How users are starting to interact with the internet has changed and soon will be unrecognizable from the internet we’ve grown comfortable with.
With Google integrating AI-powered features into Search, and the rise of third-party large language models (LLMs), it’s a different search experience.
Over the past few months, many CMOs I’ve spoken with, as well as business founders, have been asking the same questions around continuing investment in different marketing channels, including continuing investment in SEO.
I was fortunate to attend and speak at Google’s Search Central Live in Bangkok last week, and during the opening keynote, there was one snippet that has stood out for me that goes a long way to answering this question:
Traffic patterns may fluctuate: Long-held traffic patterns are likely to fluctuate, creating new opportunities for all sites. Past success on Search may not guarantee future success.
Should I Still Invest In SEO?
SEO is one of the few marketing channels that compound over time and investment.
Paid campaigns stop the moment you pause spending, but a strong organic program can keep driving traffic, leads, and sales long after it’s been implemented.
Often, it performs better over time, depending on how your competitors react.
That compounding effect is what separates SEO from most other digital investments. Every decent piece of content, every technical fix, every solid backlink adds to a base that grows stronger the more you invest.
SEO isn’t dead. It’s evolving.
That means fast, mobile-first websites, content demonstrating expertise and experience, clean internal links, and a solid structure; content that plays well with AI summaries and result variations, and more than anything, seeing SEO as part of your brand presence, not just a traffic lever.
Why Some Brands Are Pulling Back
There’s a rising anxiety in the air, caused by a number of unknowns and changes in our data, such as the great decoupling we’re witnessing.
Some CMOs are questioning whether SEO and content are still worth the effort.
There are a few reasons for this, namely that the SERP has changed dramatically. AI Overviews and expanded result features push the traditional organic links further down the page.
Some brands see less return from the same level of effort, and the result is frustration and, in some cases, panic.
At the same time, reporting is harder and attribution is messier.
It’s not always easy to show exactly where SEO contributes, especially when its influence spans across discovery, consideration, and conversion, which can make it a target when budgets begin to tighten.
Some teams are also misreading the signals, but in reality (in my opinion), we’re using the wrong measurement techniques, and measuring the new Search ecosystem by the standards of the old.
They assume that if fewer people click, fewer people are engaging, but visibility itself is valuable. Just because someone doesn’t click today doesn’t mean they won’t take action tomorrow.
In my opinion, pulling back now is the wrong move. Organic search remains the biggest visibility lever on the web, and when you stop investing in content, you’re choosing to disappear.
In an AI-first search world, visibility starts before the click.
The brands that stay active will be the ones users see and remember. This is no longer just about blue links and last click, it’s about brand recognition and building visibility across the multiple faces of the modern Search ecosystem.
Content’s Evolving Role In SEO
Top-of-funnel traffic might not be what it once was, but it’s still powerful.
Being visible in an AI Overview or response to a generic query still influences perception. It can lead to brand searches, direct visits, or conversions later down the line.
I don’t think the metric is how many people see your result. It’s how many go on to take meaningful action. SEO now runs across the funnel, and across formats. It’s not just 10 links on a page anymore.
Content has to work harder. A single piece might need to satisfy different intents, answer multiple questions, or show up in several places, from featured snippets, videos, product results, or AI-generated outputs.
SEO And AI
AI-powered search is splitting discovery across more surfaces. It’s not just Google anymore. It’s ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and others.
To stay visible in that world, you still need content. In fact, content is the price of admission. If you’re not producing it, you’re not part of the conversation.
SEO now includes shaping how AI systems understand your brand. If you’re not contributing to the information ecosystem, someone else is deciding your narrative.
Strategic SEO Investment
Smart SEO means:
- Durable content that keeps working.
- Authority-building through links, mentions, and structure.
- A balance between fast wins and long-term gains.
- Understanding and answering layered queries that do more than just inform – they convert.
For bigger businesses with multiple brands or sites, there’s an extra edge. Google and AI models understand entity relationships.
Coordinated content can strengthen authority across brands, especially in a world where AI pulls from consensus.
So, Should You Still Invest In SEO?
If you’re asking whether SEO still works, the answer is yes, but not in the old way.
It’s not just a traffic source; it’s becoming your visibility layer for both traditional Search, Google’s AI features, and many LLMs.
It’s fast becoming a lever for reputation and brand visibility, and a strategic asset as well as a marketing channel.
The real question is whether you can afford not to invest.
Paid traffic dries up the second you stop paying. Organic builds on itself. It’s one of the few channels that gives you more tomorrow for what you do today.
As AI changes how search looks and works, SEO stays relevant because it supports every layer of digital presence. It creates a base you own, not rent.
The brands that win next are the ones that stay active. The ones that keep showing up, even when the rules shift.
Content isn’t just about clicks. It’s about influence. It’s about being there when people are asking the big questions, wherever they’re asking them.
In a shifting landscape, SEO gives you something stable. A long-term play that doesn’t vanish when your budget runs out. For businesses planning beyond the quarter, it’s still one of the smartest bets you can make.
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