Keywords and backlinks were once the focus of search engine optimization (SEO), but those days are behind us. SEO is advancing and morphing quickly, making what we used to know about getting found on Google obsolete.
Google, Bing, and other search engines are bursting forward with artificial intelligence that further refines the algorithms. Businesses that use old SEO rules must rethink their strategies to remain competitive. What worked in 2022 doesn’t cut it in the world of search today.
AI-powered search exploded onto the scene and changed everything overnight. New concepts and terminology were absorbed into the digital landscape; terms and tactics like voice search, zero-click search results, and shifting content ranking signals affected and essentially retrained people on how to find and interact with online content.
One term to familiarize oneself with is SGE or Google Search Generative Experience. It’s a scary time for some businesses whose online presence has been fully and successfully optimized for the old rules. Now, SGE favors AI-generated summaries and more human-sounding and conversational responses than traditional links. Meantime, user intent, page experience, and credibility (E-E-A-T) are more critical than ever in determining rankings.
Understand Today’s SEO and the Effects of AI
So, how can businesses get current with their SEO strategy? In this article, we’ll explore:
- The impact of AI-driven search algorithms on rankings: Get used to AI because it’s here to stay.
- How to optimize for zero-click searches and featured snippets: Zero-click searches will improve your business's ability to sell your items online and get faster results with less user friction.
- Why voice search and conversational AI are changing content strategies: The internet has long been said to need to be more conversational so its users can better relate. That’s what voice search and human-sounding AI accomplish.
- The growing role of visual search and short-form video in SEO: Video is exploding along with visual search. Most people love visuals, and AI shows a preference for visual content.
- How businesses can use AI and automation to enhance SEO efforts: It might be scary, but just as the old SEO was a huge opportunity for businesses, so is AI’s ability to improve your search efforts.
Contemporary SEO is more complex than ever. However, businesses that tackle the changes head-on and develop a well-thought-out strategy will emerge as the winners. Let’s dive in.
AI-Powered Search — How Google and Other Platforms Are Evolving
Artificial intelligence is driving the vast leaps in sophistication and complexity of SEO algorithms, and, as such, it’s developing a new era in search where AI plays the dominant role in driving search results.
Google's Search Generative Experience (SGE), Microsoft’s AI-enhanced Bing, and emerging AI-first search platforms are changing how users interact with search engines. As a result, fewer people visit individual websites because they get the information they need directly from the search results. Mobile searches are now more common than desktop searches, a departure from even five years ago when more searches were performed on a desktop than on a mobile device.
So, what does this mean for businesses relying on organic search traffic?
- Traditional ranking factors are evolving — Google now prioritizes content relevance, authority, and user experience more than ever. AI-driven search engines now focus on context and intent, meaning content must be deeply informative, structured well, and tailored to answer user queries directly.
- SERP layouts are shifting — AI-generated responses and zero-click results (where users get answers without visiting a website) are reducing click-through rates (CTR). This makes it critical for businesses to optimize for featured snippets, knowledge panels, and structured data to ensure visibility.
- Conversational search is growing — With AI-powered assistants and chat-based search interfaces becoming more popular, content that mimics natural language and answers complex questions engagingly will rank higher.
To stay ahead, businesses should adapt their content strategies by:
- Content is KING: Creating in-depth, high-quality content that directly answers user questions.
- A Few of the Old Tactics: Structuring content with headings, lists, and FAQs to increase visibility in AI-generated summaries.
- Markups: Using schema markup and structured data to help search engines understand content contextually.
- Trends: Monitoring AI-driven search trends and continuously refining SEO tactics to align with algorithm updates.
The rise of AI-driven search doesn’t mean SEO is dead — it means businesses need to be more thoughtful about how they create and structure content. The goal is no longer just to rank high but to be the best source of information that AI search engines rely on.
