{"id":192773,"date":"2025-11-11T05:00:57","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T10:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/?p=192773"},"modified":"2025-12-22T16:04:22","modified_gmt":"2025-12-22T21:04:22","slug":"ai-impact-on-seo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-impact-on-seo\/","title":{"rendered":"AI\u2019s Impact on SEO: 13 Things That Changed, 4 Things That Stayed The&nbsp;Same"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"intro-txt\">\n<p>AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity have become the new places people turn to for answers\u2014handling millions of prompts every day. Even Google now uses AI to generate summaries right at the top of search results.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>This shift happened fast. In 2024, AI Overviews rolled <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/google-ai-overviews\/\">out to millions of searches<\/a>, ChatGPT climbed into the top ranks of global websites, and the once-reliable #1 Google spot began <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks\/\">losing a third of its clicks<\/a>. Suddenly, SEO wasn\u2019t just about rankings anymore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some marketers panicked, others brushed it off. But AI has changed how people discover brands and where visibility happens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t the end of SEO, it\u2019s the next chapter. The fundamentals still matter, but the strategy needs to evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, here\u2019s what\u2019s changed, what hasn\u2019t, and how to stay visible in the age of AI search.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"intro-tok\" id=\"intro_tok\" style=\"display:none;\"><div class=\"intro-title\">Contents<\/div><a href=\"#\" class=\"expand-dots\"><span><\/span><span><\/span><span><\/span><\/a><\/div>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"Search went from links to answers\" data-section=\"search-went-from-links-to-answers\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_82h54q3024m8\"><\/a>Search went from links to answers<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>For years, Google has been moving away from simple keyword matching. But the inclusion of their Gemini large language model (LLM) took this to another level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pre-LLM systems could recognize that \u201cApple\u201d the company was different from \u201capple\u201d the fruit. They could connect related concepts. But they couldn\u2019t truly comprehend nuance, handle complex multi-step reasoning, or synthesize information across dozens of sources the way a human&nbsp;would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LLMs changed that. Search engines with an LLM layer understand context at a depth that lets them interpret ambiguous queries, infer unstated intent, and connect disparate pieces of information in ways previous systems couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, when you search something complex like \u201cgift ideas from California under $50 for people who already have everything,\u201d Google\u2019s AI Mode (based on the Gemini large language model) doesn\u2019t just look for pages with those exact words. Instead, it uses what\u2019s called \u201cfan-out queries\u201d, breaking out your question into multiple related searches behind the scenes (in this case, 10 different searches).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Those fan-out queries might look&nbsp;like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cCalifornia artisan gifts under $50\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cCalifornia food products budget-friendly\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cExperience gifts California affordable\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cHard to shop for people gift&nbsp;ideas\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cCalifornia-made practical items\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cGifts for people who don\u2019t want more&nbsp;stuff\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cCalifornia specialty products budget\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1680\" height=\"656\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-search-for-gift-id.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a Google AI Mode search for &quot;gift ideas from California under $50 for people who already have everything&quot; with the text box saying &quot;Thinking... Kicking off 10 searches...&quot; highlighted.\" class=\"wp-image-192774\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-search-for-gift-id.png 1680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-search-for-gift-id-680x266.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-search-for-gift-id-768x300.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-search-for-gift-id-1536x600.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1680px) 100vw, 1680px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Or, when someone searches \u201cbest laptop for video editing under $1000 that\u2019s not too heavy\u201d, modern AI doesn\u2019t just look for keyword matches. It genuinely understands the trade-offs between processing power, portability, and budget constraints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"930\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-comparison-table-fo.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of a Google AI Mode comparison table for &quot;best laptop for video editing under $1000 that's not too heavy&quot; comparing the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M2 chip) and Acer Nitro V 15.\" class=\"wp-image-192775\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-comparison-table-fo.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-comparison-table-fo-680x309.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-comparison-table-fo-768x349.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-comparison-table-fo-1536x698.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Google now understands the nuance of prompts and does the research legwork for users, rather than just handing you a list of links to click through.<\/p>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"Top rankings lose a third of their clicks\" data-section=\"top-rankings-lose-a-third-of-their-clicks\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_imhyiqojxnel\"><\/a>Top rankings lose a third of their clicks<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Google\u2019s AI Overviews now sit at the very top of search results, pulling insights from multiple sources to deliver instant, comprehensive answers. They occupy the most valuable real estate on the page\u2014above every traditional result\u2014and often satisfy the user\u2019s query without a single click.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1175\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-search-results-page-serp.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a Google Search Results Page (SERP) showing an AI Overview for the query &quot;how to do keyword research&quot; positioned at the top.\" class=\"wp-image-192776\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-search-results-page-serp.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-search-results-page-serp-680x390.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-search-results-page-serp-768x441.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-search-results-page-serp-1536x881.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Because of that, even <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-overviews-reduce-clicks\/\">the #1 organic result has lost around 34% of its clicks<\/a> when an AI Overview appears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1283\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-position-1-ctr-for-informat.png\" alt=\"Bar chart showing the Position #1 CTR for Informational Keywords dropping from 0.056 in March 2024 to 0.031 in March 2025, indicating a click-through rate loss when an AI Overview is present.