Podcast Summary: "How will organic strategies evolve over the next 18 months?"

Podcast: Voices of Search by I Hear Everything
Date: October 2, 2025
Host: Jordan Cooney
Guest: Guy (from Webflow)

Episode Overview

This episode explores how organic search and content strategies are poised to change over the next year and a half. Jordan Cooney and his guest, Guy from Webflow, discuss the critical importance of content freshness, data-driven decision-making, and balancing evergreen SEO principles with modern shifts in AI, programmatic content, and user expectations. They back their insights with recent data and actionable strategies, offering a roadmap for marketers and SEO professionals facing a rapidly changing digital landscape.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rapid Evolution of Organic Search Strategies

• Acceleration of Change:
  • Jordan predicts organic search will "rapidly evolve like the early days of paid search" but with the core goal still focused on storytelling, brand-building, and revenue.
    • Quote ([00:44]):

      "My take it will rapidly evolve like the early days of paid search, but the core goal is the same: tell valuable stories to build brand and drive revenue." — Jordan Cooney

Importance of Content Freshness

• Data-Driven Update Cadence:
  • Jordan cites that 85% of citations in OpenAI models were refreshed in the last 10 months, underscoring the necessity of up-to-date content to remain relevant, especially with AI-driven search.
  • Webflow's internal partnership led to 5x faster content refreshing, resulting in a 42% increase in traffic and notable conversion improvements.
    • Quote ([01:05]):

      "Vivian on our team partnered with AirOps to 5x the speed of refreshing content. We saw a 42% lift in traffic and... materially higher conversion full stop." — Jordan Cooney

The Freshness/Quality Paradox

• Not Just More Content – Smarter Content:
  • Both speakers caution against indiscriminate content creation. Instead, they stress publishing at the right intervals, for the right audience, with relevant context.
  • Frequency and relevancy are as crucial as sheer volume, and brands must calibrate publishing schedules to audience expectations.
    • Quote ([02:00]):

      "Building more doesn't necessarily solve the freshness question... It's about building at the right frequency for the right audience with the right context." — Jordan Cooney

Accuracy and Trustworthiness

• On- and Off-Site Accuracy:
  • There is an ever-increasing focus on content accuracy, both on a brand’s platform and across the web, reflecting evolving user expectations and algorithm priorities.

Persistent Core Goals of SEO

• Evergreen Fundamentals:
  • Despite shifts in tactics and technology, the essence of SEO remains unchanged: deliver valuable content, answer audience needs, and prioritize user experience.
    • Quote ([02:30]):

      "That's what good SEO was always supposed to be. And… the core thing isn't different." — [Unidentified speaker, likely Guy]

AI-Enhanced Optimization & the AEO Debate

• AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) vs SEO:
  • The overlap between traditional SEO and emerging AEO is discussed. While not identical, their motivations are closely aligned—to serve accurate, useful information to the user.
    • Quote ([03:00]):

      "No, they are not identical AEO and SEO, but the core motivation? Similar. Quite similar. Heavy overlap." — Jordan Cooney

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Organic Evolution:

  "Tell valuable stories to build brand and drive revenue." — Jordan Cooney ([00:44])

• On Content Refresh Velocity:

  "We saw 42% lift in traffic and... materially higher conversion full stop." — Jordan Cooney ([01:15])

• On Content Strategy:

  "Building more doesn't necessarily solve the freshness question, right? It's about building at the right frequency, for the right audience, with the right context." — Jordan Cooney ([02:00])

• On SEO Fundamentals:

  "That's what good SEO was always supposed to be... the core thing isn't different." — [Guy] ([02:30])

• On AEO vs SEO:

  "No, they're not identical... but the core motivation: similar. Quite similar. Heavy overlap." — Jordan Cooney ([03:00])

Timeline of Important Segments

• 00:44 – Predicting rapid evolution in organic strategies; the centrality of stories and brand.
• 01:05 – Data on content update cycles, the necessity for freshness in the age of AI, and Webflow’s results from faster content refreshing.
• 02:00 – Breaking down the need for the right publishing frequency, not just more content.
• 02:30 – Reflection on core SEO goals and industry shifts.
• 03:00 – Discussing AEO vs SEO and their shared motivations.

Conclusion

The episode underscores that while SEO tactics will rapidly adapt—especially as AI and new user behaviors reshape the digital ecosystem—the fundamental principles of delivering relevant, accurate, and timely content persist. Brands prioritizing data-driven freshness and contextual publishing will be best positioned for the next 18 months of organic search evolution.

Final Thought:
"The answers are always in the data." — Jordan Cooney ([Outro])