SEO AI Strategy: A Human-Driven Approach
AI models are revolutionizing SEO, making it more efficient and user-centric by improving search accuracy (with human oversight), boosting content, and building knowledge graphs – relying on AI collaboration.
What is an AI SEO Strategy?
AI SEO, or artificial intelligence search engine optimization, is a strategy that uses AI to improve a website’s search engine ranking. An AI SEO strategy refers to leveraging AI tools and techniques to advance a website’s visibility and effectiveness in search engine results pages (SERPs). It involves using LLMs’ ability to analyze large datasets and multiple documents. LLMs (Large Language Models) like GPT-4 are revolutionizing how we approach SEO.
This form of AI SEO can “suggest” and automate complex tasks. Clearly, it must have human oversight and editors for accuracy and enhancing various aspects of SEO. As the SEO world shifts more towards using AI tools to complete tasks faster, SEO is evolving from simply influencing which websites are featured, to also influencing which AI answers appear.
Why AI for SEO?
AI is revolutionizing SEO by automating tasks, analyzing massive datasets, and uncovering hidden insights. Large Language Models (LLMs) like GPT-4 are changing how we approach keyword research, content creation, and optimization. AI is a tool, not a replacement for human expertise. Editors and SEO professionals are crucial for ensuring accuracy and quality.
By combining the power of AI with human expertise, you can create an effective SEO strategy that drives results.
What I share below comes directly from my own experience; it reflects what I’m most excited about, but is not conclusive.
How to Create an Effective SEO AI Strategy
- Expandeding SEO Strategy: The advent of Google Multisearch means that people are less reliant on using words to find products. However, more importantly, Multisearch can also mean adjusting SEO strategies to be more inclusive of additional search engines and platforms. A multipronged approach is a better way to reach people.
- AI Image Answers: More and more, query answers are conducted by image search. Use Google Lens app and learn if your images actually appear for relevant queries.
- Competitive Research: See what competitors are ranked in Google Lens or show up in “People Also Search For” within your Knowledge Panel
- Google Discover: Efforts put into being found in Google Discover gain significant rewards. While how search works will evolve, today, implementing structured data can still positively boost your efforts.
- Multi-Platform Distribution: The more platforms you engage on, the more hard work you put in. AI can help here.
- Reach the right audience
- In the right channels
- With a resonating message (topics they query, product news, by answering their top questions, data journalism)
- Go Beyond Text: Incorporate videos, podcasts, infographics, audio, interactive elements, and other engaging formats to provide a richer experience for users and improve content discoverability.
- Provide clear answers: AI loves featuring a good Q&A. There is a lot of logic in the statement that Google is an Answer Engine. Most searches are conducted in question format. Logicially, this then merits my attention. It is a huge part of why people use the Internet. I strategically add FAQ schema markup to make question answering content clear and easy to consume.
- Building Knowledge Panels Many of my clients were first unaware that Google is building a Knowledge Panel about them. They seek clarification between how a Google Business Listing presents versus what a Knowledge Graph looks like. Both have a growing importance.
AI Caution Balanced with Embracing AI Opportunities
It doesn’t have to be daunting; make the opportunity an exciting one!
Search engines invest years and billions into developing search results to accommodate a diverse set of content formats. In turn, people have a plethora of search options. This ramps up the stakes in how you compete for user’s attention and clicks. In the end, whether you still rely on traditional SEO or advanced AI SEO, it’s about winning in the CRO game.
Users have more ways to add context to the information they’re looking for. By adding semantic search you are providing the data that helps search engines surface how your answer to fulfil “intent.”
Search can return a snippet that combines multiple online sources compiled succinctly into a single query answer. There is no shrinking from AI-fueled search features. To get featured, continue enriching the user experience on your website and providing human-authored quality content.
I find that it takes time and a balanced approach to be an AI adopter. However, already it is saving me time on some tasks.
Adopting New AI-Enriched SEO Processes
LLM tokenization and vector search are key components in how LLMs understand and process information, making them valuable for AI SEO.
Using “multimodal” can involve round tripping through symbolic language. I find it best to consider the specific multimodal needs of each application and how each model aligns with my requirements. Tokenization in LLM means the process of separating word sequences into discrete components (or tokens). These tokens may include words, letters, or sequences of letters. The process of LLM tokenization can enhance model-building efforts by selecting the best tokenization.
But processes without strategy are useless.
AI is Revolutionizing How Search Works
Focus on what your audience needs versus what you think will garner favor with a search engine.
It’s an ongoing learning journey to keep up with how AI is impacting search engine algorithms. It changes what SEO strategies are still effective. Keyword research has become entity phrase matching or “Entity-based SEO.” Entities provide details and context within a topic that a keyword focussed strategy misses. and content creation.
Many SEOs find that standard practices to optimize content fall short today. Our traditional concepts of SEO need to expand (or be retired). Heuristic, handwritten rules lack the ability to help us create content that truly is original, insightful, personalized and more helpful. Priority SEO efforts should center on what makes a page substantially more helpful to people.
My personal opinion is clearer than ever. Technical SEO isn’t dead. Schema markup implementation isn’t dead. Being an expert content writer isn’t a dying skill. They are simply evolving. The secret to having content that stays indexed and makes a difference is simple. It’s about publishing content that users find helpful.
Which specific actions a user takes on the SERP and on your website dramatically impacts Google’s rankings.
Your SEO AI Strategy Must Have Human Logic
Both people and Google are looking for the human touch in content creation. AI cannot replace the great value the human author brings to unique, and engaging articles that resonate with users. This allows content to stand out in a competitive market and contributes to building trust with your audience. Google Search systems intend to reward the types of things that searchers find helpful and reliable. A checklist cannot help one “think” the same as an SEO who grasps who search works today.
SEOs have to get past a checklist mentality. Do your pages have author bios? Done. Done. Dord your page load fast? Done. Are your headers and descriptives effective? Done. Is the article written in a manner that demonstrates experience, expertise, authority and trust? Done. Does your content provide “information gain”? Another task done. But the bottom line to search engines is, does anyone take action on the SERP? On your page? The bottom line to business owners is, does it ultimately lead to revenue?
What I’m learning is that Google’s algorithm is built to reward their click data that signals that searchers like.
You have to know your business niche. You have to know your audience’s preferences. An author bio doesn’t make a page rank better; however, in many verticals, clarifying the experience of your authors is something that readers appreciate. For example, in dental marketing, the relevant trained physician who writes, has more authority on the topic.
Skilled and responsible use of AI systems is vital.
CONCLUSION: The evolving Nature of SEO Driven by AI
An effective SEO strategy requires a deep understanding of audience needs and preferences, combined with a strategic application of AI tools to enhance content creation and optimization efforts. Automation and business growth are closely intertwined. Skilled SEO optimization techniques include in-context learning, prompt engineering, and additional emerging techniques that build an extensible data fabric and brand authority.
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We can help you create your SEO Strategy using AI and Knowledge Graphs
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