\" class=\"wp-image-192777\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-position-1-ctr-for-informat.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-position-1-ctr-for-informat-530x425.png 530w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-position-1-ctr-for-informat-768x616.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-position-1-ctr-for-informat-1536x1232.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>At first glance, being cited within an AI Overview might seem like a win, but the data tells a different story. A Pew Research Center study found that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2025\/07\/22\/google-users-are-less-likely-to-click-on-links-when-an-ai-summary-appears-in-the-results\/sr_25-07-22_ai_summaries_1\/\">99% of users who see an AI Overview don\u2019t click any of the cited sources<\/a>, and 26% close their browser entirely after reading the summary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In contrast, about 8% of users click results in the traditional organic listings directly below the overview, meaning you may actually drive more traffic from those standard rankings than from being featured in the AI box itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"840\" height=\"728\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/data-table-from-pew-research-center-showing-that-g.png\" alt=\"Data table from Pew Research Center showing that Google users are less likely to click on a link when they encounter search pages with AI summaries. Highlights that 26% end their browsing session with an AI summary versus 16% without.\" class=\"wp-image-192778\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/data-table-from-pew-research-center-showing-that-g.png 840w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/data-table-from-pew-research-center-showing-that-g-490x425.png 490w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/data-table-from-pew-research-center-showing-that-g-768x666.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 840px) 100vw, 840px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>All of this compounds the growing zero-click search trend. <a href=\"https:\/\/sparktoro.com\/blog\/2024-zero-click-search-study-for-every-1000-us-google-searches-only-374-clicks-go-to-the-open-web-in-the-eu-its-360\/\">Over half of all Google searches already<\/a> ended without a single site visit in 2024, and AI Overviews are only accelerating that shift. Users who do click through tend to be more motivated, but overall discovery is increasingly happening on the results page itself\u2014not on websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"960\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-comparison-of-zero-click-searches-in-the.png\" alt=\"Pie chart comparison of Zero-Click Searches in the European Union vs. United States showing zero-click searches at 59.7% for the EU and 58.5% for the US.\" class=\"wp-image-192779\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-comparison-of-zero-click-searches-in-the.png 960w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-comparison-of-zero-click-searches-in-the-531x425.png 531w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-comparison-of-zero-click-searches-in-the-768x614.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/zero-click-search\/\">Welcome to Zero-Click Search. Please Leave Your Traffic at the&nbsp;Door.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"Bottom funnel traffic matters more than ever\" data-section=\"bottom-funnel-traffic-matters-more-than-ever\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_r7xdq1urqppt\"><\/a>Bottom funnel traffic matters more than&nbsp;ever<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Since<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/insights-from-56-million-ai-overviews\/\"> 98% of AI Overviews are informational<\/a>, content focused on \u201chow-to\u201d or educational topics has been hit hardest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1736\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-aio-distribution-vs-normal-se.png\" alt=\"Bar chart comparing AIO distribution vs. Normal search distribution by Search intent, showing that almost all AI Overviews (97.70%) are for Informational intent.\" class=\"wp-image-192780\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-aio-distribution-vs-normal-se.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-aio-distribution-vs-normal-se-392x425.png 392w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-aio-distribution-vs-normal-se-768x833.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-aio-distribution-vs-normal-se-1416x1536.png 1416w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Searches that show clear buying intent or mention specific brands are less influenced by AI. Whether in Google\u2019s AI Overviews, AI Mode, or within large language models (LLMs), when users already know what they want to buy or which brand they prefer, AI tools usually display traditional search results instead of summarizing or replacing them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A recent<a href=\"https:\/\/www.growth-memo.com\/p\/what-our-ai-mode-user-behavior-study?open=false#%C2%A7clicks-are-reserved-for-transactions\"> study by Kevin Indig<\/a>, which analyzed 250 search tasks, found that Google\u2019s AI Mode has an almost 100% zero-click rate. Users are now discovering products, comparing options, and forming opinions entirely within the AI interface\u2014only clicking through when they\u2019re ready to make a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"947\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-external-visits-by-serp-featur.png\" alt=\"Bar chart showing External visits by &quot;SERP&quot; Feature, with Shopping Pack having the highest click rate at 22%, followed by Merchant Card at 19%.\" class=\"wp-image-192781\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-external-visits-by-serp-featur.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-external-visits-by-serp-featur-680x314.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-external-visits-by-serp-featur-768x355.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-external-visits-by-serp-featur-1536x710.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, AI Mode consumes all top-of-funnel and middle-of-funnel activity, reserving clicks exclusively for transactions.<\/p>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You'll get fewer visitors, but they may convert better\" data-section=\"youll-get-fewer-visitors-but-they-may-convert-better\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_lj7sgs9deraq\"><\/a>You\u2019ll get fewer visitors, but they may convert better<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s the silver lining: the users who actually click through from AI summaries are likely to be more valuable than before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If someone sees an AI answer but still chooses to visit your site, they likely want something more\u2014deeper information, a different perspective, or they\u2019re closer to taking action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In some cases, these clicks convert better than the old high-volume, low-intent traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The keyword is \u201csometimes.\u201d It depends on your specific situation. To illustrate, our <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-search-traffic-conversions-ahrefs\/\">analysis <\/a>found that traffic from LLMs was responsible for 12% of signups, while accounting for only 0.5% of total clicks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1097\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-analytics-dashboard-showing-a-tra.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of an analytics dashboard showing a Tracked event: Is Signups filter, with LLM traffic accounting for 12.1% of signups.\" class=\"wp-image-192782\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-analytics-dashboard-showing-a-tra.