Artificial intelligence has taken over the SEO conversation — and rightly so. Tools that once seemed futuristic are now part of our daily lives: AI-generated text, automatic search summaries, increasingly conversational search experiences (robot vacuum cleaners that mop, etc.).
In light of this, the same creators of the Mayan Apocalypse of 2012 are saying that SEO’s days are numbered and there are people out there even thinking about what to wear at the funeral. But will it really die?
The short answer is: no.
But it is changing, as it always has.
At Enjoy Minder, we closely follow this evolution. Because SEO has never been just about keywords and ranking techniques. It has always been about connecting brands and people through relevant content. And AI doesn’t change that — it just enhances it.
With the advancement of new technologies, the search universe has become more complex: acronyms such as SXO, AEO, VEO, GEO, SGE… have emerged and, along with them, new ways of thinking about optimization for increasingly intelligent (and demanding) mechanisms.
Amidst so many changes, one truth remains: those who deliver good content gain relevance. And that’s what we continue to do here — using AI as an ally, but without giving up on strategy, search intent and user experience.
In this post, we’ll explore how SEO is evolving with AI, what these new acronyms mean in practice, and why, even with all the technology, content is still king.
Artificial intelligence in SEO is a thing of the past!
Although AIs have recently become a topic of discussion in every street corner, bar, startup and mega corporation, the term has been around since the 1950s and, according to one of the greatest experts on the subject, Kristian Hammond, it can be defined as a type of computational intelligence capable of solving problems and performing tasks previously performed by humans.
This definition is quite broad, as are artificial intelligences. The new thing is that the most recent developments in LLM (large language model) have taught AIs to speak naturally, and the chat format allows normal people to access knowledge that was previously only accessible to the biggest nerds in the world.
But let’s get straight to the point: Google has been using artificial intelligence long before Gemini germinated (I know that was a bad one!).
The truth is that since the Oompa-Loompas stopped being employed to analyze every published text in real time and rank which ones they thought were best, Google has been incorporating artificial intelligence in various ways into its search engines, significantly improving its ability to understand and respond to user queries. Here are some key points:
- Natural language understanding: Google uses AI to understand the meaning and context of words in searches, rather than just matching keywords. This allows it to interpret complex queries and nuances of human language;
- Machine learning: Google’s algorithms learn from user interactions, continually improving the relevance and accuracy of search results. They analyze patterns and preferences to personalize responses;
- Personalizing results: By analyzing search history and other relevant data, Google personalizes results for each user, providing more relevant and useful information.
Two great examples of AI applied to Search Engine Optimization are RankBrain — a machine learning system that helps rank search results by better understanding the meaning of queries — and BERT (Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformer) — a natural language processing technique that improves understanding of context and relationships between words.
Gemini’s AI Overview is the New Zero Outcome
Let’s do an exercise of imagination: you are Google and you have tools with a deep capacity to analyze the contents of web pages, an infinite “database” with a lot of concentrated knowledge produced by experts, and technology capable of understanding information in its respective contexts, hierarchizing it according to quality parameters, and being able to access it to guide the production of your own content.
Now, you need to make a decision:
- Incorporate these tools, used to define search results, to generate AI overviews and chat results.
- Leave each tool in its box, because you want your AI to replace WEB content. 👹
If you chose the second option, I should be thankful that you are not Google…
Gemini, BERT, RankBrain and other tools developed by Google to improve the search experience interact to generate results in search overviews or even in chats, and reward domains that produce useful content with references (read: hyperlinks).
Therefore, although Gemini represents an advance, previous “non-generative” artificial intelligence models provide inputs for understanding context and natural language, which are essential for Gemini to be able to generate coherent responses. Thus, Google uses a combination of several algorithms, where Gemini is yet another tool that improves the delivery of information to users.
When generating AI-powered answers, Google Gemini searches for information from sources it deems trustworthy and relevant. Domains that have achieved high search rankings through SEO efforts tend to be recognized by Google as authorities on their respective topics. This means that Gemini, when compiling information for AI Overviews or to generate chat content, tends to extract and synthesize data from sites that Google has already evaluated as being of high quality.
In this context, Gemini’s AI overview can be considered a more sophisticated development of Google’s zero result, also called “Answer Box” or “Featured Snippet”.
