Although AI has created a solid place for itself in the SEO world, it seems like marketers aren't adopting it at the rate SEO gurus on X or marketing podcast hosts might have you believe. Our AI SEO Benchmark Report found that only 9.6% of marketers regularly use AI for SEO-related tasks.
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However, that's not to say that AI's role in SEO is too small for marketers to take it seriously. The low adoption is due to the cost of AI implementation, reluctance to change, and lack of knowledge on how to integrate AI into SEO strategies.
The good news is that there's still time for you to take the lead. Looking at the rate of AI adoption by traditional search engines and the popularity of AI-driven search engines among users, now is a good time for you to implement an AI SEO strategy before the competition gets too fierce to catch up.
We've covered actionable steps to build your AI SEO strategy below. You'll also find a ton of helpful tool options to drive this strategy in our guide.
- AI's Evolution in SEO: How Machine Learning is Shaping the Future of Search
- AI-Powered Content Personalization: Tailoring Experiences That Convert
- Predictive SEO for Trend and Algorithm Change Anticipation: Stay Ahead of the Curve
- Optimizing for Voice Search and Conversational AI: Speaking the Language of the Future
- Automated SEO Audits and Real-Time Optimization: Always Be Improving
- Enhanced User Experience (UX) Through AI: Keep Visitors Coming Back for More
- AI-Powered Visual Content Optimization: Making Images and Videos Work Harder
- Choosing the Perfect AI Tools to Supercharge Your SEO Strategy
- Monitoring, Tweaking, and Scaling SEO with AI for Continuous Success
- Future-Proofing Your SEO Strategy with Emerging AI Trends
- Measuring SEO Success with AI-Enhanced Analytics
- Rank #1 With an AI SEO Strategy
- Frequently Asked Questions
AI's Evolution in SEO: How Machine Learning is Shaping the Future of Search
Those still skeptical of AI's potential and its impact on SEO may think it to be a fad. However, that's far from true. What started as using AI for writing web content has now expanded to multiple aspects of SEO.
AI can now help conduct a plethora of tasks, from keyword research and content optimization to competitor analysis and strategy building. For international SEO, AI tools help conduct keyword research in your target audience's language. They can also translate marketing and web content. The interesting part is that AI hasn't merely facilitated these tasks but also changed them in many ways.
For example, keyword research is no longer about stuffing as many keywords as possible in a content piece. It has become more user-intent-focused since people are increasingly using conversational queries to search.
Another interesting thing to mention is AI's ability to predict certain things that traditional SEO tools couldn't. For example, AI tools can predict trends based on historical and current data. Similarly, they predict your site's rankings for a keyword, giving you an idea of whether a query is worth targeting.
For example, Semrush's Keyword Overview tool shows you the potential position of your domain on the SERPs for a seed keyword. It also shows you a personalized keyword difficulty percentage for your website. Both these factors can help you determine if you should invest resources in targeting a particular keyword or not.
Natural language processing (NLP) is another jewel in AI's crown. Search engines are using NLP to understand what a searcher is looking for when they enter a query in the search box. They then show results that match the user's intent most accurately. So, there's more of a focus on intent than merely keywords. In terms of content creation, this has translated into a shift from the traditional keyword-centric approach to a more context-based one.
Not to mention, AI has automated plenty of SEO tasks. You no longer have to conduct new keyword research every day. With tools like Semrush that update every day, you get fresh, trending keywords regularly. The same applies to site audits and backlink analysis. AI SEO tools don't only identify these issues but also provide corrective recommendations and actionable insights.
Together, these AI-driven shifts in SEO will improve user experiences even more in the future. While that's excellent news for search engine users, for marketers and SEO professionals, this means regular work on their SEO strategies. However, this hard work will definitely yield good results.
In our AI Marketing Benchmark Report, over 34% of the respondents said that AI has improved their marketing outcomes. So, SEO professionals can expect similar results for AI-driven search engine marketing and optimization.
AI-Powered Content Personalization: Tailoring Experiences That Convert
A few years ago, when ChatGPT came along, many people thought they could simply leave their content creation to the AI. And many of them did, too. But then came Google's 2024 core update, which penalized scaled content, resulting in many of these sites losing their rankings.
