Search engine optimisation (SEO) isn’t dead (yet). But as generative AI tools grab an ever-larger share of traffic from traditional search engines, content marketers need to adjust their SEO strategies accordingly. Knowing how to adjust is hard when there’s so much – and often so much conflicting – guidance coming from all directions.

For example, Google says that SEO best practices “remain relevant for AI features in Google Search (such as AI Overviews and AI Mode)”. Beyond these practices, it adds, there are no additional requirements or special optimisations for appearing in its AI-powered search results.

Still, there’s little question that the growing use of AI search tools – not just Google AI Overviews but ChatGPT, Claude, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity.ai and more – is bringing big changes to the search-driven clicks that content marketers have traditionally relied on. AI search “compresses the marketing funnel” and makes links less prominent, a July 2025 Semrush study found. It also found that the most-cited sources for results in Google AI Overviews were Quora and Reddit. So getting your content to be found today is going to require more of a “search everywhere” approach towards SEO.

What does this mean for how to write and structure your marketing content? You’ll want to tailor your content for the new realities of search using generative engine optimisation (GEO):

• Reduce your emphasis on clicks. Google’s ever-changing search algorithms, AI search tools and dark social are making it increasingly difficult to track eyeballs from their online sources. But do dive into your stats and see which content areas have seen the biggest declines in click-through rates. Then prioritise that content for updating using the strategies below.
• Make a habit of sharing helpful content on other platforms. Amanda Natividad, VP of marketing at SparkToro, calls this building “algorithmic capital” through zero-click marketing – because you’re posting without including links. Over time, you become a go-to resource for information on that platform. Then, once in a while, you can include a link on that platform to your own organisation’s site.
• Focus on the middle or bottom of the funnel. Users who land on your content via AI-powered searches are more likely to have had their top-of-funnel questions answered. So target your content at better-informed site visitors who are looking for answers to highly specific questions – such specialist content has better odds of appearing in GenAI search results. Make sure your content demonstrates your authority and expertise in that area in question.
• Quality first, then quantity. Google’s established advice for “helpful, reliable, people-first content” still applies for optimising AI-driven search results. After you’ve fine-tuned your content, repurpose it for publication in different formats and across different channels. You’ll especially want to target the domains that Semrush found are among the most cited in Google AI Overviews: not just Quora and Reddit but also LinkedIn, YouTube and Medium.
• Structure your content for GEO friendliness. The large language models (LLMs) that power AI search tools interpret content in chunks. This means that the more clear, succinct and consistent your content is, the better. It pays to follow the tried-and-true advice for good writing: keep sentences short and simple, with one idea per sentence. And organise your content using easy-to-parse visual cues: frequent subheadings, bullet lists and TL;DR features such as summary paragraphs at the top or key takeaways at the end.
• Up your search game with original research. The top-performing types of content include guides and ebooks, webinars, roundup articles, lists and original research, according to Orbit Media Studios’ 2025 blogger survey. Original research is especially good for an edge in AI-powered search, helping your organisation to stand out in a crowded online field. Think surveys, Q&As or other kinds of research that will interest your target audience.