Discover cutting-edge SEO strategies tailored for an AI-powered search landscape, drawing directly from the knowledge pool of industry leaders. This article demystifies complex tactics like first-party data utilization and AI-sourced optimization, providing actionable insights for digital marketers. Get ahead of the curve by learning from the experts how to harness the full potential of AI in SEO.

Focus on First-Party Data Strategies

To counter declining organic clicks from AI-powered search platforms, I would focus on first-party data content strategies and exclusive brand-owned experiences to ensure visibility while maintaining regional compliance and ethical standards.

One key tactic would be creating AI-optimized, proprietary content hubs that provide exclusive insights, interactive tools, and gated resources that AI models can’t easily scrape or replicate. For example, instead of just publishing traditional product guides, I’d develop dynamic comparison tools, interactive shopping assistants, and real-time pricing calculators that add value beyond static text.

Additionally, I’d ensure content is localized and aligned with regional compliance laws by customizing metadata, structured data, and country-specific landing pages to meet regulatory requirements like GDPR, CCPA, or China’s CSL. This would increase trust and accessibility while preventing content from being misrepresented in AI-generated summaries.

By shifting toward exclusive, interactive content and regionally compliant optimization, brands can retain traffic and engagement even as AI-driven search reshapes the digital landscape.

Slavko Kovacevic, Head of SEO, PR Link Engine

Create Highly Targeted Micro-Guides

If I were in the shoes of a head of SEO for a global e-commerce brand, I’d see the rise of AI-powered search platforms like ChatGPT and DeepSeek as an opportunity to evolve our strategy rather than a threat. With traditional organic clicks declining, the key to staying relevant would be to position our content as the source these AI platforms turn to for direct answers. 

To do this, I’d pivot our approach by creating highly targeted content designed to answer specific questions that users are likely to ask AI tools. For example, instead of a generic blog post like “10 Best Running Shoes,” I’d focus on micro-guides answering queries such as, “What’s the best running shoe for flat feet in cold weather?” These answers would be crafted in a conversational, straightforward tone that aligns with how users engage with AI. 

I’d also place a strong emphasis on structured data, making it a fundamental part of our strategy. Using schema markup like FAQ, How-To, and Product entities, we’d ensure that AI systems could easily understand and extract relevant information from our content. Additionally, for our European market, I’d make sure our content is fully compliant with GDPR, embedding clear data collection policies into our structured data to adhere to regional regulations and boost our trustworthiness. 

The outcome? I’d expect to see our content featured as direct answers in AI platforms for a significant portion of targeted queries. This would not only increase visibility but also drive higher conversions. In the end, it’s about being the brand that provides the clearest, most trustworthy answers while respecting regional regulations and ethical standards.

Martynas Siuraitis, SEO Consultant, The SEO Consultant Agency

Optimize for AI-Sourced Featured Answers

To pivot SEO strategy in response to AI-powered search platforms like ChatGPT and DeepSeek, the focus should shift from traditional organic clicks to structured, conversational, and intent-driven content that aligns with how AI models process and surface answers.

Key Strategy: Optimize for AI-Sourced Featured Answers (AI SEO)

1. Use Conversational, Schema-Optimized Content

• Implement FAQ schema, How-To schema, and Speakable schema to structure content for AI models.
• Craft content in a question-answer format to match AI search behavior.

2. Create AI-Readable, First-Party Data Insights

• AI search engines prioritize high-authority, verifiable data.
• Publish original research, case studies, and expert-backed insights that AI models can cite as credible sources.

3. Prioritize Topical Authority Over Keyword Stuffing

• Instead of chasing high-volume keywords, focus on comprehensive topic coverage with long-form, well-structured content.
• Optimize for semantic search by integrating entity-based SEO and contextual linking.

4. Optimize for AI-Powered Product Search

• If e-commerce, integrate structured product data and real-time inventory feeds so AI search engines can directly display product availability.
• Leverage Google Shopping feed optimization and AI-friendly JSON-LD markup to enhance visibility.

5. Adapt for Regional and Ethical Considerations

• Ensure content complies with data privacy laws (GDPR, CCPA, etc.).
• Use geotargeted content strategies to meet region-specific search preferences.

By implementing AI-driven SEO tactics, brands can position their content to be sourced directly by AI search engines, maintaining visibility despite the decline in traditional organic clicks.

Imanuel Malaihollo, Founder & AI Marketing Strategist, CITADRON

Produce Unique User-Generated Content

The introduction of AI-generated content means that publishers have to focus on producing unique and original content, now more than ever.

Large Language Models (LLMs) are able to generate answers to questions only by analyzing and understanding existing content on the web. So, you need to focus on producing content that doesn’t exist yet.

This sounds difficult, but all this really means is coming up with new and unique methodologies. One way you can quickly collect these is by asking real people. User-generated content (UGC) is fantastic at getting real people’s original ideas.

But this doesn’t mean ignoring supplementary information that you may be able to find elsewhere online. It’s still important, as it always has been for earning featured snippets, to have properly structured subheadings based on keywords that users are searching for with a concise answer following them. Using an FAQ format is very effective for this.

In these cases, the LLMs that power ChatGPT, DeepSeek, Search Generative Experience, etc. can quickly identify and understand important information in your content and pull it into a direct answer.

Will Rice, SEO & Marketing Manager, MeasureMinds Group

Implement Structured Data and Compliance

To adapt to AI-powered search platforms delivering direct answers, the focus should be on structured data implementation and conversational content optimization. Using schema markups like FAQ, how-to and speakable helps search engines understand and pull out important information. This makes it more likely that your content will appear as a featured answer. Content should be structured in a clear question-and-answer format, ensuring concise yet informative responses that AI assistants can easily parse and reference.

A key consideration is regional and ethical compliance. Creating content for specific locations helps follow regional laws like GDPR and CCPA. It is also important to be transparent and ensure the content is accurate, fair and inclusive. Making content easy to understand and similar to how people speak improves its chances of appearing in voice search results.

Beyond technical SEO, forming partnerships with AI platforms presents an opportunity for direct content integration. This includes contributing data to AI search features or collaborating on AI-driven content partnerships that position the brand as a trusted source. The goal is to make content discoverable and indispensable in an era where traditional organic search traffic is declining.

Deepak Shukla, CEO, Pearl Lemon