{"id":188372,"date":"2025-06-02T10:47:33","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T15:47:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=188372"},"modified":"2025-08-26T09:53:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T14:53:36","slug":"seo-plus-lazy-marketing-wont-cut-it-anymore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-plus-lazy-marketing-wont-cut-it-anymore\/","title":{"rendered":"Good SEO Plus Lazy Marketing Won\u2019t Cut It Anymore"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intro-txt\"> SEO is a playground for creative, scrappy problem-solvers. But today, it\u2019s often reduced to a formula: plug keywords into an AI tool. Run a cookie-cutter checklist to create content. Build links. Hope traffic rolls&nbsp;in.&nbsp;<\/div>\n<p>That used to work. But with AI-powered search on the rise, the era of SEOs as technicians is fading, and the era of SEOs as real marketers is&nbsp;here.<\/p>\n<p>Search isn\u2019t just limited to Google anymore. Rankings don\u2019t guarantee clicks. Content doesn\u2019t stand out just because it exists.<\/p>\n<p>As SEOs, if we want to keep winning, we need to ditch the cookie-cutter playbook and start marketing like we mean&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-188372-_7n7y0ej6jobx\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> Why SEO worked without \u201creal\u201d marketing\u2026 until&nbsp;now&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>SEO evolved in a silo. If you knew how to structure pages, build links, and satisfy algorithms, you could unlock a lot of website traffic, far more than all other marketing channels combined (for some brands).<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1287\" height=\"737\" class=\"wp-image-188373\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-analytics-screenshot-for-a-website-with-ove.png\" alt=\"Google Analytics screenshot for a website with over 85% traffic coming from organic search.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-analytics-screenshot-for-a-website-with-ove.png 1287w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-analytics-screenshot-for-a-website-with-ove-680x389.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-analytics-screenshot-for-a-website-with-ove-768x440.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1287px) 100vw, 1287px\"><\/p>\n<p>And you could do all this without understanding core marketing staples like audience psychology, branding, promotion, or distribution.<\/p>\n<p>You didn\u2019t need to run campaigns. You didn\u2019t need to buy attention \u2014 Google handed it to&nbsp;you.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, brand, social, email, and content marketers had to work ten times harder to earn a fraction of that attention. They told stories, studied audiences, hustled for distribution, and built&nbsp;trust.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the advantage SEO had is significantly reduced (thanks for that, AI). And, somewhere along the way, \u201cgood marketing\u201d became a ranking signal most of our industry missed.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s what all of these things point&nbsp;to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Traffic distribution<\/strong>: Google rewards sites getting traffic beyond SEO.<\/li>\n<li><strong>E-E-A-T<\/strong>: Real, trustworthy brands are more visible.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Site quality<\/strong>: Strong brands have more perceived authority.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Multimedia<\/strong>: Images and videos often get more visibility than&nbsp;blogs.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Search intent<\/strong>: It\u2019s about solving real needs, not stuffing keywords.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><a id=\"post-188372-_4wzqxj4a21p6\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> Google isn\u2019t just rewarding good SEO anymore&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>Google now rewards brands that create demand elsewhere and then get mentioned and searched for directly. Many signs point to these brands also showing up more for non-branded queries.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, let\u2019s look at AI Overviews.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-overview-brand-correlation\/\">top correlations for appearing in AI Overviews<\/a> are branded mentions, branded anchor text, and branded searches.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1769\" class=\"wp-image-188374\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/factors-that-correlate-with-brand-appearance-in-ai.png\" alt=\"Factors that correlate with brand appearance in AI Overviews.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/factors-that-correlate-with-brand-appearance-in-ai.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/factors-that-correlate-with-brand-appearance-in-ai-384x425.png 384w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/factors-that-correlate-with-brand-appearance-in-ai-768x849.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/factors-that-correlate-with-brand-appearance-in-ai-1389x1536.png 1389w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/p>\n<p>So, if people search for you, talk about you, and link to you by name, Google is more likely to feature your brand, even on unbranded queries.