AI is everywhere. ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and a dozen other AI tools are reshaping how people search for information. Google itself is rolling out AI Overviews, pushing traditional search results further down. So, does SEO still matter? Short answer: absolutely yes.

The AI Disruption: What’s Changing?

Search has evolved. Instead of typing queries into Google, people are now asking AI chatbots directly. But here’s the kicker, AI models like ChatGPT and Gemini don’t exist in isolation. They still pull information from the web, often from top ranked sources on Google. If your site isn’t optimised, AI won’t pick it up, and neither will Google. Infact it becomes even more important.

Google’s AI Overviews are designed to provide quick answers, but they don’t replace deep, valuable content. Users still click on detailed sources basis their intent and the information comes from well-optimised websites.

Why SEO Still Drives Maximum Traffic

1. Google Is Still the King: No matter how advanced AI becomes, Google remains the #1 source of traffic for most websites. Over 90% of online experiences start with search. Can you think of any other source, which generates such targeted traffic. You can even compare the conversion rates with paid media campaigns.
2. AI Uses Google’s Data: AI tools summarise information, but they rely on high-ranking web pages to do it. If your content isn’t optimised, AI won’t see it, and neither will users.
3. Clicks Still Matter: AI generated answers are helpful, but when users want to understand the topic, understand and interact, they still visit websites.
4. SEO Powers Brand Visibility – Whether users find you through AI, search, or social media, strong SEO ensures your brand appears in the right context.

What SEO Looks Like in 2025

Forget about just stuffing keywords. SEO today is about:

• E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authority, Trustworthiness): Google ranks content that proves credibility.
• Brand Popularity: Yes, you read that correct. Creating thousands of pages on website is not gonna help, unless its backed by the actual brand being in general discourse for the category/theme its competing in.
• User Engagement: A lot of credibility to a website comes from the actual user engagement on the website. Unless one creates a experience which offers lot of depth, its not gonna cut it.
• User Intent Matching: Understanding what users want and providing content that truly answers their questions.
• Content Freshness: Long gone are the days where you could create content & forget it. Even the most dominating/authority websites are continuously analysed for the frequency and credibility of content being updated.
• Technical SEO: Speed, structure, and accessibility still play a crucial role.
• AI & SEO Synergy – Optimising content so AI models and search engines can both pick it up effectively.

The Bottom Line

SEO isn’t dead. It’s just evolving. Google still drives the majority of website traffic, and even with AI overviews, users will always need reliable, in depth content. The businesses that adapt their SEO strategy to work with both search engines and AI models will continue to win.

So yes, SEO still matters a lot. The real question is: are you optimising for the new reality? Would you like to get your website evaluated on where it stands right now?