ABSOLUTE SEO!
And I have to tell you, the Featured Snippet was once one of the causes of death of SEO.
It’s worth noting that Gemini’s AI overviews create a new way to personalize results. You may have noticed that the first results on Google vary from user to user. This is because Google analyzes your search history, location, and other factors to present results tailored to your profile.
Gemini enhances this component of the experience, generating results that are more customized to the user’s needs.
Knowing your audience and communicating what they need becomes even more necessary, and AI overviews can further benefit your domain if you truly answer your potential customer’s questions and needs.
Remember all the times SEO died since the early 2000s
Reasons why SEO “died” since the 2000s:
- WEB 3.0;
- Google Ads;
- Social media;
- Voice Assistants;
- Featured Snippets;
- Zero-click searches;
- All Google Updates;
- TikTok’s “new search”;
- ChatGPT replacing Google;
- AI Overviews on results pages.
SEO is like the Highlander: every year they say he’s dead, but he always comes back with his sword sharp and ready to fight at the top of Google. In the end, there can only be one… and that’s the one who knows how to optimize best!
Anyone who says SEO is dead is because they aren’t doing SXO
Claiming that artificial intelligence will not kill traffic to your domain does not mean that SEO will remain exactly as it is, eternal and unchanging.
AI is driving new types of search results, such as summaries, direct answers, and conversational experiences. This requires new optimization attributes to be incorporated into SEO to adapt to these formats.
But we don’t stop there. There are new optimization contexts that will guide the way content is produced and improved:
SXO – Search Experience Optimization (improving the entire search journey)
Search Experience Optimization (SXO) goes beyond technical search engine optimization. It puts the user experience at the center, considering factors such as site speed, usability, design, accessibility and, of course, content quality.
The focus here is to offer a satisfying journey — and that, naturally, translates into better positioning.
GEO – Generative Engine Optimization (optimization for AI-generated results)
With the advancement of generative AI, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) was born. The idea is to prepare content so that it is “readable” and used by AI engines, feeding summaries and automated responses.
Clear structure, well-organized data and accurate information are key to becoming a reliable source.
SGE – Search Generative Experience (adapting to Google’s AI-driven search)
Google has launched Search Generative Experience (SGE), integrating generative AI directly into SERPs. This requires content to not only be relevant, but also formatted to complement AI-generated answers — with structured data, concise answers, and topical authority.
AEO – Answer Engine Optimization (being the best source for direct answers)
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is designed to ensure that your content is chosen as the best answer to users’ questions. This requires clarity, objectivity, and structuring in formats such as FAQs, as well as structured data techniques.
VEO – Voice Engine Optimization (optimization for voice searches and smart assistants)
Voice search is already a reality for many users. Voice Engine Optimization (VEO) adapts content to be compatible with voice commands and smart assistants, using natural language, long-tail keywords and a focus on conversational questions.
AIO – AI Overviews Optimization (gaining prominence in AI-generated overviews)
With Google’s new AI Overviews, optimizing for this type of display has become a priority. Well-structured, concise, and reliable information is more likely to be included in these summaries. This is the essence of AI Overviews Optimization (AIO).
MEO – Mobile Experience Optimization (ensuring perfect mobile experiences)
Finally, it’s worth remembering the good old Mobile Experience Optimization (MEO). Even though it’s not new, mobile optimization is still essential, since most searches happen on mobile devices. Fast, responsive, and user-friendly websites are essential for those who want to compete in the SERPs.
The Digievolution of SEO: Search Everywhere Optimization
The concept of Search Everywhere Optimization represents a fundamental shift in the way we understand and practice SEO.
Traditionally, SEO has focused primarily on optimizing your online presence for search engines like Google. However, the digital landscape has evolved significantly and users now search for information across a much wider range of platforms. Search Everywhere Optimization recognizes this fragmentation of search and proposes a more comprehensive approach.
Rather than limiting optimization efforts to Google, Search Everywhere Optimization requires businesses to consider all touchpoints where users might seek information.
This includes social networks like TikTok, Instagram and Facebook, which have become important discovery platforms, especially for younger audiences. It also includes voice assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, which are transforming the way we interact with technology and search for information.
Additionally, apps, video platforms like YouTube, and other channels also play a crucial role in the user’s search journey.
