In today’s digital landscape, generative AI is impossible to ignore.
It dominates SEO conversations, Google search results, LinkedIn feeds, customer service platforms, video editing tools, and more. As AI continues to evolve, businesses are being pushed to adapt their organic search strategies accordingly.
That shift includes concepts like vector embeddings, semantic clustering, and rethinking content models around large language models (LLMs). AI-powered search is growing fast and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.
But here’s the part that doesn’t get talked about enough: AI overviews currently drive only a small share of website traffic.
According to Search Engine Land, referral sessions from LLM platforms show that organic traffic delivered through Google accounts for just two to three percent of total traffic from AI sources.
Many businesses are investing significant time and resources into AI-focused strategies and that’s important. However, what’s just as essential (and often overlooked) is sticking to high-impact SEO fundamentals.
Don’t Forget the Basics, Especially Title Tags
One of the most overlooked SEO fundamentals is the title tag.
Title tags are more than just headlines. They’re the first thing users see in search results and often the deciding factor in whether someone clicks or scrolls past.
A strong title tag that includes your focus keyword can dramatically improve click-through rates. The more compelling and relevant it is, the better. It’s also important to keep length in mind — typically 45 to 55 characters — so the full title is visible in search results.
Search Engine Land recently shared a simple but effective tactic: adding “& [keyword]” to an existing homepage title tag. One of their clients implemented this small change and saw increases in keyword rankings, clicks, and impressions across pages containing that keyword.
That’s it. One title tag. One page. Real results.
And title tags are just the beginning. Internal and external linking, on-page copy improvements, and well-written meta descriptions may sound basic but they still work.
Competitive Keywords Still Need Freshness and Authority
Competitive keywords require more than optimization because they demand freshness and authority.
One strategy that has fallen out of favor with the rise of AI is the skyscraper technique. Traditionally, this involves identifying keywords and pages that already rank well, then publishing stronger, more comprehensive versions designed to outperform them.
This tactic has contributed to a lot of repetitive, rehashed content across the internet. In the age of AI overviews, where systems surface what they deem the most relevant information, overly similar content may struggle to stand out or be selected.
That said, the skyscraper technique isn’t dead.
If your website has strong authority, offers genuinely new insights or perspectives, and targets competitive keywords thoughtfully, this approach can still work. It won’t be effective for every site or every topic — but avoiding it altogether may do more harm than good.
User Experience Still Matters (A Lot)
Despite all the hype around AI, a good website still matters.
AI’s growing presence means you can’t cut corners on website design or performance. Your site plays a major role in whether users take action and whether they ever come back.
In e-commerce, AI assistants are becoming more common, but not every website sells products. There’s a growing assumption that AI will handle most user interactions and that simply isn’t true.
Even e-commerce sites continue to receive traffic from traditional search, social media, and AI overviews. And regardless of how users arrive, they still need to take actions that AI can’t fully replace: signing up, logging in, downloading content, subscribing, or reading further.
If a site is cluttered, confusing, slow, or unclear in its purpose, users will leave and they won’t return.
Strong UX still drives results. That means fast-loading pages, clear layouts, simple navigation, obvious calls to action, and a visually appealing experience. No one likes a useless website.
AI Is Changing Search But SEO Isn’t Going Away
AI is reshaping how people discover information, but SEO remains essential.
Many businesses are underutilizing AI, while others are becoming overly dependent on it. The reality lies somewhere in the middle.
Traditional search isn’t disappearing anytime soon. SEO fundamentals, content freshness, topical authority, and strong user experience still matter — and they always will.
AI and SEO aren’t competing forces. They work best together.
Businesses that balance both will be better equipped to navigate an increasingly complex digital landscape and stay visible, relevant, and competitive in the years ahead.
