, and forums (HARO, guest posts).
- Optimize for Multimodal & Visual Search
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- Text SEO alone won’t cut it. Google is favoring video, image, and voice search.
- Solution: Expand content beyond just written blogs.
How to Adapt:
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- Optimize for Google Lens – Ensure images have descriptive filenames, alt text, and metadata.
- Create Short-Form Video – YouTube Shorts, TikTok, and Instagram Reels now show up in Google search results.
- Embed Video Summaries on Blog Pages – Users engage more, and Google favors pages with multimedia.
- Use AI-Generated Audio & Podcasts – Voice search queries are rising—transcribe key articles into audio form.
Example:
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- Instead of just a blog on “Best Home Security Systems,” include a YouTube video demo.
- Instead of only a product page, add a video tutorial + customer review clips.
- Own Your Audience (Beyond Google)
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- Google is keeping more traffic on its platform (zero-click searches).
- Solution: Build direct relationships with your audience.
How to Adapt:
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- Grow Your Email List – Google can’t control your email list. Offer high-value lead magnets, webinars, or exclusive content.
- Leverage LinkedIn, TikTok, & Instagram – Social signals are playing a bigger role in SEO rankings.
- Community Building – Create Facebook Groups, Discords, or private Slack communities where your audience engages.
- Use Google’s Own Platforms (YouTube, Discover, Web Stories) – More traffic is shifting to YouTube & Google Discover, so use their channels against them.
Example:
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- Offer a free guide via email instead of just a blog post.
- Host a monthly LinkedIn Q&A that gets indexed in search.
- Run a TikTok/YouTube series that ranks in Google’s “video results.”
- Master AI & Conversational Search
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- AI search (Bard, ChatGPT, Perplexity AI) is replacing traditional queries.
- Solution: Make your content more conversational & easy for AI to pull.
How to Adapt:
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- Optimize for AI Chatbots – Create structured, question-based content so AI assistants pull YOUR brand as the authority.
- Use More “Conversational SEO” – Google favors human-like answers, so write like you’re explaining something on a podcast.
- Dominate Local & Niche Authority Searches – Small businesses need to win at ultra-targeted searches since broad SEO is too competitive.
Example:
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- Instead of just “What is Microsoft Defender?” write “Is Microsoft Defender better than CrowdStrike? Here’s what IT pros say.”
- Use Google My Business, reviews, and forums to show expertise in local and niche markets.
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness, and it’s a key factor in Google’s ranking system. It originally started as E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), but Google added “Experience” in late 2022 to emphasize first-hand knowledge as a ranking signal.
Here’s why E-E-A-T matters more than ever for SEO:
- Google Wants More Than Just SEO Content
- In the past, sites could rank well just by optimizing keywords and backlinks.
- Now, Google prioritizes real expertise and credibility to combat misinformation.
- Experience Is a Key Ranking Factor
- Google now favors content from real people with first-hand experience over generic AI-generated articles.
- Example: A cybersecurity article written by an actual IT security expert will outrank a general blog post from a content farm.
- Trustworthiness Is Critical for High-Ranking Pages
- With AI-generated content flooding search results, Google wants verifiable and trustworthy information.
- Factors like verified authors, external citations, and user engagement impact rankings.
How to Improve E-E-A-T in Your SEO Strategy
- Author Profiles & Credentials – Ensure blog posts have real author bios with industry experience.
- Cite Reputable Sources – Link to official research, case studies, or government data to build credibility.
- Encourage User Reviews & Testimonials – Google values real customer feedback and brand searches.
- Showcase Case Studies & First-Hand Data – The more unique, experience-based insights you provide, the better.