July 7, 2025 • 10 mins
Search isn’t what it used to be. With AI transforming how people look for answers and how platforms deliver them, it’s time to rethink your content strategy. In this episode, I’m breaking down the major shifts happening in SEO and what small business owners need to know to stay visible online.
We’ll talk about how search behavior is evolving, what today’s algorithms are really looking for, and how to show up with content that’s both strategic and personal. If you’ve been relying on keyword tricks or hoping AI can do all the writing for you, this episode will help you course-correct and focus on what still works.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Janice Hostager (00:04):
I'm Janice Hostager.
After three decades in themarketing business and many
years of being an entrepreneur,I've learned a thing or two
about marketing.
Join me as we talk aboutmarketing, small business and
life in between.
Welcome to My Weekly Marketing.
(00:28):
I was at a conference last weekand, after listening to a
speaker talk about SEO, someonein the audience said you know,
there's now AI SEO too, right?
And I thought, oh my gosh, ofcourse there is.
Why wasn't I thinking aboutthis?
So I thought I needed to do adeep dive on this topic and
share what I found out.
(00:48):
So welcome back to My WeeklyMarketing.
I'm your host, Janice Hostager,and today we're diving into a
topic that is kind of likeshifting sand.
How artificial intelligence ischanging search engine
optimization and what that meansfor your business.
Now, if you're thinking SEOalready confused me and now AI
(01:09):
is getting involved, I get it.
Take a deep breath.
In this episode, I'll sharedown-to-earth information about
what's changing, what mattersmore than ever, and how you can
adapt your marketing strategywithout a tech degree or like a
(01:30):
10-person team.
So, of course, AI is changingthe way people search and, as a
result, people need to changethe way we as businesses rank in
the search engines.
So today we're going to talkabout first what AI SEO really
is, how people's search haschanged, how search engines are
adapting with AI, how to writewith AI so that you rank higher,
and a few common pitfalls withAI and SEO.
(01:52):
So let's get into it.
Okay, first, what is AI SEOreally?
SEO, of course, is searchengine optimization, and it's
for helping search enginesunderstand your content so it
shows up on the search engineresults page, like Google or
Bing, when someone is lookingfor what you offer.
AI, artificial intelligence, isa machine's ability to learn
(02:16):
from data and make decisions orgenerate content that feels
human.
Put them together you get twobig changes.
AI is changing how peoplesearch, such as ChatGPT or voice
assistants.
AI is also changing how Googleranks and displays content.
Google now uses AI-drivenmodels and algorithms to
(02:39):
prioritize content that's notjust keyword stuffed but
actually useful to real people.
That means keyword strategy isstill relevant, but context,
clarity and helpfulness havetaken the front seat.
For those of us running abusiness, that means using the
right keywords on your websitestill matter, but it's no longer
(02:59):
enough just to sprinkle in afew popular search terms onto a
page.
Now Google and AI-driven searchtools are much more focused on
context, so what the contenttruly is related to and what
that person is searching for.
Clarity, is it written in theway that's easy to understand?
And helpfulness.
(03:20):
Does it actually answer thequestion or solve the problem
that the researcher has?
So, in simple terms, think ofyour website like a helpful
conversation with a customer,instead of trying to guess the
magic words they might type intoGoogle.
Focus on being clear, usefuland on topic.
AI looks for content that feelslike it's written for humans,
(03:41):
not just for search engines.
So, yes, include keywords, butfocus even more on creating
content that's genuinely helpfuland clearly explain what your
business does and how it helps.
Number two, how people searchhas changed.
Before, people search forphrases like Life Coach, Dallas
(04:02):
pricing or best CRM for smallbusiness.
Now they ask full questionslike how much should I expect to
pay for a life coach in Dallasor what CRM works best for
solopreneurs who hate tech?
They're also using voice searchmore often with Alexa and Siri.
They're expecting instantconversational results and
(04:24):
getting answers directly inGoogle.
Have you noticed that AI is ontop of Google search results?
Sometimes people are skippingGoogle entirely and going
straight to ChatGPT or evenTikTok or YouTube, or doing
searches directly in Amazon orPinterest, especially for
products.
