Technical SEO Tips for Future Search Updates

AI-generated responses seem like a direct hazard to the traditional natural traffic websites utilized to get from search engines. Today, LLMs simply rip the material on websites and people no longer need to visit a site any longer.

While I personally believe this threat is blown completely out of proportion (based on information from sites I have actually personally seen), I do not think it's an excuse to ignore it totally. From my own experience growing both blog sites and YouTube channels, especially to offer something, I can inform you that video converts way more than composed content.

It's a lot much easier to inform if someone is lying or full of it if you can see their facial expressions and their tone of voice. YouTube must absolutely be in your SEO and material strategy.

And because you have actually built the trust with video, your traditional SEO efforts will convert better. There's even more to it. Previously this year, I had a hunch that if I turned a few of my finest ranking article into YouTube videos, and embedded them into my existing article, my post would rank even much better.

I made a YouTube video about the topic, embedded it into that blog site post, and I've been ranking # 1 considering that.

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In 2025, we saw everyone talking about how AI search was going to take over Google. Beyond just SEO, the marketing community as a whole started to get bombarded with influencers trying to ride the AI buzz train.

It became hard to discover trusted sources that weren't biased or had a prejudice to sell us something. While I do believe there are benefits to using LLMs in our workflows, I do believe it has actually been overhyped. And in 2026, I forecast many online marketers will understand that ChatGPT and Perplexity are just a little part of the SEO market.

Google still dominates 90% market share and with its AI Mode and AI Overviews, it remains in the perfect position to win the AI online search engine race. Browse behavior hasn't essentially shifted away from Google. Beyond simply that, there are a few things that have rubbed me the incorrect way about the AI SEO trend.

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Some claim ChatGPT has a 16% conversation rate and is much better by more than 2X compared to Google. What these online marketers don't understand is that Things like homepages, pricing pages, or bottom of funnel material, tends to be shown in ChatGPT. The educational top of funnel content is "consumed up" by LLMs and revealed to users without anywhere to click.

Google's conversion rates show less because the traffic is higher due to it being diluted by all the top of funnel content that is in the equation. Other things like how ChatGPT can make stuff up, it never ever totally follows triggers correctly (i.e.

I do still believe that larger companies bigger set aside an experimental budget speculative budget plan things evaluate ChatGPT apps and other AI SEO tools.

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Do not do it. These strategies may work now in ChatGPT and other LLMs, however they're short-term plays that will eventually get punished. Concentrate on white hat methods that develop genuine authority and trust gradually instead of chasing quick wins that will not last. The 2000s are back. Scammy keyword packing tactics, spending for low-quality backlinks, shipping countless ineffective articles all in the name of ranking high.

Now, the algorithm is fully grown enough to ignore all that nonsense. ChatGPT and other LLM algorithms are not as fully grown. I can't call this person, but I met an SEO director at a substantial banking business. This individual told me they (and all their competitors) are producing microsites (like small blog sites) on different domains.

And from there, they are utilizing their main business domain, that has an extremely strong brand authority, and sending backlinks to the microsite. And this has led to greater rankings for their brand in LLMs like ChatGPT.It blew my mind that substantial, trusted companies are doing this. And I recognized how much black hat (or grey hat) methods are going on behind the scenes.

In 2026, I predict these methods will continue to take place. Until ChatGPT's algorithm gets as smart as Google's search algorithm. But that appears like a very long time from now. Anyways, I personally would not suggest engaging in this. It's short term thinking and your energy is best invested on white hat marketing methods that can stand the test of time and enhance your sites trust signals with time.

Share real insights, use your own images and videos, and build topical authority in your specific niche. This is how solo creators and little teams can beat huge brands in 2026. This is one of the biggest SEO trends for content marketing I'm seeing right now.

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You need a genuine service, be it a newsletter organization, a service-based company, SaaS business, or ecommerce shop. And then you add on this human-centered niche blogging to the site to naturally grow your core product/service offering. In 2026, I predict that Google's algorithm will continue to get smarter about which websites contain AI content and which do not.

I know loads of individuals silently crushing it with AI created material (even going after top of funnel keywords). But what I am saying is that engaging, human content will outrank AI created material with no initial insights. There are two routes I see with SEO's right now: Produce countless AI-generated post and get them to rank in the middle/bottom of page 1.

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Produce a hundred human post and get them to rank at the top of the first page. Quality over amount. The very first path is based upon sheer volume, and can lead to traffic growth. You do run the risk of a potential algorithm upgrade injuring your rankings. And anyone who writes much better human content will rank higher in positions 1-3. The 2nd route is slower, however can yield higher ranking positions and more trust with readers.