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The New SEO Playbook:
How AI is reshaping
search & content
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Welcome
Post your questions Questions will be This webinar will
in the chat or answered at the end Remember to take the
be recorded and sent
Q&A section. of the presentation. post-event survey.
to all registrants.
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Introducing…
Zoe Hawkins James McCormick Jeff Coyle
Featured Speaker Guest Speaker
Senior Research Director, MarketMuse Co-founder and
Director, Content Marketing
Digital Experience, IDC Head of Strategy, Siteimprove
& Integrated Campaigns,
Sumo Logic
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Engagement in the Era of Generative
Engine Search
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Looking back: Most Effective Marketing Methods in 2024
Top 5 marketing methods that CMOs found most effective - 12 months preceding November 2024
19.4% 18.3% 18.3% 17.9% 16.8%
Search engine Paid media/ Email Market/ Content
optimization (SEO) paid social campaigns customer research creation
N=534
Reference: IDC CMO Priorities Survey 2024, November 2024
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Generative Search Engines are Disrupting CMO Priorities
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Increase in generative engine search
since July 2024
1,500%
Branded website traffic originating from
generative engines as of March 2025
10% - 25%
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Generative Search Engines Are Reshaping Digital Engagement
Traffic Patterns & SEO & Content Brand Visibility &
Conversion Strategy Evolution Optimization
• Brands seeing drop in • Traditional SEO tactics • Vendors building LLM
website traffic but are less effective. LLMs optimizer tools to help
increase in quality and value content brands monitor and
intent of visitors. consistency, authority, improve their presence
and depth. in LLM-generated
• LLM-powered search content.
tools driving more • Brands must optimize for
qualified, intent-driven multiple search engines, • Brands are advised to
traffic directly to deep ensure AI crawler avoid blocking AI
product/service pages. accessibility, and focus crawlers to remain
on long-term, credible discoverable.
content strategies.
The rise of generative search engines is fundamentally disrupting the digital landscape, requiring brands to adapt their
strategies and focus on delivering high-quality, authoritative content that can be effectively discovered and engaged with by
AI-driven search.
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Generative Engines have fractured the funnel
Website visitors discover and explore in generative engines and, go straight to detail/conversion pages
Traditional search and typical Generative search disrupted
website funnel flow website funnel flow
Traditional Traditional
GenAI
search search
Home page Home page
Typical user journey Typical user journey
Product pages Product pages
Conversion Conversion
Note: The width of the arrows represents the relative amount of visitor traffic following each path.
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Optimizing for Generative Engine Search
and Discovery
Make Content AI- Align Data and Operationalize LLM
Ready Experience Delivery Visibility
• Prioritize must-win • Integrate PIM/PXM • Track citations and
content: Focus on the with CMS/DXP: Blend answer
top 5–10% (e.g., PDPs, structured product performance: Use
differentiators, data with narrative tools to monitor
FAQs). content. content use in AI
• Structure for AI, not • Keep content fresh outputs (e.g.,
just SEO: Use and valuable: Perplexity, ChatGPT).
schema.org, semantic Regular updates with • Make GEO a cross-
HTML, Q&A format, timely, intent-driven functional strategy:
and conversational insights. Treat Generative
tone. • Adopt AI-aware, Engine Optimization
• Ensure crawlability: interoperable as a shared KPI
Ensure content is platforms: Choose across marketing, IT,
accessible to Gen systems with native and content teams.
Engine Bots, users, schema, FAQ, and
and assistive tech. media optimization.
Avoid JavaScript-
rendered text.
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Creating Trustworthy
Content to Fuel AI
and SEO Success
• Unique view
Even if you’re defining terms or
Future proof your explaining the industry, your
organization’s view is unique and
marketing valuable
Why is content still • Share perspective
Owned media you can control. Say it
so important? exactly as you mean it, and know
that you can share your views
across your channels as you see fit.
• Build trust
Let your community in. See where
there’s affinity and connection, build
that trust in your brand and view.
Plus it feeds Google and AI!
Search and AI experiences NEED your content
If search or AI agents start Too many marketers are trying to
make SEO/AI like them, without
using stale, outdated realizing that SEO/AI already needs
information, users lose trust. them.
Search engines and AI It’s a mutually beneficial relationship.
chatbots need your content. Stop letting it become toxic.
How to optimize for search • Authority and topical relevance
Focus on what you know best, where
and AI you can be believable, trustworthy,
The more things change, unique, and truly know your stuff.
the more they stay the • Useful and human
Build based on experience or what you
same know someone will actually value.
