I've been spending a lot of time with clients lately, discussing with them the mammoth changes coming to their businesses in the coming years. Invariably, the conversation centers on artificial intelligence, and invariably, I try to reframe their thinking.
Over the last few months, I've been spending time with Google's A.I.-first search engine. While it's clear the platform is still in beta, it's also clear to me that it's the future -- and companies better prepare.
If you haven't used it, Google's A.I.-based search represents a major change in how search results are displayed. Instead of simply showing results at the top of the page, Google A.I. search tries to answer your query, give you valuable context, allow you to ask follow-up questions, and otherwise provide useful results based on the A.I.'s interpretation of your search.
There's one more thing: While links to third-party sites are there, they're not nearly as apparent. Truth be told, I've found myself clicking on links far less often than I used to. Google's A.I. answers are that good. And if I don't need to go to another site, why should I?
All this is to say that the A.I. search of the future is here. And it will likely mean a drop in search traffic from Google as users, like me, opt to get their answers from Google's A.I. engine instead of heading to a website.
That, of course, creates a problem for companies that rely on search traffic. And it's precisely why I've told anyone who will listen that SEO in and of itself is dead. And now, if you're not changing your focus to algorithm optimization (AO), you're at serious risk of being left behind.
What Is AO?
To be sure, SEO itself isn't dead. But investing substantial digital resources into optimizing your website to increase search traffic is dead.
The only way to be successful going forward at driving more digital traffic to your site is to invest time and resources into optimizing across algorithms. That means you will indeed need to have a website optimized for Google's algorithm, but more importantly, you'll need to optimize your content, calls to action, landing pages, and more to the algorithms that run our lives across Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok (special preference to Instagram and TikTok, by the way).
SEO was once nearly all that mattered in driving significant digital traffic to your website. Now, if you're not optimizing your digital marketing efforts for Instagram's Explore tab or TikTok's algorithm, you're in deep, deep trouble.
Yes, a Google search will continue to display search results to your website in the post-A.I. world, but if Google is going to provide answers to searchers without requiring them to click through to a website to get what they want, they'll have no need to come to your website. Your search traffic will decline and you'll need to figure out how to replenish that traffic somewhere else.
Enter AO.
The only way to rebuild your lost traffic will be to optimize your performance through algorithms. You'll need to become well-versed in Instagram and TikTok algorithms, and you'll need to be comfortable trying content concepts out -- and failing along the way.
Like it or not, algorithms impact our lives in an immeasurable number of ways. And now, they're going to take on an even greater importance in our businesses.
BY DON REISINGER, TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS WRITER@DONREISINGER
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