The phrase 'SEO is dead' has been wrong every year for two decades. But something genuinely different is happening in 2026.
What Actually Changed
- Google AI Overviews now resolve many searches without a click
- ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are real traffic sources
- Schema and structured data carry more weight than ever
- Pure keyword optimization is no longer enough
What Still Works
Quality content. Real backlinks. Technical performance. Local SEO. These haven't gone anywhere.
What's New
AEO and GEO - Answer Engine Optimization and Generative Engine Optimization. The two together describe the work of being visible inside AI-generated answers.
What To Do
Keep doing SEO. Add AEO. Track citations alongside rankings. The winners do all of it.