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s a big&nbsp;shift.<\/p>\n<p>Google isn\u2019t just rewarding good SEO anymore. It\u2019s also rewarding good marketing and brand awareness.<\/p>\n<h3>Real-world example: What decent SEO + decent marketing looks&nbsp;like<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s look at this in action with a fairly unassuming local&nbsp;brand.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/proximityplumbing.com.au\/\">Proximity Plumbing<\/a> is consistently a top-ranking business for plumbing keywords in their city. On paper, their SEO stats aren\u2019t significantly better than those of competitors:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1111\" height=\"394\" class=\"wp-image-188375\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/comparison-chart-of-proximity-plumbings-seo-metri.png\" alt=\"Comparison chart of Proximity Plumbing's SEO metrics against its competitors.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/comparison-chart-of-proximity-plumbings-seo-metri.png 1111w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/comparison-chart-of-proximity-plumbings-seo-metri-680x241.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/comparison-chart-of-proximity-plumbings-seo-metri-768x272.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1111px) 100vw, 1111px\"><\/p>\n<p>On average, they\u2019re doing everything to a decent level, not the best, but decent.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s likely why they\u2019re getting 31% traffic share for the most competitive keywords in their market:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"921\" height=\"627\" class=\"wp-image-188376\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-indicating.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' traffic share by domain report indicating Proximity Plumbing earns 31% traffic share.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-indicating.png 921w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-indicating-624x425.png 624w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-traffic-share-by-domain-report-indicating-768x523.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 921px) 100vw, 921px\"><\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re leagues ahead of everyone else\u2014even sites with thousands more pages of SEO content and&nbsp;links.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re doing decent marketing on top of their decent SEO, and it\u2019s working.<\/p>\n<p>For example, they get over 1,000 searches a month for their&nbsp;brand:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"739\" height=\"202\" class=\"wp-image-188377\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-indi.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Ahrefs' Organic Keywords report indication Proximity Plumbing gets approximately 1,050 branded searches per month.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-indi.png 739w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-organic-keywords-report-indi-680x186.png 680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 739px) 100vw, 739px\"><\/p>\n<p>They have over 1,700 reviews with an average 4.9-star rating (talk about trust!) and they\u2019ve uploaded 1,000+ <em>real<\/em> images and videos proving they\u2019re a <em>real<\/em> business (talk about credibility!)<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1229\" height=\"787\" class=\"wp-image-188378\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-proximity-plumbings-google-business.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of Proximity Plumbing's Google Business Profile highlighting over 1,700 reviews earned and 1,013 photos uploaded.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-proximity-plumbings-google-business.jpg 1229w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-proximity-plumbings-google-business-664x425.jpg 664w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-proximity-plumbings-google-business-260x166.jpg 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/screenshot-of-proximity-plumbings-google-business-768x492.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1229px) 100vw, 1229px\"><\/p>\n<p>They also have over 7,000 followers on LinkedIn:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1286\" height=\"1260\" class=\"wp-image-188379\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/proximity-plumbings-linkedin-profile-with-over-7.jpg\" alt=\"Proximity Plumbing's LinkedIn profile with over 7,000 followers.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/proximity-plumbings-linkedin-profile-with-over-7.jpg 1286w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/proximity-plumbings-linkedin-profile-with-over-7-434x425.jpg 434w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/proximity-plumbings-linkedin-profile-with-over-7-768x752.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1286px) 100vw, 1286px\"><\/p>\n<p>No other plumber I know uses LinkedIn.<\/p>\n<p>Sure, Proximity Plumbing\u2019s LinkedIn content isn\u2019t top-tier, but they\u2019ve shown up consistently and done the basics well for&nbsp;years.<\/p>\n<p>And it adds up. Their brand comes across as the most credible, reliable, and trustworthy in their&nbsp;area.