Does Posting More Content Really Boost Your SEO?
Does Posting More Content Really Boost Your SEO? Does Fresh Content Really Help? I Ran an Experiment to Find Out
If you're like most marketing leaders, you've heard the advice a thousand times: Post consistently. Keep your content fresh. Update frequently.
It's become one of those SEO commandments we all nod along to in meetings. But here's the question that's been nagging at me (and maybe at you, too): Does it actually work? Especially now, in the age of AI-powered search and ChatGPT snippets reshaping how people discover content?
As someone who runs Seven Oaks Consulting, a content marketing agency, I spend my days helping clients navigate these exact questions. But this summer, I found myself in a position to test the theory firsthand with one of my own websites. What I discovered might surprise you.
The Setup: A Perfect (Accidental) Control Group
I own a seasonal website that gets the bulk of its search traffic between March and July. Think of it as a digital spring bloom—lots of activity when the weather warms up, then a gradual fade through August, and near-dormancy during winter months.
This summer, I was swamped with client work. The site that usually gets attention every couple of weeks? It languished. I managed to update it just once a month (which, let's be honest, is barely keeping the lights on in SEO terms.)
The results were about what you'd expect from a neglected website: my average search engine position was 46.
For context, that's essentially invisible. If you're not on the first page of search results (positions 1-10), you might as well not exist. Position 46 means I was buried on page five, where only the most determined or desperate searchers would ever find me.
The Experiment: Doubling Down on Content
By September, I had more breathing room. I also had a hypothesis I wanted to test: What would happen if I dramatically increased my posting frequency?
My typical schedule for this site was once every two weeks—a reasonable cadence for most content marketing strategies. But for this experiment, I decided to go aggressive: I would post twice per week instead.
That's a 4x increase in content output. More work, yes, but I wanted to see a clear signal if one existed.
The Results: From Invisible to Viable
The data came in faster than I expected.
After ramping up to twice-weekly posts, my average SERP (Search Engine Results Page) position jumped from 46 to 21. That's a leap of 25 positions, moving from page five to page two or three, depending on how Google was displaying results.
But it didn't stop there. The position continued to improve, climbing to an average of 11.
Suddenly, I wasn't just in the game. I was on the first page. My content was visible. People could actually find it.
Now, I should mention that the position has since settled back into the 20s. But before you dismiss the experiment as a fluke, remember: this is a seasonal site. The traffic naturally declines in fall and winter regardless of what I do. The fact that I maintained better positioning than before, even during the off-season, tells me something significant happened.
What This Means for Your Marketing Strategy
So, is the conventional wisdom true? Does frequent content updating actually improve search engine rankings in our new AI-powered search landscape?
Based on my experiment, the answer is a resounding yes.
Here's what I think is happening: Search engines—Google, Bing, and the emerging AI-powered alternatives—are all looking for signals of relevance and authority. A website that publishes fresh, valuable content regularly sends a strong signal that it's active, current, and worth paying attention to.
With AI summaries and ChatGPT-style snippets becoming more prominent in search results, there's even more pressure on search algorithms to surface up-to-date content. Nobody wants their AI to quote outdated information, so recency has become an increasingly important ranking factor.
But here's the nuance that matters: it's not just about quantity. The content still needs to be valuable, relevant, and well-crafted. Posting twice a week with thin, rushed content won't get you anywhere. The frequency amplifies quality. It doesn't replace it.
The Practical Takeaway for Marketing Leaders
If you're a CMO, VP of Marketing, or CEO trying to make smart decisions about your content marketing budget, here's what this experiment suggests:
Increasing your content frequency can move the needle on SEO—but it requires commitment.
Going from sporadic updates to consistent, frequent publishing isn't just about writing more blog posts. It means:
- Having the team capacity (or agency support) to maintain quality at higher volume
- Developing a content pipeline that can sustain the pace
- Ensuring each piece genuinely serves your audience's needs
- Being patient enough to let the strategy work over several weeks or months
For my seasonal site, doubling down on content during a slow period still improved rankings. Imagine what strategic, sustained content marketing could do for your business during peak seasons when search traffic is already high.
SEO Best Practices Are Still Important
Those SEO best practices you've been hearing about? They're not just tribal knowledge passed down from the early days of Google. They're working, perhaps more than ever, in our AI-enhanced search environment.
Frequent content updates aren't a magic bullet, but they are a powerful lever. Used strategically, they can take you from invisible (position 46) to viable (position 11) faster than you might think.
The question isn't whether it works. My little experiment suggests it does. The real question is: Are you ready to commit to the consistency it takes to make it work for you?
How Consumers Search Has Changed—And What You Need to Do About It
How consumers discover brands and products has fundamentally shifted. If you're still banking on your website ranking on page one of Google search results to drive traffic, it's time to wake up. According to a recent Search Engine Land study, only 11%—or roughly 1 in 10—consumers actually trust those first-page results anymore.
This is a big deal. Companies that fail to pay attention are headed for declining organic traffic and less visibility online. You need to take steps now to build brand visibility across platforms.
How Consumer Search Has Changed: Multi-Channel Approach
Gone are the days when consumers relied primarily on search engines to discover and vet brands. Today's consumers are much more sophisticated—and honestly, more skeptical. They're piecing together information from multiple sources: search engines, AI platforms, social media, review sites, Reddit threads, TikTok videos, and word-of-mouth recommendations.
Think about how you search for something new yourself. You probably don't stop after clicking on the top Google result. You might ask an AI chatbot, scroll through Instagram or TikTok, check Reddit for real user experiences, browse review aggregators, and visit multiple brand websites before making a decision. That's the consumer journey in 2025, and it's radically different from just five years ago.
The fragmentation matters because it means there's no single path to discovery anymore. Where a potential customer finds you depends entirely on their personal preferences and habits. Some will start with search engines. Others might begin with AI assistants or social platforms. A few might stumble upon you through a review site or influencer mention. The key insight? You need to be visible everywhere they might look.