And since when is SEO just for blog articles, people?
SEO isn’t just about creating optimized blog content. Anyone who thinks this way has misunderstood one of the most important fundamentals of SEO: search intent.
Keywords carry different search intentions. They are:
Navigation
The “navigation” intention is when the user uses the search engine to find a website that he already knows, but does not remember or is too lazy to type the address in the URL bar.
Informative
Informational search occurs when a user uses search to learn more about a specific topic.
Commercial
This is a search more focused on the acquisition of a service or product. The user is interested in the purchase, but does not yet know exactly where and what to buy, so he does a broader search, focused more on descriptions and reviews of the item.
Transactional
When a user intends to make a specific purchase, they perform this type of search, the transactional search, that is, they seek to carry out a transaction. The user can either search for a specific item or the product, plus the website where they will make the purchase.
Example: “buy adidas sneakers” or “men’s adidas sneakers netshoes”.
For a company that wants to do business online and for those who want to improve their website’s SEO, knowing a user’s search intent is essential, both to know how they search and to know what types of potential customers will access a specific page.
And that would already be reason enough to put an end to this chat about the “deceased SEO”, after all, pages guided by informational keywords are the only ones that would effectively compete for users’ attention with AI results.
After all, I don’t know about you, but when I finally decide to buy a pair of Adidas sneakers, there are no artificial intelligence results that can solve my problem. I want an e-commerce or an online thrift store (send me the link if you have any good recommendations!).
So can we leave the informational content to the AIs and focus on the commercials?
I highly recommend this, especially if you are my competitor.
Domains that rank well for informational keywords tend to have an advantage in ranking for commercial and transactional keywords within the same semantic field, especially with good internal link building.
Want an example? GenioDesk had indexed its e-commerce site for its main keywords, optimizing the pages that served commercial and transactional searches.
But our client had a slightly more ambitious goal: how about dominating Google searches? We started, now you improve! With some Technical SEO efforts and the production of informational articles around the main semantic fields related to GenioDesk’s market, Enjoy Minder positioned the client’s business pages in the top positions of Google search.
Some SEO attributes help explain how we achieve these results for our client. Let me tell you:
Authority and relevance
Domains that create high-quality, informative content tend to build authority and relevance on a given topic.
Google recognizes these sites as reliable sources of information.
This authority and relevance can be transferred to other pages on the same domain, including those targeting commercial and transactional keywords.
Context and semantic field
Informational, commercial and transactional keywords are often part of the same semantic field.
For example, in a semantic field about “coffee”, informational keywords might be “how to make coffee”, commercial keywords might be “best coffee maker” and transactional keywords might be “buy coffee maker”.
A website that covers all of these aspects comprehensively demonstrates expertise and caters to all stages of the buyer’s journey.
Internal Link Building
Internal link building is about connecting related pages on a website.
By linking informational pages to commercial and transactional pages, you help Google understand the structure of your site and the relative importance of different pages. This also helps distribute page authority (PageRank) across your site, benefiting both commercial and transactional pages.
Buying journey
Users typically go through different stages in their purchasing journey.
They start with informational searches to learn about a topic, then move on to commercial searches to compare options, and finally do transactional searches when they are ready to buy.
A website that meets all of these steps is more likely to attract and convert customers.
Practical example
Imagine a website that sells gardening equipment:
- Informational keywords: “how to plant tomatoes”, “best gardening tools for beginners”;
- Commercial keywords: “best electric lawn mower”, “organic fertilizer comparison”;
- Transactional keywords: “buy lawn mower”, “organic fertilizer on sale”.
If this site creates excellent informational content about gardening, it will build authority on the topic. With good internal link building, it can direct users from the informational pages to the commercial and transactional pages, increasing the chances of ranking well for all keyword categories.
Search Everywhere Optimization Brings SEO to Life
There’s no denying that AI is changing the way people search for and consume information. However, the idea that it will completely replace SEO ignores some important realities:
New SEO contexts can be both a threat and an opportunity — it depends on your attitude
Instead of fearing AI, businesses should embrace the new opportunities it offers. New SEO contexts such as AI Overviews optimization, AI chats, and social media search represent new ways to reach target audiences and build an online presence.
