SEO & Awareness: is AI redefining the rules of the game?

The main objections: critical perspectives on the role of SEO

Through discussions with colleagues and other industry experts, doubts and skepticism persist about what the future holds for SEO professionals. Many widely held beliefs remain — some are legitimate, others are rooted in outdated models no longer suited to today’s environment.

Here, I have collected the three most frequent objections I’ve encountered. Without claiming to offer definitive answers, I share some open reflections.

Objection 1: “SEO remains the most sustainable lever for small brands with limited budgets”

Yes, SEO can still be a sustainable activity — provided the approach is highly focused:

• on long-tail queries
• on content with high informational value
• on less saturated niches

In many industries, informational SERPs are now dominated by authoritative editorial domains. In such cases, it is necessary to reassess the ROI of organic SEO: it may no longer be the primary lever for brand discovery but can still serve as an effective support tool when integrated into a broader strategy.

New perspectives emerge with the recent launch of Google's AI Mode (not yet available in Europe). The “Search with stateful chat” patent presents a multi-layered reasoning system that may paradoxically reward niche content through “synthetic queries” — automatic variations of the original search that dig deeper than traditional keywords — and the “query fan-out” technique, which generates hundreds of parallel queries on related subtopics.

However, for this to work, brands must first build “distributed authority.” In other words, Google’s technological innovation doesn’t rewrite the rules — it amplifies them. The system becomes more sophisticated in identifying relevant content, but still within the universe of entities it already considers authoritative. For now.

Objection 2: “The biggest players aren’t always the best at fulfilling search intent”

True. Many major sites rank in top positions without truly meeting the search intent. Often, they deliver fragmented, generic, or low-value experiences.

But search engines (and now large language models) do not assess based solely on content quality. They rely heavily on trust signals. A small site with excellent content but no external validation still has little chance of surpassing a well-known competitor.

A multidimensional approach is therefore necessary: strong content, yes, but also a citation, mention, and interaction strategy that strengthens the entity’s presence within the knowledge graph built by both search engines and LLMs.

Objection 3: “SEO will evolve by integrating AI across its channels, and there will still be room for small brands.”

That may be the case, but it will present an even more complex challenge. On one hand, content will need to be semantically robust and capable of interacting with predictive models. On the other, brands must build a coherent, cross-channel reputation that AI can clearly associate with the entity.

In this context, branding and online reputation become more decisive than ever.

A new perspective for SEO: from discovery lever to choice factora 

Data show that SEO remains fundamental, but its role is shifting — from visibility to validation. It is no longer just a tool for being found, but for being chosen, through:

1. An Effective User Experience

2. Concrete and relevant answers to user needs

The goal is not just to capture keywords, but to truly meet a need — without forcing the user to “switch channels.” We write (also) for algorithms, but above all for users with high expectations and limited attention spans.

3. A semantically coherent and easily navigable architecturee

In a world where even AI reads websites, the way we narrate who we are and organize our content affects perceived authority. Helping users navigate content effortlessly — with clear, intuitive, and meaningful paths — can be seen as a new form of brand loyalty.

Final considerations: how strategic priorities are changing 

In my view, this should be the focus of a modern SEO strategy, especially for those starting from scratch today. For emerging brands, the future of awareness inevitably lies in building cross-channel reputation and taking care of every single touchpoint (public profiles, OOH, branding, and finally, the website), ensuring that each contributes to a coherent message.

SEO can no longer limit itself to chasing a snippet or ranking through the right keyword — it must become a means to consolidate trust and credibility, improve experience, and facilitate conversion once the user (perhaps reached through another channel) is ready to engage.

And what about established brands?

For them, the challenge is different — but no less demanding. Visibility doesn’t need to be built from scratch, but it must be guarded with precision. The digital landscape is saturated, and competitors speak the same language.

The battlefield now lies in occupying every inch of available visibility. AI Overviews, featured snippets, images, People Also Ask, reviews — every space is contested, and the winner is not necessarily the largest player, but the most meticulous.

Observing these trends within one’s sector is key for strategic planning. The challenge is not to find the perfect formula, but to develop adaptability and a methodology to interpret signals that are still evolving. Those who succeed in building a resilient and diversified visibility ecosystem today will have a greater chance of staying competitive in the emerging scenario.

• Google AI Overviews: New CTR Study Reveals How to Navigate Negative SERP Impact (https://www.amsive.com/insights/seo/google-ai-overviews-new-research-reveals-how-to-navigate-click-drop-off/) 

• An Analysis of AI Overview Brand Visibility Factors (75K Brands Studied) (https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overview-brand-correlation/) 

• New Research: We analyzed 332 million queries over 21 months to uncover never-before-published data on how people use Google (https://sparktoro.com/blog/new-research-we-analyzed-332-million-queries-over-21-months-to-uncover-never-before-published-data-on-how-people-use-google/) 

• Four Reasons You Can’t Ignore Branded SEO in 2025 https://www.searchenginejournal.com/similarweb-branded-seo-in-2025-spa/527378/ 

• Survey: 42% of people say Google Search is becoming less useful (https://searchengineland.com/google-search-less-useful-survey-452700) 

• AI Search Has A Citation Problem (https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/we-compared-eight-ai-search-engines-theyre-all-bad-at-citing-news.php)