What This Means for Your Brand
I've been saying this since summer: build your online brand—not just your website, but your entire digital presence.
Of course, you still need a solid website. Your own platform is your home base, your owned land. It's where you control the narrative, direct traffic, and nurture leads. Think of it as essential infrastructure.
But that's just the foundation. You also need to be active on social media, securing guest posts on relevant websites, accumulating genuine customer reviews, and building mentions across the wider internet. You need a comprehensive digital footprint that tells a consistent story about who you are.
Why does this matter? Several reasons. First, when customers search in different ways, they're more likely to find you if you're everywhere. Second, AI platforms are increasingly using this distributed information to build business profiles and answer user queries—if you're not visible beyond your website, you're invisible to these emerging discovery channels. Third, a robust online presence simply signals legitimacy and trustworthiness to today's skeptical consumers.
Building Your Multi-Channel Digital Footprint
So how do you actually do this? Here's what I recommend:
Start with strategy and consistency.
Identify which platforms your target audience actually uses. There's no point chasing every social network if your customers hang out on LinkedIn and TikTok, not Instagram and Snapchat. Develop a unified brand voice and visual identity across everything you publish, so customers recognize you instantly, whether they're on your website, social media, or a third-party review site.
Create for each platform, not just everywhere.
Don't just copy-paste the same content across channels. A LinkedIn post should look and feel different from a TikTok video or a blog article. Tailor your content to each platform's format, audience, and culture. This effort pays off in better engagement and reach.
Stay active where it matters.
Maintain a consistent presence on the platforms that matter most to your business: your website, priority social channels, email, potentially mobile apps, and relevant marketplaces. Consistency beats perfection; showing up regularly is more important than sporadic viral moments.
Track what works.
Use analytics to understand which content resonates, which platforms drive real engagement, and where your audience is actually spending time. Let data guide your decisions. If TikTok drives zero meaningful engagement for your B2B software company, you're wasting time there.
Blend SEO and paid strategies.
Traditional SEO still matters. Implement it across your owned channels and aim for visibility across search engines. But also use paid advertising strategically across platforms to amplify your reach and target specific audience segments where they're most receptive.
Make it personal with CRM.
Integrate your customer relationship management system across channels so you can personalize interactions. When someone engages with you on social, sees your email, and visits your website, they should experience a connected journey, not fragmented silos.
Amplify through partnerships.
Collaborate with influencers, complementary brands, or industry partners who can help you reach new audiences across channels. These partnerships extend your reach and build credibility through association.
Test, iterate, and optimize.
Run small experiments with messaging, formats, and channel mixes. Double down on what works. The digital landscape changes constantly, so treat your strategy as a living thing that evolves based on real performance data.
Automate the routine work.
Use scheduling tools, publishing platforms, and reporting software to handle repetitive tasks. This frees up your team to focus on creating great content and meaningful customer interactions rather than drowning in administrative work.
Make mobile non-negotiable.
Optimize every digital touchpoint for mobile devices. Your website, emails, and social content all need to look and perform beautifully on phones. Your audience is using mobile devices to look for information, so make sure your website is find-able on smartphones and loads quickly.
Relying on Search Online Is So Last Week...
The era of relying on first-page Google rankings as your primary traffic source is over. Today's consumers are smarter, more skeptical, and more distributed across platforms. They're assembling their own picture of your brand from multiple sources before they ever decide to do business with you.
That means you need to meet them where they are online. Build a consistent, authentic presence across the channels your audience actually uses. Focus on providing real value, not just selling. Stay flexible and keep optimizing based on what your data tells you.
Brands that adapt quickly to this fragmented search landscape will thrive. Those that cling to outdated SEO-only strategies will increasingly find themselves invisible to the customers they're trying to reach. The choice, as always, is yours.
What Is Schema Markup – and Do You Really Need It for SEO and AI Search?
What is schema markup?
You know what's driving me nuts lately? Every single article about optimizing for AI-powered search—ChatGPT, Google's AI Overview, Perplexity, and the whole crew of AI search tools—keeps mentioning schema markup like it's something we all know and use daily.
They just casually drop it into their advice: "Oh, and make sure you're using schema markup!" As if we, the average website owners and marketers, totally know what that is and can just snap our fingers and make it appear on our sites.
I hit my breaking point this morning when I got two different newsletter articles in my inbox, both talking about AI search optimization, and both listing schema markup as a must-do—with zero explanation of what it actually is or how to implement it.
So I did what any frustrated blogger would do: I went down a research rabbit hole to figure out exactly what schema markup is, whether I actually need it, and if it's really going to help with AI search or if everyone's just parroting the same advice without any real evidence.
Here's what I discovered.
What Is Schema Markup, Really?
Okay, so schema markup is basically a special type of code you can add to your website's backend that helps search engines understand what your content is actually about.
Think of it this way: Without schema markup, Google's looking at your webpage like someone trying to read a book in dim lighting with no context. It sees words and tries its best to figure out what they mean and how they relate to each other. With schema markup, you're essentially handing Google a highlighted study guide that says:
- "Hey, this page is a recipe for chocolate chip cookies"
- "This section right here? That's a product review with a 4.5-star rating"
- "This is information about a local business, and here are the hours and address"
- "This is an upcoming event happening on a specific date"
The code itself is written in something called structured data, and here's the best part: it doesn't change anything about how your site looks to actual human visitors. It's completely behind-the-scenes information that only search engines and other machines can read.
Why Would You Want to Use Schema Markup?
The main reason people use schema markup is because it can make your website show up in search results with those fancy extra details that catch people's attention. You've definitely seen these before—they're called rich results or rich snippets.
