Summary3 min read

Podcast Episode Summary

Podcast: Voices of Search
Episode Title: Optimizing for Google vs AI Search
Date: February 7, 2026
Host: Jordan Cooney
Guest: Will Critchlow, CEO at SearchPilot

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the rapidly evolving landscape of search engine optimization (SEO) as it relates to both traditional Google search and emerging AI-powered search engines. Host Jordan Cooney interviews Will Critchlow, CEO of SearchPilot, about the latest approaches to content and SEO testing, especially in the context of AI-driven search platforms and how new metrics and technologies are reshaping experimentation and strategy.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Emergence of AI Search and New Testing Needs

AI search continues to redefine how SEO specialists approach optimization, requiring more nuanced and reliable forms of testing.
SearchPilot has responded by launching the industry’s first geo testing system for AI search in 2026.

2. Multi-Metric Optimization is Critical

Will Critchlow emphasizes the importance of evaluating tests across multiple metrics, moving beyond "one-size-fits-all" approaches.
- Quote [01:07]:
  "We are betting that by optimizing our tests to be able to be measured against different things, that will enable people to get more insights faster, with more confidence, build better tests, make smarter decisions."
  — Will Critchlow, on the future of SEO testing

3. Segmentation and Deeper Analysis

Segmented analysis within tests is highlighted as an emerging capability:
- Now possible to break down test impacts across different categories (e.g., home furnishings vs. fashion vs. kids' clothes) within major retail websites.
- Enabled by the same technology powering multi-metric testing.
- Quote [02:56]:
  "The exciting stuff that's just starting to come out in our product right now is that it also enables things like segmented analysis... we can do that as well because of the same technology that runs the multi metrics."
  — Will Critchlow

4. Practical Implications for SEO Teams

Multi-metric and segmented testing allow teams to:
- Gain more granular insights on what works and where.
- Confidently report improvements in specific business segments.
- Design better experiments with meaningful business outcomes.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Will Critchlow on Multi-Metric Testing [01:07]:
"We are betting that by optimizing our tests to be able to be measured against different things, that will enable people to get more insights faster, with more confidence, build better tests, make smarter decisions."
Will Critchlow on Segmented Analysis [02:56]:
"The exciting stuff that's just starting to come out...is that it enables things like segmented analysis...for a major retailer... you want to be able to report on it and say, how good was it in home furnishings, how good was it in fashion, how good was it in whatever else it might be? ... We can do that as well."

Timestamps for Important Segments

00:44 – 01:07: Introduction of guest and SearchPilot’s geo testing system for AI search.
01:07 – 01:28: Will Critchlow details the importance and future of multi-metric testing.
02:56 – 03:39: Discussion on segmentation in test analysis and its benefits for enterprises.

Episode Takeaways

The future of SEO testing is multidimensional, leveraging multiple metrics and deep segmentation to deliver actionable, confident results.
Adapting to AI search engines will require new strategies, tools, and a flexible approach to experimentation.
Data-driven decision-making remains the key, but the shape and granularity of that data are evolving rapidly.

For more on Will Critchlow or SearchPilot, visit their LinkedIn or searchpilot.com.

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Transcript6 lines

[00:00]
A
The Voices of Search Podcast is a proud member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network. Looking to launch or scale your podcast, I Hear Everything delivers podcast production, growth and monetization solutions that transform your words into profit. Ready to give your brand a voice? Then visit iheareverything.com welcome to the Voices of Search Podcast. A member of the I Hear Everything Podcast Network, ready to expedite your company's organic growth efforts. Sit back, relax and get ready for your daily dose of search engine optimization wisdom. Here's today's host of the Voices of Search Podcast, Jordan Cooney.
[00:45]
B
I'm Jordan Cooney and joining me is Will Critchlow, CEO at SearchPilot. Search Pilot is the leading SEO AB testing platform for enterprise sites and they just launched the industry's first geo testing system purpose built for AI search in 2026. What is the one testing aspect that you are betting on?
[01:08]
C
Big it's no surprise. It's the thing I've mentioned before, but it's the multi metrics. I think that we are betting that by optimizing our tests to be able to be measured against different things that will enable people to get more insights faster, with more confidence, build better tests, make smarter decisions Time for a one.
[01:29]
D
Minute break to hear from our sponsor, Pre Visible. So you're looking for SEO help and you got a couple of options. You could start replying to spam from agencies that claim they can get you to rank number one on Google. You can pay an hourly rate for a consultant who will inevitably nickel and dime you with hourly charges. Or you can work with a cookie cutter agency to quickly launch a strategy less project with low success rate. None of those sound very good now do they? Well, that's where Pre Visible's integrated consulting model comes in. Pre Visible draws From a collective 40 years of SEO and digital marketing experience to unlock your organic growth opportunities. They build custom solutions that combine strategy, technical expertise, content and reporting to effectively operationalize SEO for your business. Pre Visible's four stage approach ensures that your SEO programs thrive by starting off with a strategy first approach. Then they support you in your efforts to create quality content, help you identify technical issues, and most importantly, they'll work with your cross functional teams to integrate your SEO strategies to make sure that your SEO budget actually drives results, not just your agency's bottom line. So join brands like Yelp, eBay, Canva, Atlassian Square, all who rely on the SEO consultants at Pre Visible. For more information go to Pre Visible IO that's Pre Visible P R E V I S I B, L, E, I, O.
[02:56]
C
And that then pervades everything. So we're, we're doing, we're designing the tests with those multimetrics in mind. We're ingesting metrics from many, many different sources. And the, the exciting stuff that's just, just starting to come out in our product right now is that it also enables things like segmented analysis, which is where you've got like a major retailer that sells many different product lines and you run a test that is, that is positive across the board, but you want to be able to report on it and say, how good was it in home furnishings, how good was it in fashion, how good was it in whatever else it might be? Kids, kids clothes. And we can do that as well because of the same technology that pass the multi metrics.
[03:39]
B
And that wraps up this episode of the Voices of Search podcast. Thank you to Will Critchlow, CEO at SearchPilot, for joining us. If you'd like to contact Will, you can find a link to his LinkedIn profile in our show notes or on the voicesofsearch.com you can visit his company website, searchpilot.com if you haven't subscribed yet and want a daily stream of SEO and content marketing knowledge in your podcast feed, hit the subscribe button in your podcast app or on YouTube and we'll be back in your feed every week. Okay, that's all for today, but until next time, remember, the answers are always in the data.