• Say it well, and have others say it,
too
Craft great words that don’t sound like
everyone else. Get third parties to
reference you.
Okay cool. But really, how?
Uncover Content Gaps Holding Back Your SEO Rankings
Find what matters – Content rising/falling in rankings, quick wins
Target High-Impact Areas to Drive Better Results
Focus on value – you can't fix all the things, so where can you be most
impactful?
Refresh and Revitalize Older Content in Minutes
Find opportunities to beat your competition
Fine-Tune Your Content for Maximum Performance
Optimize with confidence
Our success, by the numbers
4x - 10x 1 hour $36K
Improvement in rankings for Average time for a content Savings in team time going to
pieces optimized with professional to update an article newly automated tasks.
Siteimprove
Research, finding links, and reworking Time-consuming industry and
20% increase within the quarter with confidence all in a single place competitive research that became more
comprehensive with AI.
Closing gaps: How to
master generative engine
discoverability
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AI Search: Readiness, Traffic,
Brand and Citation Visibility
Answer the questions:
• Is my site ready to appear in AI search?
• Is my brand visible in AI search?
• Am I being cited, or are we losing traffic
to competitors?
• Is my narrative being cited?
• Are we receiving clicks from these
citations?
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Assess and Plan with Confidence
01 02 03 04
Enhance Human–AI Maintain and Ensure Content Be an
Collaboration Showcase Brand Authenticity AI Editor-in-Chief
Authority
Modernize Content fails to Inefficient strategies
Audit critically and
processes while capture or retain lead to wasted
evolve to deliver
ensuring every user interest. marketing budgets.
content that reflects
output is refined with
genuine expertise.
human insight.
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Enhance Human–AI Collaboration
Checklist for AI-Assisted Content Creation
Point of View Proof Statements
Expertise Fact Statements
Personal Experience Target Market and ICP
Style Intent Details
Tone Structural Differentiation
Voice Personalization Detail
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Content Quality Matters
Content has evolved and now its effectiveness hinges on five key pillars:
Accessibility, Authority, Differentiation, Clarity, and Editorial Integrity.
Achieve these pillars with solutions that:
Ensure Build Authority Drive Enhance Clarity Maintain Editorial
Accessibility through in-depth Differentiation with grammar and Integrity through
for all users. content analysis with AI-powered style checks, and brand voice
and competitive content planning readability enforcement and
research. and optimization assessments. content governance
tools. features.
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Three Key Takeaways
01 02 03
AI-Driven Insights
Build Topical Authority Quality Content is AI +
Turn Gaps into Traffic
Predictively. SEO Fuel.
Wins.
Spot missing topics and seek explicit Use personalized metrics to confidently Authoritative, human-first pages feed AI
guidance to optimize and refresh plan when to do a quick update, add a and search engines. If you don’t own
content so you can convert hidden page or when a new cluster is required the narrative, they’ll use someone
demand into revenue. to beat the competition. else’s.
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The Most Comprehensive Marketing
Performance Platform
5,500+ 20+
Customers Years of Experience
Unlock The Digital Advantage You Need
Your Content. Your Strategy. Drive more impact with less
effort, optimizing every step of your digital presence from
one powerful platform.
A Single Place to Power Your Entire Digital Strategy
Digital Accessibility & Governance Digital Experience Analytics
Search & Performance Marketing Content Strategy & Marketing
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Live Q&A
Get in Touch
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Get in Touch
Zoe Hawkins James McCormick Jeff Coyle
linkedin.com/in/moonstormer linkedin.com/in/jamccormick linkedin.com/in/jeffcoyle
© Siteimprove CONFIDENTIAL 32
Maintain and Showcase Brand Authority
Audit critically and evolve to deliver content that reflects
genuine expertise.
To-dos Watch-outs
Conduct Regular Content Audits: Implement periodic Undifferentiated Content: Avoid producing generic
reviews to ensure all content reinforces your expertise. content that lacks expert insight.
Highlight Thought Leadership: Develop and publish blue Outdated Messaging: Avoid relying on legacy content
ocean content and demonstrate deep industry insights. without critical reviews, which can erode trust.
Integrate Data and Analytics: Use SERP data and user SERP Misalignment: Avoid keeping content as-is when
signals to refine content to maintain relevance & intent match. ranking if misaligned with query intent and user value.
Outperform competitors: Identify gaps and execute while Ignoring Competitive Benchmarking: Avoid failing to
emphasizing E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust). align your strategy with current market trends and
competitor standards.
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