AI killed SEO, so buy “AI SEO.”
- “Nobody uses Google anymore.”
- “AI search is a whole different game.”
- “You need a separate AI package, starting at only…”
SEO & AEO
SEO isn’t dead. Here’s the truth about ranking in AI.
Every few months somebody announces that SEO is dead, usually right before they sell you “AI SEO.” The straight version: people still search Google, and the AI answers reward mostly the same things Google does. Do those things well and you show up in both.
Myth vs truth
Anyone telling you SEO is dead is selling something.
AEO means answer engine optimization: showing up when someone asks ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews or another AI tool instead of typing a search. It’s real, and it runs on the same basics as SEO.
AI engines judge authority with largely the same signals as Google.
- Google’s share of searches still dwarfs every AI tool combined.
- Almost everyone who uses ChatGPT also uses Google.
- Reviews, reputation, a good site and mentions on other sites help you in both.
The data
Google is still where the searching happens.
Three numbers worth knowing before anyone sells you on the death of SEO.
73.7%
share of US desktop searches that went to Google in Q4 2025. Every AI tool combined got 3.2%.
Source: SparkToro & Datos, March 2026
90%
of Google AI Overviews cite at least one page from Google’s top 10 results.
Source: seoClarity, October 2025
Translation: your customers use both, so you want to show up in both. The good news is you don’t need two separate plans to do it.
What both reward
Google and the AI answers reward mostly the same things.
None of this is new. It’s what good SEO has always been about, and it’s what I work on.
Good user experience
A fast site that works on a phone and makes the next step obvious.
Time on site
When people stick around and read, it’s a sign your page answered the question.
Bounce rate
How fast people leave. Land, cringe, hit the back button: that counts against you.
Review count
More real reviews from real customers. People check them, and so do the machines.
Reputation
What people say about you everywhere else online.
Backlinks
Are you mentioned elsewhere? Links from other real sites say you’re worth sending people to.
Reviews pull double duty.
They convince the person reading them, and they’re one of the signals Google and the AI answers look at.
Google’s AI Overview for “flatbed cart rental cleveland tn” names my client, Twenty3Eleven Rentals, and their site is the first result under it.
Case study · Solar
One solar company. SEO only. $414,000+ sold.
They ran SEO only. Here’s what their CRM tracked.
$414K+sold
$364Kin open quotes
$122Kfrom referrals
Their SEO pipeline, as tracked in the CRM. Names blurred.
Real client results, not typical ones. Yours depend on your market, offer, budget and follow-up.
Two packages
Local SEO or full SEO. Pick the one that fits.
Both help you show up on Google and in the AI answers. The difference is how far you want to go, and I’ll tell you which one makes sense on the call.
Local SEO
Own your spot on the map.
For businesses that serve a local area and want to show up when people nearby search.
- Google Business Profile
- Reviews
- Citations: your name, address and phone listed the same way across the web
- Posts that keep your profile fresh
Full SEO
Rank for the searches that bring customers.
For businesses that want to rank for lots of searches and keep growing for years. It comes in tiers, so it grows with you.
- Technical SEO: speed, structure and the stuff Google trips over
- On-page SEO: pages that match what people actually search
- Content that answers your customers’ questions
- Links: getting mentioned on other real sites
Questions
SEO and AEO, in plain English.
Is SEO dead because of AI?
No. In Q4 2025, Google’s share of US desktop searches was 73.7%, and every AI tool combined came to 3.2% (SparkToro & Datos). And 95% of ChatGPT users also used Google (Similarweb). People use both.
What’s the difference between SEO and AEO?
SEO gets you found in search results. AEO, answer engine optimization, gets you mentioned when someone asks an AI tool for an answer. They reward mostly the same signals, so I work on both at the same time.
Do I need a separate “AI SEO” package?
No. Reviews, reputation, a good site and mentions on other sites help you on Google and in the AI answers. Be careful with anyone who says otherwise and has a package to sell you.
Should I start with local SEO or full SEO?
If you serve a local area, local SEO is usually the place to start. If you want to rank for lots of searches and grow for years, full SEO. I’ll tell you which one fits on the call.
How much does SEO cost?
It depends on your market and how far you want to go. I cover it on the call, once I know where you stand.
Keyword traffic, earned
Find out where you stand on Google and in the AI answers.
Apply, pick a time, and I’ll look at where you show up today and what to fix first.