Embracing New Search Strategies for 2026

The shift toward AI driven search is the biggest change the SEO industry has ever seen, and it is happening faster than most businesses realise. With the introduction of AI Overviews, SGE style search results and conversational assistants powered by models like Gemini and ChatGPT, search is no longer a simple list of links. It has become a blended information experience driven by artificial intelligence.

This is not a threat to SEO. It is an evolution. Businesses that adapt to this new environment will see an increase in authority, visibility and trust, especially as AI systems begin to favour high quality, structured and original content.

The idea that SEO is disappearing has never been further from the truth. It is simply changing shape and becoming more powerful for brands that invest in expertise and unique insights.

The Integration of LLMs and Search

AI is transforming the search results page into something entirely new. Instead of directing users to a list of websites, search engines are increasingly using Large Language Models to combine information from multiple sources and present answers in a single conversational summary. These are often called zero click searches because the user gets the answer without leaving the results page.

The goal is no longer to simply rank in Position 1. The new priority is becoming the trusted source that the AI chooses to cite and extract from. If the AI trusts your content, your brand becomes part of the primary answer that sits at the very top of the results.

Two major optimisation trends support this.

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)

GEO involves creating content that AI systems can interpret, understand and reuse with clarity. This means using well structured pages, clean markup, consistent terminology and tightly focused topics. When your content is easy for an AI to digest, it becomes easier for that content to appear inside AI Overviews and conversational summaries.
GEO is still an emerging industry term, so most businesses will need a clear explanation of what it means and why it matters. The definition above keeps it simple and practical.

Find out more about our GEO services.

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)

AEO focuses on shaping your content so it provides direct, concise and helpful answers to natural language questions. This makes your pages strong candidates for featured snippets, People Also Ask results and the short factual sections used inside AI assistants. AEO is about clarity, accuracy and being easy to extract.

Search results are becoming conversations, and the brands that thrive are those that give AI systems exactly what they need to answer confidently.

Learn more about our AEO services.

The Critical Role of Business Input and First Party Data

There is one truth that will define SEO success in 2026. AI cannot generate accurate answers without reliable sources. This means businesses must provide high quality, original information that the AI can verify, trust and cite.

AI Models Crave Unique Data

Large Language Models are trained on enormous datasets, but they cannot produce cutting edge or industry specific knowledge unless they have access to original material. Businesses that share real examples, authentic expertise, proprietary research and updated product information give the AI something no competitor can replicate.

The Necessity of Original Data

Generic content will slowly fade out of search results. AI now prioritises content that demonstrates real world experience and clear expertise.

Examples of Original Data AI Models Prioritise

• Proprietary research and internal surveys
• Detailed and unique Product Schema
• Case studies that demonstrate verifiable results
• Information on new innovations, new services and how they evolve over time

This is how your brand becomes a source of record. When the AI model identifies that your business is providing information that only you can offer, it learns to treat your content as authoritative.

Structured Data and E E A T

AI places significant weight on Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. These signals help the model decide which sources to include in summaries and conversational answers. Strong trust signals include:

• Clear author bios
• Reliable citations
• Schema markup that accurately describes your content
• Transparent business information
• Demonstrated experience through case studies and examples

Your content must feel trustworthy not only to people but also to the AI systems that scan and interpret it.

How Brand Visibility Will Increase Through AI Optimisation

AI may reduce some traditional clicks, but it can significantly increase brand visibility for businesses that optimise for GEO and AEO. The brands that adapt early will dominate the most prominent positions across modern search experiences.

With strong GEO and AEO strategies, businesses can appear in:

• AI Overviews and summary boxes
• Featured Snippets
• People Also Ask results
• Conversational assistant responses
• Voice search answers

This places your brand in the highest visibility positions before users even begin scrolling.

Strengthening Your GEO Strategy

Strong GEO performance requires:

• Clear semantic signals within your content
• Clean HTML hierarchy
• Well defined headings and structured sections
• Large clusters of topically related content
• In depth pages that cover subjects comprehensively

This creates encyclopedic coverage of your niche and signals deep authority to AI systems.

Find out more: What is GEO?

Strengthening Your AEO Strategy

AEO success comes from content that AI can quickly extract and reuse. This includes:

• Frequently asked questions
• Tables
• Short paragraphs
• Definitions
• Step by step instructions
• Simple, plain language explanations

AI systems look for strong structure. When your content is neatly organised, your answers are far more likely to be selected.

Future Proofing Your Strategy

AI does not kill SEO. It raises the bar for what high quality SEO looks like. The brands that succeed in 2026 will be the ones that use AI tools for efficiency while relying on human expertise for originality. AI can automate tasks such as keyword clustering, technical audits and basic content outlines. However, only humans can provide unique insights, personal experience, real case studies and trustworthy data.

The future of SEO belongs to businesses that offer something worth citing. When your website produces original, structured and reliable information, AI powered search systems will depend on it to deliver accurate answers. This is the new search paradigm, and it rewards brands that invest early in quality and clarity.

Ready to future proof your visibility against the AI evolution? Contact our Perth SEO specialists today to map out your AI search strategy.