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For over two years now, the digital marketing world has been abuzz with how AI, including both traditional search features like AI Overviews and direct interactions with LLMs like ChatGPT, is changing SEO. It’s quite the conversation, given that traditional search currently still enjoys nearly 90% market share. At the same time, AI is coming on fast, with the share of Google searches that include AI Overviews more than doubling between January and March 2025.
The reality is that AI is already reshaping the search landscape but still has a way to go. Brands that fail to get in front of this trend risk being left out of critical decision-making conversations and queries. Couple that with the continued rise of zero-click marketing, and securing a presence in these AI-powered responses is not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
So, how should marketers navigate this new future? This is where a great divide is emerging in the SEO community.
Interested in what you can do to position your brand for success in GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), download the Mambo Media GEO guide.
Two Sides of the SEO -> GEO Debate Have Taken Shape
On one side, we have the “nothing is changing” camp. They argue that the old rules still apply and that traditional SEO techniques will continue to yield the same results for years to come. To some, this perspective is starting to sound like a blacksmith in the early 20th century, brushing off the sight of the first automobiles as a passing fad. Even within traditional search, with the (not so) Helpful Content Updates and new affiliate policies, things have clearly fundamentally changed.
On the other hand, we have the “nothing will ever be the same” camp. They see the rise of generative AI and declare traditional search and tried-and-trusted SEO techniques obsolete as of yesterday. This view, however, often ignores the fact that traditional search still commands a massive market share compared to standalone AI chatbots. Their approach can feel like a doctor’s office insisting on payment via NFT; a solution so far ahead of its time (and perhaps unneeded) that it’s impractical for the vast majority. Along the way, they risk ignoring fundamental SEO best practices and techniques that yield dividends not only for SEO but also for GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and CRO (Conversion Rate Optimization).
The truth, as it usually does, lies somewhere in the middle. Things are undeniably changing, but many of the foundational principles of SEO remain as relevant as ever. The key is to understand what’s new, what’s not, and how to strike a balance between the two.
The “Nothing is Changing” Camp: A Dangerous Assumption
The “nothing is changing” camp is not entirely wrong. Many of the tried-and-true SEO techniques still hold value. Keyword research, on-page optimization, backlink building and creating content that connects with readers (creating positive engagement signals) are still important. However, to believe that these tactics alone are sufficient in the age of AI search is a dangerous oversimplification.
The world of search is not static; it’s constantly evolving. To ignore the fundamental shifts that are taking place is to risk being left behind. The blacksmiths who scoffed at the first cars eventually found themselves out of a job. The same fate may await SEOs who fail to adapt to the new realities of AI-powered search.
The “Nothing is the Same” Camp: A Premature Declaration
On the other end of the spectrum, the “nothing is the same” camp is too quick to declare the death of traditional SEO. While AI is certainly a disruptive force, it’s not going to replace traditional search overnight. Google Search still holds a near-monopoly on the search market, and the vast majority of users still rely on it to find information. Additionally, for many search categories (shopping and flights come to mind), traditional search is currently far more integrated than AI search is.
Furthermore, the idea that we should abandon all traditional SEO techniques in favor of a purely AI-focused approach is not only premature but also impractical. For most businesses, a complete overhaul of their SEO strategy is not feasible. The key is to integrate AI-specific optimizations into your existing workflow, not to throw the baby out with the bathwater.
The Truth is Somewhere in the Middle
The most effective approach to SEO in the age of AI is one that acknowledges both the changes and the continuities. It’s about finding a balance between the old and the new, between the tried-and-true and the cutting-edge. This means continuing to invest in the fundamentals of SEO, such as creating high-quality, user-focused content. It also means embracing the new core shifts that are defining this era of search.
An Overview of What’s Changing
The most significant change is the user experience. Search is becoming more conversational, intuitive, and immediate. Instead of a list of ten blue links, users are increasingly presented with direct answers, summarized information, and AI-generated overviews. This shift has profound implications for how we create and optimize content, leading to three core shifts marketers must address.
Core Shift 1: AI Search and the Rise of Zero-Click Marketing
Zero-click searches, which are queries where the user’s question is answered directly on the SERP eliminating the need to click through to a website, are rapidly becoming the new norm. This trend, amplified by conversational AI, presents a significant challenge for brands that rely on organic traffic (for example publishers, who depend on ad views or subscriptions to monetize). Even beyond that scope, zero-click marketing is disrupting traditional digital marketing metrics and KPIs. The old happy path of impressions -> clicks -> conversions is far more obscured than it ever has been.