These are things like:
- Star ratings and review counts on product pages
- Product prices right in the search results
- Event dates and locations without having to click through
- Recipe cook times, calorie counts, and ingredients
- Job posting salaries and locations
- FAQ sections that expand right in the search results
These rich results make your listing stand out in a sea of blue links, and they can significantly improve your click-through rate because people can see useful information before they even visit your site.
How Do I Add Schema Markup to My Website?
It's easy to add schema markup in WordPress. There are a variety of plugins that include it. If you aren't on WordPress, you'll need to explore code generators to add the code to your site.
For WordPress users, if you're already using popular SEO plugins like Yoast SEO or RankMath, congratulations! You already have schema markup enabled on your site and you probably didn't even realize it. These plugins automatically add basic schema markup to your pages and posts without you having to do anything extra.
You literally don't need to touch a line of code. Just keep writing quality content, optimizing for your keywords, and the plugins handle the schema markup in the background.
If you're not using one of those plugins, there are other options like Schema Pro or specialized schema plugins that can help you add it without needing to become a coding expert.
But Does Schema Markup Actually Help with AI Search?
Alright, here's where things get interesting—and where I think a lot of people are making assumptions without solid evidence.
Is schema markup useful for traditional search engine optimization? Absolutely, yes. There's plenty of data showing that rich results can improve click-through rates and help search engines better categorize your content.
But does it help with AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Google's AI Overview, Claude, or Perplexity?
Honestly? The jury is still very much out on that one.
Despite the fact that seemingly every article about AI search optimization includes the directive to "ensure schema markup is active," I couldn't find substantial research demonstrating that it actually makes a meaningful difference for how AI language models discover, process, or reference your content.
Think about it: AI models are trained on massive amounts of web content, and they're reading and understanding the actual text on your pages—not necessarily parsing structured data the same way traditional search engine crawlers do. They're looking at context, relevance, and how well your content answers questions.
That said, it certainly can't hurt. If schema markup helps traditional search engines understand your content better, and those search engines are increasingly integrating AI into their results, there's a logical argument that structured data could indirectly benefit your AI search visibility. But is it the make-or-break factor everyone's claiming? I'm skeptical.
Should You Bother Adding Schema Markup If You Don't Have It?
Here's my honest take: If I discovered my website didn't have any schema markup at all, I would absolutely add it. But not necessarily because of AI search.
I'd add it because it helps with overall search engine optimization and discoverability, and in today's competitive landscape, every little advantage matters.
SEO has always been competitive, but with the explosion of AI-powered search results, ChatGPT answers, and Google's AI Overview taking up more screen real estate, it's become even more of a battle to get visibility. Fewer people are clicking through to websites when they can get answers directly from AI tools or featured snippets.
So my philosophy is: test everything reasonable that might help your site rank better and attract more traffic. SEO isn't about following a perfect formula—it's about exploring, experimenting, and refining your approach based on actual data about what works for your specific site and audience.
Adding schema markup won't hurt your site, and it definitely could help with traditional search results. If you want to test whether it moves the needle for your specific situation, go for it. I'd suggest adding it via a plugin (keep it simple), then tracking your search engine positions and traffic over 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months to see if you notice any improvements.
Implement Schema Markup. It Can't Hurt!
Schema markup is one of those SEO tactics that's probably worth implementing, especially since it's so easy to add if you're using WordPress. But let's not pretend it's some magical solution for AI search when we don't actually have evidence that it's a major ranking factor for AI language models.
My advice? Add it for the proven SEO benefits, keep creating high-quality content that genuinely answers people's questions (because that's what AI models are looking for), and don't lose sleep over whether your schema markup is perfect.
And the next time you see an article that casually mentions schema markup like everyone should obviously know what it is? At least now you actually do.
The AI-Powered Search Revolution
The AI-Powered Search Revolution: What Marketers Need to Know in October 2025
AI-powered search is here to stay. Yes, the search landscape has changed yet again. But when hasn't it changed? For over 17 years, I've been writing about search engine optimization best practices. Even before AI, Google's algorithm shifts kept us all dancing to their tune. Today, it is no different. AI has reshaped search, but there is, as always, a silver lining in the cloud taking organic traffic away from websites.
The Rise of Zero-Click Search
AI-generated overviews now sit at the top of most search results, answering user questions before they ever click a link. This shift toward zero-click searches isn't a passing trend. It's the new reality. Users are getting instant answers from AI summaries, fundamentally changing how they interact with search engines.
For businesses, this means traditional click-through rates have taken a hit. But that doesn't mean SEO is dead. It means the game has changed.
Beyond Keyword Rankings
Keyword rankings still matter, but they're no longer the whole story. Today's critical performance indicator is visibility within AI-generated content blocks and summaries. If your content appears in an AI overview, you're winning, even if users never click through to your site.
This requires a shift in how we think about search success. Are you showing up when AI tools synthesize answers? Are you cited as a source in those AI-generated summaries? These questions now carry as much weight as "what position do we rank for?"
Conversational Search Takes Center Stage
Voice assistants and conversational search queries continue their upward trajectory. People aren't typing "best running shoes 2025" anymore. They're asking, "What are the most comfortable running shoes for someone with flat feet?"
Your content needs to speak this language. Natural language processing drives modern search, which means your SEO strategy must account for how people actually talk, not just how they used to type keywords into a search box.
E-E-A-T Gets a Modern Makeover
Google's E-E-A-T framework hasn't disappeared. Experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness still form the foundation of quality content. But the framework has evolved to emphasize user engagement and brand authenticity.
It's not enough to be an expert. You need to demonstrate that expertise in ways that resonate with real users. Engagement signals matter. Authenticity matters. The algorithm is getting better at spotting genuine value versus content created solely to game the system.
The Hybrid Content Creation Model
Pure AI-generated content rarely cuts it anymore. Neither does ignoring AI tools entirely. The winning approach sits in the middle: hybrid content creation.
