Yes – but it’s evolved. Google still dominates search (∼95% of mobile, ∼82% of desktop traffic) and handles trillions of queries each year. Consumers still “come to Google with questions big and small” – including shopping questions – driving billions of product searches daily. At the same time, AI chat tools (ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, etc.) and community hubs (Reddit, YouTube, Quora) are new entry points for information. Fortunately, these new channels feed on traditional search indexes, so SEO still matters. For example, ChatGPT’s web search uses Bing’s index (and Microsoft’s search tech) to answer queries, meaning content not indexed by Bing/Google simply won’t show up. In short, search – and SEO – are alive, but the rules have changed.
AI Search Is a New Layer, Not a Replacement
Chatbots like ChatGPT and Bing’s AI search have changed how people find answers, but not that people find them via search. These tools still draw on web content. For example, OpenAI says ChatGPT now “provides links to relevant web sources” for its answers. Similarly, Google’s new AI Overviews and Bing Chat answers cite webpages as sources. In effect, SEO helps you show up inside AI answers as well as classic SERPs.
1.AI tools use search indexes: Both ChatGPT and Gemini (Google) rely on traditional web indexes. If your content isn’t indexed by Google or Bing, it won’t be in the AI’s knowledge base.
2.Citations still matter: When ChatGPT returns information, it often links to websites. Good SEO increases the chance your site is one of those links. (Google notes that pages featured in an AI Overview see strong traffic.)
3.Optimize for answers: This means structuring content to answer key questions clearly. Google’s experiments (AI Overviews) often draw from content that directly addresses user queries. Even if average CTR dips with AI answers, appearing as a cited source can still drive qualified traffic.
The Rise of Community-Driven Search
Search is becoming more social. Google now often includes forums and community sites (Reddit, Quora, StackExchange) in its results for specific questions. After recent updates, Reddit became one of the top sites in Google’s results, quadrupling its search traffic. In practice, many users even append “Reddit” or “Quora” to their Google queries, seeking in-depth, authentic answers.
1.Forums on SERPs: Google likes community content for Q&A-style queries. Brands should monitor and participate in forums where their customers hang out.
2.Video search (YouTube): YouTube is now the world’s second-largest search engine. Optimizing video titles, descriptions, and transcripts for keywords is as much SEO as web page SEO. (Google even embeds YouTube videos directly in many search results.)
3.E-commerce search: Shoppers use Amazon and other marketplaces like mini-search engines. Amazon’s own SEO guide confirms: “When done right, Amazon SEO… can boost sales while helping shoppers find the products they want”. Optimizing your Amazon listings (titles, bullets, keywords) is effectively SEO on another platform.
4.Platform SEO: Likewise, optimizing profiles and content for LinkedIn (keywords in titles and posts) or even app-store search can extend your reach.
Modern Content Strategies: Authority and Intent
Traditional “SEO tricks” (keyword stuffing, generic TOFU blog posts) are fading. Today’s SEO leaders focus on topical authority, intent, and audience insight. Research shows 88% of marketers consider building topical authority (deep expertise on specific subjects) to be very important. Google rewards content that demonstrates real expertise, experience and trust (E-E-A-T). In practice, that means:
1.Topical Authority: Create content clusters around core topics instead of one-off keywords. (Think in-depth guides with supporting articles.) For example, cover all facets of a subject (e.g. not just “What is X?”, but also “X vs Y”, “How to implement X”, “Real customer stories about X”, etc.). Notably, a Google leak hinted at an “OriginalContentScore” – favoring unique, experience-driven content.
2.Intent-Focused Content: Match content to buyer’s journey. Mid-funnel (MoFu) and bottom-funnel (BoFu) queries are now gold. SEOs are increasingly optimizing comparison and decision-stage content (e.g. product comparisons, pricing pages, case studies) for search. This resonates more and converts better than broad informational posts. (A 2024 analysis found Google even favors sites with lots of branded/BoFu content.)
3.User-Centric Approach: Instead of obsessing over one keyword, focus on user intent and context. For example, only ~5.4% of Google’s AI Overviews had an exact keyword match – AI is understanding natural language context. Effective SEO now means answering the questions users actually ask (often long-tail or conversational phrases).
4.Leverage Real Customer Insights: Don’t rely solely on keyword tools. Mine your customer channels – support tickets, reviews, social media, Reddit/Quora threads – for language and pain points. For example, Datadab highlights using sentiment analysis on support tickets to extract “pain-point” keywords (“why is X so complicated”, “I hate Y…”), which often indicate urgent buying intent. Combining keyword data with raw customer queries uncovers high-value topics that generic tools miss.
SEO Beyond the Website
SEO today spans many channels:
1.Amazon (and other marketplaces): Treat product listings like web pages. Research keywords on Amazon’s search, optimize titles/bullets, and use high-quality images and reviews to rank higher.
2.YouTube SEO: As the #2 search engine, use relevant keywords in video titles, descriptions, and tags. Engaging thumbnails and transcripts also help you rank in YouTube’s own search and Google’s video results.
3.Social & Local SEO: Optimize your LinkedIn company page, Facebook posts, or Yelp listings with keywords and location info. Even though these aren’t Google, they are search destinations for users.
4.Voice & Apps: Voice assistants (e.g. Alexa, Siri) and app stores have search algorithms too. Ensuring your content and apps are discoverable via voice and app search can capture those audiences.
In short, SEO is broader than your website. Wherever your audience searches (apps, platforms, communities), apply SEO principles: use relevant keywords, improve content quality, and ensure your information architecture and metadata help search algorithms find you.
SEO in the Marketing Mix
Finally, remember SEO is one channel among many. It should complement – not replace – other strategies:
1.Content Channels: Promote your SEO content via social media, email newsletters, and communities. These channels can drive initial traffic and links that strengthen SEO over time.
2.Community Engagement: Build and participate in a brand community (forums, user groups). Community loyalty and word-of-mouth amplify search efforts.
3.AI and Chatbots: Integrate SEO with AI tools – for example, provide your content to feed into your own chatbots, or use AI to personalize SEO landing pages.
4.Brand Building: Strong brand presence (PR, partnerships, events) indirectly boosts SEO through branded searches and backlinks. Google’s AI search appears to favor sites with brand trust, so don’t neglect offline reputation.
Use SEO analytics to inform other channels (what topics your visitors like, what queries they use) and vice versa. A multi-channel approach ensures you’re visible everywhere your prospects look.
Is SEO Still Worth It?
Yes – SEO is still worth it, but only if you evolve. With billions of searches and money on the line, ignoring search would mean missing a core demand channel. But success in 2025 demands a modern approach:
1.Focus on quality and relevance: Instead of gaming algorithms, create genuinely helpful, authoritative content.
2.Think bigger than keywords: Build expertise in niches, answer real customer questions, and align content with the buyer’s journey (especially mid- and bottom-funnel stages).
3.Embrace new tools and platforms: Optimize not just for Google, but for AI chatbots, Amazon, YouTube, and wherever your audience searches.
4.Integrate SEO with your marketing: Use SEO insights to improve your social, email, and product strategies, and drive traffic through multiple channels.
Conclusion
SEO is evolving, not dying. When done strategically, it drives sustainable, high-intent traffic and even supports your presence in AI-powered answers. For busy founders and marketers, the takeaway is that investing in modern SEO (focused on authority, intent, and real users) will continue to pay dividends – especially when combined with other marketing efforts.
So, is SEO still worth it? Absolutely – but only if you upgrade it for 2025’s world of AI, community search, and shifting user behavior. Combine solid SEO fundamentals with new tactics, and it will remain one of your best long-term growth channels.