AI and SEO don’t seem like a match made in heaven. In fact, times are looking dire for the classic SEO strategies that you’re used to. Over the years, experts have alerted about the rise of “zero-click searches“: queries that will trigger answers directly on the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) without requiring users to click on any links. Google’s AI-powered features like AI Overviews, Featured Snippets, and People Also Ask are now dominating the top part of the search results. This phenomenon has brought many deep changes to the marketing world, resulting in dramatically lower traffic from Google and most social media platforms.
This shift has led some to question whether SEO is still a viable strategy. Is it still worth investing in SEO? That is, only if you’re fixated on traffic, traffic, and traffic. As you’ll discover below that apart from traffic there are other key factors to consider when evaluating the contribution of highly-ranked website optimization in this new era.
1. SEO Still Builds Brand Awareness
Even if searchers don’t click through to your site, ranking in the top 10-20 results will keep your brand visible. Appearing in search results gives you credibility and recognition, helping your organization to stay top-of-mind. In fact, based on Botify & Demandsphere’s study (registration required), 75% of Google AI Overview links come from the top 12 organic rankings (see diagram below). Whether users see your brand as the source of the AI Overviews, in an organic listing, or as part of a featured snippet, strong rankings signify authority and trustworthiness.
Moreover, in highly competitive industries, maintaining a strong search presence is vital. If your competitors dominate the rankings and your brand is absent, potential customers may assume you are not as reputable or authoritative. While visibility alone may not drive direct traffic, it contributes to brand recall and perception, which can lead to engagement through other channels, such as social media, direct brand searches, or word-of-mouth referrals.
Studies show that users trust Google’s organic search results more than ads, making organic rankings a powerful tool to boost brand trust and influence user perception. The more your brand appears in a higher rank, the more credibility it builds, leading to increased authority in your industry.
2. AI and SEO-Based Search Answers are Linked
While LLM tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude have become more prevalent, they all rely on “learning” the information (also called training data) from highly ranked web content. Research indicates that there is a ~0.65 correlation between Google results and ChatGPT results (see diagram below). Therefore, the more authoritative and optimized your website is, the higher the likelihood that AI-powered search engines will use your content in their responses. This creates a new meaning for SEO. Ranking high doesn’t just drive traffic; it also means more brand mentions by AI-driven search algorithms. This can lead to an indirect increase in brand trust and authority, which can yield more brand-related searches, inquiries, and deals.
3. The Rising Importance of Bing Rankings
For many years, Bing was overlooked due to Google’s overwhelming dominance as a search engine. However, the rise of AI-based search engines like ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, which rely on Bing’s search results to generate responses, has propelled Bing into the arena. In many cases, if an AI-powered tool cannot find an answer within its training data, it often turns to Bing API (Application Programming Interface) and retrieves the up-to-date information from there. Additionally, Microsoft’s integration of Bing into Windows-based systems and partnerships with AI developers means that its search data is more relevant than ever. That’s why organizations that optimize for Bing can gain exposure beyond traditional search and tap into the growing influence of this search engine.
It’s also worth noting that Bing’s ranking factors are different from Google’s, meaning that organizations aiming to optimize for Bing must pay special attention to the factors that impact Bing’s ranking. For example, it places a greater emphasis on authoritative domains, performance, and social media engagement, allowing organizations to flex different strengths to improve visibility.
4. Long-Tail Keywords With Ranking Opportunities
Long-tail keywords often trigger Google’s AI Overviews, Featured Snippets, or other Google search sections, like the “People Also Ask” questions. This is mostly due to the fact that long-tail keywords are driven by informational search intent. While it keeps users within Google’s ecosystem and limits organic traffic opportunities, it offers an opportunity to gain visibility at the top of the funnel when users search to educate themselves about what is out there.
If you find long-tail keywords, such as questions or specific phrases that are part of your industry, and answer the pain points of your potential clients, it is worth investing in being present, even if Google would mention you as the source for their AI Overview. Needless to say, based on recent research, at least 35% of the long-tail phrases are not covered by Google’s AI Overviews, and identifying them is a great opportunity to stay top-of-mind for your service/solution.
Thus, focus on question-based keywords, optimize for Featured Snippets and People Also Ask, and structure content for quick answers for voice search, but with in-depth insights. This presents a significant opportunity for brands to attract highly-targeted traffic, as users searching with long-tail queries are often very engaged about the search topic.
Leveraging long-tail SEO strategies can create durable content that remains valuable over time. Trending topics generate mostly short-term traffic spikes, while long-tail content can continue driving engagement for months or even years, making it a sustainable and cost-effective strategy.
Another advantage of long-tail keywords is their potential to drive organic traffic from voice searches. With smart assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, users increasingly search with conversational, long-form queries. Organizations that optimize their content for these types of AI and SEO searches can tap into this growing trend and stay ahead of competitors who focus only on traditional methods.
Conclusion: SEO is Evolving, Not Dying
SEO isn’t dead, rather, it’s evolving. The landscape is shifting toward AI-generated results and zero-click searches, but organizations that adapt can still benefit from search rankings. Investing in SEO for brand visibility, AI search integration, Bing rankings, and long-tail keyword opportunities remains a strategic move. The key is to evolve alongside search engines and embrace the new ways content is discovered and consumed.
Ultimately, organizations that take a proactive approach to AI and SEO will continue to reap the benefits of organic visibility. SEO may not look the same as it did five years ago, but its core principles remain essential today.