AI tools excel at ideation, research, and first drafts. They can analyze trends, suggest topics, and generate initial frameworks faster than any human. But they lack the nuance, depth, and credibility that human editors bring to the table.
The most effective content teams use AI to handle the heavy lifting, then rely on human expertise to add the layers that make content truly valuable: industry insights, brand voice, fact-checking, and the kind of perspective that only comes from real experience.
Technical SEO in the AI Era
Technical SEO hasn't become less important. If anything, it's more critical than ever. But the focus has shifted toward AI-readiness.
Structured data and schema markup help AI systems understand and interpret your content. When an AI tool crawls your site, proper markup makes it easier for that system to extract relevant information and include it in generated responses.
Think of schema markup as a translation layer between your content and AI systems. The clearer your markup, the better chance you have of being featured in AI-generated answers.
Strategic Recommendations for Today's Marketers
Structure Content for Direct Answers
AI-generated summaries favor content that answers questions directly and clearly. Use FAQ formats. Implement schema markup. Make it easy for AI systems to extract and cite your information.
Don't bury the lede. Lead with clear answers, then provide supporting detail.
Invest in Generative Engine Optimization
Traditional search engine optimization is now just one piece of the puzzle. Generative engine optimization, or GEO, focuses on ensuring your content ranks within AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI overviews.
This requires building semantic relevance and topical authority. Cover subjects comprehensively. Link related concepts. Establish your site as the go-to resource on specific topics.
Balance Automation with Human Oversight
Use AI for research, keyword analysis, and content drafting. Let it speed up your workflow and uncover opportunities you might miss manually.
But always bring human editors into the process. They refine tone, verify accuracy, ensure brand alignment, and add the depth that separates great content from merely adequate content.
Track Visibility Across AI Platforms
Your analytics need to evolve beyond traditional search metrics. Are you monitoring how often your content appears in AI-generated responses? Are you tracking citations across multiple AI platforms?
Cross-platform analytics tools can help you understand where your content shows up in the broader AI ecosystem, not just on Google's search results page.
Prioritize User Experience
Fast-loading pages, mobile-friendly design, and clear navigation have always mattered. Now they matter even more. User engagement signals content quality to search algorithms.
If people bounce immediately or struggle to navigate your site, algorithms notice. Create experiences that keep users engaged and satisfied.
Experiment with AI-Powered Workflows
Test AI tools for keyword research, content brief creation, and performance reporting. Explore diverse content formats: video summaries, interactive Q&A sections, and voice search optimization.
The technology evolves rapidly. What works today might not work tomorrow, but experimentation helps you stay ahead of the curve.
Maintain Strategic Agility
SEO is no longer a set-it-and-forget-it discipline. Algorithm updates happen frequently. New platforms emerge. User behavior shifts.
Regular audits and strategy updates are essential. Build flexibility into your approach. Be ready to pivot when the landscape changes.
The Bottom Line
The integration of AI into search represents the most significant shift in SEO since mobile optimization became critical. Success now requires thinking beyond traditional metrics and embracing a more holistic view of visibility.
The businesses that thrive will be those that understand AI isn't replacing SEO. It's transforming it. And that transformation opens new opportunities for marketers willing to adapt their strategies and experiment with emerging approaches.
The question isn't whether AI will continue reshaping search. It will. The question is whether your SEO strategy is ready for what comes next.
SEO Best Practices - Writing Content for Humans and Machines
5 Essential SEO Best Practices for GenAI Search
Every piece of content you publish today serves two masters. Your human readers are looking for clear, useful information they can quickly understand and act on. Meanwhile, AI systems and search engines are crawling your pages, attempting to categorize, index, and serve your content to the right people at the right time.
The challenge isn't choosing between these audiences. It's learning to write in a way that serves both simultaneously. When you structure your content with intention, you create something that resonates with readers while performing exceptionally well across digital platforms.
Strategy 1: Group Content into Clear Topics
Why Topic Clustering Matters
Think of your content like a well-organized book. Each chapter has a clear focus, and readers know exactly what they're getting into before they start reading. Your digital content should work the same way.
How to Implement Topic Grouping
Start by organizing your content around single themes or ideas. Use descriptive headings and subheadings that clearly communicate what each section covers. Keep related information together rather than scattering it throughout your piece.
Avoid the temptation to mix multiple concepts within a single paragraph. When you maintain clear topical boundaries, readers can follow your logic more easily, and AI systems can accurately categorize and understand the purpose of each section.
Strategy 2: Use Clear, Logical Formats
Structure Creates Comprehension
The way you format your content directly impacts how well it's understood. Whether you're writing a blog post, product page, or internal documentation, thoughtful formatting makes all the difference.
Essential Formatting Practices
Leverage bullet points and numbered lists to break down information into digestible chunks. Keep your paragraphs short, ideally three to four sentences maximum. Maintain consistent formatting conventions across all sections of your content.
White space is not wasted space. It gives readers' eyes a place to rest and helps both humans and machines identify where one idea ends and another begins. Clean, logical structure improves readability while enabling AI systems to extract key information with greater precision.
Strategy 3: SEO Best Practices Include Comprehensive FAQ Sections
The Strategic Value of FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions sections are often treated as an afterthought, but they're actually one of the most powerful content tools at your disposal.
Why FAQs Work
FAQs allow you to address common concerns and objections directly. They naturally incorporate the exact language and questions your audience uses when searching for information, which significantly improves your SEO performance.
From an AI perspective, FAQ sections provide clear context about user intent. They signal to search engines and AI systems exactly what problems your content solves and what questions it answers. This clarity helps your content appear in relevant searches and AI-generated responses.
Building Effective FAQs
Focus on real questions from actual customers or users. Use natural, conversational language in both questions and answers. Organize FAQs logically, grouping related questions together to maintain coherent themes.
