In this episode, Nate and Kevin dig into how traditional SEO practices are evolving in response to the rise of AI-powered search. They walk through seven key shifts—from keyword targeting to prompt behavior analysis, and from crawlability to citation-worthiness—that can help marketers future-proof their content.

They also cover which traditional SEO tactics still matter, which ones need to adapt, and why experienced SEO pros are uniquely equipped to lead this transition.

References:

• https://www.aleydasolis.com/en/ai-search/ai-search-optimization-checklist/
• https://www.aleydasolis.com/en/ai-search/chat
• https://www.growthunhinged.com/p/get-recommended-by-chatgpt
• https://ahrefs.com/blog/search-rankings-ai-citations/
• https://www.growth-memo.com/p/query-fan-out

• (00:00:00) - The Future of SEO: Generative Engine Optimization
• (00:00:57) - What's the Shift to AI-based Keyword Research?
• (00:03:36) - How to Understand What Your Domain Is Being Surfing For
• (00:04:52) - Brand Visibility and Conversational Search
• (00:09:20) - Top 3 Rules for LLM SEO
• (00:13:13) - Reveal: Content Reformat and Refresh for AI-Friend
• (00:19:52) - How to nurture existing content in the future
• (00:22:18) - Content Cluster: How to Avoid Verbose Content
• (00:25:08) - The Problem of Query Fanning Out
• (00:28:10) - Building a Strategic Plan: Five Tips for Success
• (00:29:58) - How to Make Your Content Citation worthy in AI Answers
• (00:34:14) - Is It Necessary to Have FAQs on Your Website?
• (00:35:59) - Mixed Message: Middle of funnel, Bottom of funnel optimization
• (00:41:45) - Performance Monitoring in AI Ecosystems
• (00:46:57) - Do We Need to Invest in SEO?
• (00:48:59) - What is the Point in Creating Content? (Inbound)
• (00:53:10) - 10 Tips on Investing in Content