However, this isn't to say that AI-driven content marketing is fruitless. In fact, Google doesn't mind AI content; the search engine just penalizes scaled content, which is basically a fancy way of saying "mass-produced content." If AI-created content is further complemented with human efforts, it can do wonders for your SEO strategy.
Our AI SEO Benchmark Report proves that it does, considering 13.08% of all top-ranking content on Google today is AI-generated. Now that we've got the myth that AI equals Google penalties out of the way, let's talk about AI's role in personalizing content, which is a must, with people preferring customized experiences over generic ones.
First off, AI provides you with the insights you need about your audience's behavior and preferences. You can then use this data to create personalized content for every segment of your target audience.
Take Semrush's One2Target tool as an example. It shows you the data points you can use to personalize your content. Since you get to create a comparison list with your top five competitors, the tool handpicks the most relevant insights and data points based on the overall view of your niche and not just your domain.
The Demographics report tells you all you need to know about your audience's age, country, etc.
If your product is price-sensitive, use the Socioeconomic tab to see your audience's educational and employment level.
In the Behavior tab, you'll find information about the social media interests and preferences of your audience, such as which social media platforms they frequent. Suppose you see that your audience is most active on Instagram. You can then show them retargeting ads on the platform to personalize their interaction with your brand.
Alternatively, you can use the Audience Intelligence app in Semrush's App Center to get in-depth cultural insights for customer segmentation. It goes beyond the general interests your audience has.
The app also provides psychographic data, such as your audience's content engagement patterns, buying mindset, and online habits. Use this data to further personalize your content strategy and even find the right influencers for your social media campaigns.
Identify Opportunities for Content Personalization With AI
Let's say you've created a web page based on insights you got from the tools above. The web page shows different content based on the user's location or interest.
The Semrush On Page SEO Checker tool can show you ways to improve the page content. Enter the web page you want to evaluate and go to the Overview tab. Here, you'll see ways to improve your content through user experience, backlinks, personalization, semantic ideas, and other options.
In the Optimization Ideas tab, click on the web page you want to optimize and expand the ''All Ideas'' section. Here, you'll see tips to further personalize your content and improve it in other ways.
With AI by your side, you don't have to guess what your audience wants. Instead, you take a data-driven approach, which leads to better results.
Predictive SEO for Trend and Algorithm Change Anticipation: Stay Ahead of the Curve
As we touched on earlier, one of the main things that sets AI optimization apart from traditional SEO is the predictive aspect. AI tools don't necessarily look into the future. It's more like predicting future trends based on existing data and past search patterns.
For example, Exploding Topics can forecast keyword trends up to a year into the future. Basically, the tool looks at current search trends and predicts which topics will become popular in the near future. This gives you a head start on creating content related to these upcoming trends.
Similarly, the Semrush Keyword Overview tool shows you the search trend for your keywords over the past 12 months. The interesting aspect of this tool is the SF column, which shows you the number of search features this keyword appears in.
When you click on the icon next to the number of search features, you'll be directed to the SERPs. Here, you can see how you need to frame your content to be included in the featured snippets in the future. For example, when we checked ''digital marketing,'' the tool showed us that the keyword appears in AI Overview.
This is an indicator that we need to focus on generative engine optimization (GEO) efforts if we want to rank for that keyword in the future.
Similarly, if you want to be prepared for changing user behavior and preferences, you can use Predict to apprehend how users' behavior will change. Its instant behavioral data gives you enough time to take your content and marketing strategies in the direction your customers' minds are heading.
Optimizing for Voice Search and Conversational AI: Speaking the Language of the Future
The need for AI SEO keywords is at an all-time high, considering voice search has made its way into our daily lives. Instead of typing short terms into the Google search bar, people now ask their phone or home's virtual assistants full-length questions.
That means your content needs to include these queries and the answers to them. It's no longer about using the XYZ keyword five times in your content. Now, you need to understand what your target audience would ask and address it in your content. With AI tools, this becomes somewhat of a breeze.
Let's start with finding conversational and voice-optimized keywords. Semrush's Keyword Magic Tool is your best buddy in this regard. Provide it with your seed keyword, and it will show you the semantic and long-tail keyword suggestions that people use when searching for that term.