Strategy 4: Create Step-by-Step Guides
Simplifying Complexity Through Process
Some concepts are inherently complex. Step-by-step guides transform complicated processes into manageable, actionable sequences that anyone can follow.
The Power of Sequential Content
Guides are ideal for tutorials, onboarding processes, and instructional content. They work because they eliminate ambiguity and provide a clear path from start to finish.
Crafting Effective Step-by-Step Content
Break your process into clear, numbered steps. Use action-oriented language that tells readers exactly what to do. Include examples or visual aids whenever possible to reinforce understanding.
Sequential formats are exceptionally easy for people to follow and for AI systems to interpret and repurpose. This dual accessibility makes them valuable for both immediate use and long-term content performance.
Strategy 5: Write in Natural, Conversational Language
Authenticity Over Formality
When describing your products, services, or brand, the most effective approach is often the simplest one. Write like a human speaking to another human.
The Case for Conversational Content
Jargon and overly technical language create barriers. They make your content less accessible to readers and harder for AI systems to interpret correctly. Conversational language, on the other hand, communicates clearly while allowing your unique brand voice to shine through.
Practical Tips for Natural Writing
Write as if you're explaining your offering to a friend. Use everyday language and relatable examples rather than industry buzzwords. Let your personality and brand identity come through naturally in your word choices and tone.
Natural language improves accessibility for all readers, including those who may not be familiar with industry-specific terminology. It also helps AI better understand the tone, intent, and sentiment behind your content, leading to more accurate categorization and serving.
The Bigger Picture of SEO Best Practices for AI Search
Designing for Long-Term Success
Content that works in today's digital landscape must be well-structured, accessible, and designed for how people actually consume information. Readers scan, skim, and search. They rarely read word-for-word from beginning to end.
Building a Sustainable Content Foundation
When you create content that serves both human readers and the AI systems that distribute and surface your work, you're not just optimizing for today. You're building a foundation for sustained engagement, improved visibility, and measurable performance over time.
The intersection of human-centered writing and machine-readable structure is where truly effective content lives. By implementing these five strategies and SEO best practices, you create content that connects authentically with your audience while performing exceptionally well across all digital platforms.
SEO Best Practices for 2025: Integrating Traditional and AI-Powered Strategies
SEO Best Practices for 2025: Integrating Traditional and AI-Powered Strategies
Search engine optimization has come a long way in recent years, and artificial intelligence is completely changing how we think about content visibility and search rankings. The good news is that traditional SEO fundamentals are still important, but now we have exciting new opportunities thanks to generative AI. If you want to succeed in 2025 and beyond, you'll need to learn how to combine the tried-and-true practices with these new AI-powered strategies.
Traditional SEO Best Practices: The Foundation That Endures
Technical SEO: Building a Solid Infrastructure
Think of your website's technical foundation as the backbone of everything else you do with SEO. Search engines need to easily crawl, understand, and index your content before any other optimization work can make a difference. This means making sure your website loads quickly on all devices, has proper security in place, and works great on mobile.
You'll want to tackle technical issues first. Things like crawl errors, broken links, and indexing problems create roadblocks between your content and search engines. Running regular technical audits helps you catch and fix these problems before they hurt your rankings. Also, don't overlook structured data through schema markup. It gives search engines clear context about your content, making it much easier for them to understand and properly categorize your pages.
Content Quality: People-First Approach
High-quality content is still the heart of good SEO. When you create useful, original content that genuinely helps your audience, it will always beat content that's written mainly for search engines. This people-first approach means really understanding what your audience needs and giving them comprehensive, well-researched information that actually answers their questions and solves their problems.
Natural, conversational writing has become more important as search algorithms get smarter. Keyword stuffing and overly optimized content actually hurt you now instead of helping. Instead, focus on building topical authority by covering subjects thoroughly across multiple related articles. This shows your expertise and helps establish your website as a go-to resource in your field.
Link Building: Earning Credible Connections
Quality backlinks from authoritative websites are still important signals of trust and relevance to search engines. But the game has changed from quantity to quality, with search engines getting much better at spotting and penalizing sketchy link schemes. Today's successful link building means creating genuinely valuable resources that other websites naturally want to link to.
Try developing link-worthy assets like original research, helpful tools, and comprehensive expert guides. These resources attract organic backlinks because they offer real value to both the website that's linking and their readers. Yes, this approach takes more work upfront, but it creates lasting SEO benefits that you just can't get from manipulative tactics.
On-Page Optimization: Clear Structure and Relevance
Good on-page optimization combines clear structure with smart keyword placement. Using descriptive headings that include relevant keywords helps both users and search engines understand how your content is organized. Just remember that these headings need to feel natural and serve your readers first.
Your meta titles, descriptions, and URLs should clearly tell users what they'll find on each page. These elements are your content's first impression in search results, so clarity and relevance matter more than cramming in keywords. Don't forget about internal linking strategy either. It guides users through related content while showing search engines how your topics connect.
Generative AI SEO Best Practices: Adapting to the AI Era
Schema Markup for AI Visibility
Now that AI systems are becoming part of search experiences, structured data is more important than ever. FAQ, How-To, Q&A, and Author schema markup help AI systems like Google's AI Overviews and various language models interpret and cite your content more effectively. This structured approach makes your information more accessible to AI agents that users are increasingly turning to for quick answers.
The trick is implementing schema markup that accurately reflects what your content is actually about and how it's structured. This transparency helps AI systems understand when and how to reference your content, which could boost your visibility in AI-generated responses and featured snippets.
AI-Powered Keyword Research
Artificial intelligence has really shaken up keyword research by letting us dig deeper into user intent and behavior patterns. AI tools can find long-tail keywords and intent-driven phrases that traditional research methods might completely miss. These tools are also great at predicting emerging keyword trends by analyzing behavioral and historical data patterns.
