Three Unchanging SEO Strategies in the Age of AI

When AI entered the zeitgeist, it cast doubt on the efficacy of traditional SEO strategies. And as innovations like Google’s Search Generative Experience integrate AI more deeply into search engines, marketers feel hard-pressed to evolve their approach to SEO. But some enduring SEO principles continue to hold sway, even in the face of constant search engine changes.

Create People-First Content Instead of Search Engine-First Content.

Google defines people-first content as “content that’s created primarily for people, and not to manipulate search engine rankings.”

In my experience, it’s easier to start with the what not to do part, which comes down to not using SEO tricks whose sole purpose is to game the algorithm. These include but are not limited to:

Keyword stuffing. Overusing keywords unnaturally to the point that the reader’s experience suffers.

Aiming to hit a certain word count. Focusing on hitting 1000 words when a point can clearly be made in fewer dilutes the value.

Making clickbait headlines. Sensationalized headlines are broken promises. If a headline makes a grand claim, be sure to deliver on it, or else you’ll erode reader trust.

Thin content. Adding little to no original value by scraping from other sources or rehashing existing content without adding new perspectives.

Instead, ask yourself this - If you’re not writing for SEO, then why are you writing?

If you can answer this question, you’re probably writing people-first content.

The paths to humane content are plentiful but nuanced. People-first content is valuable to someone, somewhere, whether or not it includes high search volume keywords.

Build Hub and Spoke Content Libraries.

The hub and spoke model, which breaks broader topics (hubs) down into detailed explorations (spokes) works so well for a few reasons:

For one, it organizes information in a way that makes sense to man and machine. Links from broad to narrow map a logical structure for search engines. Google loves the drill down from broad to narrow, and so do human minds. Have you ever fallen down a Wikipedia rabbit hole? Links carry you, like a breeze, from article to article.

Additionally, the ground that can be covered by hub and spoke builds authority. And Google’s all about authority. The fact that Wikipedia’s inimitably vast repository is woven from an interconnected network of hubs and spokes, and was instrumental in training ChatGPT, speaks to the power of the model.

And finally, the hub and spoke model supports content reuse and repurposing. A strong hub is the foundation for multiple spokes, which can be updated, expanded, or even spun off into their own hubs over time. It makes it easier to maximize the value of any piece of content by giving it context.

Write Like You’d Talk.

AI search engines are getting better at understanding what users are actually looking for when they search for something. Way back when voice-to-text became popular, search engines had to adapt to the natural, conversational, and often stumbling language of live semantic speech.

Writing conversationally naturally helps you incorporate both long and short tail keywords, all of which help Google match the linguistic meaning to the search intent.

Of course, it’s important to balance conversational tone with professionalism and clarity. Read your work out loud, paying attention to both the flow of logic and the flow of the sentences. Content should be structured, but flowy, like a ballet; it appears effortless, but every move is meticulously planned.