<\/p>\n<p>This is where SEO teams need to evolve: into real marketers. Not just to rank #1, but to build brand equity that compounds over&nbsp;time.<\/p>\n<p>Proximity Plumbing proves it: decent SEO plus decent marketing outperforms great SEO with lazy marketing.<\/p>\n<p>So here\u2019s how to level&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-188372-_wdmgixt87ezr\"><\/a><div class=\"post-nav-link clearfix\" id=\"section1\"><a class=\"subhead-anchor\" data-tip=\"tooltip__copielink\" rel=\"#section1\"><svg width=\"19\" height=\"19\" viewBox=\"0 0 14 14\" style><g fill=\"none\" fill-rule=\"evenodd\"><path d=\"M0 0h14v14H0z\" \/><path d=\"M7.45 9.887l-1.62 1.621c-.92.92-2.418.92-3.338 0a2.364 2.364 0 0 1 0-3.339l1.62-1.62-1.273-1.272-1.62 1.62a4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.885 5.884l1.62-1.62L7.45 9.886zM5.527 5.135L7.17 3.492c.92-.92 2.418-.92 3.339 0 .92.92.92 2.418 0 3.339L8.866 8.473l1.272 1.273 1.644-1.643A4.161 4.161 0 1 0 5.897 2.22L4.254 3.863l1.272 1.272zm-.66 3.998a.749.749 0 0 1 0-1.06l2.208-2.206a.749.749 0 1 1 1.06 1.06L5.928 9.133a.75.75 0 0 1-1.061 0z\" style \/><\/g><\/svg><\/a><div class=\"link-text\"> Where today\u2019s top SEOs are winning (and&nbsp;why)&nbsp;<\/div><\/div><\/h2>\n<p>The shift from cookie-cutter SEO to true marketing isn\u2019t theoretical. It\u2019s already happening.<\/p>\n<p>Across industries, we\u2019re seeing brands outrank competitors not because they\u2019ve gamed the algorithm, but because they\u2019ve integrated SEO into a more holistic marketing strategy by doing the following.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-188372-_a840gmyhp10h\"><\/a>1. Deep audience research to guide strategy<\/h3>\n<p>SEO has long relied on proxy signals like keyword volume, search intent modifiers, and autocomplete suggestions to understand what people want. As user data, it\u2019s still powerful because it\u2019s unbiased.<\/p>\n<p>Tools like Ahrefs\u2019 Keywords Explorer show the exact phrases people search for and how&nbsp;often.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1139\" height=\"542\" class=\"wp-image-188380\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-report-with-examples-of.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer report with examples of plumbing keywords in Sydney.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-report-with-examples-of.png 1139w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-report-with-examples-of-680x324.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-report-with-examples-of-768x365.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1139px) 100vw, 1139px\"><\/p>\n<p>That kind of quantitative data makes search incredibly valuable, but modern marketing needs more. It also needs qualitative insight.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s about going from \u201cWhat keyword should I rank for?\u201d to \u201cWhat problem is this person trying to solve, and how do they talk about&nbsp;it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That means merging the power of quantitative data from keyword tools with deeper audience insights to understand their motivations, language, and behavior.<\/p>\n<p>You can achieve this&nbsp;by:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Using SparkToro to find where your audience hangs out and who influences them<\/li>\n<li>Scanning Reddit, Quora, and YouTube comments to capture their exact language<\/li>\n<li>Interviewing users to uncover decision drivers, preferences, and emotional triggers<\/li>\n<li>Analyzing support tickets, chat logs, and sales calls to surface questions and objections<\/li>\n<li>Testing messaging with Wynter or UserTesting to see what actually resonates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>When you understand your audience deeply, your content speaks their language, tackles real concerns, and delivers answers they didn\u2019t even know they needed.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-188372-_lxq364je0go5\"><\/a>2. Intentional brand building<\/h3>\n<p>Most SEOs assume brand building just happens. Rank well, publish often, get a few mentions, and the brand will form on its&nbsp;own.<\/p>\n<p>But that\u2019s not how visibility works. It never has. Your brand must be built on purpose, not as a byproduct of your&nbsp;blog.<\/p>\n<p>Google has been learning about your brand for years through signals like:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Monthly branded search volume<\/li>\n<li>Site quality relative to others<\/li>\n<li>On-page content and what it says about&nbsp;you<\/li>\n<li>Structured data and its role in the knowledge graph<\/li>\n<li>Links, mentions, and citations from external sources<\/li>\n<li>Traffic sources and distribution that reflect real demand<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>No single metric captures all of this, but that hasn\u2019t stopped Google (or LLMs) from forming opinions about brands and surfacing them in AI features.<\/p>\n<p>The problem? They don\u2019t always get it&nbsp;right.<\/p>\n<p>Tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/brand-radar\">Ahrefs\u2019 Brand Radar<\/a> let you search your brand and see how it\u2019s summarized in AI Overviews:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1079\" height=\"431\" class=\"wp-image-188381\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-brand-radar-report-showing-brands-mentione.