This improved capability lets you plan content more strategically by anticipating what users need instead of just reacting to current search volumes. When you understand the intent behind searches, you can create content that addresses user questions at different stages of their journey.
AI-Enhanced Content Creation
Generative AI can really speed up your content creation process, but you need to find the right balance. Using AI tools to help with drafting, research, and brainstorming can make you more efficient, but human editing and oversight are still crucial. The best approach combines AI's speed and analytical power with human creativity, expertise, and quality control.
Content that shows real-world experience and expertise still performs best, no matter how you create it. AI should enhance your subject matter knowledge rather than replace it, helping you explain complex ideas more clearly or explore topics from new angles.
Conversational and Voice Search Optimization
With more people using AI assistants and voice search, your content needs to mirror natural speech patterns. Users are increasingly asking complete questions instead of typing short keyword phrases, making conversational content structure more important than ever.
Give clear, direct answers to common questions, and your content will perform well in both traditional search results and AI-generated responses. This means thinking about the specific questions your audience asks and structuring your content to provide immediate, helpful answers.
AI Agent Optimization
Major AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity have become significant information sources for many users. To optimize content for these systems, focus on authority, clarity, and usefulness. AI agents tend to prefer content that provides comprehensive comparisons, clear summaries, and practical resources.
When you create content that AI systems can easily cite and reference, you increase your visibility across multiple platforms. This means organizing information logically, providing clear attribution, and maintaining high standards for accuracy and relevance.
Strategic Shifts in 2025
The line between traditional SEO and AI optimization has pretty much disappeared. Optimizing for AI agents and search engines is now one unified strategy instead of separate efforts. This makes sense because search experiences increasingly include AI elements, from featured snippets to direct AI responses.
Google's continued focus on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-E-A-T) works perfectly with AI systems' preference for credible, well-researched content. These quality signals help both traditional search algorithms and AI agents identify trustworthy sources worth citing and recommending.
AI systems especially like content that solves specific problems, particularly for users who are in the middle to lower funnel stages of their journey. This focus on practical, actionable information rewards websites that put user value first instead of trying to game search engines.
Moving Forward with Integrated SEO
Success in 2025 means embracing both traditional SEO fundamentals and AI-powered innovations. The websites that will thrive are those that combine technical excellence with high-quality, authoritative content optimized for both human readers and AI systems. This integrated approach ensures you'll be visible across all the ways users discover and consume information in our increasingly AI-enhanced digital world.
SEO and GEO: New Opportunities Despite Search Ranking Volatility
Website owners have seen it all, but the volatility in the search rankings over the past six weeks is some of the most significant changes we’ve seen - ever. Following the June 2025 Google Core Update rollout, many sites plunged in the SERPs, while others regained traffic (my sites regained traffic, and I’ve explained why in this week’s Monday Marketing Motivation).
Here’s the thing: the SEO strategies you relied on for the past decade or more are gone. Gone. Forget them. Filling your site with top of funnel (TOFU) content aligned with high traffic keywords, answering simple questions, or building glossaries in the hopes of ranking for a term are gone. Smart SEO strategies are now focused on middle of funnel (MOFU) and bottom of funnel (BOFU) traffic, clustering long tail keywords naturally in articles, and GEO - GenAI engine optimization.
The AI Revolution in Search Results: SEO and GEO
At the heart of this volatility lies a transformative force: the rapid expansion of AI-powered search features. It’s been dubbed “GEO” for “generative AI search engine optimization”. Watch that buzzword. As buzzwords go, it’s not bad. Others are calling it zero-click search, which simply means that people are getting the answers they seek on search engines without having to click through to web pages.
GenAI Search Results: GEO Is The New Norm
We're witnessing a fundamental shift in how search engines present information to users. AI-generated summaries, conversational search interfaces, and intelligent answer boxes are no longer experimental features. Like it or not, they are now the focus of the search experience.
This change is profoundly changing user behavior patterns. Where users once clicked through to the top-ranking pages to find answers, they're increasingly satisfied with the information presented directly within the search interface. This is moving traffic away from websites, hence the declining organic search traffic on many sites.
The End of Set-and-Forget SEO
Ah, the good old days of SEO. When I began writing search engine optimized copy years ago, I was handed keywords with numbers next to them to calculate how many times to use them in the copy of the article. That shifted a few years later into the current pattern of finding 1-3 keyword phrases that are high traffic generators and use them in certain places in the copy. Once the articles are published, allow 6-8 weeks to see how they rank, then tweak as needed.
Ah, but today…today, AI search is changing everything. It’s constantly shifting the algorithms, making it difficult to predict keyword volume. It’s making it even harder to simply publish articles and rank well. There’s so much going on under the hood, some things known, some unknown, and some only partially known.
This has created a lot of uncertainty among marketers, which is leading them to put the brakes on new content creation. (I have not; I keep creating content. AI search engines like my copy. It ranks in GEO. I’m still analyzing why.)
It's no longer enough to target traditional ranking factors. Everyone needs to consider how our content will perform in AI-generated summaries and conversational search contexts.
Strategies for Success in an AI-Driven Search World
To maintain visibility in this rapidly changing landscape, marketing professionals need to develop a more sophisticated understanding of how AI is reshaping user search behavior. This involves recognizing that users increasingly expect immediate, contextual answers rather than links to explore. Content strategies must evolve to provide the kind of comprehensive, well-structured information that AI systems can easily parse and present to users.
The most successful organizations will be those that view this disruption not as a threat, but as an opportunity to build more meaningful connections with their audiences. By focusing on creating genuinely helpful content that serves user intent, regardless of how it's delivered, marketers can position themselves to thrive in whatever search landscape emerges next.
