SEO has undergone significant changes over the past decade, and it is expected to continue evolving even more rapidly in the years to come. The beginning has already started with generative AI. With Google’s overviews, ChatGPT, and shifting algorithms, traditional SEO is not enough. If you still follow the same methods, there are very less chances of getting results. Because now the race is not just about appearing at the top in SERPs, but also about appearing in AI search engines.
Since traditional ways are slow, you can miss out on opportunities if you do not leverage the power of AI tools. Nowadays, as a business owner, you need to rank your site faster, considering Google’s evolving algorithms. However, since the introduction of ChatGPT, a notable shift in user behavior has been observed. It led Google to update its framework to EEAT.
So, you need smart ways to rank high and increase reach more effectively. AI tools can help you achieve it. We have shared 10 smart ways to use AI to stay competitive and rank faster. Let’s have a tour of them and ensure your growth through improved SEO techniques.
How to Use AI for Better and Smarter SEO?
AI is here to make your tasks even easier. It will be beneficial for those who know how to utilize AI. We have shared some clever stuff to make paths easier. Let’s check out all the techniques.
1. Automate Keyword Research with AI
Keywords research is an inevitable part of digital marketing. It takes a lot of time and effort, which are essential resources for any company. You can use tools like Semrush, Ahrefs, and ChatGPT to find low-competition, high-volume, and high-intent keywords. Write a prompt for the type of keywords you want from generative AI; it will provide you with a list of keywords in a second or two. Semrush and Ahrefs also use AI for better keyword research and optimization.
51% of marketers already use AI tools to support keyword planning.”- HubSpot 2024
Example: A DTC brand increased organic traffic by 43% by using AI to spot untapped keyword clusters
2. Generate Content Ideas That Rank
You can generate unique content ideas that rank with the help of an AI tool. Generating ideas through traditional methods takes time, and it can be frustrating when you can’t rank a client’s website for the desired keyword. Utilize AI tools like Jasper, ChatGPT, or Frase to generate content ideas based on trending topics. Nowadays, LLMs like ChatGPT and Gemini show reference websites so that you can get ideas from the latest blogs as well.
You can be one step ahead by using predictions that what users will search next. Tools like AI scan forums, social posts, and Google Trends provide prediction reports. It’s an effective way to determine what people may search for in the future. It helps to make better digital marketing strategies.
“AI can surface pain points your audience hasn’t verbalized yet.” – Lily Ray, SEO Director at Amsive Digital
3. Speed Up Content Writing
No doubt, now you can write more content with thousands of different ideas. And in a thousand ways about just one idea. It was possible earlier also, but now it is possible in just a minute. You don’t have to spend 4-5 hours writing a 1500-word blog. It can be written in 5 minutes.
However, every marketer knows this, so you need to be smart and avoid copying and pasting. According to some research reports, people feel more connected to human-written content. So, use tools to save time, not to ruin your writing skills and user experience. Draft blog posts, product pages, and meta descriptions, but do not forget to proofread them and check whether they are as per your company standards.
So, AI can cut your content creation time by 60% (Semrush 2023). Let’s understand with an example. A SaaS startup published 5 blogs per week with 1 writer + AI vs. 2/month before.
4. Optimize for Google’s AI Overviews
Optimization for Google’s AI overviews has become crucial for SEOs. Now, digital marketers are competing for it. Well, Google’s SGE (Search Generative Experience) favors structured, source-rich content. So, you need to focus on creating such content. Mostly FAQs, short and direct answers, bulleted lists, and citations appear in the results.
Create content keeping the above points in mind if you want to rank for AI overviews. Short and direct answers are easy to scan and fetched by Google’s bots. If you stray from the topic, you are already out, because the bot cannot find you. Utilize schema markup more, as it allows your content to be displayed uniquely.
“Pages structured with schema markup are 2.5x more likely to appear in AI-generated summaries.” – Search Engine Land
5. Personalize Titles & Meta Tags with AI
Personalized titles can’t go out of trend because they are the first thing people notice when they come across your content. They decide at this point whether to read the content or not. Creating a poor title is planning for poor content. AI helps create SEO-optimized titles and meta tags in a short time that are catchy and attract a larger audience. You can test variations with tools like Copy.ai or Writesonic. AI can boost CTR by suggesting emotional or question-based titles.
6. Use AI for Competitor Analysis
Your competitors are also planning to rank where you are. So, without analysing your competitors, it can be like shooting in the dark with a sharp arrow. If you have spent time sharpening your arrow, why waste it by targeting in the dark?
Tools like SurferSEO or MarketMuse help you compare your content with that of your competitors. With many other AI-driven tools, you can find gaps in word count, readability, and semantic keywords. It helps to decide when and where to target so you get positive results.
“You no longer guess, AI tells you what your top competitors are doing differently.”– Brian Dean, Backlinko.
7. Create Visuals & Infographics with AI
One image is enough to convey 100 words; this remains relevant even today. Infographics are more attractive content types because people find them easy to understand. Instead of reading thousands of words, they prefer to skim the content for something catchy, like an Infographic.
Today, you can use various tools to generate mesmerizing images. Midjourney, Canva AI, and DALL·E help create branded images fast. Since Google favors diverse, media-rich pages, creating various types of visuals and infographics with AI will be a plus point for you. Infographics increased time on page by 35% for a finance blog.
8. Automate Link-Building Outreach
Outreach enhances your brand’s credibility because when more websites recommend your website, it generates trust. For this, you can use AI. It will help you draft personalized emails and analyze recipient behavior. AI tools, Postaga, and Instantly help schedule and optimize outreach.
“Personalized AI-generated emails boosted backlink success by 22%.”– Ahrefs Case Study.
9. Track & Predict SEO Trends
Using traditional methods can leave you at a disadvantage in this fierce competition. Following SEO trends at the right time with the right strategy helps to grow your business effectively. It becomes a promising way when you can predict SEO trends and use them before on time. Track what worked and what didn’t, and based on this analysis, what is more expected to work in digital marketing.
Move ahead with monitoring tools so you can track changes in SERPs features, user intent, or algorithm shifts quickly and without human errors. For example, ChatGPT is a browsing tool that can summarize ranking shifts in real time. Here is a famous quote that explains why AI tools matter a great deal.
“If you are not using AI to monitor search, you are already behind.”– Danny Sullivan, Google Search Liaison.
10. Repurpose & Localize Content at Scale
Why spend resources and money on new content when existing content can be used again? Find the best content piece from your website and read it to find whether it fits the current needs of the users. If yes, repurpose in different ways and on different platforms. You can translate and reformat blogs into special posts, Reel captions, or regional content.
Example: A clothing brand used AI to turn English blogs into Spanish and French to boost regional visits by 70%.
Implement the Smart Ways and Watch the Differences
Without implementation, you can’t judge whether these ways can help you achieve smarter SEO results. You can try them at a smaller level and analyze what works the best and what doesn’t. It will give you confidence to implement the ways on a larger scale. Begin with understanding your needs and keywords on which your brand needs to rank. Automate keyword research and generate content ideas with the help of AI. Think with AI, not through it, if you want to generate original ideas. Automate tasks like content idea generation, link building, tracking, and management. Focus on delivering value with effective content.