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Brand Radar report showing brands mentioned in Google's AI Overview for the keyword &quot;top 10 tool brands&quot;.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-brand-radar-report-showing-brands-mentione.png 1079w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-brand-radar-report-showing-brands-mentione-680x272.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-brand-radar-report-showing-brands-mentione-768x307.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1079px) 100vw, 1079px\"><\/p>\n<p>You can do the same for competitors to compare how each brand is framed and find which are more closely tied to your core product category or keyword.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s an evolving space. If you\u2019re not actively shaping the narrative through positioning and distribution, Google and LLMs fill in the gaps with guesses, hallucinations, or silence.<\/p>\n<p>This is what intentional brand building solves.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not about logos or color palettes, but clearly articulating your expertise, values, and differentiation across every touchpoint.<\/p>\n<p>That means:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Clear, repeatable positioning that highlights what makes you different<\/li>\n<li>Messaging that stays consistent across your homepage, blog, thought leadership, ads, and&nbsp;SERPs<\/li>\n<li>Branded content formats (e.g., frameworks, themes, or signature styles)<\/li>\n<li>Showing up in relevant communities, conversations, and&nbsp;media<\/li>\n<li>Building a public presence (LinkedIn, YouTube, social) to earn familiarity<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Today, being the best answer isn\u2019t enough. You also need to be the most trusted name giving it.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-188372-_f4sp738jcldp\"><\/a>3. Demand creation beyond search<\/h3>\n<p>One of my all-time favorite examples of good marketing is&nbsp;this:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1216\" height=\"505\" class=\"wp-image-188382\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/amazon-screenshot-indicating-an-untitled-publicati.jpeg\" alt=\"Amazon screenshot indicating an untitled publication was ranked #1 for all books in October 2023.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/amazon-screenshot-indicating-an-untitled-publicati.jpeg 1216w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/amazon-screenshot-indicating-an-untitled-publicati-680x282.jpeg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/amazon-screenshot-indicating-an-untitled-publicati-768x319.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1216px) 100vw, 1216px\"><\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t seem like much \u2014 no title, cover, author, description or social proof. Just a 544-page hardcover, listed by Red Tower&nbsp;Books.<\/p>\n<p>Uploaded to Amazon in October 2023, it hit #1 bestseller across all books in under 24&nbsp;hours.<\/p>\n<p>Read that again. <em>#1 across all books on Amazon,<\/em> overnight.<\/p>\n<p>SEO alone can\u2019t do&nbsp;this.<\/p>\n<p>This is demand generation at its peak: people trusting you (and your brand) enough to pay upfront for something they know nothing about.<\/p>\n<p>In this particular example, three key forces drove demand for this&nbsp;book:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>BookTok and romantasy groups sparked serious FOMO<\/li>\n<li>The publisher\u2019s strong track record in the romantasy genre<\/li>\n<li>Their ability to fuel and amplify more FOMO with every new release<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1560\" height=\"1683\" class=\"wp-image-188383\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/the-fomo-cycle-that-lead-to-red-towers-untitled-b.png\" alt=\"The FOMO cycle that lead to Red Tower's untitled book publication to become an overnight bestseller on Amazon.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/the-fomo-cycle-that-lead-to-red-towers-untitled-b.png 1560w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/the-fomo-cycle-that-lead-to-red-towers-untitled-b-394x425.png 394w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/the-fomo-cycle-that-lead-to-red-towers-untitled-b-768x829.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/the-fomo-cycle-that-lead-to-red-towers-untitled-b-1424x1536.png 1424w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1560px) 100vw, 1560px\"><\/p>\n<p>Red Tower may not have expected the untitled listing to go viral, but it did, thanks to the FOMO cycle they\u2019ve been building with each previous release.<\/p>\n<p>The reality is that SEO can\u2019t create this kind of momentum. It\u2019s built for capturing demand, not generating it.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Demand generation<\/strong> creates desire where none existed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Demand capture<\/strong> channels existing desire to your product.