For voice search optimization, you need to focus on two main types of keywords: long-tail and questions. Go through Semrush's keyword suggestions and check the boxes next to long-tail keywords. This is the keyword list that you can export later.
As for the question-based keywords, you'll find them in the Questions tab. From the top menu, select Questions, and the tool will show you the top questions people ask that include your seed keyword. You can then sort these keywords by difficulty to make it easy to target the low-hanging fruit.
Voice Search Optimization for Local SEO
At some point, we've all asked the helpful lady living inside our phone to find us the nearest coffee shop or Chinese restaurant. If you're the said coffee shop or restaurant, you want your site to be optimized for voice search to appear in local search results. Otherwise, you'll be missing out on potential customers who are searching for your product or service using voice commands.
Semrush's Listings Management is quite helpful in this regard. Think of it as the headquarters for your local SEO. Once you set it up, the tool sends the NAP (name, address, phone number) of your business to the top online directories so that you have a consistent presence across the web.
It also monitors all your listings and sends you alerts if any information is missing or outdated. You can then fix these issues from the same dashboard.
The tool also shows you how well you currently rank in the Google Maps section and in your area as a whole. Its heatmap feature gives you an overview of where you rank well for selected keywords and where you need to do some more work due to higher competition.
With all these insights in the same place, you can easily optimize your listings for voice search and improve your local SEO.
Automated SEO Audits and Real-Time Optimization: Always Be Improving
If there's one thing you need to know about today's SEO landscape, it's that if you're not constantly improving your website, you're falling behind. That's just what search engine algorithm shifts and dynamic consumer preferences demand.
Before AI entered the scene, you'd need a team or at least designated people to audit your site's SEO performance regularly. You also had to spend a lot of time on these audits. However, AI can now facilitate this process. You can automate site audits to happen weekly or monthly so that your website is always in optimal condition.
After all, your site's technical health correlates with its user experience, and that ultimately impacts engagement rates. If all your internal links lead to 404 pages or your web pages take ages to load, people will leave your website. So, you have to fix technical issues before they increase your site's bounce rate.
The Semrush Site Audit tool saves your website from this fate. It takes a few quick minutes to crawl your domain, look for SEO-related errors, and suggest fixes. The tool goes beyond identifying broken links or duplicate content. It also shows you where you fare in terms of internal linking, crawlability, site performance, Core Web Vitals, and international SEO.
Bigger sites typically have a number of technical issues. So, where do you start? Semrush shows you the top issues that need prompt addressing and how you can fix them. This way, you can prioritize your SEO fixes based on severity.
Enhanced User Experience (UX) Through AI: Keep Visitors Coming Back for More
Before we go on to explain how AI can enhance user experience in other ways, let's first iterate that staying on top of your technical SEO will ultimately help in this regard. Fast loading times, internal linking, mobile friendliness, and overall site performance ultimately impact user experience. So, let's just say that technical SEO is the base on which user experience stands.
In the Semrush Site Audit tool, go to the Site Performance section. Here, you'll see a comprehensive report that shows performance issues with your website. It will also suggest elements you may optimize to improve page speed and other performance issues.
But it's not the only aspect of user experience in which AI can help. The insights from AI tools can help you optimize website design, content, and user journey.
For example, Zipy.ai is a customer session replay tool that helps you track user behavior on your website. You don't have to guess where your website went wrong in retaining a visitor anymore. The tool's AI technology automatically detects the parts of your website where users hesitated or seemed to look for something that wasn't there. You can then fix these user experience issues to improve retention.
Improving User Experience Through Content
User experience doesn't only depend on website design. Your content also determines if users will come back to your website or not. Ideally, you want your content to satisfy the visitor's intent so that they start to see your website as a helpful resource and frequent it.
Just adding intent-driven keywords in your content doesn't cut it. The whole content (from scratch) should be written with the user's intent in mind.
The Semrush Keyword Magic Tool shows you the intent behind every keyword so that you can angle your content accordingly. To see how your competitors are approaching the content to offer an excellent user experience, go to the Keyword Overview section. If you scroll to the bottom, you’ll see the top results on the SERPs. Go through them to get a gist of how you can position your content to satisfy searcher intent.
