We recently sat down with top SEO leaders to understand how they think AI will shape the trajectory of the industry. Here are their key insights: 

1. SEO as a role will become more product focused

As generative AI evolves, Eli Schwartz, an SEO consultant, predicts that the SEO function will become more strategic and product-focused.

“Many companies don’t have user-centric strategies because they’ve been too focused on the Google algorithm. They’ll soon discover that, as SEO resets, they don’t have the right people in place to help them pivot their strategies — largely because SEO roles have been increasingly focused on project management, rather than product strategy.”

Jordan Koene, co-founder and CEO of Previsible.io, agrees that organizations are unprepared for this shift, stating, "Despite the advancements in technology and tools, the SEO industry still faces a significant gap in training and knowledge resources." 

To bridge the gap, Koene emphasizes the need for industry leaders to invest in comprehensive development programs to support the next generation of SEO professionals. “By prioritizing people development, we can build a more robust, knowledgeable, and adaptable SEO workforce that can meet the ever-changing demands of the digital landscape.” 

2. Analysis > testing will be critical for smaller companies

As the SEO landscape continues to evolve, making data-driven decisions will remain essential. However, with so many ongoing changes, smaller organizations with limited data or low traffic may face challenges in keeping up.

According to the CEO of Graphite, Ethan Smith, the key for these companies is to lean into analysis. “By analysis, I mean looking at what is working for others, looking at patterns for what is ranking, inferring what you think causes that, getting test insights from others, and then trying that.”

He clarifies that this is different from ‘testing,’ which people mistakenly use interchangeably. “Testing typically means a split test or before and after test. Tests typically have a low hit rate and the ROI is questionable early on — not to mention it’s more prudent for larger companies with more resources that can afford to test many things with a low hit rate.”

3. Search will expand well beyond Google

Today, SEO is synonymous with Google Search. But industry leaders like Paige Ford, SEO Lead at Netflix, believes that this association will broaden in the near future. Specifically, she predicts that social media platforms, like TikTok, will start to be treated as search engines. 

“The nature of search and discovery is evolving — not just with the innovation of LLMs and algorithms, but also with the expectations of consumers. That’s why it’s imperative for marketers and SEO people to understand how our work will evolve, especially with younger generations like Gen Z and Gen Alpha,” Ford says.

4. Almost all SEO will become programmatic SEO

Today, 90% of companies investing in SEO are not investing in programmatic SEO. Instead, most organizations deploy nearly all their budget into traditional SEO efforts.

However, daydream founder and CEO Thenuka Karunaratne, believes key advancements in LLMs will soon make it possible for programmatic content to exceed human writing quality — which he predicts will lead to most spend re-distributed towards programmatic SEO. 

“As LLMs continue to become more intelligent, absorb context more efficiently, and retain their advantage over humans in reacting to real-world changes faster, programmatic SEO will inevitably be a better choice for businesses in SEO — not because it’s cheaper or faster, but because the quality of the output is better than what you’d expect from a human being.”

5. Community will become a critical part of SEO strategy

A common narrative is that the rise of AI will lead to an increase in robotic, low-quality SEO content. However, many industry leaders predict the opposite: that as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, users will increasingly seek out authentic, human-driven experiences.

Becky Westmoreland, Director of SEO at Fandom, explains: “As AI continues to impact our world, user-generated content will remain a key part of the web — even with the evolution of AI and our interactions with it. Fandom, for instance, is a place that upholds our essential need for community on the web. It's a place where we go to celebrate and exchange our passion around the entertainment and gaming we love.”

Koene agrees with this shift toward a more community-focused perspective and says SEO is no longer just about ranking higher in search results. Instead, it’s part of a broader business strategy to build relationships with customers and create a positive brand experience. 

“We no longer live in a world of clicks as Google reaches users with clearer answers and direct input making SEO strategies a broader set of business goals. Ultimately, success in SEO will come from creating a community behind a brand that combines data-driven insights with a human touch, ensuring relevance and value in every search experience.” 

Conclusion

It's clear that AI is in the process of reshaping the SEO industry. Future SEO roles will look different — shifting in a more product-focused direction — while teams will have to adapt their strategies. Analysis will continue to be critical, as will an increased investment in community-oriented efforts, programmatic SEO, and search platforms beyond Google. By preparing for these changes, companies can navigate the evolving landscape and build sustainable, successful SEO strategies.