AI SEO 2025: AI has already changed SEO—this is not the future, it’s the present. If you’re still stuck in the 2023 mindset, then the problem isn’t ChatGPT. It’s you. But don’t worry, I’m here.
In this article, we’ll break down the differences between traditional, classical SEO and today’s AI-powered SEO. What we used to look at and track, and what we need to focus on now. I guarantee you, if you keep following content like this for the next one month, you won’t fear AI SEO anymore—you’ll master it. The path is just a bit different now. Simple stuff. So, relax, take off those slippers, and before we dive in—SSL: Share, Subscribe, Like. Let’s jump in.
The Big Difference: SEO Then vs Now
In today’s article, we’re going to split AI-era SEO into five major parts:
- Ranking Target
- Traffic Source
- Content Creation
- Optimization
- Measurement
Let’s break these down one by one.
1. Ranking Target – It’s Not Just About Blue Links Anymore
Earlier, we used to track our website’s position in the traditional “10 blue links” on Google’s first page. Some even targeted Position Zero via featured snippets. That was the dream.
But now? Things have changed. Even if your site is ranking #1, what’s the point if three ads, a business listing, a featured snippet, and a huge AI overview come before you? You’re technically #1, but not visible to users.
So, the real goal in 2025 SEO is to get featured in the AI overview. Whether you like it or not, that’s where attention is now.
Can you track which keywords are bringing your website into AI overviews? If yes, let me know how in the comments! And if not, don’t worry—I’ll show you how in a future video.
2. Traffic Source – It’s Not Just Google Anymore
Traditionally, SEO traffic reports included keyword data, rankings, and average positions. But we rarely reported whether the traffic came from Google, Bing, Yahoo, or anywhere else.
Now, that’s outdated.
Today, AI platforms like ChatGPT, Bing AI, and Perplexity also drive traffic. But you won’t find this info in Search Console. You’ll find it in Google Analytics.
How To Track It:
We use Looker Studio (formerly Data Studio) to build a cute little dashboard showing:
- Traffic from ChatGPT
- Traffic from Perplexity
- And other chatbot referrers
Here’s a brief overview of how:
Open Looker Studio
- Create a blank report
- Connect your Google Analytics property
- Add a table chart
- Use referral paths as dimensions
- Use metrics like users, sessions, engaged sessions
- Add a filter for referrers like chat.openai.com, perplexity.ai, etc.
Boom! Now you can actually measure traffic from AI bots.
3. Content Creation – From Keywords to Context
Old-school SEO content was built around keywords. We’d find exact matches, variations, synonyms, and stuff them in.
But LLM bots don’t think in keywords. They think in meanings.
They don’t just parse words—they understand them. So now, your content needs to be semantically relevant. This means:
- Keywords should naturally gel with your content
- Your images should align with the message
- Don’t stuff keywords forcefully
- Don’t rely on word count
- Think context, not just keywords
And yes, schema data is crucial now.
If your schema doesn’t match your page content, bots (and Google) get confused. Make sure your schema is:
- Present
- Relevant
- Properly placed in the header
We’ve got a bunch of videos on schema data—check them out in the linked playlists!
4. Optimization – Not Just for Google Anymore
In traditional SEO, optimization meant:
- Meta title
- Meta description
- Headings
- Alt text
- Canonical tags
- Hreflang
All these help Google understand your page—not users.
Now, you need to do similar work for LLMs and chatbots.
What to Add Now:
- Summary or TLDR at the top of your page (inside the body)
- This is different from meta description
- Meta = for Google to show on SERPs
- TLDR = for bots/users already on the page
- If your content is 1000+ words, write a 4-line summary
- Use speakable schema data – especially helpful because LLMs love answering questions, and users ask long questions now
Google’s own report says AI questions are now twice as long as regular search queries!
So structure your content accordingly.
5. Measurement – Go Beyond Rankings
Old SEO measurement focused on:
- Rankings
- Traffic
- Impressions
- Clicks
Now, we need to measure:
- Traffic from AI bots (covered above)
- Mentions in AI overviews
Yes, mentions! How often is your brand/URL/content being cited in AI answers on Google SGE, Bing Chat, or ChatGPT?
This requires a bit of technical setup—possibly another dashboard.
If you’re interested in that, drop a comment and let me know. I’ll only cover it if it’s useful to you.
Wrapping It Up
AI SEO isn’t something scary—it’s just different.
The tools are new. The thinking has evolved. But SEO is still SEO.
Adapt your strategy for:
- Ranking in AI overviews
- Tracking non-Google traffic
- Writing context-rich content
- Structuring with schema
- Measuring mentions, not just clicks
Keep learning, keep practicing. Thanks for reading this detailed walkthrough.
This is Monis Ali for Poetpixel, and I’ll see you next time.