AI-Powered Visual Content Optimization: Making Images and Videos Work Harder
When everyone has access to the same AI writing tools and SEO tips from industry experts, the difference between standing out and blending in often comes down to the visuals. The sites that rank high on SERPs go the extra mile with visual content optimization. This is particularly true for visually-driven sites like eCommerce businesses or blogs that rely heavily on images and videos to convey their message.
They don't suffice just to use images in their content but they also optimize them. From adding relevant alt tags and captions to using the right file format and size, they make sure that their images contribute to their SEO efforts. You can do the same with AI content generators, many of which create images and videos based on text prompts.
One such tool is the Semrush AI Video Marketing Automator, which generates videos based on your prompts. You can use it to repurpose your written content, such as by converting blog posts into informative videos. With its support for 20+ languages, the tool translates your videos into widely spoken languages, helping you reach your global audiences.
Similarly, you can use AI tools like Canva's Image Generator to create images relevant to your content. After doing that, write a suitable, keyword-containing, and descriptive alt tag to describe the image. Search engines use this information to contextualize your image.
More importantly, check your images using Google Cloud's Vision AI to determine if they are recognized by search engines. One thing to focus on in this test is the Safe Search score, which tells you how likely it is for the image to trigger Safe Search filters in Google, such as for violent or adult content. If your image has a high Safe Search score, change it.
Also, optimize your images within the Semrush SEO Writing Assistant. It flags image issues, such as missing images or alt attributes. The tool also lets you know if you’ve added an optimal number of images and links in your content.
Another important aspect of visual content optimization is structured data. Add schema markup to your visual content so that search engines can understand and index them. Alli AI's schema markup generator can help you do this. Next, test the markup in Google's Rich Results Test to ensure it is correctly implemented.
AI doesn't only help you create and structure visual content but also test issues with it on your website. With the Semrush Site Audit tool, you can monitor issues with markups on your website. The tool flags any visual content with missing or incorrect markup, helping you fix them quickly.
In the Issues tab, you can also see if there are images on your website with missing alt tags or if any of the internal or external images are broken. Go ahead and fix these issues to make your visual content search-engine-friendly.
Choosing the Perfect AI Tools to Supercharge Your SEO Strategy
When it comes to really acing your AI SEO strategy, tools matter a lot. You could use basic ChatGPT SEO strategies, but they won't be as effective as the ones you create using paid tools like Semrush.
When selecting the best AI SEO tool, you must ensure it has most, if not all, of the features you need. It should also have a well-established reputation as a trusted tool. More importantly, the AI SEO tool must have consistently delivered good results for its users, and it should integrate with the Google Search Console for personalized insights.
For example, Semrush is a comprehensive tool that meets pretty much any SEO needs you may have. While the Keyword Magic Tool helps you find trending keywords, the Keyword Overview tool helps you see if your site has enough topical authority to rank high on the SERPs for it.
Meanwhile, you can use the Site Audit tool to check for any website issues that could affect your SEO efforts, and the On-Page SEO Checker will give you a comprehensive analysis of how well your page is optimized for search engines.
Semrush also has a ton of content optimization tools, such as the SEO Content Template tool we discussed above. Similarly, there's an SEO Writing Assistant that you can use to identify content issues and keyword-incorporating opportunities.
For more features, you can check out the App Center to find appropriate AI tools for additional marketing needs, such as video SEO and social monitoring.
Monitoring, Tweaking, and Scaling SEO with AI for Continuous Success
Part of the reason marketers and SEO professionals rave about AI is that it has accelerated SEO monitoring and scaling. You no longer have to spend hours tweaking your SEO strategy. Instead, AI tools make the process much more swift and data-driven.
For example, you can use the Organic Traffic Insights tool in Semrush to identify keywords that drive organic traffic to your best-ranking or top-performing pages. The tool also shows you the click-through rate and impressions for these keywords. Ideally, you should use this tool after you have made changes to your content or SEO strategy.
The tool will give you an overview of how your optimization efforts are turning out. If you’ve made mobile search improvements, filter the keywords by device to see how your strategies have performed. Similarly, there’s a country filter to measure the results of your international SEO efforts.
