123: How AI Continues to Change SEO

Summary

The episode explores how AI is impacting SEO, especially regarding keywords and website optimization. Meredith's husband emphasizes that AI changes how Google interprets content, making specific keywords less crucial. Website owners should focus on understanding user queries and creating relevant content rather than obsessing over exact keyword phrasing. This approach allows AI to better understand the context, helping websites rank more effectively while providing useful information to users.

How AI is Changing SEO and Keyword Optimization

With advancements in AI, SEO is undergoing a significant transformation. As AI technologies like Google’s Gemini evolve, they’re reshaping how search engines interpret content and how website owners should approach optimization. One of the most noticeable shifts is in the way we think about keywords. In this blog post, we'll dive into how AI is changing SEO and what you can do to ensure your website remains optimized in this new landscape.

The Shift Away From Exact Keywords

For years, SEO strategies were built around precise keyword optimization. Website owners and content creators would focus heavily on specific words and phrases to ensure that their pages ranked well in search results. However, AI’s ability to understand the context of a page’s content has minimized the importance of exact keyword matching.

As Meredith’s husband explains, AI now understands broader concepts and can infer what a page is about even if the exact keyword isn’t used repeatedly. This allows Google to better grasp the intent behind search queries rather than simply matching them to exact phrases on a webpage.

For example, if you’re creating a page about children’s photography, AI doesn’t need you to mention “children’s photography” repeatedly to understand the page’s focus. As long as your content discusses related ideas, such as working with kids, capturing family moments, or offering photo packages for parents, AI can easily determine the context and relevance of the page.

Focus on User Intent

One of the key takeaways from this episode is that keyword optimization should now focus on user intent rather than merely targeting search engines. When users search for something, they’re asking a question or looking for information. Your goal should be to provide answers or solutions that address their needs.

Here’s how Meredith’s husband breaks it down:

• Write for the User, Not for Google: Instead of obsessing over how many times a keyword appears on the page, focus on making it clear to the user that they’ve found what they’re looking for. Use keywords in title tags and headers to assure visitors they’re in the right place.

• Context Over Keywords: AI can understand a page’s context based on the surrounding language. For instance, a blog about parenting tips may not need to mention “children’s photography” directly, but AI will still recognize the relevance if the content discusses family photography in general terms.

• Optimize for Queries, Not Keywords: Google is moving away from strict keyword matching and focusing more on queries, which are often longer, more conversational searches. Think of the broader questions your audience may ask and tailor your content to answer those, rather than targeting specific keywords.

How AI Improves Understanding of User Queries

AI’s role in SEO is not only to match keywords but also to understand the intent behind a user’s search. This development is particularly useful for small business owners who often struggle to decide which keywords to focus on. With AI, the exact phrasing of a search query becomes less important as Google can interpret and match content based on its overall relevance.

For instance, if someone searches for “best photographer for toddlers in New York,” AI doesn’t need the exact phrase to be present on your page to rank it. If your content discusses photographing toddlers or offers tips for family photoshoots, it can still be relevant to that query, even if the specific phrasing differs.

Bullet Points from the Podcast:

• AI understands context: Google no longer needs exact keyword matches to understand a page’s relevance.

• Focus on user intent: Write content that answers users' questions, not just to satisfy keyword demands.

• Optimize for queries: AI processes longer, conversational queries better, so create content around common questions rather than specific keywords.

• Write for the user: Use keywords where necessary, but make sure the page makes sense and provides value to visitors.

Adapting Your SEO Strategy for AI

So how should you adjust your SEO strategy for this new era of AI-driven search? The key lies in shifting your focus from exact keyword placement to providing valuable, context-rich content.

Your goal should be to answer the questions your audience is asking. Do thorough research to understand what they’re looking for, then create content that addresses those needs. By doing this, you’ll not only improve your website’s SEO but also ensure that you’re providing a better user experience.

Resources

Meredith’s husband mentions a link in the podcast with more insights on how to approach SEO in the age of AI. You can find it in the "Resources" section below the episode.