Navigating AI’s upheaval of organic search and traditional SEO
Not long ago, SEO consisted of great original content built with strategic keywords with the goal of bringing in organic traffic. A solid strategy could include a blog here and there addressing likely search terms, SEO upkeep on the backend of the website and public relations efforts to achieve backlinks. Now, although a good portion of the strategy hasn’t changed, AI search has dramatically changed the way the game is played and introduced new tactics that are essential to showing up in results on large language model (LLM) tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Bing Copilot, Grok and more.
Websites that once held the top spot on Google have reported losing as much as 80% of their clickthroughs when their results appear below the infamous Google AI Overview summaries, according to a July 2025 report by The Guardian. It’s a change that has brands and media companies in an uproar, but consumers love it. The result of so-called “zero-click” search from AI overviews and the billions of monthly queries from AI tools like ChatGPT means that fewer people are visiting websites — but the ones that do are clicking through because they have strong interest and are therefore more likely to convert, leading to a curious situation where CTRs drop, but high-quality leads increase.
So how do we navigate this AI-search world? The answer is a combination of human-first content creation and strategy, combined with a solid plan for ongoing maintenance and AI-tool tracking to ensure you’re appearing in all the right places.
What is AIO/AEO/GEO and does SEO still matter?
As if there weren’t enough acronyms floating around, trends around AI search have introduced even more like AI Optimization (AIO), Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Although each has its own focus, they all share a common goal: optimizing your digital presence and content so it is visible and desirable to AI tools, increasing the likelihood to appear in LLM search results, whether that be via chatbot or voice answers.
But these fancy terms don’t replace SEO — far from it. Traditional SEO is more important than ever and remains the foundation of a successful content strategy for both organic search and AI search. AI optimization builds upon that base to maximize visibility, reduce the risk of AI tools delivering wrong answers about your brand and create content that entices users to click through to your site.
How do I appear in AI search results?
SEO continues to be the basis for being found online, whether through organic or AI search, so you should start there with content and relevant keywords. But you can raise the odds of appearing in search with some additional tactics.
These include:
- Formatting new and existing content in a way that AI tools can easily scan and read, both for chatbot output and for AI voice assistants.
- Strengthening your public relations efforts boosts your content’s credibility. AI tools are more likely to select and cite information from trusted sources, like news outlets.
- Auditing your website and digital brand materials to ensure all information is up to date and consistent, minimizing the risk of misinformation because even a 10-year-old blog post with outdated specs or a discontinued product could appear in an AI search result.
- Creating new, unique content written by a human.
That last point is worth repeating. Human-led content should prevail. This isn’t just a matter of preference — AI, like traditional SEO, favors original, relatable content. That means the imperfect human writing style. Human experiences. Customer stories. These are all things that AI can’t just conjure out of its server banks. Your stories are what will make your content different and help it shine.
If this sounds like a lot of work, you’d be right. So, it may be worth asking for some help.
What should my long-term strategy be for AI search?
Initial online audits, optimization and human-written content are great and necessary solutions for optimizing for search results. However, it isn’t a one-and-done approach for ensuring long-term visibility. Consider the following:
Regular content monitoring and maintenance
Regularly monitor your content and online materials to ensure information and formatting is up to date both for accuracy and for optimization with the latest AI models. This includes checking your website and online presence in addition to using prompt research tools to analyze whether and how you appear to AI search tools. The information will help guide the strategy for content updates and maintenance.
Public relations
News coverage is the best way to build authority and credibility for your brand and to be cited by AI search tools — a common practice chatbots use to build credibility into their answers by citing authoritative domains such as news outlets. An ongoing PR program through which you regularly share newsworthy updates, thought-leadership content and customer case studies with journalists and editors from relevant and established news publications will help both your SEO and AI presence.
Invest in owned channels
As you know, organic traffic is dropping. In addition to ensuring you appear where users are now searching, you should double-down on the audiences you can communicate with directly. Many things like newsletters, dedicated social media groups and podcasts are algorithm proof and include a captive audience unaffected by AI search. Make sure you are maintaining these channels so you have a solid way to communicate even as more traditional SEO rapidly changes.
Work with a dedicated team
Your organization may have a fully staffed, robust marketing team that you can use to tackle all these strategies easily without pulling from other priorities. However, to give your brand the attention it deserves in this AI-driven search landscape, consider working with a marketing partner. Agencies like IRONCLAD are among those leading the charge when it comes to staying up to date on AI trends and strategies that achieve results. An AI-search program allows you to be hands-off while maximizing your visibility.
A new search environment
As AI continues to evolve and change how we and our customers search online, we need to adjust with proactive strategies to optimize content, monitor brand visibility and build overall authority. While some of the tactics reflect traditional SEO best practices, there are still new tools and priorities we need to adjust to. Whether on your own, or with an agency partner like IRONCLAD, it’s time to take action to ensure your brand isn’t lost in the noise.
Contact our team today to help you evaluate your current visibility and create a clear plan forward.