SEO Isn’t Dead, But AI Has Changed Being Found Online

Google has always enjoyed keeping business owners on their toes, which has made my life “fun” for the past 15 years, to say the least. As someone who has worked in SEO since 2011 I’ve seen SEO change a lot. But AI has changed not just Search Engine Optimisation, but the customer search journey faster in the past year than anything else I’ve ever seen.

Now, instead of only showing website links, Google can give searchers AI-generated answers directly in the search results.

Helpful for the person searching.

Slightly less relaxing for the business owner wondering where their website traffic has gone.

If your business relies on being found online, it’s important to know exactly what these changes mean for your business. You may still rank on Google, but your result could now sit underneath an AI answer, a map pack, a featured snippet, shopping results, videos, reviews or a list of related questions.

So it is completely fair to ask a few questions.

Is SEO still worth it?
Will AI take away website traffic?
How do you get found when Google is answering more questions itself?

The answer is not to panic and sack off SEO altogether. That would be a bit dramatic. Search Engine Land reported a 2.5% drop in organic traffic in 2025 compared to 2024, but SEO still accounted for 90% of their site traffic.

AI is changing how people search, compare businesses and make decisions online. Some websites may see changes in traffic, clicks and visibility. But SEO has not stopped being valuable. The approach just needs to be sharper, clearer and more useful.

In this article, Adam Foster from Proper Mint Marketing breaks down how AI is changing SEO, the customer search journey, what it means for your business, and what you can do to stay visible, trusted, and easy to find online.

Google Is No Longer Just a Page Of Blue Links

For years, SEO was often explained in a fairly simple way. You choose the right keywords, optimise your website and try to rank as high as possible in the organic results.

Google’s search results are now much busier. For many searches, your website is no longer competing with nine other blue links. It is competing with everything Google chooses to show before, around and sometimes above those links.

That could include AI Overviews, Google Business Profile results, map packs, featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, images, videos, shopping results, review snippets, knowledge panels and organic listings.

So, when someone searches for a service, product or answer, they may see a full page of information before they reach the traditional website results.

This is why SEO can no longer be judged by rankings alone.

Ranking on page one is still valuable. Of course it is. Nobody is saying, “Let’s aim for page five and see what happens.”, or turning their nose up at ranking in Google altogether.

But page one now has more moving parts. Which gives all business owners more to think about.

A local business might appear in the map pack. A product business might appear in shopping results. A service page might earn a review snippet. A blog post might appear in a featured snippet or People Also Ask result. A brand may even be mentioned in an AI Overview.

That means businesses need to think about visibility across the whole search results page, not just one organic position.

The aim is still the same: get found by the right people. The difference is that “being found” can now happen in more places.

What Are AI Overviews?

AI Overviews are the AI-generated answers you may have seen appearing near the top of some Google search results.

In simple terms, an AI Overview is Google trying to answer the query before the user clicks on a website. Instead of only showing links, Google summarises information from different sources and gives the user a quick answer inside the search results.

For example, someone might search for:

“Why is my boiler making a banging noise?”
“What should I pack for a weekend in York?”
“How do I choose the right running shoes?”

In the past, Google would mostly show a list of websites for the user to click. Now, for some searches, it may generate a summary first. That summary may include links to websites it has used or cited.

This is especially common for informational searches. These are searches where someone wants an answer, explanation, comparison or bit of guidance.

That is where the concern comes in for businesses.

If Google gives the answer directly in the search results, some people may not click through to a website. They get what they need and move on. Handy for them. Less handy for the business that created the content in the first place.

But that does not mean content is pointless.

AI Overviews still need information to work from. Google still needs to understand which sources are useful, trustworthy and relevant. So the question is not whether content still matters. It does.

Content also helps build topical authority for a business website. Let’s say you sell protein powder online. Having a homepage, 2 categories and 6 products doesn’t give much information to Google. Whereas informational guides covering:

How much protein do you need to build muscle?
Is it healthy to drink 2 protein shakes a day?
Can I lose weight using protein powder?

Builds topical authority, allows you to internally link to your product pages, which helps commercial pages rank higher and for more commercial keywords.

The informational pages might not bring as much traffic to your site as it used to. But the traffic that does come through, is much closer to converting. I’ve seen this across dozens of websites that I work on as part of my client portfolio.

Why AI Search Matters For Businesses

AI search matters because it changes what happens between someone searching and someone clicking.

