Search Engine Optimization has been relentless and undefeated for decades in the industry, never fails for a business to succeed and for a website to improve. Even with the algorithm updates by search engines, SEO agencies can always keep up with those changes, thus bringing something new to the market. It’s true that SEO is the ever-changing “best practices” because it constantly evolved into modern ways and creating a better experience for the users. However, the rise of artificial intelligence paved the way for a much better search for information and more convenient than ever. Before diving into the discussion and arguments, it’s important to define first these two dominant terms.
SEO vs AI
By definition, SEO is the practice of increasing the quality and quantity traffic of a website, including boosting online presence and generating new customers. It encompasses on-page, off-page, and technical SEO that works together to create a perfect layout and design of the website alongside with the marketing campaigns and analysis to promote the website.
SEO is the backbone of why and how unique features and accessibility work, such as voice search, smart suggestion results, and among others. As stated previously, SEO is a breathing technology. Meaning it continues to bring new techniques and strategies to the market suitable not only for professionals but for beginners.
On the other hand, AI is a system that refers to the complex software that performs different tasks in the same as the human capacity. It has a highly-developed sense of hearing, touch, and analysis that can go through deep search information. This could mean that AIs have the ability to create and think deeper analysis but lacks rationality.
Different Functions of SEO and AI
Function of SEO
- Keyword research – keyword research involves the creation of unique group of words that represents the intent of the user whenever they are in search for something.
- On-page optimization – refers to the optimization process of on-page SEO such as the HTML attributes, contents, video, audio and other visual elements.
- Technical optimization – this function refers to the optimization of the website in terms of page speed, loading speed, indexation, and crawling.
- Content creation – this is by far the most important function of SEO as it is the determinant factor to rank on search engines.
- Social media presence – using social media platforms that boost online visibility and engagement rate of a business site.
Applications of AI
- It can be used in Astronomy to study the celestial objects and phenomena
- It’s vital in healthcare in assisting the doctors and nurses, even deep research of the hospital records.
- In eCommerce, providing a competitive edge to the business owners.
- In education, it provides a different teaching-learning method and offers more information.
- In entertainment, examples such as Netflix and Amazon that have both voice search and customized movie preference.
- It is simply useful in social media, providing a deeper search results and unique interactive elements.
Arguments and Discussions
SEO and AI is a hot topic in the industry right now, dividing the population in terms of usefulness and convenience. It’s true that most of the machine learning and equipment nowadays are operated with AI-based system operators. But when it comes to the marketing industry, it becomes totally different from the other industry. Even today, website owners have doubting choices in picking the right tool to use for the website, in fact, both can be really helpful in this process.
From a professional standpoint, SEO is still the best practice for marketing and generating results based on the marketing plan. SEO cannot be obsolete because it’s closer to human nature, such as curiosity and empathy, in which AI is out of reach in doing so. As stated, AI is pretty much useful to every industry in the world, considering its database system that can scan and analyze information faster than humans. Aside from that, AI is also being used to create content, information, and research for educational purposes and business at the same time.
But the most pressing concern is, will AI replace SEO? It’s critical to think that SEO will be replaced by an AI-based tool that does the same in terms of traffic, customer experience, and quality content. For the record, SEO itself is already an independent variable in this discussion, and AI is only an addition to the existing inbound process of SEO. SEO itself is already doing great and the addition of AI will only help maximize and optimize for better quality content, improve voice search, target conversational keywords, better UX, and eliminates black hat SEO. So, in this case, SEO is not being replaced by AI but rather enhanced for better use and assistance.
Another daunting question that heated up this argument is, what will be the impact of AI on SEO? This is a fair question considering that AI is greatly associated with SEO to improve user experience. SEO has a reason why it needs keyword- to create more relevant searches and intent for the users. But AI can’t keep up with the changes of the algorithm, validating the need for a manual workforce to anticipate the changes.
AI can have a profoundly disturbing impact on SEO and content marketing if left to run on its own. It will learn user behaviours and make suggestions/changes that do not contain any moral input, which is true because there might be no commitment in creating good information and intent for use. Even with that disadvantage, AI on SEO is greatly beneficial in content and information. With AI, information processing will be faster than ever, provides more accurate data, and able to boost SEO strategies. In addition, it will be able to correlate a huge amount of data quickly, providing an avenue to focus more on the important aspects.
The last argument is the disadvantages and advantages of AI on SEO. In the advantage of AI in SEO, automation is the first, and by far the greatest contribution of AI. It improves the speed, efficiency, and cost-saving of a business that allows to focus more on the user experience. Also, it helps marketers filter, manage, and present complex data. On the other hand, the disadvantage of AI on SEO is it’s not for everyon, meaning it’s expensive to invest.
Takeaway
AI and SEO are two different things, but with the presence of each other, it makes the best results and outcomes for a business site. If SEO is to increase traffic, AI is to boost in increasing the traffic. If SOE aims to provide a user experience, AI is the tool to provide a much better user experience. SOE nor AI didn’t overshadow each other, but they helped to create the ideal website and accessibility for every website owner and user.