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-analytics-dashboard-showing-a-tra-680x364.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-analytics-dashboard-showing-a-tra-768x411.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-analytics-dashboard-showing-a-tra-1536x823.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>But <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amsive.com\/insights\/seo\/does-llm-traffic-convert-better-than-organic-a-new-data-backed-study\/\">another analysis by Amsive<\/a> found that this can\u2019t be extrapolated to all industry verticals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1152\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-conversion-rates-by-industry-v.jpg\" alt=\"Bar chart comparing Conversion Rates by Industry Vertical for Organic versus LLM traffic, showing that Financial and Consumer Services have high LLM conversion rates.\" class=\"wp-image-192783\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-conversion-rates-by-industry-v.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-conversion-rates-by-industry-v-680x383.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-conversion-rates-by-industry-v-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-comparing-conversion-rates-by-industry-v-1536x864.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You need to optimize for AI answers, not just rankings\" data-section=\"you-need-to-optimize-for-ai-answers-not-just-rankings\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_hw2j06ypa1et\"><\/a>You need to optimize for AI answers, not just rankings<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>GEO, or <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/geo-generative-engine-optimization\/\">Generative Engine Optimization<\/a>, is the next stage in SEO\u2019s evolution, driven by the rise of AI. It takes traditional SEO further by introducing a new channel, a new type of user experience, and an entirely new way to measure success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While related terms like AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) or LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization) are sometimes used, the idea is the same: ensuring your brand is visible, cited, and accurately represented within AI-generated answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For marketers, this represents a new \u201cbattleground\u201d for visibility\u2014one where AI assistants, not just search engines, influence consumer decisions. Some brands are surfaced and recommended as trusted authorities, while others are simply left out of the conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That doesn\u2019t mean GEO replaces SEO. In fact, it builds on the same foundation. The difference lies in where and how visibility happens. Search and AI results draw from similar content pools, but how they surface and summarize that content can vary dramatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To earn mentions and citations in AI-generated answers, marketers will need to adapt familiar tactics\u2014not invent entirely new ones. Strategies like influencer marketing, reputation management, and structured, semantically clear content are seeing a resurgence.<\/p>\n\n\n[note]\n\n\n\n<p>A citation is when an AI attributes information to your content and includes a link to your site\u2014usually for data, stats, or how-to content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"796\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-showing-an-ahrefs-keyword-tool-listing.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot showing an Ahrefs keyword tool listing on ChatGPT with a citation link highlighted with an arrow.\" class=\"wp-image-192784\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-showing-an-ahrefs-keyword-tool-listing.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-showing-an-ahrefs-keyword-tool-listing-680x264.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-showing-an-ahrefs-keyword-tool-listing-768x299.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-showing-an-ahrefs-keyword-tool-listing-1536x597.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>A mention is when your brand or product name appears in an AI-generated answer without a link, often in product recommendations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"796\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-answer-listing-seo-tools.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of a ChatGPT answer listing SEO tools, with the Ahrefs brand name highlighted as a 'mention' by an arrow.\" class=\"wp-image-192785\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-answer-listing-seo-tools.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-answer-listing-seo-tools-680x264.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-answer-listing-seo-tools-768x299.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-answer-listing-seo-tools-1536x597.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-vs-geo\/\">SEO vs. GEO: 5 Key Differences Despite the Similarities<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"Your AI visibility depends on 3rd party websites\" data-section=\"your-ai-visibility-depends-on-3rd-party-websites\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_lcizwdxye83a\"><\/a>Your AI visibility depends on 3rd party websites<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Every industry\u2014and every brand\u2014experiences AI visibility differently. But what AI understands about your brand likely comes from the same place it learns about ours: other people\u2019s websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Ahrefs, most AI-generated answers reference us without citing our site directly. Instead, they draw from reviews, news articles, forums, some social media, and blogs, combining that with the AI\u2019s built-in knowledge to form their understanding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1594\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-share-of-mentions-for-ahref.png\" alt=\"Bar chart showing the Share of mentions for &quot;Ahrefs&quot; across six AI indexes, comparing mentions with Ahrefs cited (pink) versus not cited (orange).\" class=\"wp-image-192786\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-share-of-mentions-for-ahref.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-share-of-mentions-for-ahref-427x425.png 427w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-share-of-mentions-for-ahref-768x765.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-share-of-mentions-for-ahref-1536x1530.png 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-share-of-mentions-for-ahref-120x120.png 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Interestingly, when we analyze potential reach across our Brand Radar indexes (reach = mentions x volume of keywords), the answers where Ahrefs is directly mentioned or cited perform significantly better in three of the six tracked AIs\u2014specifically AI Mode, Gemini, and Perplexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1703\" class=\"wp-image-192787\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-impressions-share-for-ahrefs-a.png\" alt=\"Bar chart showing Impressions share for &quot;Ahrefs&quot; across six AI indexes, comparing impressions with Ahrefs cited (pink) versus not cited (orange), noting a higher impression share when cited in AI Mode, Gemini, and Perplexity.\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-impressions-share-for-ahrefs-a.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-impressions-share-for-ahrefs-a-399x425.png 399w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-impressions-share-for-ahrefs-a-768x817.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-impressions-share-for-ahrefs-a-1443x1536.png 1443w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"> The takeaway here is that your broader online presence\u2014and what others say about you\u2014matters more than ever for how AI perceives and represents your&nbsp;brand.