Similarly, if you’ve published a new link magnet, you can use the Semrush Backlink Analytics tool to see how many domains have linked to it. Being the most up-to-date backlink checker, this tool provides you instant information about your backlink profile. Check the New & Lost Backlinks section to see how your link magnet has performed.
You can further learn about the authoritativeness of the referring domain. This will give you an idea of the type of websites that are linking back to you.
Maybe a competitor of yours has also released a link magnet at the same time. The Backlink Analytics tool allows you to compare your link-building progress with theirs to get ideas on improving your own link-building strategy.
Improving your SEO isn't something you do only by looking at your website. You also have to see what your competitors are up to, not just in their link-building efforts but also the overall SEO strategy. Again, AI tools come to the rescue with competitor analysis features.
For example, you can get an insider's view into your competitors' SEO performance with the Organic Research tool. It shows you the keyword trend for your competitor, along with the top keywords they rank for the user intent they target.
The SERP features trend indicates the SERP features your competitors rank in. This also includes AI Overview, which is a feature you should focus on in your GEO efforts. These insights help you see what your competitors are doing right and how you can follow suit to improve your own SEO strategy.
Future-Proofing Your SEO Strategy with Emerging AI Trends
Every passing day is bringing us something new in the AI SEO space. And luckily, there's an AI tool for every new trend that emerges.
The future of SEO is not just driven by written content. What we're looking at is an era of multimodal content. We're talking images, videos, infographics, written content, and interactive elements. And as search engines become better at understanding context and intent, AI tools can help you optimize these elements for an immersive user experience.
Take mobile-first indexing as an example. We know that mobile users are increasing in number, and they want quick-loading pages and well-optimized images.
Keeping this in mind, you can use AI tools to create mobile-optimized images. Since a lot of local searches are also mobile-based, you can optimize your business listings for Google Maps. The Semrush Map Rank Tracker shows you the state of your business on Google Maps compared to your competitors.
Semrush has also introduced ChatGPT within Map Rank Tracker to show you the top keywords you can use to optimize for local, mobile searches. You can then create content for your GBP page or blog to improve your visibility in local searches.
You can also use the Semrush Trends tool to stay on top of market trends within your industry. The tool provides you with growth opportunities in real time that you can capitalize on for immediate success. Not only that, it also keeps an eye on your competitors’ strategies and activities, inspiring your future SEO and content creation moves.
Without these AI tools, it might take you months to learn about new trends or market insights. By that time, a competitor may have already created a place for themselves in the new space.
Measuring SEO Success with AI-Enhanced Analytics
Once you implement your enterprise SEO strategies, the next step is measuring how successful they are. And AI tools (yes, you guessed it right) also help you in this department.
For starters, AI takes a lot of manual work out of the equation. Take Semrush as an example. Everything from the tool's keyword lists to site audit reports is highly automated. All you have to do is enter your domain information, and the tool does the rest. You're not just getting surface-level data but in-depth insights along with recommendations for their implementation.
For bigger websites, the data quickly adds up. It can be tricky to collect and then present this data to stakeholders. But with an AI tool like Polymer, you don't have to do much manually. You can upload your Semrush data and automate dashboard creation with zero tech knowledge. The tool's AI also explains the graphs and charts to you in a textual format to eliminate confusion.
With the advent of AI-based search engines, the factors contributing to SEO success are also changing. For example, ranking in organic SERPs doesn’t suffice; your website also needs to appear in the AI Overviews and generative search engines.
After optimizing your content for generative engines through conversational keyword usage, structured data, intent-centric content, and modular content, you can also use AI-powered tools to analyze your position in these search results.
For example, the Semrush Position Tracking tool now lets you view your keyword rankings in the AI Overviews, too. As you conduct generative engine optimization (GEO), use this tool to gauge how your strategies impact your visibility in the AI search results.
Rank #1 With an AI SEO Strategy
AI has become one of those realities in the marketing and SEO spaces that you simply cannot ignore. Why ignore it when you can capitalize on it? SEO influencers and industry experts have long been advocating the use of AI in SEO, and it is clear why.
