I read a LinkedIn post by Tyler Cooper recently that perfectly captured something I’ve been banging on about for months. While everyone’s running around like headless chickens claiming AI search changes everything, the reality is far more boring (and reassuring).
| 🟢 AI search engines still want well-structured, helpful content that genuinely answers user questions – the fundamentals haven’t changed. 🟢 Don’t fall for expensive “AI optimisation” services – good SEO principles that worked before AI still work now. 🟢 Focus on creating genuinely useful content rather than chasing shiny new “AI strategies” that complicate simple principles |
The post laid out the “old way” versus the “new way” of doing SEO in the AI era. Spoiler alert: they’re identical.
Here’s the post:
In case you can’t read that image, it says:
Everything you know about SEO just got flipped upside down by AI.
Here’s what the “new era” demands 👇
Old Way: Well-structured, entity-rich content.
New Way: Well-structured, entity-rich content.
Old Way: Clear, structured markup (FAQs, schemas).
New Way: Clear, structured markup (FAQs, schemas).
Old Way: Aim for readability, clarity, and easy digestion.
New Way: Aim for readability, clarity, and easy digestion.
Old Way: Anticipate user queries and proactively answer them.
New Way: Anticipate user queries and proactively answer them.
Old Way: Get featured in high-quality 3rd-party lists and review sites.
New Way: Get featured in high-quality 3rd-party lists and review sites.
Old Way: Authoritative pieces featuring original data and expert insights.
New Way: Authoritative pieces featuring original data and expert insights.
Spot the difference?
Yeah, me neither.
Good SEO always worked. Now it just matters even more.
PLEASE stop panicking about AI Search
Ever since ChatGPT started answering search queries and Google rolled out AI Overviews, the SEO world has been flooded with panic merchants selling expensive “AI optimisation” services. Apparently, everything we know about search is obsolete and we need to completely rethink our approach.
Except we don’t.
- Well-structured, entity-rich content? Still works.
- Clear markup and schema? Still essential.
- Readable, digestible content? More important than ever.
- Anticipating user queries? Always been crucial.
- Getting featured in quality third-party sites? Still valuable.
- Creating authoritative content with original insights? The gold standard.
AI search engines are still search engines. A few things have changed, and you might need to rethink the type of content you’re producing, but the basics stay the same.
Good SEO principles never go out of style
The fundamentals of good SEO have always been about understanding user intent and providing genuinely helpful answers. AI search is just better at recognising when you’re doing this properly versus when you’re trying to game the system.
Those keyword-stuffed blog posts that barely answered the question? They were always rubbish – AI just makes it more obvious. Content that genuinely helps people solve problems? That’s what AI search engines want to surface.
Stop falling for complicated “solutions”
Here’s what you don’t need to do for AI search: create separate AI-optimised content, add special AI metadata, write in a “more conversational” style, or completely restructure your existing content.
What you should do: focus on the same principles that made content successful before AI came along. Answer questions clearly, demonstrate genuine expertise, structure your content logically, and help your readers.
Good SEO always worked
AI search isn’t killing traditional SEO – it’s just making good SEO more important. While your competitors are chasing shiny new “AI strategies,” you can stick to creating genuinely helpful content that serves your users (I feel as if I should get this tattooed on my forehead I’ve said it so much recently)..
The foundations were solid all along. AI just made it clearer which websites were built on them and which ones were held together with keyword glue and wishful thinking.
Good SEO always worked. Now it just matters even more.
Confused about AI search? Let’s sort it out
Look, I get it. Just when you thought you’d cracked SEO, along comes AI search to muddy the waters. Every “expert” is telling you everything’s changed, but as Tyler’s post proves, it bloody well hasn’t.
If you want someone to cut through the AI panic and tell you what actually matters for your website, book one of my AI search 1:1s. For £99 + VAT, you get an hour on Zoom where I’ll show you what’s actually different about AI search, give you practical steps that work right now, and stop you wasting money on AI snake oil.
I’ll give you direct advice you can actually use. While everyone else is panicking about AI, you’ll know exactly what to do.
