The AI verdict: SEO is still very much alive
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Last week, Google reinforced something we've been saying for a while now: good SEO is how you rank in AI. Google's generative AI features are built on the same core Search ranking and quality systems that have always rewarded helpful, relevant content.
Google has been clear on this. There is no magic page length, no secret formula, and no need to create content purely for AI. The advice remains the same… create content for your audience first. Which is good news for us because this is exactly what we do best (not that we like to brag!)
In this post we’ll explore:
Was SEO ever really dead?
Like many marketers over the past year, we've read and heard that SEO is dead. We’ve also been asked many times whether SEO is still even relevant in an AI driven world? With Google’s latest guide, it’s now clearer than ever that the answer is yes - because the fundamentals haven't changed.
Great SEO has always been about understanding what people need and providing genuinely useful answers. AI doesn't replace that. If anything, it reinforces it. People will always have questions, challenges, and problems to solve. Our job is still to position your business as the answer.
What does Google’s AI optimisation guide mean for content marketers?
At ADA Digital, we're constantly learning and adapting alongside the rapid developments in AI. In fact, we've come to quite enjoy it (definitely not something we thought we’d say 18 months ago!) We're not running from AI, we're embracing it and exploring how it can help businesses connect with more people than ever.
One of the biggest shifts we've made is in our content strategy. Alongside traditional keyword research and audience insights, we're now incorporating AI query fan-outs, prompts and citation results into our planning process. This helps us understand the wider range of questions people are asking and the ways AI systems surface answers in search results and overviews.
Our goal isn't to create content for AI. Our goal is to create the most helpful content possible, while making sure it's structured in a way that both people and AI can understand, and trust.
The future of search may be evolving, but one thing remains constant: useful, engaging content where your experiences and expertise shines through, wins. And that's exactly where we'll continue to focus our efforts.
The SEO fundamentals still matter
Google has said the fundamentals of SEO is what AI visibility is built on. To quote them directly; “The best practices for SEO continue to be relevant because our generative AI features on Google Search are rooted in our core Search ranking and quality systems.”
We know that not everyone has the time (or desire) to read about Google’s core Search ranking and quality systems. But luckily for you, our SEO experts do.
We’ve learnt that ultimately there’s no shortcuts to coming out on top in the world of AI search. Only great SEO including content and technical website elements. If Google can’t crawl your site, understand it or render the pages in search results, AI won’t magically pick up on it either.
In fact, LLMs mostly crawl and scrape Google and Bing to produce their overviews, so it makes sense to focus on Google’s core Search ranking guidance to have the best chance of being cited.
What does this mean for content?
When it comes to great content, nothing much has changed. You should still be writing for people, not search engines.
Google (and your potential customers) still want you to:
Create content that shows real experiences, original insights and expertise
Write content that’s people-first and easy to understand
Make sure your content is well structured, easy to scan, and answers the user’s questions directly
Help users discover related content by building out content clusters, internal links and topical ownership
Add relevant, high-quality images and videos to your content
Reduce duplicate content on your website
“The future of search may be changing, but useful, expert-led content will always win.” Rosie Hurr, SEO & Content Manager at ADA Digital
What about the technical parts of a website?
Making sure your website is crawlable by search engines, like Google and LLMs, like Gemini or ChatGPT should be a priority. They can’t use content in search results or AI overviews if they can’t access or understand your website.
Check whether pages are indexed
Use semantic HTML to show what each part of your page is for
Follow javascript best practices
Provide a good page experience for users
Make sure your site displays well on all devices
Optimise your site’s load speed
You can also optimise your Google Business Profile to enhance your visibility locally.
Feeling overwhelmed by SEO?
Google’s AI optimisation guidance may have left you feeling overwhelmed, there’s certainly a lot to do! But, Google isn’t asking for a new strategy, there’s no AI hacks. Just the same as it ever was - create helpful content, share your real experiences, structure your site clearly and master the SEO basics.
Everything that we can help with. We keep up to date with all of Google’s changes and updates, so you don’t have to. We like to stay in the industry loop by going to conferences, keeping our Google Partner status and completing training (only we find interesting).
Written by:
Rosie Hurr, SEO and Content Manager
Approved by:
Dani Murrell, Creative Director
Published:
27th May 2026
