In this episode of the Seven Figures and Beyond podcast, Greg Shuey confronts the recurring claim that “SEO is dead,” a narrative fueled by social media hot takes and fear of evolving search technologies. He argues that this perspective is not only misleading but harmful, especially for early-career marketers and brand owners who might make impulsive decisions based on clickbait rather than data. Drawing from over two decades of SEO experience, Greg explains that search has always evolved, and what we’re experiencing now with LLMs like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews is just another inflection point, not a death knell.
Greg breaks down how search behavior is shifting, not disappearing. Consumers are increasingly using tools like ChatGPT for problem discovery and research, but still rely on Google to finalize decisions, particularly in the lower funnel, where product searches and purchases happen. He shares recent industry data showing that Google still handles over 16 billion searches daily, with only a minor dip in traditional search volume year over year. Meanwhile, AI-driven search is growing, but far from eclipsing Google. This coexistence of platforms demands a hybrid strategy: traditional SEO practices plus optimization for visibility within AI-generated content layers.
To thrive in this new environment, Greg emphasizes the need for brands to prioritize structured, helpful, and semantically rich content across all parts of their website, not just blogs. This includes weaving FAQs into product and category pages, implementing schema markup, and monitoring visibility in both search engines and LLMs using tools like Peec.ai. He shares how his agency uses AI agents to automate FAQ research and content optimization, freeing up time for strategic thinking. His closing message is clear: brands that remain curious, data-driven, and proactive in adapting their SEO and content strategies will build a sustainable edge, even in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Episode Links
Greg Shuey LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/greg-shuey/
Datos State of Search 2025: https://datos.live/report/state-of-search-q1-2025/
Spark Toro - Google Receives 373x More Searches Than Chat GPT: https://sparktoro.com/blog/new-research-google-search-grew-20-in-2024-receives-373x-more-searches-than-chatgpt/
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