That means being searchabledoesn't just mean being on
(04:45):
Google anymore.
It means showing up whereveryour customer is asking
questions.
Next, you might be wondering howsearch engines are adapting
with AI.
Let's zoom in on what'shappening under the hood.
Google's Search GenerativeExperience, or SGE, is in
testing.
It answers questions at the topof every page in paragraphs,
(05:07):
and only sometimes shows linksbelow.
Google doesn't just matchkeywords, it looks at meaning.
So if your post is titled whateat when you're sick, it might
also rank for comfort foods witha cold, even if you've never
used that exact phrase in yourarticle.
It also looks for helpfulcontent updates.
(05:27):
It prioritizes content that'swritten for people, not just
search engines.
If your blog is generic or AIwritten with no personal voice,
it probably won't rank well.
So the takeaway (05:38):
Google wants clear, original insights,
organized content with headingsand bullets and regular types of
structure and trust signalsabout the page, the author's bio
and links to real businesses.
Next, how to rank with AI sothat you rank higher.
(05:59):
Google can detect patterns inAI-written content.
If it's bland or regurgitated,it won't rank and it won't
convert.
So you want to start with humanstrategy.
AI can't replace your beautifulcreative brain, so define this
first.
Who are you writing to?
What do they care about?
What questions do they have?
(06:21):
What actions do you want themto take?
If you have an ideal customeravatar, this all should be
really easy.
Don't let AI guess your goals.
Tell them exactly what you wantclearly.
Then use AI as a smart draftingassistant.
Ask AI to help you organizeyour thoughts, generate an
(06:41):
outline draft sections of yourhomepage or your service pages
and rewrite something to beclearer or more engaging.
You can use prompts like writea friendly, helpful paragraph
explaining how a life coachhelps a mom of three who's
overwhelmed with life and kids.
Next, humanize it andpersonalize it.
Ai is great at structure, butyour voice and stories will make
(07:04):
it real.
Add your tone, humor andreal-life examples.
Edit anything that soundsrobotic, vague or repetitive,
and include customer stories,testimonials or metaphors to
make it sound real.
Finally, focus on Google'squality signals, also called
EATT, spelled E-A-T-T.
(07:25):
Google's looking for Experience, so show you've done the thing
you're talking about.
Expertise, so share insightsthat you have that would benefit
your visitors.
Authoritativeness, so link totrustworthy sources or include
credentials that give youauthority and Trustworthiness.
Be honest, transparent andaccurate.
(07:46):
In other words, be a realperson.
AI can also help you enhanceSEO.
It can help you brainstormlong-tail keywords, blog post
titles, faqs and even metadescriptions, but always pair
this with your own understandingabout what your audience is
actually searching for.
(08:06):
Next, we can't talk about AI andSEO without touching on a few
common pitfalls.
We'll call them sinkholes, as Ilike to call them.
These are places where peopleget stuck.
First, letting AI generate allyour content without oversight.
As I pointed out earlier,Google can detect patterns in AI
(08:29):
written content, so use it as atool, not as a replacement.
Next, it's better to rank for ahelpful, specific post, like how
midwives support dads duringbirth, than to stuff birth coach
20 times into a post.
You want to focus on the topicinstead of obsessing over
keywords.
Finally, ignoring your uniqueexpertise.
Remember, the most helpfulcontent is the stuff only you
(08:52):
can say.
Think about your clientconversation.
That's the content everyonefinds golden.
So let's do a big recap.
First of all, seo is not dead.
It's evolving and fast.
AI is both the challenge andthe tool that can help you adapt
, and Google rewards real,helpful, human-first content.
(09:12):
So this week, here's yourchallenge.
Pick one question your idealcustomer asks.
Write a blog post, faq or asocial post that answers it in
your voice, clearly, simply andhelpfully.
Then use ChatGPT to outline it.
But make it yours, then trackit, post it, share it, optimize
(09:35):
it.
That's SEO in 2025.
So if you found this contenthelpful, would you do me a favor
and leave a review?
Or share this episode withsomebody else trying to navigate
the AI and SEO maze?
And if you'd love a simple AISEO starter kit, you can grab
one.