AI-powered SEO strategies are comparatively more data-driven than traditional ones. They also have more room for agile optimization, which means that you can make changes to your strategies as new data comes in. With the deep insights that AI offers, it's possible to make user intent the crux of your SEO efforts, which is exactly what the rise of voice search and generative engines demand.
The tips we've discussed above will help you materialize the AI digital transformation in your SEO efforts, but there's one last thing that we must address: the need for human intervention. Sure, AI is awe-inspiring, but it's not a replacement for SEO pros. Your oversight will take your AI SEO strategy from good to excellent.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can AI improve my SEO strategy in 2024?
AI can level up your SEO strategy by helping with smarter keyword research, technical audits, content optimization, and trend prediction. It can help you find intent-driven keywords you might've missed and even write SEO-friendly drafts. AI tools also let you see your competitors' SEO strategies and take notes to improve your own.
What AI tools should I use for keyword research and content creation?
The Semrush Keyword Magic tool is an excellent tool for keyword research that shows you the user intent, keyword difficulty, cost-per-click, and search features for each search query. You can also use it to find the most commonly asked questions around your keyword. As for content creation, opt for the Semrush SEO Writing Assistant, which provides real-time keyword, readability, content structuring, and SEO element guidance to optimize your content for search engines.
Can AI-generated content rank well on search engines?
AI-generated content can rank well if it's done right. Google prioritizes content that's relevant and meets user intent, irrespective of how it was created. That's why over 13% of the top-ranked content on Google is AI-generated. However, note that this content is not only AI-generated; it also has a human touch. Google’s 2024 update has strict guidelines around scaled content, so you won’t benefit much from mass-producing articles using an AI tool. Instead, you should use AI as your writing assistant and fill the gaps it leaves yourself.
How do I combine AI content creation with human editing?
Start by using AI tools to generate ideas, topic research, outlines, or first drafts to save time. Then, have a human editor refine the content by improving readability and fact-checking for accuracy. Add humor or natural-sounding language to maintain human engagement. Basically, let AI do the time-consuming part and bring the human touch yourself.
What role does AI play in optimizing on-page SEO?
AI tools can analyze your content and suggest improvements for things like keywords, meta descriptions, alt tags, meta tags, and headings. For example, the Semrush SEO Writing Assistant provides suggestions for keyword placement, internal linking, image addition, image optimization, and readability. All these factors eventually improve on-page SEO.
Which AI tools are best for technical SEO audits?
The Semrush Site Audit tool is one of the best options for technical SEO audits. It covers all major site issues, like markups, image optimization, broken links, duplicate content, core web vitals, and international SEO. You can fix the errors or the warnings the tool has identified based on its improvement suggestions.
How can AI help me scale content creation while maintaining quality?
AI scales content creation by speeding up many tasks that previously used to take a lot of time for human writers. These include brainstorming ideas, conducting topic research, finding keywords, generating outlines, and writing rough drafts. AI tools can do all this work for you, leaving you to focus on only writing and refining the content. So, by joining your human creativity forces with AI's speed and accuracy, you can produce a higher quantity of quality content.
What are the best AI tools for local SEO optimization?
The Semrush Listings Management tool is among the best AI tools for local SEO optimization, especially for voice search. It helps you get listed on local search directories, manage your online reputation, track reviews and mentions for all locations, and monitor your Google Maps rank in one place. Plus, you can use the Semrush Keyword Magic tool to find "near me" keywords and optimize your content so that they appear higher in local search results.
How can AI predict SEO trends and help me stay ahead of competitors?
AI predictive analytics tools can analyze massive amounts of data from search engines and social media to identify patterns in consumer behavior. Based on these trends, AI tools then predict how trends may shift in the future. For example, they can show you how keyword usage may change a year from now or which platforms will be popular for content promotion. This information can help you develop a long-term, future-proof SEO strategy.
Should I rely solely on AI for my SEO strategy, or should I combine it with human expertise?
No matter how smart or effective AI gets, your SEO strategy will always need human expertise. Use AI for large-scale data analysis and task automation instead of giving it full control. While AI does the time-consuming and tedious work, you can spend time coming up with strategic content ideas and SEO tactics. Then, join the two to get a top-notch SEO strategy.