For years, SEO has been about staying visible to search engines, (Google predominantly in the UK), keeping on top of evolving keywords and making sure your content ticks the right boxes. But lately, things have shifted. Fast.
At EBY Marketing, we’re seeing real volatility in search results and it’s not just a blip. It’s a sign of the growing influence of Generative AI. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and others are reshaping how people find and interact with information online.
How AI Is Changing the Search Landscape
Traditional search engines still matter, but the way search results are being presented is evolving. AI-generated snippet answers, zero-click results, summarised content boxes – all of these mean your potential customers might never even see your website (despite your site providing the relevant info to them) unless your content is optimised for how AI interprets it.
And here’s the challenge: SEO as we knew it doesn’t fully apply anymore.
The Shift from Traditional Search to Generative AI
Without going full ‘geek mode’ (you’re welcome), here are a few key shifts happening behind the scenes:
- AI tools don’t see your site the way a person does. They process raw text, so those lovely visuals and clever layouts are mostly useless to AI platforms.
- Models like ChatGPT and Gemini “read” your content differently. They rely on summaries, structured data and dense, clear copy to understand what you do.
- (Google’s) YouTube and off-site platforms matter more than ever. These are now treated as “owned media” by AI, influencing how your brand appears in these tools.
- Worst of all, at the moment you can’t measure exactly where your brand appears in ChatGPT, but there are ways to spot the clues in your analytics.
Why Old SEO Tactics Aren’t Enough Anymore
However, before we go too far, this isn’t about ditching everything you know. The fundamentals of SEO – clear messaging, fast websites, useful content – still matter. But there’s a new layer of technical and content strategy that most organisations aren’t addressing yet.
Why This Matters for SMEs
Whether you’re a CEO at a tech firm, running a growing professional services practice, or responsible for digital marketing in the construction or healthcare sectors, your prospects and clients are still searching. However, the tools they’re using are changing, and if your business isn’t keeping pace, you’ll gradually lose ground.
We’ve already seen this play out, with the fluctuations in search traffic across the broad range of sectors our clients operate in. That’s not bad SEO. That’s a changing search landscape.
Get it right though and it will give you a massive advantage over your competitors.
How to Future-Proof Your SEO Strategy
You don’t need to panic. But you do need to get proactive.
At EBY Marketing, we’re helping businesses like yours adapt their content, structure, and strategy to not just survive but thrive in the new AI-shaped search world. From technical fixes to content repositioning, we’ll help you make sure your site speaks AI’s language, without losing your human edge or your brand’s personality.
Need Help Navigating the Change?
If your search traffic is wobbling, if your content isn’t showing up like it used to, or if you just know you’re behind the curve, let’s talk. Drop me a message and let’s have a proper conversation about where SEO is going, and how your business can stay visible as it changes and stay ahead of the competition.