The NEW Way to Do SEO in 2025 (Full Guide)

In 2024, the road to success in SEO is radically different from what it was just last year. With the rise of AI, there have been major disruptions in the search landscape. However, while these changes might seem daunting, they also present remarkable opportunities for growth if you adapt effectively. Today, I’m going to walk you through what’s changed, and I’ll share three new, future-proof SEO strategies that will help you stay ahead of 95% of your competition, many of whom are likely still relying on outdated tactics.

These strategies are designed to withstand the AI revolution and any future developments in the SEO world. So, what exactly has changed over the past year?

First off, there was the launch of ChatGPT. Suddenly, it became significantly easier to churn out SEO content on a massive scale, leading to a rush of AI-generated articles and blog posts. Everyone from large content marketing agencies to small businesses jumped on the bandwagon, producing volumes of SEO content with little effort. But there was an unforeseen consequence: the internet became flooded with “commodity content”—generic, bland material that lacked a real point of view and felt robotic.

Recognizing this issue, Google introduced a game-changing update in May called the Google Search Generative Experience (SGSE). Now, instead of just a list of website results, Google’s AI provides its own responses to queries, making it more likely that users will see AI-generated answers first. This shift has alarmed SEO professionals, as it implies that Google may now prioritize AI responses over traditional web content.

So, if Google’s AI is creating the answers and AI-generated content feels impersonal and flat, how can you still succeed in SEO? The answer lies in taking advantage of these new opportunities by creating content that emphasizes human expertise and insights, which AI cannot replicate. Here’s how to develop a strategy that works with these changes while enabling you to scale SEO efforts correctly.

An MIT study found that unskilled writers using ChatGPT could produce 40% more content, with an 18% increase in quality. Yet, merely producing more content won’t guarantee rankings in 2024. Here’s why: SEO is essentially Google acting as a matchmaker between the searcher’s intent and the most helpful content. However, if users click on an article expecting real insight but find it to be a dull, soulless piece written without any genuine perspective, they’ll quickly move on to find a better source. Google notices these behaviors and ultimately ranks the article lower, resulting in it disappearing from the results.

But there’s a positive takeaway: AI can still be used to generate content, and you should use it to create a greater quantity of material. The difference is that you need to elevate that content by incorporating your own perspective, experience, and unique insights. AI content lacks the human touch, the opinions, and the advice that come from years of experience and problem-solving in a specific field. Only you have that depth, and that’s what people are seeking in search results.

Let’s get into the exact series of prompts I use to blend AI-generated content with my human expertise. We’ll start by creating a robust topical map, which Google sees as an indicator of authority in your niche. Then, I’ll show you how to generate outlines and turn them into full articles that read as if a person—an expert—wrote them.

We’re here in ChatGPT, and our first task is to develop that topical map. This is simply a list of related topics covering your niche from various angles. When you create content on each of these topics, Google understands that your site is a thorough resource and recognizes your authority. Using ChatGPT, I prompt it to provide 30 unique, semantically relevant subtopics under a main category. I’ll use “home renovation” as an example, but replace it with your own niche.

For each subtopic, I also ask ChatGPT to provide different title variations based on varying search intents (like “how-to,” “why,” or “best ways”). I further instruct it to generate the list in a table format, with catchy, click-worthy titles.

Once you have your topical map, the next step is to generate outlines for each topic. Let’s say we’re focusing on “penny-pinching bathroom renovations.” I prompt ChatGPT to create an outline for this topic, but I specify it to write as if it were a professional remodeling expert. This step is essential, as it makes the content sound authoritative. I’ll also ask it to write with the target audience in mind—maybe suburban homeowners aged 30–55.

From here, ChatGPT creates the outline, which I can adjust as needed. Don’t hesitate to tweak the points if they feel thin or irrelevant; simply ask ChatGPT to make changes, or add your own knowledge to enrich the outline.

Now, with the outline ready, it’s time to create the article itself. I prompt ChatGPT to “write the article in a casual, helpful tone, as if by a remodeling expert.” This creates a more conversational and authentic article. I also ask it to insert H2 and H3 subheadings, and aim for a minimum word count of 1,000 words. By instructing ChatGPT to add personal anecdotes (which I later customize with real stories from my experience), the content becomes engaging and credible.

This blend of AI-generated structure and personal expertise is critical in 2024. Many people will simply copy and paste AI-generated content, but that’s their loss. By layering in human insights, you set yourself apart and increase your chances of ranking.

Our second SEO strategy leverages Google’s AI-powered Search Experience (SGSE). Google now displays AI-generated answers alongside traditional search results, with linked sources on the side. This feature is akin to an expanded “featured snippet,” and securing a place here can drive significant traffic. But how do you optimize for this?

Research by Ricky from the Income School YouTube channel shows that the same principles for ranking as a featured snippet also apply here. Create authoritative, concise answers within your content to make it more likely that Google’s AI will reference your page. Aim to provide definitive, straightforward answers without vague language or filler. Google prefers clarity, so get straight to the point. Use headers that match search queries to further signal relevance, and keep each answer between 150–300 characters.

For added precision, use ChatGPT to help craft concise answers. If your knowledge is comprehensive, share it with ChatGPT and have it refine the response. This step, plus a compelling main image and intriguing title, increases the likelihood that Google will recognize your post as a quality answer.

Finally, our third strategy taps into video content. YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine and a fantastic way to build trust and brand recognition. Not only does creating videos on YouTube bring visibility on that platform, but it also increases your chances of appearing in Google search results, especially if you embed the video in a blog post.

To get started with video SEO, research keywords just as you would for written content. I recommend using tools like Morning Fame for targeted video keyword research. Creating high-quality videos that directly answer popular questions within your niche will help you stand out. Embed videos on your website alongside relevant articles, giving both the blog post and video a higher likelihood of ranking.

In 2024, SEO is about embracing AI, but strategically. Use it to save time and generate ideas, but differentiate yourself by adding unique, human-centered insights and creating diverse content formats. Follow these strategies, and you’ll be well on your way to SEO success, even amidst the ongoing AI revolution.