<\/p>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You need new tools to track AI citations and mentions\" data-section=\"you-need-new-tools-to-track-ai-citations-and-mentions\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_a3axdnwgwb4i\"><\/a>You need new tools to track AI citations and mentions<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Traditional SEO tools show you rankings and clicks, but they don\u2019t tell you how often AI mentions and cites your brand or how you compare to competitors in AI answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>New AI visibility tools are emerging to fill this&nbsp;gap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/brand-radar\">Ahrefs\u2019 Brand Radar<\/a> can monitor your AI visibility across various major AI indexes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"722\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-tool-overview-fo.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Ahrefs' Brand Radar tool overview for Mailchimp, displaying AI Share of Voice across six different platforms (Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot).\" class=\"wp-image-192788\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-tool-overview-fo.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-tool-overview-fo-680x240.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-tool-overview-fo-768x271.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-tool-overview-fo-1536x542.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And show the topics you miss out on so you can create new content for them and\/or contact cited sites to feature you, so you can boost your AI visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1664\" height=\"716\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-the-mentions-tab-in-ahrefs-brand-ra.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of the Mentions tab in Ahrefs' Brand Radar, showing a breakdown of brand mentions for Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and others, highlighting the &quot;Others only&quot; category for Brevo.\" class=\"wp-image-192789\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-the-mentions-tab-in-ahrefs-brand-ra.png 1664w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-the-mentions-tab-in-ahrefs-brand-ra-680x293.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-the-mentions-tab-in-ahrefs-brand-ra-768x330.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-the-mentions-tab-in-ahrefs-brand-ra-1536x661.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1664px) 100vw, 1664px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/brand-radar-use-cases\/\">10 Ways to Use Ahrefs\u2019 Brand Radar to Grow AI Visibility<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You can gain an edge by optimizing for AI now\" data-section=\"you-can-gain-an-edge-by-optimizing-for-ai-now\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_fio0pfwjfgq3\"><\/a>You can gain an edge by optimizing for AI&nbsp;now<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Most brands already have some AI visibility simply inherited from their existing organic presence in Google and the broader web. We do too\u2014nearly 8,000 citations across Google\u2019s AI experiences and LLMs\u2014all achieved with zero AI-specific optimization, purely from traditional SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I suspect most brands haven\u2019t started optimizing intentionally for AI visibility yet. It\u2019s still early days. Those who begin now will have a real advantage\u2014time to test, learn, and build authority before everyone else catches on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The window won\u2019t stay open forever. Once AI visibility becomes a mainstream priority, standing out will get much harder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned earlier, optimizing for AI doesn\u2019t really mean adopting brand-new tactics (assuming there even are any GEO-specific ones yet). It\u2019s more about applying existing SEO practices with AI search in mind and tracking a different set of metrics. Here\u2019s a quick video to help you get up to speed on optimizing for AI-driven search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube\"><div style=\"display: contents;\">\n\n<div data-mode=\"normal\" data-oembed=\"1\" data-provider=\"youtube\" id=\"arve-youtube-ml1w1smttt4\" style=\"max-width:900px;\" class=\"arve\">\n\t<div class=\"arve-inner\">\n\t\t<div style=\"aspect-ratio:500\/281\" class=\"arve-embed arve-embed--has-aspect-ratio\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"arve-ar\" style=\"padding-top:56.200000%\"><\/div>\n\t\t\t<iframe allow=\"accelerometer 'none';autoplay 'none';bluetooth 'none';browsing-topics 'none';camera 'none';clipboard-read 'none';clipboard-write;display-capture 'none';encrypted-media 'none';gamepad 'none';geolocation 'none';gyroscope 'none';hid 'none';identity-credentials-get 'none';idle-detection 'none';keyboard-map 'none';local-fonts;magnetometer 'none';microphone 'none';midi 'none';otp-credentials 'none';payment 'none';picture-in-picture;publickey-credentials-create 'none';publickey-credentials-get 'none';screen-wake-lock 'none';serial 'none';summarizer 'none';sync-xhr;usb 'none';web-share;window-management 'none';xr-spatial-tracking 'none';\" allowfullscreen class=\"arve-iframe fitvidsignore\" credentialless data-arve=\"arve-youtube-ml1w1smttt4\" data-lenis-prevent data-src-no-ap=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/mL1W1SMtTT4?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"505.8\" loading=\"lazy\" name referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-presentation allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube-nocookie.com\/embed\/mL1W1SMtTT4?feature=oembed&amp;iv_load_policy=3&amp;modestbranding=1&amp;rel=0&amp;autohide=1&amp;playsinline=0&amp;autoplay=0\" title width=\"900\"><\/iframe>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"The industry is scrambling to adapt\" data-section=\"the-industry-is-scrambling-to-adapt\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_kg5b4sbltsno\"><\/a>The industry is scrambling to&nbsp;adapt<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>AI\u2019s rapid rise in 2025 caught most marketers off guard. Budgets were cut, panic set in, and suddenly everyone needed to learn GEO\u2014fast\u2026 or keep fighting to remind the world it\u2019s still just&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1864\" height=\"324\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-keywords-explorer-results-ta.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of Ahrefs' Keywords Explorer results table comparing &quot;seo agency&quot; and &quot;geo agency,&quot; with the GGR 12M (Google Growth Rate 12 Months) for &quot;geo agency&quot; showing a +22% increase.\" class=\"wp-image-192790\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-keywords-explorer-results-ta.png 1864w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-keywords-explorer-results-ta-680x118.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-keywords-explorer-results-ta-768x133.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-keywords-explorer-results-ta-1536x267.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1864px) 100vw, 1864px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In one of my earlier posts, I called it what it is\u2014<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/is-seo-dead\/\">a bit of hysteria<\/a>. When you look at the data, traffic from all LLMs combined barely reaches 1%, while Google traffic has continued to grow during the same period that ChatGPT exploded in popularity. Yet many were already declaring the end of&nbsp;SEO.