Let’s clear something up.
SEO isn’t dead. It’s not dying. It’s just changed, again.
I run an SEO agency.
I work with companies of all sizes, from small businesses to global brands.
And no matter where I go or who I talk to, I always get the same question:
“Is SEO still useful now that we’ve got AI tools like ChatGPT?”
Short answer: yes.
Long answer: SEO matters more than ever. Because it’s the way AI tools decide what to recommend.
AI doesn’t just “know” the best answer. It reads the web. It finds helpful content. It matches answers to real questions.
If your content is clean, structured, and easy to read, it gets picked up.
So the real question is this: Is your brand easy for AI to understand and use?
Let’s break down how this all works-and what to do about it.
What AI Does When You Ask a Question
Let’s say someone types this into ChatGPT or Perplexity:
“What’s the best electric car for commuting in Melbourne?”
Here’s what the AI tool does:
It splits that question into smaller ones. Things like: How far do people commute in Melbourne? Where are the charging stations? What’s the price of electricity vs petrol?
Then it searches the internet using Google, Bing, and other engines.
It looks for pages that already answer those smaller questions.
It grabs the most helpful answers.
Then it builds a summary using that info and shows it to the user.
That’s it. It’s not magic. It’s just fast, smart search.
If your content is well-written and easy to find, AI might include it.
If your page is hard to understand or doesn’t show up in search, the AI skips it.
It’s Still SEO (Just a Bit Smarter)
You might hear people talk about GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) or AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation). Sounds fancy, right?
Don’t overthink it. This is still just SEO-done in a way that machines understand better.
There’s no special “AI tag” you can add to your site. There’s no new trick.
You just need:
- A fast, clean website
- Clear and simple content
- Good structure (like proper headings, bullet points, and short answers)
- Schema markup (extra code that tells search engines what your page is about)
- Pages that answer real questions your customers ask
Do that, and AI tools will have no problem finding and using your site.
A Simple Example of How AI Sees Brands
Let’s say you sell moisturiser.
Someone types this into an AI tool:
“What’s a good moisturiser for oily skin that won’t clog pores?”
What’s the AI looking for?
A product page that says “For oily skin. Non-comedogenic.”
Reviews that confirm it works
Mentions on Reddit or in blogs that back it up
If your site just says “great for all skin types”, and there’s nothing else to support that claim, you’re not getting picked.
But if your site is clear, specific, and backed by reviews and articles-you’re in the game.
What Is “Query Fan-Out”? (And Why It’s Not Complicated)
Fan-out sounds technical, but it’s simple.
It means AI tools break big questions into smaller ones so they can give better answers.
Here’s an example:
“Should I get a hybrid or electric car for commuting?”
The AI splits that into things like:
- Which one costs less to run?
- What kind of charging is needed?
- How far can each go on a single charge?
- How much maintenance does each need?
If your content answers even one of those questions clearly, the AI might choose it. Even if you didn’t write a page specifically for the main question.
This is why it’s smart to answer real customer questions in your content-clearly, and in detail.
Real Example: What We Did for a Client
We had a client who sells luggage.
Their old product page said:
“The perfect bag for every journey.”
Sounds nice, but it doesn’t really say anything. Not to customers, and definitely not to AI.
We rewrote it to:
“Carry-on suitcase designed for international flights, fits in overhead bins, and meets all major airline size limits.”
Then we added a quick FAQ:
“Is this cabin-sized luggage accepted on Qantas and Jetstar?”
A few weeks later, that page started showing up in AI answers. Traffic from tools like Perplexity went up by 89%.
Same product. Same brand. Just clearer words that answered the right question.
How I Tracked Which Brands Show Up in AI (With No Tools)
Here’s something I did that worked well.
There’s no fancy tool (yet) to track when your brand is quoted in AI tools. So I made my own method.
I asked 20+ people in my network-friends, SEOs, marketers-to help. I gave them some questions to ask in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. Stuff like:
- “Best CRM for small businesses”
- “Affordable SEO agency in Australia”
- “Good headphones for Zoom calls under $200”
They ran the searches and sent me screenshots.
I tracked which brands were mentioned, which pages got quoted, and what kind of content the AI liked.
The patterns were clear:
Reddit was quoted often
Well-structured pages stood out
Simple, direct answers worked best
If you want to try this, one tip: keep your questions neutral. Don’t lead the AI in a certain direction. Just ask like a regular person would.
What Is “Grounding” (And Why It’s So Important)
Let’s keep this simple.
AI tools answer questions in two ways:
Ungrounded = They answer using what they remember from training.
Grounded = They search the internet in real time to get the latest answers.
Grounded responses are where you can show up.
Here’s the good news:
More than 90% of questions people ask AI tools are grounded.
So if you have good content, and your site is working properly, the AI has a very good chance of finding you.
But if your page is broken, old, or confusing-AI ignores it.
Grounding is why SEO still matters. AI can’t use what it can’t read or find.
Want to Show Up in AI Answers? Start Here.
You don’t need to be a tech wizard to improve your AI visibility.
Start with these:
- Write like a human. Say what your product or service actually does.
- Use real questions as headings. Then answer them clearly.
- Add FAQs to your key pages.
- Use schema markup where you can. It helps machines understand your content.
- Make sure your site loads quickly. Speed matters.
- Add “last updated” dates to content. AI tools care about freshness.
- Try to get mentioned on third-party sites-Reddit, blogs, product roundups.
- Track what gets quoted. Use screenshots if needed. Log it each month.
This is the stuff that works. No fluff. Just real improvement.
Final Word
SEO didn’t go away. It just went quiet.
Now it’s working behind the scenes-helping AI tools decide which brands are worth showing.
So when someone asks, “How does AI see your company brand?”-here’s your answer:
It sees what’s already out there.
If your content is clear, helpful, up to date, and well-supported by others? AI tools find it. They trust it. They use it.
If your content is confusing, vague, or hidden? You’re not part of the answer.
So go back to basics:
Say what your product is.
Say who it’s for.
Make it easy to read.
Back it up with proof.
If you do that-and you do it consistently-you don’t just show up in search.
You show up as the answer.
And if you want help with that, my team at StudioHawk can walk you through it.
We do this every day for brands big and small.
