Summary of "The Future of SEO" Episode of The Digital Marketing Podcast

Podcast Information:

• Title: The Digital Marketing Podcast
• Hosts: Kieran Rogers, Daniel Rowles, and Louise Crossley
• Episode: The Future of SEO
• Release Date: August 3, 2025
• Description: An advert-free, weekly digital marketing podcast featuring interviews with global experts, latest news, tools, strategies, and techniques to give your digital marketing an edge.

1. Introduction to the Future of SEO

The episode begins with Kieran Rogers and Daniel Rowles delving into the evolving landscape of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). They discuss recent conversations surrounding generative engine optimization (GEO) and the expansion of traditional SEO paradigms.

Notable Quote:

• Daniel Rowles [00:21]: "Is SEO just expanding? We've got AI overviews and then we talked a little bit about answer engine optimization."

2. The Debate: Is SEO Dead?

The hosts address the prevalent notion that SEO might be becoming obsolete. They counter this by highlighting the persistent and growing influence of SEO, despite heightened concerns and legal challenges.

Notable Quotes:

• Kieran Rogers [00:54]: "I'm hearing every... But no, it's everywhere."
• Daniel Rowles [01:13]: "People are getting that antsy about the chain."

3. Legal Challenges: Suing Google

A significant portion of the discussion centers around a consortium of European businesses suing Google. These businesses, primarily publishers and content-focused entities, allege that changes in Google's algorithms have severely reduced their organic traffic.

Notable Quotes:

• Kieran Rogers [01:29]: "There's a slightly consortium of European businesses... "
• Daniel Rowles [07:18]: "Publishers... are not just seeing the value from it and they think it's a break in that relationship."

4. Impact of AI on SEO and User Behavior

The introduction of AI-generated answers in search results has transformed how users interact with search engines. While e-commerce sites remain relatively unaffected, content publishers have seen drastic drops in organic traffic (40-60%) as AI provides immediate answers, reducing the need for users to click through to websites.

Notable Quotes:

• Kieran Rogers [02:50]: "Why aren't people clicking? Because actually for the majority of them, they've had their itch scratched by the AI answers."
• Daniel Rowles [03:06]: "They are sourcing maybe three different links in there... which shows that actually by answering questions... it's still getting picked up by the search engines."

5. Changes in Search Engine Rankings and Click-Through Rates

The hosts explain that AI overviews not only provide answers but also influence traditional search rankings. A decline in click-through rates (CTR) negatively impacts website rankings, creating a feedback loop that further diminishes organic traffic.

Notable Quotes:

• Kieran Rogers [03:52]: "You see quite a big increase in impressions year on year, right. But you're seeing a big drop in clicks and more recently a drop within the rankings."
• Daniel Rowles [05:02]: "The AI overviews are only including the exact phrase you search for in 5% of cases."

6. The Role of Brand Sentiment and Share of Voice

With large language models (LLMs) like Google Gemini analyzing brand sentiment and share of voice across various platforms, businesses must focus on cultivating positive online mentions. Negative or limited mentions can disproportionately affect how brands are perceived and ranked by AI systems.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Rowles [10:10]: "Brand sentiment analysis is pretty clever because it will say, these are the things that people thought were good about you."
• Kieran Rogers [12:12]: "There's a big drive at the moment. People have clocked that a lot of the AI systems really rely on Wikipedia for facts."

7. Case Study: AppSumo Promotion

Daniel shares his experience with an AppSumo promotion, highlighting how excessive discounting led to an influx of non-targeted reviews. While initially perceived as positive, these reviews skewed brand sentiment analysis, demonstrating the importance of targeting and quality control in advocacy efforts.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Rowles [10:32]: "We basically given away about £50,000 worth of our product for about a thousand dollars."
• Kieran Rogers [12:12]: "So the only way you can really deal with it is say I need to be mentioned in more places by more."

8. Adapting to Conversational and Complex Queries

As users adopt more conversational and lengthy search queries, SEO strategies must evolve to address these nuanced inquiries. Incorporating in-depth answers, references, and high-quality content becomes crucial in maintaining visibility both in traditional search results and within AI-generated answers.

Notable Quotes:

• Kieran Rogers [22:06]: "People are searching in more complex questions. We need to answer questions and we need to think about those deeper questions."
• Daniel Rowles [25:46]: "Large language models are built on neural networks... connections between things... relevance."

9. Google's AI Mode and Conversational Search

Google's integration of AI into its search functionality, notably through Google Gemini, allows for contextual and conversational interactions. This shift aims to retain users within Google's ecosystem by offering a more interactive search experience similar to ChatGPT.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Rowles [22:55]: "Google has rolled out AI mode in search which is basically you click the AI mode button and it drops into Google Gemini."
• Kieran Rogers [22:22]: "We've always talked about take your diamonds and polish them. Maybe you need to revisit that."

10. Strategies for Effective SEO in the Age of AI

The hosts conclude with actionable strategies for businesses to thrive despite the evolving SEO landscape:

• Advocacy: Cultivate positive mentions across diverse platforms to enhance brand sentiment.
• Content Quality: Produce well-referenced, high-quality content that demonstrates expertise and trustworthiness.
• Engagement: Encourage authentic customer reviews and interactions to build a robust online presence.
• Adaptation: Continuously update and refine SEO strategies to align with changing user behaviors and search engine algorithms.

Notable Quotes:

• Kieran Rogers [27:27]: "Make sure you're quoting, you know, well-respected content."
• Daniel Rowles [28:49]: "Demonstrating your expertise, your experience, your authoritativeness and that builds trust. Well, that's E-A-T. That's Google's E-A-T."

11. Final Recommendations and Positive Outlook

Despite the challenges, the hosts emphasize that SEO is not dead but has become more sophisticated. By adhering to best practices centered around E-A-T (Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) and leveraging brand advocacy, businesses can navigate and succeed in the new SEO landscape.

Notable Quotes:

• Kieran Rogers [28:22]: "I don't think SEO is dead. Of course it isn't."
• Daniel Rowles [28:49]: "Give answers to questions, your experience... that's going to help you from a generative engine optimization."

12. Additional Resources and Closing

The episode wraps up with information about Target Internet's offerings, including monthly update sessions, masterclasses on AI agents and SEO techniques, and the benefits of subscribing to their newsletter for ongoing support and resources.

Notable Quotes:

• Daniel Rowles [28:49]: "You've got links through in the show notes... sign up as a member to Target Internet, the annual membership is on a really good offer at the moment."

Key Takeaways:

• SEO is Evolving: With the advent of AI and LLMs, traditional SEO strategies must adapt to changing user behaviors and search engine functionalities.
• Brand Advocacy is Crucial: Positive online mentions and brand sentiment significantly impact SEO in the age of AI.
• Content Quality Matters More Than Ever: High-quality, well-referenced content that demonstrates E-A-T principles remains essential.
• Stay Informed and Adapt: Continuous learning and adaptation to new SEO tools and strategies are vital for maintaining visibility and competitiveness.

For more insights, resources, and episodes, visit TargetInternet.com Podcast.