Uncensored CMO: "Is AI Killing SEO? Semrush Spotlight with Andrew Warden"

Host: Jon Evans
Guest: Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush
Date: December 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the seismic impact of AI—specifically LLMs (Large Language Models) like ChatGPT—on search behaviors, SEO, and brand visibility. Jon Evans speaks with Andrew Warden, CMO of Semrush, about how the rules of marketing, search, content, and measurement are being rewritten. The discussion is framed around new data from Semrush, the launch of Semrush1 and their AI Visibility Toolkit, and practical advice for marketers confronting the rapidly shifting search and AI landscape.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The AI Disruption Moment in Marketing

• AI's Impact as the Biggest Shift Since Google

  • Andrew describes the current era as the most significant moment for marketers since Google’s launch. Marketers are split into three groups: experimenters, watchers, and the “frozen” middle who are unsure what to do or where to invest.
  • “This is the most significant moment for marketers since Google started. That can either be very daunting for people or it can be tremendously exciting.” (Andrew Warden, 02:12)

• Many Marketers Are Unsure Where to Start

  • Fear of dropping organic traffic or not understanding LLM-driven search visibility is paralyzing many.

2. The State of Search: Google is Still King, but AI Search is Rising

• Google Holds 94%+ of Search, But “AI Visibility” Matters
  • Despite rumors, SEO is not dead: “94.3% of searches are happening on Google still. It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be, as marketers, worried about visibility in LLMs... customers who come through AI search engines where you are referenced in an LLM are 4.4 times as likely to convert.” (Andrew Warden, 05:05)
  • The advice is not to abandon traditional SEO, but to expand organic programs into new platforms (YouTube, Reddit, Quora, UGC) and embrace tools that serve both SEO and LLM visibility.

3. AI & Organic: Changing How Content Works

• AI is Making Organic Behave More Like Paid
  • Algorithmic behaviors of LLMs are accelerating the content cycle: performance is now seen in weeks, not years. Andrew emphasizes the need for greater content freshness and a more aggressive publishing schedule:
    • “With LLMs, it’s almost like these channels are now behaving more like paid... your publishing schedule needs to pull forward at least 3 or 4x.” (Andrew Warden, 08:46, 17:51)
  • User-generated content (UGC), creator collaborations, and multiple content channels are pivotal.

4. Industry Variance and the Mechanics of AI Search

• AI Search Results Differ by Industry and Intent

  • AI (ChatGPT, Google AI) treats industries and query types (transactional vs informational) differently.
    • “...on average, it can be 23%. We see right now with the latest data 23% on Google you’re going to get an AI overview response. But in some verticals it goes up to 80% and some verticals it shrinks to three.” (Andrew Warden, 12:26)
  • Non-transactional (informational) queries get far more AI overviews than e-commerce and transactional ones.

• Mentions vs. Sources – The Importance of Authority

  • Being referenced as a source is what breaks through the zero-click wall and builds trust in AI systems:
    • “The trust factor between being a mention and being a source is also critical. And I might be wrong, but I believe that sources are the only, that’s really where the only blue links live. For any hope to escape a zero-click reality is to be a source.” (Andrew Warden, 13:25)

5. The “Digital Brand Visibility” Mindset

• Visibility Is About Brand, Not Just Keywords
  • “Digital brand visibility” now means how your brand shows up everywhere—in LLMs, news, UGC, reviews, not just your website.
  • Consistent storytelling, high share of voice, brand fandom, and topical authority all feed into AI “brand choices.”
  • “Brand matters five times more. Patagonia… they have been storytelling about being outdoors, care and sustainability… for at least five to seven years. And then you have all of this brand fandom around them.” (Andrew Warden, 21:30)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Shift from Company Statements to UGC:
  “These days it’s what do other people say about the brand? That matters more, doesn’t it?” (John Evans, 15:48)
  “Content creators, influencers as well... But you just have to start.” (Andrew Warden, 16:00)

• On Overcoming Perfectionism as a Marketer:
  “I will ship at 80% and clean it up after. That applies to pretty much every single day.” (Andrew Warden, 19:11)

• On Speed Over Perfection:
  “The winners are often not the best. They’re the ones that move quickest into the gaps and take advantage of them.” (John Evans, 21:00)

• On Traditional SEO and LLMs Both Being Essential:
  “The biggest risk is to over-rotate on LLMs... It’s the combination of traditional SEO and AI search, which will equal digital brand visibility.” (Andrew Warden, 29:13)

• On the Future Role of Emotion:
  “The more we automate things... the more important human emotion and humanity will become to those brands that want to win.” (John Evans, 33:27)
  “Well, the authenticity part is what’s going to matter... Brands are going to have to do even more to stand out, to make you feel something.” (Andrew Warden, 33:44)

• On Team Adaptability and Leadership:
  “This is not the moment for conservatism. This is where CMOs need to ask very hard questions of do we have the right talent leading these teams?” (Andrew Warden, 26:49)
  “There were two people in a team that had no responsibility for that whatsoever... within three hours they used Claude and they came up with some of the best messaging that I had seen since my time at Semrush... These are the people you want to find and celebrate.” (Andrew Warden, 28:00)

Important Segment Timestamps

• AI’s Disruptive Moment: 02:12 – 04:19
• Google vs. AI Search & Marketer Reaction: 04:25 – 06:00
• Expanding Content Beyond Traditional SEO: 05:55 – 08:32
• Findings from the AI Visibility Report: 08:32 – 11:08
• Industry and AI Result Variance: 11:09 – 13:06
• Mentions vs. Sources in AI Search: 13:06 – 15:37
• The Necessity of UGC and Content Creators: 15:38 – 18:48
• Content Freshness & Aggressive Publishing: 17:51 – 19:04
• Speed vs. Perfectionism: 19:04 – 21:11
• Brand’s Elevated Importance in AI Era: 21:00 – 24:23
• Digital Brand Visibility Concept: 24:23 – 26:28
• Advice to Marketing Leaders: 26:49 – 30:06
• Does AI Reduce Consumer Choice?: 30:06 – 34:44
• The Enduring Need for Human Connection: 34:44 – 36:13
• SEMrush1 and New AI Feature Launch: 36:13 – 38:27

Practical Takeaways for Marketers

• Don’t Abandon SEO: Double down on both SEO and new AI-driven visibility strategies.
• Content Needs to Be Fresh and Fast: Aggressively scale up content experiments—don’t wait for perfection.
• UGC and Creator Partnerships Matter: Collaborate, encourage reviews, and harvest different voices to build authority and trust in AI models.
• Understand Your AI “Mention” Sources: Monitor which sources AI references you from—being a primary source is key.
• Measure and Optimize for Digital Brand Visibility: Use tools (like those in Semrush1) to track not just traffic, but share of voice, mentions, source status, and more.
• Prioritize Adaptable Talent: Seek and celebrate team members who are proactive, experiment-driven, and not stuck in legacy SEO thinking.
• Emotion and Authenticity Are Non-Negotiable: Safe, automated choices mean emotional brand connection is the new battleground.

Episode Tone & Speaker Dynamic

The conversation is candid, energetic, and embraces the uncertainty and excitement of true industry disruption. Both Jon and Andrew blend practical advice, humor, and real-world examples with a healthy dose of urgency and optimism. There’s a strong encouragement for marketers to experiment, adapt rapidly, and lean into the messiness of transformation.

Summary Authored for listeners who need the full picture and practical implications, even if they haven’t heard the episode themselves.