Zero-Click Searches & Featured Snippets
Zero-click searches have upended traditional SEO by allowing users to bypass the traditional click-through to a website to access information. Instead, results are displayed directly on the search page, reducing the need for extra clicks, which speeds up the search and makes it more directly accessible.
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), featured snippets, and AI-generated answers have accelerated this trend, making it harder for traditional organic listings to capture clicks.
So, what’s driving this change?
- Google’s AI-driven search results — With AI-generated summaries at the top of the page, users often get direct answers without scrolling or clicking links.
- Featured snippets dominate search visibility — These are the concise answer boxes that Google pulls from website pages to display at the top of search results.
- Knowledge panels and People Also Ask (PAA) boxes — These sections aggregate and display key information from multiple sources, reducing the need to visit individual websites.
Many businesses fear the hard work and effort of producing online content will be obsolete because of the advent of zero-click search, which can whittle away at the old model or click-through rates. However, evergreen content can be repurposed and re-optimized to continue to be effective and increase brand visibility and authority. You can do this by:
- Targeting Featured Snippets — Structure content using clear headings, bullet points, and concise answers to commonly searched questions.
- Optimizing for “People Also Ask” Questions — Identify common user queries and answer them directly within blog posts and website content.
- Using Schema Markup — Implement structured data to help Google understand and display key information from your site.
- Crafting High-Quality, Direct Answers — Write clear, authoritative responses that can be easily pulled into featured snippets.
Don’t be intimidated by a zero-click search. It’s creating more upside than downside for businesses that actively incorporate it into their marketing efforts. Opportunities can dominate for brands that know how to position themselves as the authoritative answer.
Voice Search & Conversational AI — Optimizing for Smart Assistants
Voice technology is fast becoming a significant new star of search. It’s convenient conversational, and internet searchers like the speed of results and the feeling they get from a direct verbal response. It’s more like a conversation than a search. Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant might have started slowly, but AI refined the technology, and now more searches than not are done with a voice-assisted search. By 2025, industry trends indicate that over half of all searches will be conducted through voice-enabled devices. Voice search differs from traditional search in a few key ways:
- Longer, more conversational queries using questions: Instead of typing “best roofing materials in 2025,” a user might ask, “What are the best roofing materials being used in 2025?”
- Local search dominance: Many voice searches are location-based, such as “Where can I find fleet management services in Denver?”
- Preference for Direct Answers: Users love voice assistants because of the fast answers they receive. It’s like asking a real person a question and getting a pinpointed answer back. Voice assistants pull their answers from featured snippets and structured data and translate them into conversations.
To optimize for voice search and conversational AI, businesses should:
- Use conversational speech and content based on questions — Write conversationally and incorporate FAQs with who, what, where, when, and how questions.
- Optimize for local SEO — Ensure your Google Business Profile is current and use location-based keywords to capture voice searches looking for nearby services.
- Focus on mobile-friendly and fast-loading pages — Voice search is heavily mobile-driven, making page speed and mobile optimization critical.
Voice search is no longer an emerging trend — it’s a mainstream search method that businesses can’t afford to ignore. Those who tailor their content for conversational AI will improve their rankings and stay ahead in an increasingly voice-driven digital landscape.
The Importance of E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)
Gone are the days of hack keyword stuffing, where content was awkwardly written and loaded with keywords to trick Google’s algorithms. These days, keyword stuffing is penalized, and a human's writing content is prioritized because of its credibility and authenticity.
The E-E-A-T framework (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is now a critical ranking factor, especially for industries where accuracy and credibility matter, such as finance, health, and business.
Why Does E-E-A-T Matter for SEO?
- Search engines prioritize trusted sources — Google favors websites that provide accurate, well-researched information, particularly for YMYL (Your Money, Your Life) topics, which impact financial decisions, health, and security.
- User trust drives engagement and conversions — Readers who perceive your brand as an industry leader are likelier to stay on your page, share your content, and convert into customers.