In the past, a useful blog post or service page might have won the click because the user needed to visit your website to get the answer. Now, for some searches, Google may answer the question directly in the results.

That means some searches may produce fewer clicks. Not always. Not for every business. Not for every keyword. But enough for business owners to pay attention.

This is where it is easy to get a bit gloomy and assume all website traffic is about to vanish. It is not. Let’s keep the emergency biscuits in the cupboard for now.

The bigger point is that businesses need to think beyond rankings alone. Visibility still has value, even when someone does not click straight away.

If someone asks a simple question and Google answers it there and then, they may not visit your site. But if your business appears in the search results, is cited, shows strong reviews, appears in the map pack, or is visible elsewhere on the page, that still helps build recognition.

People rarely make decisions from one search.

They might see your name in an AI Overview. Then see your Google Business Profile. Then read your reviews. Then visit your service page a few days later. That journey still matters, even if it is not as neat as one search, one click, one enquiry.

This is why the question should not only be, “How much traffic did we get?”

A better question is, “Are the right people finding us, trusting us and taking action?”

Because not all traffic is equally valuable.

Some informational traffic was never going to become a lead. Someone looking for a quick definition or a basic answer might have visited your blog, read two lines and disappeared forever. Nice for the traffic graph. Less exciting for the bank account.

A business may lose some of that low-intent traffic and still grow enquiries if the important parts of its SEO are strong. That means clear service pages, strong local visibility, useful content, good reviews and simple ways for people to contact you.

AI search does not make SEO pointless. It makes the quality of your visibility more important.

Does This Mean SEO Is Dead?

No. SEO is not dead. I’ve heard this being said since I started working in SEO back in 2011. Something I always preach about on my LinkedIn is that anyone saying this is an absolute blagger and trying to shill their own services (at the expense of SEO)

Google themself have said that SEO is still relevant and the foundation for being found in AI search results.

AI has changed how search works, but it has not removed the need for SEO. Google and AI tools still need content to understand what businesses do, who they help, where they operate and why they can be trusted.

Customers still search for answers. They still compare services. They still look for local providers. They still read reviews. They still visit websites before making decisions.

So, the basics still matter.

Your website still needs to be technically healthy. Your pages still need a clear structure. Your service pages still need to explain what you do properly. Your content still needs to answer real questions. Your Google Business Profile still needs attention. Your reviews, internal links, user experience and conversion tracking still matter.

Without the above activity, you’ll never rank for the keywords that drive business. You need the supporting activity for Google to rank your “money-making” pages.

To get those clicks to your site now is harder than ever, which means that PROPER SEO is becoming more important, not less.

Lazy SEO, like:

Stuffing keywords into a page for the sake of it
Publishing content with no clear keyword or audience strategy
Writing blogs just because a keyword has search volume
Copying competitor pages without adding anything useful
Creating thin service pages that do not explain the offer properly
Treating local SEO as adding a town name to a heading
Ignoring reviews, Google Business Profile and trust signals
Measuring success only by rankings or traffic, not leads and enquiries

That type of SEO might have looked busy years ago. It may have even generated a few short-term wins.

But it was never proper SEO. AI has just made that more obvious.

To get clicks now, your content needs to earn attention. It needs to be clear, useful and genuinely helpful. It needs to show that you understand your audience, their problems and the decisions they are trying to make.

That does not mean every page needs to be a masterpiece. Nobody is expecting your boiler repair page to read like Shakespeare.

But it does need to explain the service properly. It needs to answer the questions customers actually ask. It needs to show why someone should trust your business over the other options in front of them.

And your “SEO activity” might not be enough anymore to get cited in AI overviews. AI will scrape the web to find mentions of your business. Things like customer reviews, press features, news involving the owner, staff, company growth, event, charity activity etc etc…

The businesses that invest in PROPER marketing and PROPER SEO are the businesses that will be found – everywhere.

The Biggest Shift Is From Ranking To Being Trusted

Ranking is still useful. Let’s not pretend otherwise.

If someone searches for a service you offer, you want to appear where they can find you. That has not changed. But ranking alone is no longer the full job.

Visibility now happens in more places. You might appear in a map pack, an AI Overview, a featured snippet, a Google Business Profile result, a review snippet or a helpful blog answer. The real opportunity is not just being seen. It is being seen as a business worth trusting.

That is the bigger shift.

Google and AI tools need confidence in your business. They need to understand what you do, where you do it, who you help and why your content is useful. Customers need the same thing before they enquire.

