The Death of Traditional SEO? Not Quite.

Every few years, someone declares that "SEO is dead." Yet, the industry continues to grow. However, the introduction of AI search features like Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE) marks a genuine turning point.

From Keywords to Intent

Traditional SEO was often a game of matching keywords. If a user searched for "best running shoes," you wanted to have those words on your page. AI search is different. It understands the *intent* behind the query.

If a user asks, "I need running shoes for a marathon that won't give me blisters," an AI agent looks for semantic matches, reviews, and detailed product attributes—not just keyword density.

The Rise of Zero-Click Searches

As AI provides direct answers, click-through rates to websites may decline for simple queries. This means your site needs to provide deep, unique value that an AI summary cannot replicate.