- Google’s AI-generated search results rely on authoritative sources — AI-driven search tools pull from high-E-E-A-T sites to generate responses, making credibility a key factor in visibility.
How to Strengthen E-E-A-T in Your Content
- Expert: Highlight industry experience, credentials, and real-world knowledge in blog posts, landing pages, and author bios.
- Citations: Link to trusted, authoritative websites to support claims and establish credibility.
- Reviews and testimonials: Positive customer feedback and third-party validation signal trustworthiness to users and search engines.
Google favors quality content over so-called ‘shallow content,’ which used to be enough for businesses to rank well. Users expect better-produced and created digital content, and while it requires a more significant investment by companies and brands, it’s a critical investment in your SEO marketing efforts.
Video & Visual Search: SEO Beyond Text-Based Queries
Video and visual search have come a long way. It used to be good enough to serve up grainy or poorly shot video and photography. That has all changed, and users are consuming video and visual content remarkably.
Voice search optimization is now essential as more users search using conversational queries. To appear in voice search results and dominate search engine results, businesses must implement schema markup and embrace semantic search strategies that align with how real people speak and search.
Google Lens, AI-generated images, and video shorts are taking over. Think TikTok, IG Reels, and YouTube shorts.
The Growth of Visual Search
- Google Lens is an image search app that allows users to search using images instead of text. To use it, you simply take a picture on your phone. Results pop-up, allowing users to search using images instead of text.
- AI-powered search engines can now identify objects, landmarks, and clothing styles, pulling data from high-quality website images.
- E-commerce brands are seeing increased image-based shopping queries, making alt text, structured data, and image optimization essential for product pages.
The Impact of Video on SEO
- Google often prioritizes YouTube videos in search results, making video SEO critical for visibility.
- Short-form content on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts is becoming a primary traffic driver, especially among younger audiences.
- Video engagement metrics (watch time, likes, and shares) influence rankings and help brands appear in search results and recommended feeds.
How to Optimize for Visual & Video Search
- Use descriptive alt text and image file labels to improve search visibility.
- Leverage structured data (schema markup) to help search engines understand image and video content.
- Create video content that answers common search queries like tutorials, product reviews, and industry information.
- Optimize YouTube videos with strong titles, keywords, and timestamps to enhance discoverability.
- Embed relevant videos on website pages to increase dwell time and engagement.
Businesses SEO Strategies
Small businesses and larger brands need to drive traffic to their websites and other properties just as much today as yesterday. But there’s no doubt we’re going through a major transition, which means developing new strategies to prepare your business for the future.
Key Strategies to Stay Competitive
- Focus on high-quality, informative content that answers user queries concisely yet detailedly.
- Optimize AI-driven search results by structuring content for featured snippets, knowledge panels, and conversational AI.
- Prioritize E-E-A-T by showcasing expertise, credibility, and transparency in all digital content.
- Invest in video and visual SEO, ensuring images, videos, and structured data are optimized for search engines.
- Leverage AI and automation tools for keyword research, content optimization, and SEO analysis.
How Businesses and Brands Can Win the Search Game
Winning in search now means creating valuable, high-quality content that answers questions before users even think to ask. Featured snippets, visual search, and strong E-E-A-T signals will separate top brands from the competition. And as AI-powered tools reshape SEO, staying ahead means working smarter, not harder.
At Peaks Digital Marketing, our seasoned SEO experts leverage AI technologies to optimize your website and drive measurable results. Through in-depth analysis, we identify the most effective schema types to align with your website’s structure, goals, and user behavior.
We know that optimizing your site can feel overwhelming and time-consuming — especially without the right tools or expertise. Our team uses advanced AI-powered strategies and automation to implement schema markup and set your site up for long-term visibility and ranking success in today’s ever-evolving SERPs.
Enhance your digital presence with Peaks Digital Marketing. To request a free proposal, visit our website or call (720) 432-7115.