You can go to janicehostagercomforward slash 115.
(09:57):
That's 115.
And I'll leave a link where youcan download that.
I'll walk you througheverything we talked about today
in a downloadable format.
So thanks so much for joiningme today.
See you next time.
Bye, for now.
I'm Janice Hostager.
After three decades in themarketing business and many
years of being an entrepreneur,I've learned a thing or two
about marketing.
Join me as we talk aboutmarketing, small business and
life in between.
Welcome to My Weekly Marketing.
(00:28):
I was at a conference last weekand, after listening to a
speaker talk about SEO, someonein the audience said you know,
there's now AI SEO too, right?
And I thought, oh my gosh, ofcourse there is.
Why wasn't I thinking aboutthis?
So I thought I needed to do adeep dive on this topic and
share what I found out.
(00:48):
So welcome back to My WeeklyMarketing.
I'm your host, Janice Hostager,and today we're diving into a
topic that is kind of likeshifting sand.
How artificial intelligence ischanging search engine
optimization and what that meansfor your business.
Now, if you're thinking SEOalready confused me and now AI
(01:09):
is getting involved, I get it.
Take a deep breath.
In this episode, I'll sharedown-to-earth information about
what's changing, what mattersmore than ever, and how you can
adapt your marketing strategywithout a tech degree or like a
(01:30):
10-person team.
So, of course, AI is changingthe way people search and, as a
result, people need to changethe way we as businesses rank in
the search engines.
So today we're going to talkabout first what AI SEO really
is, how people's search haschanged, how search engines are
adapting with AI, how to writewith AI so that you rank higher,
and a few common pitfalls withAI and SEO.
(01:52):
So let's get into it.
Okay, first, what is AI SEOreally?
SEO, of course, is searchengine optimization, and it's
for helping search enginesunderstand your content so it
shows up on the search engineresults page, like Google or
Bing, when someone is lookingfor what you offer.
AI, artificial intelligence, isa machine's ability to learn
(02:16):
from data and make decisions orgenerate content that feels
human.
Put them together you get twobig changes.
AI is changing how peoplesearch, such as ChatGPT or voice
assistants.
AI is also changing how Googleranks and displays content.
Google now uses AI-drivenmodels and algorithms to
(02:39):
prioritize content that's notjust keyword stuffed but
actually useful to real people.
That means keyword strategy isstill relevant, but context,
clarity and helpfulness havetaken the front seat.
For those of us running abusiness, that means using the
right keywords on your websitestill matter, but it's no longer
(02:59):
enough just to sprinkle in afew popular search terms onto a
page.
Now Google and AI-driven searchtools are much more focused on
context, so what the contenttruly is related to and what
that person is searching for.
Clarity, is it written in theway that's easy to understand?
And helpfulness.
(03:20):
Does it actually answer thequestion or solve the problem
that the researcher has?
So, in simple terms, think ofyour website like a helpful
conversation with a customer,instead of trying to guess the
magic words they might type intoGoogle.
Focus on being clear, usefuland on topic.
AI looks for content that feelslike it's written for humans,
(03:41):
not just for search engines.
So, yes, include keywords, butfocus even more on creating
content that's genuinely helpfuland clearly explain what your
business does and how it helps.
Number two, how people searchhas changed.
Before, people search forphrases like Life Coach, Dallas
(04:02):
pricing or best CRM for smallbusiness.
Now they ask full questionslike how much should I expect to
pay for a life coach in Dallasor what CRM works best for
solopreneurs who hate tech?
They're also using voice searchmore often with Alexa and Siri.
They're expecting instantconversational results and
(04:24):
getting answers directly inGoogle.
Have you noticed that AI is ontop of Google search results?
Sometimes people are skippingGoogle entirely and going
straight to ChatGPT or evenTikTok or YouTube, or doing
searches directly in Amazon orPinterest, especially for
products.
That means being searchabledoesn't just mean being on
(04:45):
Google anymore.
It means showing up whereveryour customer is asking
questions.
Next, you might be wondering howsearch engines are adapting
with AI.
Let's zoom in on what'shappening under the hood.