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, while the untitled book was buzzing in forums and social media, people still turned to Google, searching for it in countless different ways:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"637\" height=\"721\" class=\"wp-image-188384\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/list-of-keywords-searched-on-google-about-red-towe.png\" alt=\"List of keywords searched on Google about Red Tower's untitled publication.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/list-of-keywords-searched-on-google-about-red-towe.png 637w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/list-of-keywords-searched-on-google-about-red-towe-375x425.png 375w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 637px) 100vw, 637px\"><\/p>\n<p>Not to mention that each of these keywords spiked in October 2023 with over 20,000 total searches!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"994\" height=\"1052\" class=\"wp-image-188385\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-indicating-large-spikes.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer indicating large spikes in search volume in October 2023 for keywords relating to Red Tower.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-indicating-large-spikes.png 994w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-indicating-large-spikes-402x425.png 402w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-keywords-explorer-indicating-large-spikes-768x813.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 994px) 100vw, 994px\"><\/p>\n<p>People can\u2019t help but Google things, even when they know exactly where to buy. In this case, everyone knew the book was on Amazon, but search traffic surged anyway.<\/p>\n<p>This behavior shows up across all audiences, B2B and&nbsp;B2C.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s why SEO needs to work with your other channels. No matter how demand is created, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/demand-capture-seo\/\">search remains a key way to capture it<\/a> and turn it into&nbsp;sales.<\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-188372-_ladw2ke3qgpt\"><\/a>4. Optimizing for \u201csearch everywhere\u201d visibility (not just on Google)<\/h3>\n<p>Traditional SEO taught us to optimize for Google. But modern users don\u2019t search in just one&nbsp;place.<\/p>\n<p>They discover brands through Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, Quora, newsletters, podcasts, Slack groups and increasingly, LLMs.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s what my own search journey looked like when I was buying a laser cutter:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1316\" height=\"1200\" class=\"wp-image-188386\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/column-chart-visualizing-a-search-journey-and-plat.jpg\" alt=\"Column chart visualizing a search journey and platforms that were included.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/column-chart-visualizing-a-search-journey-and-plat.jpg 1316w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/column-chart-visualizing-a-search-journey-and-plat-466x425.jpg 466w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/column-chart-visualizing-a-search-journey-and-plat-768x700.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1316px) 100vw, 1316px\"><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s just one search journey.<\/p>\n<p>The most forward-thinking SEOs are shifting from search engine optimization to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-experience-optimization\/\">search experience optimization<\/a>. The goal: optimize not just for rankings, but for the entire journey people take when searching for what you offer (both on and off your&nbsp;site).<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s about earning trust and visibility everywhere your audience is looking. To do that, SEOs need two often-overlooked marketing skills: distribution and promotion.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Distribution<\/strong> gets your content in front of more people through a mix of <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/content-distribution\/#content-distribution-channels\">owned, earned, and paid channels<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Promotion<\/strong> is the act of persuading through the messaging and tactics that attract and hold attention.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These aren\u2019t extras. They\u2019re core marketing functions and SEOs need to build these skills fast to stay competitive.<\/p>\n<p>At Ahrefs, we bake both into every strategy we publish using our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/brew-framework\/\">B.R.E.W. framework<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"1200\" class=\"wp-image-188387\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-b-r-e-w-framework-for-vetting-marketing-i.jpg\" alt=\"Ahrefs' B.R.E.W. framework for vetting marketing ideas.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-b-r-e-w-framework-for-vetting-marketing-i.jpg 960w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-b-r-e-w-framework-for-vetting-marketing-i-340x425.jpg 340w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-b-r-e-w-framework-for-vetting-marketing-i-768x960.