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Agencies and consultants rushed to offer GEO services, sometimes before fully understanding what it actually meant. It feels a lot like the early SEO days: plenty of hype, scattered experimentation, and very little consensus on what really works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, for months, the main conversation on LinkedIn about LLMs and AI Overviews was that they were taking away website traffic. But more recently, I\u2019ve started seeing the opposite perspective emerge, showing that AI referral traffic and organic search can actually grow together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1341\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/two-line-graphs-side-by-side-comparing-ai-traffic.png\" alt=\"Two line graphs side-by-side comparing AI traffic to G&amp;C Articles (bottom, green line) and Organic (Google\/SEO) Sessions to G&amp;C Articles (top, blue line) over time, showing both growing simultaneously.\" class=\"wp-image-192791\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/two-line-graphs-side-by-side-comparing-ai-traffic.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/two-line-graphs-side-by-side-comparing-ai-traffic-649x425.png 649w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/two-line-graphs-side-by-side-comparing-ai-traffic-768x503.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/two-line-graphs-side-by-side-comparing-ai-traffic-1536x1006.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Devesh Khanal via <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/feed\/update\/urn:li:activity:7372007524922765312?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7372007524922765312%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This shift reminds us that GEO is still taking shape \u2014 and those who stay curious, test often, and adapt early will be the ones to benefit most as it evolves.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/black-hat-llmo\/\">LLMO Is in Its Black Hat&nbsp;Era<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You should probably diversify beyond Google to other platforms\" data-section=\"you-should-probably-diversify-beyond-google-to-other-platforms\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_90nlz2534dq1\"><\/a>You should probably diversify beyond Google to other platforms<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Smart brands aren\u2019t waiting for Google to reverse course on AI Overviews or the AI Mode. They\u2019re diversifying fast by shifting investment away from informational content vulnerable to AI summarization and toward other channels.<\/p>\n<p>For example, Seer Interactive agency has repositioned entirely, prioritizing thought leadership and organic social media\u2014particularly LinkedIn\u2014over traditional SEO, recognizing that while traffic volume is lower, quality and conversion rates are substantially higher.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">Traffic via organic social (largely LinkedIn) is probably the source we\u2019re most focused on optimizing for. The traffic volume is smaller but it\u2019s extremely high quality. I also think we\u2019ll continue to be in a position to think about different layers of influence. You can\u2019t focus on just one source or one channel. There is a lot of chaos in the SEO industry right now given all of the change. Our ICP is juggling a lot of priorities, she\u2019s trying to educate herself on the changes in search while continuing to hit her OKRs while balancing budget cuts and headcount reduction. Our best bet is to be able to build trust with her, or rely on the trust we\u2019ve previously built with our content, our presence in events, and our reputation.<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Alisa Scharf\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/Alisa-Scharf.jpeg\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Alisa Scharf,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">VP of SEO &amp; Generative AI, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seerinteractive.com\" target=\"_blank\">Seer Interactive<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/heatonsimon\/\">Simon Heaton<\/a>, Director of Growth at Buffer, told me they\u2019re adapting too:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"small\"><div class=\"quote-content\">Strategy has stayed the same, but tactics have evolved quite a bit. Our content efforts have shifted from top-funnel, informational pieces, to more \u201cPOV\u201d articles leveraging our own research and the expertise of our community. We\u2019re still writing blog articles, but not the same quantity. We\u2019re investing more in community-led growth, editorial content, and other search surfaces like YouTube.<br>\n<\/div><div class=\"quote-info clearfix\"><div class=\"quote-photo\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Simon Heaton\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/simon-heaton-buffer.png\"><\/div><div class=\"extra-box\"><span class=\"quote-author\">Simon Heaton,<\/span> <span class=\"quote-author-job\">Director of Growth, <a href=\"https:\/\/buffer.com\" target=\"_blank\">Buffer<\/a><\/span><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The most comprehensive response is <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/search-everywhere-optimization\/\">Search Everywhere Optimization (SEvO)<\/a>\u2014ensuring discoverability across all platforms where audiences search, including YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Amazon, Pinterest, and AI assistants like ChatGPT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just look at TikTok\u2019s numbers\u2014Gen Z is using it like a search engine, and many even prefer it over Google.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1708\" height=\"1612\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/infographic-titled-tiktok-statistics-with-data-on.jpg\" alt=\"Infographic titled TikTok statistics with data on its usage as a search engine, including 64% of Gen Z using it as a search engine.\" class=\"wp-image-192793\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/infographic-titled-tiktok-statistics-with-data-on.jpg 1708w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/infographic-titled-tiktok-statistics-with-data-on-450x425.jpg 450w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/infographic-titled-tiktok-statistics-with-data-on-768x725.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/infographic-titled-tiktok-statistics-with-data-on-1536x1450.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1708px) 100vw, 1708px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO has evolved from a \u201cmagic money tap\u201d to a strong channel with new limitations. Sustainable growth now requires multi-channel resilience rather than Google dependency.<\/p>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You can create content faster with AI assistance (maybe too fast)\" data-section=\"you-can-create-content-faster-with-ai-assistance-maybe-too-fast\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_acrpapdojq6i\"><\/a>You can create content faster with AI assistance (maybe too&nbsp;fast)<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>LLMs have lowered the barrier to content production, dramatically. You can now draft articles, generate ideas, and optimize copy faster than ever\u2014and it shows. Nearly <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/what-percentage-of-new-content-is-ai-generated\/\">74% of new web pages already include some form of AI-generated content<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1993\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-showing-the-percentage-of-new-web-pages.jpg\" alt=\"Pie chart showing the percentage of new web pages created\/assisted with AI, with Human + AI being the largest segment at 71.7%.\" class=\"wp-image-192794\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-showing-the-percentage-of-new-web-pages.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-showing-the-percentage-of-new-web-pages-341x425.jpg 341w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-showing-the-percentage-of-new-web-pages-768x957.