If a user can get all the information that they need from an AI-powered summary or conversation, what incentive do they have to visit your website? Oftentimes, very little. This is the central question that should be keeping marketers up at night. The answer lies in shifting your focus from simply providing information to offering a compelling reason for the user to engage with your brand on a deeper level.
This means optimizing towards end conversions, not just clicks or top-of-funnel conversions. Your website needs to be more than just a repository of facts and figures; AI can provide those. Your site needs to be an experience. Whether it’s through interactive tools, personalized recommendations, or exclusive content, you need to give users a reason to choose your site over the convenience of a zero-click answer. While there is no way around the damage LLMs are doing to publisher sites’ traffic, service and product-based businesses have thus far been largely insulated, as users still need to connect to purchase, order, or book an appointment. The challenge is to make that connection irresistible.
Core Shift 2: Optimizing for Query Fan-Out Techniques
Another crucial development is the “query fan-out” technique. In this new paradigm, an LLM takes a user’s initial query and, behind the scenes, breaks it down into multiple, more specific searches. It then gathers information from a variety of sources and synthesizes it into a single, comprehensive answer.
For SEOs, this means optimizing for a single search or keyword is no longer enough. We need to anticipate the “fanned out” searches that an LLM performs and ensure that our content addresses them. This requires a deeper understanding of user intent and AI systems, as well as a more holistic approach to content creation.
Think of it this way: instead of creating a single page that targets a specific keyword, you need to create a cluster of content that covers a topic from multiple angles. Each piece of content should be optimized for a different aspect of the user’s query, ensuring that you’re visible at every stage of their research journey. Hand in hand with this is the older concept of passages SEO where algorithms aren’t looking at web pages as single entities, but instead a collection of passages, each of which can be uniquely considered.
Core Shift 3: An Increased Importance of Building on Rented Land
For years, marketers have understood the difference between “owned land” (your website, blog, email list) and “rented land” (social media platforms, forums, third-party sites). The traditional strategy was to use rented land to drive traffic back to the land you own. AI search is flipping that dynamic on its head.
Today, the “rented land” is becoming the destination. When an AI Overview answers a query, the goal is no longer just to get a click, but to be the authoritative source cited in that answer. If it’s a source which your brand can be present on (think YouTube, Wikipedia, or Reddit), look to interject your message into the conversation. This makes your presence on platforms you don’t control more critical than ever.
Of course, LLMs don’t just scrape brand websites; they are increasingly trained on the vast, conversational data sets of platforms including Reddit, LinkedIn, and Quora to understand real-world experience and sentiment. They look for expert quotes and data in high-authority media outlets. Therefore, your brand’s visibility and authority in these spaces directly influence your visibility in AI-generated results. Engaging in these communities and securing media placements through digital PR are no longer just brand-building activities; they are direct SEO tactics for an AI-first world. You are essentially building outposts of your brand’s authority across the internet, ensuring that wherever the AI looks for answers, it finds you.
How SEOs and Brands Need to Find a Balance and Pivot
So, what does this look like in practice? A successful pivot doesn’t mean abandoning what works. It means evolving your strategy to meet these new realities head-on. Key pivots for brands and SEOs include:
- Pivoting from Clicks to Experiences: Address the zero-click reality by making your website an essential destination. Don’t just offer information; offer interaction. Create unique calculators, downloadable guides, free assessment tools, or a compelling brand story that an AI summary cannot replicate. Your website’s value proposition must now be “What can you get here that you can’t get directly from ChatGPT?”
- Pivot from Keywords to Comprehensive Topic Clusters: Tackle query fan-out by moving beyond a one-page, one-keyword mindset. Develop topic hubs that act as a definitive resource on a subject. Map out the central query and all its potential “fanned out” questions; the what, why, how, when, and where. By building a constellation of interconnected content, you position your brand as the go-to authority that can satisfy every facet of a user’s (and therefore, an AI’s) curiosity.
- Pivot from On-Site SEO to Omnichannel Authority: Embrace the importance of rented land by expanding your definition of SEO. Your strategy must now be an integrated, omnichannel effort. This means actively pursuing digital PR to get your experts cited, engaging in relevant 3rd party sites and platforms to demonstrate real-world experience, and ensuring your brand is part of the conversation on the platforms where your audience lives. The goal is to establish E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) wherever the AI is looking, not just within the borders of your own domain.
By finding this balance—respecting the foundations of SEO while boldly adapting to these new core shifts—your brand won’t just survive the age of AI. It will thrive in it. To learn more about how you can position your brand for GEO (generative engine optimization) success, visit Mambo Media’s resources section.
