The term SEO, short for "Search Engine Optimization," refers to the set of techniques and practices aimed at optimizing a web page or content for search engines. The question that many ask today, in the era of artificial intelligence, is whether search engine optimization still makes sense. The answer is simple: as long as we use search engines like Chrome, Bing, or Safari, optimization remains essential. There is no escaping it.
I consider SEO not only a technique but a way of thinking about the web that is radically different from traditional print communication. An article for the web is not like a newspaper article, a book chapter, or a TV documentary. It is created for an environment with its own rules, structures, and dynamics. Optimizing for search engines means exactly this: building content specifically designed for the web.
It is true that artificial intelligence today offers us the ability to get results directly from its answers. However, it is equally true that search engines like Google will quickly integrate (or have already done so) AI results into their answers. But it is crucial to remember that the knowledge provided by AI is based on the reading and analysis of the content that we publish online.
The "spiders" or "bots," the tools with which search engines (and now also AIs) explore the web, will always need fresh, well-written, and organized data. This organization, which was once called "structured data," is still crucial today to ensure that pages are clear and usable by both search engines and users.
That is why it is still so important to think in terms of SEO. Often, SEO has been incorrectly interpreted as a race to climb the search engine results pages (SERP). In reality, this competition for ranking has always favored well-organized and quality content.
Today, we should consider SEO as a way to interact with the web while respecting the best writing practices. Let’s think about the recommendations of editorial directors, who require a clear style, appropriate length, and engaging headlines. Even in the world of SEO, professional "headline writers" play a fundamental role: creating effective titles is the first step to capturing the attention of search engines.
We must commit to creating titles that are relevant to the content, interesting, and pertinent. An inaccurate or unappealing title will result in a negative evaluation from search engines. SEO, therefore, is much more than just a technique: it is a holistic approach to content creation.
I have often encountered clients who told me they found an SEO consultant who "does everything without looking at my content." It is true that there are techniques based on backlinks and that publishing the site in Search Console is important. But in the end, the focus must be on the content itself. SEO primarily means taking care of your content and publishing it so that it is optimized for search engines.
Finally, I want to emphasize a crucial aspect: it is true that artificial intelligence can offer us already readable results, without citing or linking to sources. But I believe we are living in a time of experimentation and radical change.
The business models of artificial intelligence engines and search engines will need to find a way to fund their enormous data centers without recognizing the value of sources. If authors cannot continue to publish quality content, artificial intelligence will become less updated and informed.
Advertising, which finances much of the current system, is closely linked to the traffic of websites and portals. If this model of web usage changes, advertising will also diminish. For example, the AI Overview already shows advertising in lower positions. This is just a taste of what awaits us in the coming months, perhaps even in the coming weeks.
I believe we will continue to see significant changes in the immediate future, and for this reason, it is essential to keep investing in the web, in proper positioning in search engines, and in creating engaging content. It will be less interesting to publish definitions that we can easily obtain by asking artificial intelligence; much more interesting will be interpretations, unique perspectives, and unexpected connections.
It is not about flooding the web with fake news, but about proposing alternative visions and connections that are not immediately obvious. Finally, it is crucial to take care of your brand. If you have a site like brunoitaliano.com where you publish valuable content, your audience will not necessarily search on Chrome for the title of a specific article. More likely, they will regularly visit your site.
I will focus on promoting my content on social media, opening a newsletter, and building my brand through audience loyalty. The world is constantly evolving and is rapidly converging toward greater quality. For this reason, let’s keep doing SEO in the broadest sense: learning to write excellent content for the web. This will remain and will always be important.
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