We’re a quarter of the way through 2023, and we’re starting to see brands and marketing teams worry. After so many years and dollars spent on cornering their search engine marketing, AI has come along to change the game.
But has it really?
People still want to find a solution to their problem. And you still want to be that solution. That will never go away. It’s all in how quickly you adapt to the changing landscape of AI marketing—and we’re here to walk you through it.
Will AI Marketing Eliminate Traditional Search Engines?
The short answer: no, not really. Since the dawn of the modern day search engine, marketers have needed to adapt roughly every few years. The first big change was Google’s Knowledge Graph in 2012. Then came voice search in 2016, leading Forbes to toll the bells for SEO. This new outlook regarding AI in SEO—while pretty substantial—is no different.
It’s true that “zero-click” searches have been on the rise. However, Google has also declared that their Search sends more traffic to the open web every year. It’s the classic growing pie analogy; while some websites are seeing their traffic percentages drop, their slices are getting bigger all the same.
It starts with a fundamental understanding of how people use search engines today and finding them where they are. Sometimes, people just want a quick answer from a business profile. Other times, they reformulate their query after realizing they didn’t word the first one correctly, leading to a zero-click search. This is why it’s important for you to use a multi-channel approach, such as keeping your Google Business Profile updated. It’s also important to start using more informational keywords.
What are Informational Keywords?
Informational keywords are one of four types identified by Semrush, alongside navigational, commercial, and transactional. They’re also the type likeliest to grow alongside AI marketing. Informational keywords are used most often as “long-tail keywords”, or keywords in the form of a question. Here, people are simply searching for information: How much water should I drink in a day? When is Flag Day this year? Where am I right now?
If you sell water bottles, flags, or maps and GPS devices, you may want to utilize these long-tail keywords. People are already asking their voice assistants these questions, and soon they’ll be using tools like ChatGPT and Google’s Bard to do the same.
Long-tail keywords are great for helping people in the discovery phase, especially as AI marketing expands. However, short-tail keywords will likely remain more impactful for attracting website visitors. To help you figure out when to keep using short-tail vs. long-tail keywords, we’ve provided the following questions:
- Do you already rank highly for a competitive industry keyword?
- Does your site have a high domain authority (60+)?
- Do you have a low bounce rate on your website, indicating your ability to match user intent?
- Is your brand’s name its own keyword?
As long as you can confidently answer “yes” to these questions, it’s likely that any new AI search engine will place you on the first page with short-tail keywords. Need help answering these questions? Ask our experts to take a look today!
What’s Included in the Next Evolution of AI for Marketers
Voice assistants like Siri or Alexa have used AI for years to help with basic questions. Now, however, people expect AI to write poems for their romantic partners or get them a “C” grade in law school. Perhaps the biggest change as AI evolves is how search engines “crawl” the web. More data will need to be processed as machine learning begins to comprehend more complex subjects.
What does this mean in terms of website conversions, though? One study from Statista found that, in just two years (2021 to 2013), the total worldwide value of e-commerce purchases made through voice assistants is expected to rise 400 percent. This shows you how important it is to keep doing your keyword research. You may also want to hire a digital marketing agency like Brandography to help with a SERP analysis.
What About Using AI Content Marketing for My Website?
It’s a tempting thought to be sure, though it comes with some important considerations. While you’re using various AI tools to pack your website with great content, for instance, many of your competitors will be doing the same. Competition for high-ranking keywords will likely ramp up as a result.
Remember what we just said about search engines changing their “crawling” tactics? As Google and others learn more about the data entering the web, high-quality content will become more pivotal than ever. To gain the edge on your AI content marketing efforts, be sure to go back through any blogs or website content and update it by:
- Inserting quality backlinks (internal and external)
- Removing duplicate content
- Ensuring your branding and voice is ever-present
- Correcting any errors (factual or grammatical)
When AI tools write an article for you, it’s likely there will be nothing “new” about it. This is because it’s taking content that’s indexed already and summarizing it. To rank higher on Google and other search engines (and gain more backlinks yourself), it’s important that you’re offering something new to the web with your content marketing.
Get the Most Out of AI Marketing with Brandography
The most fundamental way in which AI will impact search is how people will come to expect quality over quantity with their search results. While there’s already a lot to keep up with, you can stay ahead just by keeping your website visitors top-of-mind in your marketing efforts. We’re ready to help you close any gaps at Brandography.
Whether it’s algorithm updates or full-fledged changes to your analytics, we know how overwhelming it can be to keep up with your SEO. You can trust Brandography to get you caught up right now with optimization services for your website. We’re also ready to commit to your ongoing marketing efforts for the long haul with direct, open communication available to you at all times.
Ready to tackle the future of AI and search together? Reach out today for a free, zero-pressure consultation!