Google's Search GenerativeExperience, or SGE, is in
testing.
It answers questions at the topof every page in paragraphs,
(05:07):
and only sometimes shows linksbelow.
Google doesn't just matchkeywords, it looks at meaning.
So if your post is titled whateat when you're sick, it might
also rank for comfort foods witha cold, even if you've never
used that exact phrase in yourarticle.
It also looks for helpfulcontent updates.
(05:27):
It prioritizes content that'swritten for people, not just
search engines.
If your blog is generic or AIwritten with no personal voice,
it probably won't rank well.
So the takeaway (05:38):
Google wants clear, original insights,
organized content with headingsand bullets and regular types of
structure and trust signalsabout the page, the author's bio
and links to real businesses.
Next, how to rank with AI sothat you rank higher.
(05:59):
Google can detect patterns inAI-written content.
If it's bland or regurgitated,it won't rank and it won't
convert.
So you want to start with humanstrategy.
AI can't replace your beautifulcreative brain, so define this
first.
Who are you writing to?
What do they care about?
What questions do they have?
(06:21):
What actions do you want themto take?
If you have an ideal customeravatar, this all should be
really easy.
Don't let AI guess your goals.
Tell them exactly what you wantclearly.
Then use AI as a smart draftingassistant.
Ask AI to help you organizeyour thoughts, generate an
(06:41):
outline draft sections of yourhomepage or your service pages
and rewrite something to beclearer or more engaging.
You can use prompts like writea friendly, helpful paragraph
explaining how a life coachhelps a mom of three who's
overwhelmed with life and kids.
Next, humanize it andpersonalize it.
Ai is great at structure, butyour voice and stories will make
(07:04):
it real.
Add your tone, humor andreal-life examples.
Edit anything that soundsrobotic, vague or repetitive,
and include customer stories,testimonials or metaphors to
make it sound real.
Finally, focus on Google'squality signals, also called
EATT, spelled E-A-T-T.
(07:25):
Google's looking for Experience, so show you've done the thing
you're talking about.
Expertise, so share insightsthat you have that would benefit
your visitors.
Authoritativeness, so link totrustworthy sources or include
credentials that give youauthority and Trustworthiness.
Be honest, transparent andaccurate.
(07:46):
In other words, be a realperson.
AI can also help you enhanceSEO.
It can help you brainstormlong-tail keywords, blog post
titles, faqs and even metadescriptions, but always pair
this with your own understandingabout what your audience is
actually searching for.
(08:06):
Next, we can't talk about AI andSEO without touching on a few
common pitfalls.
We'll call them sinkholes, as Ilike to call them.
These are places where peopleget stuck.
First, letting AI generate allyour content without oversight.
As I pointed out earlier,Google can detect patterns in AI
(08:29):
written content, so use it as atool, not as a replacement.
Next, it's better to rank for ahelpful, specific post, like how
midwives support dads duringbirth, than to stuff birth coach
20 times into a post.
You want to focus on the topicinstead of obsessing over
keywords.
Finally, ignoring your uniqueexpertise.
Remember, the most helpfulcontent is the stuff only you
(08:52):
can say.
Think about your clientconversation.
That's the content everyonefinds golden.
So let's do a big recap.
First of all, seo is not dead.
It's evolving and fast.
AI is both the challenge andthe tool that can help you adapt
, and Google rewards real,helpful, human-first content.
(09:12):
So this week, here's yourchallenge.
Pick one question your idealcustomer asks.
Write a blog post, faq or asocial post that answers it in
your voice, clearly, simply andhelpfully.
Then use ChatGPT to outline it.
But make it yours, then trackit, post it, share it, optimize
(09:35):
it.
That's SEO in 2025.
So if you found this contenthelpful, would you do me a favor
and leave a review?
Or share this episode withsomebody else trying to navigate
the AI and SEO maze?
And if you'd love a simple AISEO starter kit, you can grab
one.
You can go to janicehostagercomforward slash 115.
(09:57):
That's 115.
And I'll leave a link where youcan download that.
I'll walk you througheverything we talked about today
in a downloadable format.
So thanks so much for joiningme today.
See you next time.
Bye, for now.
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