The SEO Shift No One Saw Coming…

As generative AI technologies like ChatGPT continue to evolve, they are redefining the way users search for information.

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With tools like OpenAI's SearchGPT, Perplexity and other generative AI-powered assistants rapidly gaining popularity, search engine optimization (SEO) will again become increasingly important for business owners.

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However, the focus of SEO is shifting.

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It’s no longer just about ranking high on traditional search engines like Google, but also about showing up in generative AI results, which are quickly becoming users' default search engines.

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Generative AI, such as ChatGPT and Google Bard, provides users with curated, summarised answers rather than a list of links.

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This shift from traditional search results to AI-generated responses means that fewer sources are referenced directly, and many users are bypassing traditional search engines entirely.

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In the past, users would scroll through pages of Google search results to find what they needed.

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Now, AI is trained to do that work, summarising the web and presenting answers in an easy-to-digest format without the friction of clicking multiple links.

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As OpenAI’s SearchGPT moves forward, businesses that want to remain visible must adapt.

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According to early reports, SearchGPT is designed to link users directly to publishers, with clear in-line attribution and source links.

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This creates an opportunity for businesses to still be part of the conversation — but only if they’re optimising their content properly for AI-generated searches.

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It will be the Google AdWords model but for AI (I predicted here: https://x.com/OrrenHimself/status/1818260775062196570)

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AI-powered search tools are now competing directly with Google’s traditional search model.

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This competition is introducing a new wave of SEO strategies, where businesses need to focus on creating content that is AI-friendly.

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The rise of voice search, driven by AI assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Home, further exemplifies this shift.

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When users ask their AI tools a question, they expect one or two definitive answers, not hundreds of search results.

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Remember who I was yelling from rooftops about this 4+ years ago? (https://medium.com/@orren/the-opportunity-of-voice-apps-bbb165a96b87)

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In my articles on Medium (https://medium.com/@orren/chatgpt-why-all-brands-need-to-forget-selling-advertising-39c7ab5cc154), I argued that as people get lazier and more accustomed to quick answers, they would rely less on traditional search engines and more on AI to find what they need.

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I noted that SEO strategies would need to shift toward making sure businesses and brands are optimized for AI-driven results.

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This prediction is proving accurate as both consumer habits and the technology itself continue to evolve.

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The challenge for businesses is clear: adapt or become invisible.

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Generative AI technologies rely heavily on data to provide relevant and accurate answers, which means that businesses must ensure their content is up-to-date, factual, and optimised for AI indexing.

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SEO strategies now need to account for how AI pulls information and ranks it in order of importance.

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Keywords, structure, and quality content remain critical, but there’s an increased emphasis on how easily AI can extract (scrape) that information and turn it into an answer.

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Moreover, it’s essential to remember that even though AI is generating these answers, traditional search engines like Google (and now Bing) still play a vital role in feeding data into these systems.

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So, while businesses need to focus on AI, they shouldn’t abandon traditional SEO efforts.

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Being highly ranked on Google (or Bing) can still be a significant advantage because AI tools like SearchGPT and Perplexity are likely pulling from the same top-ranked content.

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Voice search, which I also discussed previously, is poised to become a dominant way users interact with AI-driven tools (https://openai.com/index/chatgpt-can-now-see-hear-and-speak).

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In this scenario, SEO will shift even more toward optimising for concise, direct answers that AI can easily extract.

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Voice search offers fewer results — often just one or two — making it critical for businesses to aim for that top spot.

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In addition, paid advertising within AI search results is likely the next evolution.

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Just as Google monetized traditional search through ads, companies like OpenAI may integrate native ads into AI responses.

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This will drive fierce competition for the top (only) spot in AI results.

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Brands that aren’t optimised for organic AI search will be forced to pay increasingly higher rates for visibility, more so than what they are used to currently.

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The key takeaway for business owners is that SEO is not dead — far from it.

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SEO is evolving in response to AI’s rise as the default search tool for many consumers.

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Businesses must now optimise for both traditional search engines and AI-driven platforms.

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Here are a few steps businesses should take:

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1.????? Optimise for text AI: Ensure content is easy for AI systems to find and interpret (contrary to this: https://orren.medium.com/how-to-stop-chatgpt-openai-scraping-your-proprietary-information-get-compensated-f951af48eff3).

2.????? Stay relevant in voice search: Voice search will continue to gain traction, making concise and direct responses even more critical.

3.????? Prepare for paid AI listings: As AI tools integrate native advertising, businesses should prepare to bid for top placements in AI-generated results.

4.????? Build your brand: As I’ve emphasised, building a recognisable, trustworthy brand is more important than ever.

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The world of SEO is rapidly changing.

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Business owners who stay ahead of these trends and adapt their strategies to generative AI will be the ones who thrive in this new digital landscape.