I told a friend that instead of looking at pure numbers, we have to get inside our target customer’s heads. We have to think about their questions, the weird, the offbeat, the unusual. Because, frankly, that’s the only thing AI can’t answer easily. She asked a logical question: Yes, but how do you know what they want to know? I can’t answer that easily. I do research - a lot of it. I look at Reddit, Quora, forums, and my own website and social media comments. I people-watch and eavesdrop. I even watch commercials on television to pick up on trends. I continue to do keyword research, but I pay more attention to the questions people are asking than the simple phrases used. It’s a combination of all of these things that enable me to develop content that continues to rank in this SEO/GEO-powered world.
Looking Ahead: A Whole New World Awaits!
I’m actually excited by these changes. I see them as a competitive advantage. Marketers and writers like myself who always enjoyed the quirky, unusual, offbeat articles can now produce them without worrying about slotting in specific awkward keyword phrases. AI is good at understanding context, so you don’t have to worry as much about direct keyword matches. You can write more from the heart, and especially, from personal experience, which I love.
While the recent volatility may feel unsettling, it's also creating opportunities for forward-thinking marketers to differentiate themselves. Those who can successfully navigate this transition, by understanding AI's impact on search behavior and adapting their strategies, will survive for the next Google Core Update to shake things up again!
Let's Talk About SEO - What Is SEO?
Let's Talk About SEO (Without the Jargon!)
You know that feeling when you're trying to get your business noticed online, and it feels like you're screaming into the wind? Yeah, I've been there. The good news? SEO doesn't have to be this mysterious, complicated thing that only tech wizards understand. Let's break it down together.
So What Exactly IS SEO?
Think of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) as your way of raising your hand when someone asks, "Hey, does anyone know where I can find...?" When people search for what you offer, you want to be the business that pops up first - not buried on page 47 of Google results.
Here's the thing - it's like having the best storefront in town. If it's hidden down a back alley where nobody walks, you're not going to get customers. But if you're right there on Main Street where everyone can see you? That's SEO working for you.
The best part? Unlike those expensive ads that eat up your budget, once you get your SEO right, people keep finding you without you having to pay for each click. Pretty sweet deal, right?
Let's Break Down the Two Main Types
On-Page SEO is everything you can control on your own website. Think of it as organizing your store so customers can easily find what they need. You're creating helpful content, using the right keywords naturally (not stuffing them in everywhere - that's just annoying), and making sure your website is easy to navigate. It's also about those behind-the-scenes details like page titles and descriptions that tell search engines what your page is about.
Off-Page SEO is about building your reputation in the neighborhood. When other websites link to yours, it's like getting a recommendation from a trusted friend. The more quality websites that vouch for you, the more search engines think, "Hey, this business must be legit!" Social media engagement, online reviews, and local business listings all play into this too.
The Technical Stuff (Don't Worry, We'll Keep It Simple!)
I know "technical SEO" sounds scary, but think of it as basic maintenance for your digital storefront. You want your website to load quickly (nobody likes waiting around), work on mobile phones (because let's be honest, that's how most people browse), and be secure (that little padlock in the browser bar).
You also want to make it easy for search engines to understand what your business is about. It's like putting up clear signs in your store - "Shoes This Way," "Electronics Over Here." The clearer you make it, the better search engines can direct the right customers to you.
Another important aspect of SEO is ensuring that everything works properly. Links to external websites can change over time, and broken links are like a road to nowhere - they don't work, and Google doesn't like it. Ditto to images no longer rendering properly, videos that don't load, and so on.
A tool to monitor problems with SEO, such as SEMRush, is invaluable. It provides reports to help you quickly figure out what's broken, not working, or needs to be fixed.
How Does SEO Stack Up Against Other Marketing Tactics?
Paid ads are like renting a billboard - great visibility while you're paying, but the moment you stop, you're invisible again. SEO is like owning prime real estate. It takes time to build, but once you're there, you're there.
Social media is fantastic for building relationships and brand awareness, but it's more like hosting a party - you need to keep the energy up constantly. Email marketing is like having a direct line to your best customers, but you need their permission first.
The beauty of SEO? People are already looking for what you offer. You're not interrupting their day with an ad - you're being helpful by showing up exactly when they need you. And here's the kicker - people trust organic search results more than ads. It's like the difference between a friend's recommendation and a sales pitch.
Combining Strategies: What Works
Here's what I've learned working with small businesses: SEO works best when it's part of a bigger picture. Maybe you use some paid ads to get quick wins while your SEO is building up steam. Or you share your great content on social media to get more eyes on it. Your email newsletter can drive people back to your website, boosting those SEO signals.
It's not about choosing one thing - it's about making them all work together. Like a good recipe, the right combination of ingredients makes something way better than any single component alone.
I would say that SEO is the cornerstone of any business marketing program. That's because your website is the central location or hub for your business online. In order for people to visit, they must find it, and SEO makes it easier to find.
The Bottom Line
SEO isn't just for the big guys with huge budgets and big marketing teams. It's for every business owner who wants to be found by the people who need what they offer. Sure, it takes some time and effort, but so does everything worthwhile in business.
Your customers are out there right now, typing questions into Google. Wouldn't it be nice if they found you first?
Want to chat about how to make this work for your specific business? I'm here to help you figure out a strategy that actually makes sense for where you're at right now.
Crushing AI Search: Is SEO Still Worth It? What You Need To Know Now
Is SEO still worth it in the age of AI search? The answer is a resounding yes, but doing SEO the same old way will get you nowhere. Here, I share with you the latest in AI search based on what marketers have learned to date.
A quick note: I’m writing this article in late June 2025. The experts I work with at technology companies all tell me that AI is changing so rapidly that it is hard even for them to keep up with the latest advances. I’ll try to update this article over time, but keep the date in mind when you read it just in case some of the advice turns stale (like tomorrow!)
AI search is a type of search driven by artificial intelligence (AI). It uses natural language processing to develop a more comprehensive response than traditional keyword-based search. The goal is to understand user intent and create responses based on perceived user intent.