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\"><\/p>\n<p>When pitching ideas, we always ask: how will this be distributed beyond SEO? If it can\u2019t gain traction through search, email, social, or paid, we don\u2019t do&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n<p>Even great content doesn\u2019t spread itself. To borrow a classic thought experiment: if you publish content and no one sees it, is it really marketing?<\/p>\n<p>SEOs of the future will be judged not by what they publish, but by its&nbsp;reach.<\/p>\n<p>You can track which channels are actually driving traffic with <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/web-analytics\">Ahrefs Web Analytics<\/a>, a privacy-first tool that shows your performance across all discovery platforms, not just Google.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1298\" height=\"856\" class=\"wp-image-188388\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-total-website-tra.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Web Analytics indicating total website traffic earned.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-total-website-tra.png 1298w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-total-website-tra-644x425.png 644w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-total-website-tra-768x506.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1298px) 100vw, 1298px\"><\/p>\n<p>You can also see which traffic sources send the most visitors:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"648\" height=\"672\" class=\"wp-image-188389\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-website-traffic-s.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Web Analytics indicating website traffic sources.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-website-traffic-s.png 648w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-website-traffic-s-410x425.png 410w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 648px) 100vw, 648px\"><\/p>\n<p>And what pages get seen the&nbsp;most:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"645\" height=\"673\" class=\"wp-image-188390\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-showing-the-traffic-earned-p.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Web Analytics showing the traffic earned per page.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-showing-the-traffic-earned-p.png 645w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-showing-the-traffic-earned-p-407x425.png 407w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 645px) 100vw, 645px\"><\/p>\n<h3><a id=\"post-188372-_x8hfogprwgyk\"><\/a>5. Creating a moat of unforgettable content<\/h3>\n<p>Let\u2019s be real: none of this matters if your content is forgettable.<\/p>\n<p>In a sea of AI-written and lookalike posts, content that only informs or briefly entertains is a commodity. It has to move people to stand out and leave a&nbsp;mark.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/developers.google.com\/search\/blog\/2025\/05\/succeeding-in-ai-search#:~:text=Focus%20on%20making%20unique%2C%20non,questions%20to%20dig%20even%20deeper.\">Google\u2019s latest content guidelines<\/a> specifically mention non-commodity content as a path forward for publishers:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1408\" height=\"296\" class=\"wp-image-188391\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/googles-content-guidelines-mentioning-non-commodi.png\" alt=\"Google's content guidelines mentioning non-commodity content as a pathway forward for publishers.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/googles-content-guidelines-mentioning-non-commodi.png 1408w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/googles-content-guidelines-mentioning-non-commodi-680x143.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/googles-content-guidelines-mentioning-non-commodi-768x161.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1408px) 100vw, 1408px\"><\/p>\n<p>Other marketers have long understood this. While they mastered storytelling and emotional impact, SEOs were busy debating ranking tactics for content that only sometimes delivered value.<\/p>\n<p>To create content that truly resonates, you need&nbsp;to:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Trigger \u201caha\u201d moments by solving real problems people didn\u2019t know they&nbsp;had<\/li>\n<li>Share lived experience or hard-earned insights, not generic tips<\/li>\n<li>Engage curiosity and stimulate the reader\u2019s mind to form new neural pathways<\/li>\n<li>Echo your audience\u2019s internal dialogue to create a feeling of being understood<\/li>\n<li>Be courageously authentic and vulnerable, and help others do the&nbsp;same<\/li>\n<li>Offer perspective shifts that reframe and expand the reader\u2019s worldview<\/li>\n<li>Add a spark of joy, wit, or levity to cut through the daily mundane<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For example, let\u2019s look at this post, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/llms-flatten-originality\/\">LLMs Don\u2019t Reward Originality, They Flatten It<\/a>. This piece was not designed to rank in search engines, as evidenced by Google Search Console.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1573\" height=\"660\" class=\"wp-image-188392\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-search-console-screenshot-indicating-only-9.png\" alt=\"Google Search Console screenshot indicating only 93 total clicks and 7,490 impressions over 4 weeks for the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-search-console-screenshot-indicating-only-9.png 1573w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-search-console-screenshot-indicating-only-9-680x285.