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/pie-chart-showing-the-percentage-of-new-web-pages-1233x1536.jpg 1233w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a toothpaste-out-of-the-tube moment. The shift has happened, and there\u2019s no putting it back. I think that in a few years, no one will care that AI was used to create content\u2014it\u2019ll be as normal as cars being built by robots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, maybe one day AI will replace some jobs. But right now, the real risk is not using it and falling behind those who&nbsp;do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key is to lean into your human strengths\u2014insight, strategy, creativity, unique human experience\u2014and let AI handle the repetitive parts. That\u2019s how you make yourself harder to replace by&nbsp;AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most valuable uses of AI in SEO today is content optimization. Tools like <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/ai-content-helper\">Ahrefs\u2019 AI Content Helper<\/a> can dramatically reduce the time it takes to identify search intent, find topical gaps, and compare your coverage against competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1206\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-ai-content-helper-tool-showi.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of Ahrefs\u2019 AI Content Helper tool showing On-Page and Technical SEO recommendations for an article about real estate SEO.\" class=\"wp-image-192795\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-ai-content-helper-tool-showi.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-ai-content-helper-tool-showi-680x400.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-ai-content-helper-tool-showi-768x452.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-ai-content-helper-tool-showi-1536x905.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Check out how my colleague Louise used that AI tool to <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/boost-traffic-with-ai-content-helper\/\">boost traffic by 72%<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You need to showcase real expertise to stand out\" data-section=\"you-need-to-showcase-real-expertise-to-stand-out\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_5v1rxwx9l1y2\"><\/a>You need to showcase real expertise to stand&nbsp;out<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The web is now overflowing with AI-generated content\u2014most of it generic, shallow, and instantly forgettable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To stand out, your content needs to show real human expertise. That means original research, firsthand experience, unique perspectives, and proprietary data\u2014the kind of depth AI can\u2019t&nbsp;fake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This isn\u2019t exactly a new trend in SEO\u2014Google\u2019s focus on <a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/eeat-seo\/\">EEAT<\/a> has already pushed content quality to the forefront. But this time, it\u2019s different. People are actively seeking a break from the flood of AI-generated content and turning to spaces where genuine, human-created content is more easily found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Ahrefs, we see this in action every day. My colleague Louise regularly breaks news about AI Search\u2014almost every week\u2014and her work is talked about, cited, linked and shared throughout the industry. That\u2019s what real, authentic expertise looks&nbsp;like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1760\" height=\"1244\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-showing-refe.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot from Ahrefs' Site Explorer showing Referring domains to a blog post, with high Domain Rating (DR) sites like squarespace.com and moz.com linking to the content.\" class=\"wp-image-192796\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-showing-refe.jpg 1760w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-showing-refe-601x425.jpg 601w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-showing-refe-768x543.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-from-ahrefs-site-explorer-showing-refe-1536x1086.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1760px) 100vw, 1760px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You can now connect AI directly to your SEO data\" data-section=\"you-can-now-connect-ai-directly-to-your-seo-data\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_yc209fcpy0zz\"><\/a>You can now connect AI directly to your SEO&nbsp;data<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>SEO involves juggling tons of data\u2014rankings, traffic, backlinks, and keywords. Model Context Protocols (MCPs) make this data easier to work with by allowing LLMs to directly access SEO tools that support it and analyze your SEO&nbsp;data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, you can use Claude\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.ahrefs.com\/docs\/mcp\/reference\/introduction\">MCP with Ahrefs<\/a> to do things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Finding good keywords for your blog that you haven\u2019t targeted yet.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Research international SEO expansion opportunities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Discover the top-ranking sites across any group of keywords.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Get an idea of any unique, non-standard approaches to content from your competitors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1137\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-claudes-model-context-protocol-mcp.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of Claude's Model Context Protocol (MCP) in action, using Ahrefs data to find 20 High-Potential Keyword Opportunities for Ahrefs Blog.\" class=\"wp-image-192797\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-claudes-model-context-protocol-mcp.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-claudes-model-context-protocol-mcp-680x378.jpg 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-claudes-model-context-protocol-mcp-768x426.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-claudes-model-context-protocol-mcp-1536x853.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>MCPs represent a shift from AI as assistant (helping you write after you do the research) to AI as analyst (doing the research, spotting the opportunities, and then helping you execute). For SEO, where data analysis is often the bottleneck between insight and action, this can change how SEO tools work forever.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/mcp-use-cases\/\">15 Ahrefs MCP Use Cases for SEOs &amp; Digital Marketers<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You still need to match what searchers want\" data-section=\"you-still-need-to-match-what-searchers-want\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_jn18cf1jpaq1\"><\/a>You still need to match what searchers want<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Content that matches what people are actually searching for performs best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AI systems, just like traditional search engines, are designed to serve users by providing the most relevant answers to their queries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, as shown below, traditional Google Search, AI Mode, and ChatGPT all interpret the phrase \u201crunning shoes\u201d in the same&nbsp;way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"706\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/comparison-screenshot-of-a-traditional-google-serp.png\" alt=\"Comparison screenshot of a traditional Google SERP and an AI Mode result for the query &quot;running shoes,&quot; showing similar informational search intent.\" class=\"wp-image-192798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/comparison-screenshot-of-a-traditional-google-serp.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/comparison-screenshot-of-a-traditional-google-serp-680x234.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/comparison-screenshot-of-a-traditional-google-serp-768x265.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/comparison-screenshot-of-a-traditional-google-serp-1536x530.