How Does AI Search Differ from Traditional Search Engine Optimization?
If that definition sounds similar to the traditional definition of search engine optimization (SEO) that’s because for years Google has been telling us that the purpose of search engines is to match user queries with content that answers those queries. Traditional keyword search was based on the phrases people typed in and how page content was optimized for such phrases. Now, however, AI search promises to take it a step further and look beyond keyword phrases.
AI search uses what is called a fan technique or fanning technique. It takes the starting question and fans it out based on what it has learned from its large language model about the query. Then, its response is based not just on a simple keyword phrase but on multiple possible related queries.
Is SEO Still Relevant in the Age of AI?
Search engines still need a starting point to scan and index your content. That starting point is your words on screen, infused with keywords in the traditional manner.
However, your job as a modern SEO specialist is to expand beyond that and think like an AI search engine.
Consider the keyword phrases you’ve chosen not as the single phrase to optimize in your content, but as the starting point. Next, think about all the other things related to the original phrase that people may need to know.
Let’s take as an example a company that sells bridal gowns. Perhaps they are writing an article about attractive styles for the plus-size bride. Starting with that topic, what else might their customer want to know? Perhaps shoes and veils that match the gown, or tailoring and styling tips to help the bride look beautiful on her special day.
A simple keyword search tool reveals multiple branching queries from the phrase “plus size bridal gown” including terms like tea-length plus size bridal gowns, short sleeve plus size bridal gowns, and dozens more. I would work these phrases in naturally into the article to attract the AI engines to it.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to be as literal with this kind of search as with traditional search. As far as I can tell, the platforms are smart enough to recognize similar phrases without having to hit the exact phrase a certain number of times, as in the past.
My Personal Exploration of This Topic
I am actively exploring and testing these ideas in my gardening blog, Home Garden Joy. It’s more than a blog. It’s my sandbox for SEO. Follow it if you want to grow and preserve your own food (I teach you how to grow fruit, vegetables, and herbs, my hobby). And I’ll share here what my SEO experiments yield.
Keep Up to Date: Who To Follow on Modern SEO Practices
Well, yes, follow me on LinkedIn and follow Seven Oaks Consulting. That’s a given.
But here are some of the top minds who I follow to learn all I can about modern search engine optimization:
Google’s Blog: Need I say more?
Ann Smarty, who writes a brilliant weekly Substack on AI and search.
Jeannie Hill, who taught me a lot about retail shopping search.
Help! AI Is Eating My Website Traffic!
Did you notice a dip in your organic search traffic starting, oh, around early January 2024?
The dip probably became a freefall, resembling a black diamond ski slope.
What you’re seeing is AI diverting organic search traffic. For bloggers and site owners who relied heavily on search engine optimization (SEO) tools, seeing the dreaded ‘my traffic fell off a cliff’ graph can make them want to throw away their keyboard and give up on SEO.
Fear not. There are ways to combat the voracious beast known as AI-driven search.
Organic Search Isn’t Dead - It’s Just Changing
First, know that organic search isn’t dead. It’s just changing. Evolving. Remember 2011? And other updates? The 2011 Panda Google update upended the applecart for many site hosts, shrinking site traffic and ad revenues.
Hey, Google makes no promises about SEO. It provides guidelines, not laws, about creating content and structuring websites for good organic traffic.
I view the new AI search snippets as just another evolution in Google’s quest to dominate search. And, just as I did for the Panda, Hummingbird, and other Google updates that shook up my predictable flow of organic search visitors, I am taking steps to update my blogs and websites so that they thrive in the new age of AI.
Let’s take a look at optimizing content for AI in this new world of AI search.
Write for People First
Look, do I have to say it again? I guess I do, because far too often, I read blog posts and website copy that’s a jumble of jargon. Write for people first, and not just any people - write for your target persona.
What’s a persona? It’s an imaginary person who represents your ideal customer, the decision maker, and audience whom you’d like to get in front of to sell your ideas, products, or services.
If you write for this “person,” you are writing for a person, and your content will sound natural and fun.
Have you noticed how stilted AI content can be? Sometimes it’s good, but most of the time it peppers its output with words like unleash, unlock, and elevate. It likes long sentence structures oh-so-perfectly. It doesn’t have anything new to say - no stories, case studies, or personal reflections. And it can’t make a good analogy for beans! (That phrase alone will probably pop a diode somewhere in the AI platform scanning this page.)
Takeaways:
- Write for people first, AI and search second
- Write in your natural, conversational voice
- Use plenty of firsthand stories, anecdotes, and case studies - things an AI can’t add to the conversation.
Personal Branding and Authoritative Content
Developing your online personal brand is an ongoing strategy. Part of that strategy is developing your online presence as an authority in a topic or topics.
What do you want to be known and remembered for? It should be something of keen importance to your persona and your target market. It should dovetail perfectly with your services and strengths. And, it should focus on a niche; something you can do better and differently than anyone else.
If you identify this niche, and create content across multiple channels, you can develop your online reputation as an authority in the topic. This technique does take considerable time and effort but it can serve as a buffer against the vicissitudes of Google’s ever-shifting algorithm.
Takeaways:
- Focus on your persona and niche
- Create original content for your persona
- Rinse and repeat, focusing on a consistent theme or message
Add Branded Content to Your Site
Branded content is content that mentions your company, product, or service by name. AI models need such content to understand who your company is and what it does. When the AI search bot encounters your site, serve it plenty of branded content to build your own footprint within its little robotic brain.
Takeaways:
- Add branded content to your website - beef up your about page, bios, FAQs, and more.
Final Thoughts
AI search is but an evolution of Google, Bing, and other search engines’ never-ending quest to improve search results. If it’s eating your website traffic, fight back by feeding it what YOU want it to eat: branded content, original stories, and ideas only a person can create. By being yourself and working with AI models instead of against them, you have a chance to build your traffic back.