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-search-console-screenshot-indicating-only-9-768x322.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/google-search-console-screenshot-indicating-only-9-1536x644.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1573px) 100vw, 1573px\"><\/p>\n<p>Yet, it\u2019s been getting traffic every day since it launched, with ~4,000 total views and an average duration of over 17 minutes:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1275\" height=\"814\" class=\"wp-image-188393\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-over-4000-total.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Web Analytics indicating over 4,000 total views, 3,500 unique visitors and an average visit duration of 17 minutes and 31 seconds for the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-over-4000-total.png 1275w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-over-4000-total-666x425.png 666w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-over-4000-total-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-over-4000-total-768x490.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1275px) 100vw, 1275px\"><\/p>\n<p>We reached this visibility by first sharing the post on LinkedIn. The post only got ~7,490 impressions through SEO, but check out its reach on LinkedIn:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1023\" height=\"777\" class=\"wp-image-188394\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/linkedin-post-analytics-indicating-52484-impressi.png\" alt=\"LinkedIn post analytics indicating 52,484 impressions and 32,700 members reached for one post about LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/linkedin-post-analytics-indicating-52484-impressi.png 1023w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/linkedin-post-analytics-indicating-52484-impressi-560x425.png 560w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/linkedin-post-analytics-indicating-52484-impressi-768x583.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1023px) 100vw, 1023px\"><\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s just my post on LinkedIn.<\/p>\n<p>While the team at Ahrefs helped amplify the post, we also noticed it reaching CEOs, founders, and CMOs who made their own posts with different takes to share with their communities. For instance, here\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/posts\/matttharp_llms-dont-reward-originality-they-flatten-activity-7318664618581647361-kVPE\/\">Matthew Tharp\u2019s share<\/a>:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"832\" height=\"791\" class=\"wp-image-188395\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/matthew-tharps-linkedin-post-sharing-the-article.png\" alt=\"Matthew Tharp's LinkedIn post sharing the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/matthew-tharps-linkedin-post-sharing-the-article.png 832w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/matthew-tharps-linkedin-post-sharing-the-article-447x425.png 447w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/matthew-tharps-linkedin-post-sharing-the-article-768x730.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 832px) 100vw, 832px\"><\/p>\n<p>Beyond social shares, the rest of the traffic comes from direct visits, email newsletters, news articles, and sites that syndicate Ahrefs\u2019 content.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"823\" height=\"858\" class=\"wp-image-188396\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-the-article-llms.png\" alt=\"Ahrefs' Web Analytics indicating the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It received more traffic from non-SEO sources like 1,622 visits from direct traffic, 515 from LinkedIn and more.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-the-article-llms.png 823w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-the-article-llms-408x425.png 408w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/ahrefs-web-analytics-indicating-the-article-llms-768x801.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 823px) 100vw, 823px\"><\/p>\n<p>The post resonated in a way that content written for SEO often does not (or cannot). A month later, people are still sharing it!<\/p>\n<p>This is likely because it articulated an instinct that many people had but didn\u2019t know how to express, which means they\u2019re not able to search for it when they don\u2019t yet have the language for&nbsp;it.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"880\" height=\"191\" class=\"wp-image-188397\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-zoe-ashbridge-about-the-ar.png\" alt=\"A LinkedIn comment from Zoe Ashbridge about the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It expressing she's been thinking about the topic but couldn't articulate it.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-zoe-ashbridge-about-the-ar.png 880w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-zoe-ashbridge-about-the-ar-680x148.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-zoe-ashbridge-about-the-ar-768x167.