SEO should not make your business harder to understand. It should make it easier for the right people to find you, trust you and know what to do next.

This is where trust signals matter.

Your website should make your expertise obvious. That means having:

A clear About page
Strong service pages
Real reviews
Case studies
Author bios
Credentials
FAQ’s
Clear contact details

It also means keeping content updated and adding original insight where you can. AI is very good at summarising generic content. So, if your website says the same thing as everyone else, it becomes much harder to stand out.

For example, a solicitor explaining common client concerns is more useful than a vague legal page. A mortgage broker answering real first-time buyer questions gives people more confidence. A local tradesperson showing before-and-after work proves they can do the job. A consultant sharing lessons from real projects gives the content a reason to exist.

SEO should be seen as another marketing channel to promote the good work your business is doing – not a crutch that is the make or break in your business success.

Off-Site Visibility Matters More Than Ever

Your website should not be the only place where your business looks active, trusted and credible. Think about how you search for a product or service, and what you check before you buy. Especially if it’s a business you’ve never dealt with.

How often do you click on a rand new site for the first time through a Google search and instantly buy?

I know that I personally will normally check them on Facebook or Instagram (younger people than me might default to TikTok). I’ll check some reviews whether its on Google, Facebook, Trust Pilot. I might sometimes even search the brand name and put “Reddit” or “scam” to see what people online are saying about this business.

Your business needs to look real, consistent and worth trusting beyond your own website.

Reviews are a big part of this. Google reviews, industry reviews and testimonials help prove that real people have used your service and had a good experience. They also help potential customers compare you before they ever pick up the phone.

Brand mentions matter. This could be a local news feature, a guest article, an award, a podcast, a sponsorship, a trade body profile or a mention from another trusted business. Not every mention needs to be some magical SEO backlink to have value. Sometimes, simply being seen in the right places helps connect your business with your area of expertise.

Relevant links still matter too. But quality beats quantity every time. A link from a trusted local organisation, industry body, supplier, partner or relevant publication is far more useful than a pile of random links from websites nobody has heard of. The old “buy 500 backlinks and hope for the best” approach belongs in the bin with keyword stuffing and suspiciously shiny stock photos of call centre staff.

Local Business SEO. Your name, address, phone number, opening hours and service areas should match across your Google Business Profile, directory listings, social profiles and website. If one website says you are based in Stockton, another says Middlesbrough, and your Google profile still has your 2020 opening hours, you are making life harder than it needs to be.

Wider marketing activity also supports SEO. Case studies, before-and-after posts, useful LinkedIn content, video, email newsletters and community involvement can all build recognition and trust.

AI search does not mean you need to be everywhere.

But it does mean your business should be where you customers are, and appear credible in the places that matter. The more consistent, useful and trustworthy your wider online presence is, the easier it becomes for Google, AI tools and customers to understand why your business deserves attention.

How To Get Found In Google and AI Search

SEO has always been overwhelming, long before AI was brought into the mix. Ahrefs has compiled an excellent 82 point AI SEO checklist that is more comprehensive than anything I have to hand.

But… that’s 82 points. And you’re not an SEO. You’re a business owner.

So if you don’t have time to run through all of that, here is the most important things to focus on – before you can hire a local SEO Freelancer or agency to help you out.

SEO Isn’t Dead… but neglecting it might cause your business to die

Whenever I talk about SEO to prospects, I group it with “content marketing”. Because you can’t have good SEO without content. And in 2026, content goes beyond just SEO, it’s how you differentiate your business from your competitors. It’s how you stand out and compete.

For most of us, especially around Teesside, our businesses aren’t unique. There’s dozens, if not hundreds of businesses that offer web design, SEO, accounting, plumbing, car washing, personal training, personal injury claims, financial planning… you get my point.

What separates my business, is ME. What separates your business from your competitors, should be YOU.

And arguably, standing out online now is harder than it ever has been. People now find answers in different ways. Google results are more crowded. AI Overviews can answer questions before someone clicks. Visibility is spread across websites, map packs, reviews, snippets, social platforms, brand mentions and wider marketing activity.

But SEO still matters. In fact, “PROPER SEO” matters more than ever.

The businesses that do well will not be the ones panicking every time Google changes something. They will be the ones that strengthen the basics and view SEO as one channel as part of a much larger marketing activity, to help make their business easier to understand.

AI has changed how people search, but it has not changed what people need from businesses. They still want clear answers, useful information and proof they can trust you.

– Adam Foster, Proper Mint Marketing