SEO Isn’t Dead, But It’s Changing: Why You Need to Optimise for AI Search (Now)

Search is evolving - fast.

For two decades, SEO has revolved around Google’s algorithm: keywords, backlinks, metadata, and page speed. But with the rise of AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), Perplexity, and Claude, users aren’t just typing keywords anymore—they’re having conversations.

And that shift changes everything.What Is AI Search?

AI search refers to how generative AI models (like ChatGPT or Gemini) answer questions and retrieve information using large language models (LLMs) rather than simply serving up a list of links. Instead of searching “best CRM software for B2B” and scanning 10 blue links, users now ask:

“What’s the best CRM for a growing B2B company with limited sales resources?”

And the AI might answer:

“HubSpot is a strong choice for B2B companies due to its ease of use, CRM + marketing integration, and automation capabilities.”

That summary might link to your website or your competitor’s. That will depend on what the AI can find and understand about your business.

Why Does This Matter?

Because AI search doesn’t work like Google search.

Traditional SEO vs. AI Search:

So, Is SEO Dead?

Not even close. Traditional SEO is still crucial - Google isn’t going away. But AI is now the layer on top of search, and that means you can no longer rely on ranking #1 in Google. You also need to rank in the mind of the AI.

How Do I Optimise for AI Search?

We recommend approaching this in stages:

1) Add Schema Markup to Your Site

This is structured code that helps AI understand your content (like what your product does, who your audience is, what your reviews say). Use schema.org markup for:

• Products and services
• FAQs
• Reviews
• People and company info
  

2) Write Like a Human, Not a Keyword Bot

AI models prefer natural, conversational phrasing. So, for example:

“We help B2B companies grow using CRM automation”

Rather than what we might say with SEO. For example:

“CRM software, Sydney, B2B solutions, growth.”

Practical Tip:

Use tools like ChatGPT to ask:
“How would you summarise my homepage for a buyer in plain English?”
Then adjust your site copy accordingly.

3) Answer Real Questions

Use your blog posts to answer very specific niche questions like:

“How do I migrate from Salesforce to HubSpot?”
“What’s the ROI of a B2B CRM for small sales teams?

4) Make sure AI Tools can Find, read and learn from Your content. 

AI tools learn from high-authority, well-structured, public content. So:

• Publish on your blog regularly
• Publish FAQs and guides
• Contribute to Reputable industry sites
• Ensure your content is crawlable by AI bots like OpenAI’s GPTBot

Practical Tip:

Check your site’s robots.txt to make sure AI bots are allowed to crawl your pages.

5) Create Clear, Authoritative Content

• Use clear headlines
• Avoid jargon
• Include real examples
• Add outbound links to trusted sources (like HubSpot, Harvard Business Review or The Economist.)

FAQs on AI Search and SEO

Q: What is AI search and how is it different from Google Search?
A: AI search uses language models to generate natural answers instead of listing links. It's more conversational and understands context rather than just keywords.

Q: Do I need to stop doing traditional SEO?
A: Not at all. Traditional SEO is still essential for visibility on Google, but AI search is now an added layer. You should run both strategies.

Q: What can I do today to improve my AI search presence?
A: Use schema markup, write naturally, publish content that answers real questions, and ensure AI bots can crawl your site.

Bonus:

Q: Should You Let AI Bots Crawl Your Site?

A: Yes - If you want to show up in AI answers.

Tools like OpenAI’s GPTBot and PerplexityBot are indexing the web to train and improve AI responses. Blocking them = invisibility. If you want to check if your site is crawlable by AI bots? Visit: https://www.robotstxt.org/ and test your configuration.

In Summary, Run Both Tracks: SEO + AI

For now, think of SEO and AI search as two lanes on the same highway.

• Google SEO gets you found in traditional search
• AI search optimisation helps you appear in AI-generated answers

Don’t ditch your SEO strategy. Just expand it.

Practical Next Steps

Here’s what we recommend:

1. Audit your website content. Is it conversational? Structured? Helpful?
2. Add schema markup to high-value pages.
3. Update your blog strategy to include Q&A-style content and long-tail topics.
4. Enable AI bot crawling via your robots.txt file.
5. Test how AI describes you. Ask ChatGPT: “What does G2M Solutions do?” If you're Not happy with the answer It's Time to fix your site content.

Sources for this article:

• HubSpot (2024) “Optimizing for AI Search: A New Era of Content Strategy”
• OpenAI documentation on GPTBot
• Google Search Central: AI Overviews and SGE
• Perplexity.ai crawl guidelines