Words: Belinda Connolly
Reports of the death of SEO have been greatly exaggerated. Every so often, digital marketing ‘experts’ point to the seemingly unstoppable rise of AI, updates in the ways LLM sources content, or how to implement Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) for your brand.
These experts usually neglect to even mention SEO, assuming it’s so outdated that it can’t compete with the shiny new things.
They’re wrong. SEO isn’t going anywhere – it remains a hugely successful, cost-effective way of driving traffic to your site, targeting your key audience, and increasing leads. Here’s why.
The evolution of SEO
SEO is usually shorthand for Google, and there isn’t a brand in the world that doesn’t want to rank on page one of Google. The great thing about SEO is that it’s been around for so long that only the best bits have stood the test of time. As it’s grown and improved, digital marketers have realised that focusing on creating a genuinely helpful user experience and quality content drives results.
Now, combining SEO best practice with AI-generated summaries and LLMs in mind can help your brand reach a wider audience – especially for conversion-ready customers.
SEO drives most web traffic – but it is a slow burn
A great digital marketing strategy includes a well-considered mix of paid ads, organic content, social media and SEO, but brands often ignore SEO. We know this, as clients sometimes tell us that they want to see results quickly, and SEO is a long game.
There are no shortcuts when it comes to successful SEO – it can take 3-12 months of consistent content publishing, link building, and optimisation to start gaining traction in Google’s rankings, especially for competitive keywords.
Having the mindset of SEO being a marathon, not a sprint, will give you results that speak for themselves.
So, how much traffic does SEO drive?
Quite simply: a lot. Data platform Ahrefs estimates that 93% of all global web traffic referrals is via Google.
And don’t overlook the importance of Local SEO. When people are searching for ‘mechanic near me’ or ‘business energy audits near me,’ it’s important to appear at the top of the search. High-intent users want the solution to their problem quickly and won’t trawl through pages of results to find what they are looking for.
Stats show that three-quarters of people who search for a local solution on their phone visit the business within a day. These are people ready to buy your product or service – and as they’re local, they’re more likely to recommend your brand if they’re happy with it. This can be word of mouth or via Google reviews, which also contribute to SEO results.
Make the most of your tailor-made audience by ensuring your Google Business Profile is concise, relevant, and targeted. The old technique of keyword-stuffing your business name no longer works – in fact, Google is likely to penalise you. Instead, use your official business name in your listing and fill out all of the other fields to ensure you’re representing your brand accurately and authentically.
Be the thought leader that Google knows you are
One of the easiest ways of ensuring your SEO is doing its thing is by providing genuinely helpful answers in a concise and authentic way. In Google speak, that’s E‑E‑A‑T, or expertise, experience, authority, and technical excellence, and it’s the type of content prioritised by search engines.
By sharing current, technical and well-written content in your niche, you’re helping people get the answers to their questions – AKA the whole point of search engines.
Content written to E‑E‑A‑T standards not only builds trust, but it allows your content to be found and shared by LLMs.
Google has maintained its dominance for at least a decade, and it’s highly unlikely that this will not change any time soon – even with all the new digital kids on the block.
Keep your SEO game strong, share relevant information often, and ensure your local listings on Google are fine-tuned, and you’ll discover how SEO isn’t dead but thriving.
