SEO & AI: Insights from Our Client Q&A

1. SEO & AI: The Biggest Shift in a Decade

Today’s AI-driven changes are the biggest shift we’ll likely see in SEO. However, while the hype is real, we are still very much in an experimental phase and it’s crucial to test and learn rather than overhaul entire marketing strategies overnight.

👀 Stat: Google still dominates with 14 billion searches a day, compared to 37.5 million daily ChatGPT searches. For context, out of 1,000 product/service searches in the UK, 980 still go to Google illustrating where the majority of opportunities remain.

2. Turning Threats into Opportunities

Rather than fearing change, brands should remain optimistic and see this as an opportunity. AI-based search experiences (like Gemini or ChatGPT) are still search-driven, they simply surface information differently. The key is ensuring your brand remains discoverable across new search interfaces.

SEO strategies must now include optimising for AI summaries, whether in Google’s AI Overviews or on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, recognising that search journeys are more fragmented than ever.

3. Using AI to Enhance SEO Workflows

Using AI tools like ChatGPT can speed up delivery of work however it's important to note these should be used as assistants, not replacements for humans. For example:

• Use ChatGPT to brainstorm new angles and keyword ideas based on user intent.

• Use it to validate and enhance content drafts.

• Don’t rely solely on “AI-powered” features in tools like SEMrush, these can sometimes lag behind human creativity.

4. AI’s Impact on Thought Leadership & Attribution

AI Overviews can satisfy search intent without users clicking through to websites. This impacts traditional lead-generation paths for B2B service-led businesses.

Key insight: Brands need to:

• Optimise content to ensure their branding is visible even within AI summaries.

• Shift attribution models to track branded search uplift or increased direct traffic, rather than relying solely on click-based metrics.

👀 Stat: Currently, 88.1% of AI Overviews trigger on informational queries, meaning commercial terms remain largely unaffected for now .

5. How ChatGPT Chooses What to Surface

AI platforms like ChatGPT personalise results based on user history, so if you and your colleague both input the exact same prompt, ChatGPT would likely provide two completely different responses. It also looks out for how crawlable your site is so the following are really important:

1. Technical SEO: Fast page loads (ChatGPT bots drop slow pages).

2. Unique and helpful content (aligning with Google’s Helpful Content principles).
   
   

6. Content Creation: Balancing AI and Human Expertise

While AI tools make content creation easier (too easy some may say), I’d suggest avoiding over-reliance:

• Poor-quality AI-generated content is detectable and won't rank.

• The goal should be to enhance content with AI, not mass-produce generic articles.

• Always feed AI unique insights, data, and tone of voice to create stand-out content.

  
  

7. Will Google Penalise AI Content?

Google’s Helpful Content updates (pre-dating the AI boom) already discourage low-value content. If your AI-generated content is unique, useful, and human-edited, it aligns with best practice.

🚩 Red flag: Sites publishing hundreds of basic AI articles risk having no visibility at all, even before any future algorithm update.

8. How to Optimise for AI Summaries

To improve your chances of being included in Google’s AI Overviews:

1. Answer queries concisely - AI favours clear, to-the-point content.

2. Use bullet points and structured formats - these are often directly lifted into AI answers.

3. Anticipate follow-up questions - include sections addressing related queries to match AI’s conversational outputs.

   
   

9. The State of Play: AI Search Penetration

As of March 2025:

• 14% of Google searches now trigger an AI Overview (up from 6.49% in January, a doubling in just two months).

• 88.1% of these remain informational.

• Commercial terms are still prioritised for ad revenue, a crucial balance for Google’s business model.
  
  

What Should Brands Do Now?

• Focus on core SEO principles: technical excellence, unique content, brand authority.

• Optimise for AI-friendly formats: bullet points, concise answers, structured content.

• Track evolving metrics: impressions, branded search uplift, and brand mentions in AI.

• Prioritise commercial terms, these remain insulated from AI summaries for now.
  
  

In summary, while AI is reshaping SEO, the fundamentals remain, it’s about staying adaptable, testing, and continuing to deliver valuable, user-centric content. The brands that combine AI innovation with SEO best practice will thrive in this new era.