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1918\" height=\"466\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-5-search-for-running-shoe.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a ChatGPT 5 search for &quot;running shoes&quot; resulting in &quot;Searching for running shoes buying guide&quot; as the underlying intent.\" class=\"wp-image-192799\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-5-search-for-running-shoe.png 1918w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-5-search-for-running-shoe-680x165.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-5-search-for-running-shoe-768x187.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-chatgpt-5-search-for-running-shoe-1536x373.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1918px) 100vw, 1918px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"You still need keywords to understand demand\" data-section=\"you-still-need-keywords-to-understand-demand\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_53vx9kcwhztt\"><\/a>You still need keywords to understand demand<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>What we used to call keywords or search queries are now often referred to as prompts in the world of AI, but that doesn\u2019t mean keywords are no longer useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keywords still play an important role in showing what people are curious about, helping you measure interest, demand, and growth trends for different topics you might want to target.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And since we don\u2019t yet have reliable data on AI search volumes, keyword search volume is still a good way to estimate overall demand across both traditional and AI-driven searches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keywords also make it easier to monitor AI activity by grouping and summarizing similar prompts under a shared topic. Prompts people type into AI tools are often long and very specific to their situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For instance, a long prompt like \u201cI\u2019m trying to grow my small business blog and need some reliable content marketing tools that can help with keyword research, social media scheduling, and tracking results\u2014what are some of the best options right now?\u201d covers multiple sub-topics (keywords) within a broader theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1309\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-complex-chatgpt-5-prompt-about-con.png\" alt=\"Screenshot of a complex ChatGPT 5 prompt about content marketing tools, with the AI response breaking down the answer by topics and citing multiple sources.\" class=\"wp-image-192800\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-complex-chatgpt-5-prompt-about-con.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-complex-chatgpt-5-prompt-about-con-665x425.png 665w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-complex-chatgpt-5-prompt-about-con-260x166.png 260w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-complex-chatgpt-5-prompt-about-con-768x491.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-complex-chatgpt-5-prompt-about-con-1536x982.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Every prompt still has an underlying topic\u2014or set of topics. Even when AI tools use query fan-out techniques (breaking down complex prompts into specific search queries), they\u2019re ultimately organizing around core topics. Two prompts that seem completely different can actually be about the same thing at their&nbsp;core.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s why I like the approach that we took with Ahrefs Brand Radar. It gives you two levels of topic insights. You can see the exact keyword that triggered the AI query and optimize for that specific term. You can also look at the broader \u201cparent topic\u201d behind those keywords to reach a wider audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2040\" height=\"2048\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-showing-search-re.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of Ahrefs Brand Radar showing search results for &quot;booster seat age,&quot; where a complex query is grouped under the simpler, broader &quot;booster seat age&quot; topic.\" class=\"wp-image-192801\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-showing-search-re.jpg 2040w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-showing-search-re-423x425.jpg 423w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-showing-search-re-768x771.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-showing-search-re-1530x1536.jpg 1530w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-ahrefs-brand-radar-showing-search-re-120x120.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2040px) 100vw, 2040px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Last but not least, Google Search is still dominant and drives massive traffic. Based on <a href=\"https:\/\/chatgpt-vs-google.com\/\">our analysis of over 66k websites<\/a>, Google is responsible for 40% of traffic to websites, compared to 0.24% from ChatGPT.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2048\" height=\"1188\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-traffic-sources-comparison-t.png\" alt=\"Bar chart showing the Traffic Sources Comparison to over 66k websites, with Google (Traditional Search Engines) responsible for 40.31% of traffic and ChatGPT (AI Assistants) at 0.24%.\" class=\"wp-image-192802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-traffic-sources-comparison-t.png 2048w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-traffic-sources-comparison-t-680x394.png 680w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-traffic-sources-comparison-t-768x446.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-the-traffic-sources-comparison-t-1536x891.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"Your content structure still affects visibility\" data-section=\"your-content-structure-still-affects-visibility\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_xmtd5hhzgetz\"><\/a>Your content structure still affects visibility<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>How you organize your content, and how easy it is for readers to skim and find key details, still play a big role in both visibility and readability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here\u2019s an example: our SEO pricing study is one of the most frequently cited pages by AI on our site, even though it was published long before the whole AI craze began. I can say for sure that AI visibility wasn\u2019t even a consideration when we created that page. What guided its structure was just optimizing for readability and basic on-page SEO best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1900\" height=\"1897\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-article-titled-seo-pricing-how.jpg\" alt=\"Screenshot of an article titled &quot;SEO Pricing: How Much Does SEO Cost? 439 People Polled&quot; highlighting its structured layout, clear takeaways, and data-driven approach.\" class=\"wp-image-192803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-article-titled-seo-pricing-how.jpg 1900w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-article-titled-seo-pricing-how-426x425.jpg 426w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-article-titled-seo-pricing-how-768x767.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-article-titled-seo-pricing-how-1536x1534.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-an-article-titled-seo-pricing-how-120x120.jpg 120w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1900px) 100vw, 1900px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>LLMs just love structure and clarity. It helps them cut or chunk large bodies of text into digestible, small parts that are easy to reference.