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"882\" height=\"209\" class=\"wp-image-188398\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-mark-williams-cook-about-t.png\" alt=\"A LinkedIn comment from Mark Williams-Cook about the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It expressing he's been thinking about the topic for a while and liked the article's articulation.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-mark-williams-cook-about-t.png 882w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-mark-williams-cook-about-t-680x161.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-mark-williams-cook-about-t-768x182.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px\"><\/p>\n<p>It also encouraged curiosity and invited people to consider a new perspective:<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"742\" height=\"161\" class=\"wp-image-188399\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-rajavanya-subramaniyan-abo.png\" alt=\"A LinkedIn comment from Rajavanya Subramaniyan about the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It expressing he had a lightbulb moment from the new perspective.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-rajavanya-subramaniyan-abo.png 742w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-rajavanya-subramaniyan-abo-680x148.png 680w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 742px) 100vw, 742px\"><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"892\" height=\"183\" class=\"wp-image-188400\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-amaka-chukwuma-about-the-a.png\" alt=\"A LinkedIn comment from Amaka Chukwuma about the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It expressing it was a new angle she hadn't thought about.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-amaka-chukwuma-about-the-a.png 892w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-amaka-chukwuma-about-the-a-680x140.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-amaka-chukwuma-about-the-a-768x158.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 892px) 100vw, 892px\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"894\" height=\"178\" class=\"wp-image-188401\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-oliver-pearce-about-the-ar.png\" alt=\"A LinkedIn comment from Oliver Pearce about the article LLM's Don't Reward Originality, They Flatten It expressing it was an interesting perspective.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-oliver-pearce-about-the-ar.png 894w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-oliver-pearce-about-the-ar-680x135.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/a-linkedin-comment-from-oliver-pearce-about-the-ar-768x153.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 894px) 100vw, 894px\"><\/p>\n<p>This is the impact that the content we publish now and in the future needs to make on your audience. It\u2019s what non-commoditized content looks like in action.<\/p>\n<p>Building a moat of content that makes this kind of impact is not something you can outsource to AI. It takes some elbow grease and grunt work, but is well worth the effort.<\/p>\n<p>Now, all of this is not to say that you shouldn\u2019t also optimize your content for SEO. Keep doing that as a baseline so it can appear in search.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s more about elevating your content goals. Instead of aiming to be summarized by AI, it\u2019s about making a meaningful impact with humans.<\/p>\n<p>This is how you win attention, no matter where people search.<\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"post-188372-_jokwwzqxfaqr\"><\/a>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019re still clinging to the idea that traditional SEO can help you get more traffic, answer this honestly: If AI-powered search engines sent no traffic to any publishers, would your brand still have a leg to stand&nbsp;on?<\/p>\n<p>Would you still have an audience?<\/p>\n<p>The SEOs who thrive from here on out will be the ones who treat visibility as the byproduct of great marketing, not the other way around. That means building trust, showing up everywhere your audience searches, and creating content that actually matters.<\/p>\n<p>Good SEO plus lazy marketing won\u2019t cut it anymore. It\u2019s time to level&nbsp;up.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>That used to work. But with AI-powered search on the rise, the era of SEOs as technicians is fading, and the era of SEOs as real marketers is&nbsp;here. Search isn\u2019t just limited to Google anymore. Rankings don\u2019t guarantee clicks. Content<span class=\"ellipsis\">\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"read-more\">Read more \u203a<\/div>\n<p><!-- end of .read-more --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":195,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[469,390,335],"tags":[],"coauthors":[458],"class_list":["post-188372","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ai-search","category-marketing","category-general-seo","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Good SEO Plus Lazy Marketing Won\u2019t Cut It Anymore<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As SEOs, if we want to keep winning, we need to ditch the cookie-cutter playbook and start marketing like we mean it.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, 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