AI SEO uses artificial intelligence to automate and enhance search engine optimization tasks. It helps analyze search trends, perform keyword research, and optimize content for better search results. AI tools and prompt engineering leverage machine learning to understand search intent, providing valuable insights that improve a site’s organic traffic and overall SEO performance on search engines.
What is AI SEO and Why Does It Matter Now?
The world of digital marketing is currently in a state of massive change (more so than ever before).
You’re probably hearing the term “AI SEO” everywhere, but what does it actually mean? Here’s the thing: AI SEO is the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to supercharge your search engine optimization efforts. Think of it as giving your classic SEO strategy a brain upgrade. It’s not about replacing the human SEO expert; it’s about giving them superpowers to analyze data, understand user intent, and optimize content faster and more effectively than ever before. BUT…..
Is this a skillset you should be currently understanding and executing, or is it just another fad, like the many others that have come and gone.
We believe it’s here to stay, but is it overhyped? Maybe, maybe not.
The SEO Community
In the SEO social media groups, chats, threads, there is of course non stop chatter about AI. Everyday you here someone pike up and say “SEO is dead“…… yes that old chestnut.
Others are adamant that SEO is not dead. Others are of the opinion it’s just changing. The thing is, no one knows. Anyone telling you they know how it’s all going to pan out is trying to sell you a bridge.
Like in many industries, the truth is probably going to turn out to be somewhere in between
Koray (if you don’t know who he is in SEO circles you need to find out), recently posted this:
I’m not a Koray fanboy, but I do believe he has many important things to say, and has been proven right on many topics. While his detractors are all to willing to debunk his theories as everyday SEO wrapped up in over complicated technical language, his case studies do hit the mark. It’s clear that he believes AI will have a significant impact, but not at the expense of foundational SEO practices. AI engines need to parse the information from somewhere, and for the foreseeable future, that’s from our websites and our other online content.
Diggity I would suspect is also of similar opinion – albeit his content does tend to follow trends, but with sound actionable advice. After all he is trying to grow a Youtube channel! Here is a post he recently added to his YT channel. Notice he is pretty well telling you to evolve, but don’t forget the foundational principals.
Our Recent AI Work
While we have manoeuvred significant resources into AI frameworks for development and content, we haven’t change the way we apply the fundamentals for content creation – stuff we were doing a year a go, 5 years ago, 10 years ago – still works, and actually super charges content for AI engines.
This is a recent project we’ve been working on for about the last 6 months. It significantly leverages AI, but every step along the way, and the very last step, publishing, still involves a human.
What AI has allowed us to do, is significantly improve efficiency and scale in the planning and execution stages, but the knowledge (at least for this project), came from our team. AI might have done a lot of the heavy lifting, but we drove the process.
Below is a GSC screenshot of the growth over the 6 month period. Okay…..yes this is just another screenshot just as Koray mentioned in his post, but we protect our projects just like any other team. It’s a real thing, we can only ask you trust us.
We are also seeing a significant increase for inclusions in AI search, without doing all that much different to what we’ve been doing. For the same project as above, we are seeing these results for AI inclusions:
What We Are Using AI For In Our SEO Process
So what exactly are we using AI for in our process? See below.
Comparison of Traditional SEO vs. AI SEO Task Execution
| Task | Traditional SEO Approach | AI SEO Approach | Key AI-Powered Advantage |
| Keyword Research | Manually brainstorming and using tools to check volume/difficulty for a list of seeds. | Using AI tools to analyze top-ranking pages, identify semantic gaps, and generate topical clusters. | Uncovers valuable insights and real search intent at scale. |
| Content Creation | Writing based on a brief, experience, and competitor analysis. | Generating outlines and drafts with an AI writing assistant, then refining. | Drastically accelerates content generation and initial drafting. |
| Content Optimization | Manually checking for keyword density and adding related terms from a list. | Real-time analysis of content against top-ranking pages for semantic relevance. | Optimizes content based on what’s currently winning in search results. |
| Technical SEO Audits | Manually crawling a site, exporting data to spreadsheets, and sorting through errors. | AI tools automatically crawl, detect anomalies, and prioritize critical issues. | Saves dozens of hours and provides actionable insights instantly. |
| Link Building | Manually searching for prospects, finding contact info, and sending generic emails. | AI-powered tools identify relevant prospects and help personalize outreach at scale. | Increases efficiency and improves the success rate of outreach. |
| Competitor Research | Using tools such as ahrefs and manual SERP analysis to identify competitors. | Built proprietary custom tools leveraging ai to do this for us at scale. | Fast, efficient and important real time accurate research and output on competitors. |
| Rank Tracking | Monitoring a fixed list of target keywords and noting daily position changes. | AI can correlate rank changes with algorithm updates or competitor actions. | Provides context for why rankings changed, not just that they did. |
| Reporting | Compiling data from Google Search Console and Analytics into a monthly report. | AI can analyze SEO performance data and highlight key trends and opportunities. | Turns raw data into a clear, actionable content strategy. |
Our Expectations For The Next Few Months
In the past, we would forecast and identify process and strategies that for the most part keep bringing results year after year. Right now we work on almost a day to day basis. At least 20% or more of my day is taken up with actually finding and understanding where AI is taking us right now in the industry.
As mentioned above, the foundations of SEO are still working well, but to be in the game, we need to do it faster and be able to scale. Right now, that’s what AI and AI SEO is giving us. At the same time, we have one eye on any radical changes that we must take note of. If that radical change comes, we’re well placed to take advantage of it.
But right now, we’re continuing to grow projects similar to the screenshot above.
Our Next Moves
We will continue to do what we know works best, while ensuring we remain at the bleeding edge of knowledge and execution. We have the team to both build and use tools to take advantage of upcoming changes….fast.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious about what lies ahead, we also have those moments, but keep trusting your process and executing what works, and you may be surprised how well you fair in this radical time.