Is AI Signalling the End of SEO?

The digital landscape is buzzing with debates on the future of content and SEO in the AI era. Some argue that AI's rise will render SEO and keywords obsolete. While these concerns are valid, I believe the content's significance will only amplify.

The evolution of keywords, not extinction.

Contrary to popular belief, I believe AI won't be the death knell for keywords. Instead, it will reshape our understanding of them. Searches will evolve to be more exploratory and phrase-based. Queries will become longer; rather than saying "best 55" tv", the query will be more of an interaction; "I have a living room this size, and I need to find a television that can accommodate my living room and also have interactive features".

In other words, a search might become longer, and we don't need to do the second, third, or fourth follow-up question in the search engine. The interaction will become more like human-to-human interaction, and the shift might alter the searcher's perspective; businesses will find keywords and content more crucial than ever. Companies must fill the conversations with substance; that will be the way forward.

Rich keywords driven content will feed AI answers

Keywords will serve as the catalysts, prompting AI-driven answers. Rich content will feed these AI systems, emphasizing the increasing importance of investing in high-quality content and interface interaction.

The content strategy will transform. The foundational "what is" type of generic content can be created with AI. However, this content must reside on your website or within your CMS. The content should be comprehensive, information-dense for businesses, and answer every possible query.

The Rising Significance of Marketing Content

Unique marketing content and original thought will be the cornerstone for gaining a competitive edge. It's not just about answering existing questions anymore but about introducing new queries and paradigms. Companies must innovate, not just with their products, but with how they narrate their stories. Mediocre content won't cut it anymore. Instead, content innovation will become an integral part of the customer journey.

The capability to produce distinctive content will equate to gaining a competitive advantage and standing out. The intertwining of product narratives and content will be more pronounced in the future. The story, the narrative and the original ideas will hold equal weight as the product development.

Original thought will be the difference 

Storytelling will transform traditional SEO, aiding businesses in ensuring their content will be featured in AI-driven responses. As AI becomes an integral part of our search engines, results will likely showcase an AI-generated answer, followed by related links. While the traditional keyword still needs to be answered and featured on websites, the rise of original thought will be the differentiator.