Human behavior is resistant to radical change
While the adoption of new technologies is constant, changes in users’ search habits tend to be more gradual than alarmist predictions suggest.
People are still comfortable with the traditional search interface, and the need to explore different sources and validate information remains strong.
Data shows that despite the growth of AI chats, traditional search engines still hold a significant share of online traffic.
AI needs reliable sources
Generative AIs, as advanced as they are, don’t create information out of thin air. They aggregate, synthesize, and present existing content. This means that the quality and authority of online sources still holds a lot of value.
AIs often provide links to the sources from which they extracted the information, which can drive traffic to the websites.
Have you realized that quality content continues to be imperative?
Search evolves, it doesn’t disappear
Users may use different tools and platforms, but the need to find relevant and reliable information remains.
SEO needs to adapt to these new contexts, optimizing content for different formats and platforms.
Opportunities in adaptation
Companies that proactively adapt to these changes will have a significant competitive advantage.
Optimizing content for AI chats, social media, and other search channels can open up new opportunities to reach your target audience and drive qualified traffic.
Good content is king
In times where content analysis and classification tools are improved and incorporate more sophisticated attributes, user experience is consolidated as a fundamental pillar of SEO, and good content continues to be king.
This is what Google’s own documentation says, and I have to agree.
The point is: the content needs to be genuinely useful to your audience, appropriate to their level of awareness, and it needs to have that “oomph” to encourage the user to buy what you offer — an idea, a brand, a delusion, a glimpse, a product or a service, you name it.
But you have to master Technical SEO, you know? Technology is king.
It’s as if content and On-Page SEO were the seed and fertilizer to make the simple ranking plant flourish. Poetic. But it’s no use if your soil is bad, hard and dry. Technical SEO, and we can include Off-Page SEO here, would be the correction and care of the soil. When the environment is favorable, everything grows and flourishes!
A very crazy, dead man who keeps generating income
SEO remains an extremely profitable business, and this profitability is supported by a number of factors that demonstrate the constant relevance and evolution of search engine optimization.
Despite changes in the digital landscape, online search remains a fundamental user behavior, and SEO is key to capturing that attention.
To illustrate the robustness of this market, consider the following data:
- 15% of searches are completely new: this dynamic ensures that SEO never becomes static and that there is always room for innovation and specialization;
- Searches are growing 10% per year: The volume of online searches continues to grow, which represents a steady increase in the potential for organic traffic. This annual growth shows that online search is an increasingly ingrained behavior in users’ routines, and SEO is essential to take advantage of this trend;
- There are 14 million daily searches on Google (5 billion annually): how many times have you contributed to that number today?;
- SEO is a $73 billion business (and growing): Companies of all sizes recognize the importance of search engine optimization and are willing to invest in it to gain online visibility;
- Search engines will always evolve: The constant evolution of search algorithms and technologies ensures that SEO is a dynamic and challenging field. This continuous evolution creates new opportunities for SEO professionals who stay up to date and adapt their strategies to market changes;
- Search habits will take time to change: Although new technologies and platforms are emerging, users’ search habits are likely to change gradually. Traditional search engines still play a key role in the consumer journey, and SEO remains essential to ensuring an online presence and attracting qualified traffic.
In the end, good content always wins!
No, SEO is not dying, it is evolving! And as Darwin pointed out back in 1859, species change over time and the environment (in this case, the digital environment) favors those who adapt best — and Darwin is here to prove that good content generates authority.
Acronyms like SXO, GEO, SGE, AEO, VEO, AIO and MEO are not fads: they represent new ways of thinking and executing strategies that connect brands to people, with greater precision and relevance, oriented towards the habits of those who consume content and the functioning of the technologies that display it.
But amidst so many changes and emerging technologies, one truth remains firm: good content, strategically designed and focused on truly solving the user’s pain, continues to be what matters most. It is what separates those who just “publish” from those who truly conquer the market.
So, how is your company preparing for this new scenario of smart searches?
Enjoy Minder is a Digital Marketing agency that believes that real SEO is not just about keywords — it’s about experience, intent, authority and results.
That’s why we combine strategy, technology and content to build digital presences that generate visibility, yes — but also generate sales, traction and sustainable growth.
Talk to our team of experts and start thinking about the SEO of the future now — with those who are already living it today.