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"further-reading\"><div class=\"reading-title\">Further reading<\/div><div class=\"reading-content\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/seo-chunk-optimization\/\">SEO \u201cChunk Optimization\u201d is Overrated<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<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\" data-anchor=\"Your brand strength determines AI citations\" data-section=\"your-brand-strength-determines-ai-citations\">\n<h2><a id=\"post-192773-_5xacigrp98bs\"><\/a>Your brand strength determines AI citations<\/h2>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Strong credibility drives visibility and traffic indirectly, even in an AI-first search landscape. If you\u2019ve built a reputable brand, that equity still pays dividends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>LLMs tend to reference trusted sources when generating answers. There\u2019s a strong correlation between brand recognition and domain authority\u2014established brands typically earn high Domain Ratings through years of accumulating quality backlinks, media mentions, and citations from other authoritative sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I analyzed the top 1,000 websites most often mentioned by ChatGPT, one trend stood out: AI prefers high-authority sources. Most citations came from sites with a Domain Rating above 80, like Forbes, Mayo Clinic, and Harvard\u2014brands that built trust through consistent quality and credibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1715\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-chatgpt-citation-frequency-by-do.png\" alt=\"Bar chart showing ChatGPT Citation Frequency by Domain Rating (DR), indicating that the majority of citations come from websites with a Domain Rating of 81-100.\" class=\"wp-image-192804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-chatgpt-citation-frequency-by-do.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-chatgpt-citation-frequency-by-do-397x425.png 397w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-chatgpt-citation-frequency-by-do-768x823.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-chatgpt-citation-frequency-by-do-1433x1536.png 1433w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>This creates a reinforcing cycle: strong brands earn more backlinks and mentions, which boosts their domain rating, which in turn makes them more likely to be cited by AI systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What\u2019s more, brand signals make up the three most important factors to be included in AI Overviews (<a href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-overview-brand-correlation\/\">according to our study<\/a>). These&nbsp;are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Branded web mentions<\/strong>. The instances of the brand being mentioned on any page on the web (linked and unlinked).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Branded anchors<\/strong>. The anchor texts in the links pointing to a website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Branded search volume<\/strong>. Search volume of keywords that include a&nbsp;brand.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1769\" src=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-factors-that-correlate-with-bran.png\" alt=\"Bar chart showing Factors that correlate with brand appearance in AI overviews, with Branded web mentions having the highest correlation (0.664).\" class=\"wp-image-192805\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-factors-that-correlate-with-bran.png 1600w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-factors-that-correlate-with-bran-384x425.png 384w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-factors-that-correlate-with-bran-768x849.png 768w, https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/bar-chart-showing-factors-that-correlate-with-bran-1389x1536.png 1389w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The takeaway is that building brand authority remains as important as ever, perhaps even more so in an AI-driven search landscape where trust signals matter tremendously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a id=\"post-192773-_45pktlt1e02\"><\/a>Final thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news? You don\u2019t have to start over. Strong brands, high-quality content, and solid SEO fundamentals still win. What\u2019s changing is where that visibility appears and how you measure success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right now, there\u2019s still an early-mover advantage. Most brands haven\u2019t begun optimizing for AI visibility, so those who start experimenting, learning, and building authority today will be ahead when everyone else catches on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Got questions or comments? Let me know on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/mateusz-makosiewicz\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This shift happened fast. In 2024, AI Overviews rolled out to millions of searches, ChatGPT climbed into the top ranks of global websites, and the once-reliable #1 Google spot began losing a third of its clicks. Suddenly, SEO wasn\u2019t just<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":159,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wp_typography_post_enhancements_disabled":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[469],"tags":[],"coauthors":[412],"class_list":["post-192773","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ai-search","odd"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>AI\u2019s Impact on SEO: 13 Things That Changed, 4 Things That Stayed The Same<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"AI changed SEO forever but the foundations remain the same. Here&#039;s how both things are true.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-impact-on-seo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"AI\u2019s Impact on SEO: 13 Things That Changed, 4 Things That Stayed The Same\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"AI changed SEO forever but the foundations remain the same. Here&#039;s how both things are true.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/ai-impact-on-seo\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"SEO Blog by Ahrefs\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Ahrefs\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-11T10:00:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-12-22T21:04:22+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/ahrefs.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-search-for-gift-id.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1680\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"656\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mateusz Makosiewicz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@m_makosiewicz\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@ahrefs\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mateusz Makosiewicz\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/c7e64c851ecc4eabb77eaefae90a440c\"},\"headline\":\"AI\u2019s Impact on SEO: 13 Things That Changed, 4 Things That Stayed The&nbsp;Same\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-11T10:00:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-22T21:04:22+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":3922,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/ais-impact-on-seo-13-things-by-mateusz-makosiewicz-ai-search.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"AI Search\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/\",\"name\":\"AI\u2019s Impact on SEO: 13 Things That Changed, 4 Things That Stayed The Same\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/ai-impact-on-seo\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/ahrefs.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/11\\\/screenshot-of-a-google-ai-mode-search-for-gift-id.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-11T10:00:57+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-12-22T21:04:22+00:00\",\"description\":\"AI changed SEO forever but the foundations remain the same. 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