AI SEO
AI SEO is the use of artificial intelligence to help plan, create, optimize, and measure search content so it performs better in both traditional search results and AI-powered search experiences.
What I’d do first
- Start with a content audit: check structure, clarity, and authority signals.
- Use AI for research and drafting, but always edit and fact-check manually.
- Don't neglect traditional SEO basics — crawlability, speed, and helpful content still matter.
- Add structured data to help AI systems understand and surface your content.
- Monitor how your content appears in AI-generated summaries and adjust accordingly.
Think of it as SEO with a co-pilot — not a replacement for the pilot.
What I'd do first
- Audit your current content for structure: clear headings, direct answers, and semantic coverage.
- Use an AI tool to cluster your keywords by topic, not just volume.
- Draft one piece of content with AI assistance, then edit it heavily for accuracy and voice.
- Add structured data (schema) to help AI systems understand your page.
- Monitor how your content appears in AI-generated summaries (e.g., Google SGE, ChatGPT).
Plain-English take
AI SEO means using smart software to do the grunt work of SEO faster — like finding the right keywords, writing drafts, checking if your page is technically sound, and seeing what's missing compared to competitors. But it's not a set-it-and-forget-it thing. The AI can suggest, but you still decide what's worth publishing and whether it actually helps someone.
When it actually matters
- You're managing a large site and need to scale content production without burning out your team.
- You're competing in a space where AI-generated summaries are already pulling answers from competitors.
- You want to optimize for both traditional search results and AI-powered answer engines.
- You need to quickly identify content gaps or technical issues across hundreds of pages.
What I got wrong
- I thought AI SEO meant I could publish whatever the tool wrote. Big mistake — it needs heavy editing.
- I ignored crawlability and site structure, assuming AI would just figure it out. It doesn't.
- I over-optimized for exact-match keywords and forgot about semantic coverage and entity clarity.
- I assumed AI tools could replace editorial review and fact-checking. They can't.
Next step
If you liked this
Sources
- Google Search Central — Primary source for Google's guidance on helpful content, structured data, crawlability, and search best practices.
- Search Engine Land — Well-known industry reference that defines AI SEO in the context of AI-powered search experiences.
- Semrush Blog — Practical SEO reference for how AI is used in keyword research, content optimization, and workflow automation.
Notes from Callum Bennett.