During the last ten years, we have observed how Artificial Intelligence (AI) rapidly transforms the way we interact with technology. From voice assistants like Siri and Alexa to AI-driven tools creating complete articles in seconds, the effect of AI on the digital realm is undeniable. With such advancements, many business owners wonder if SEO is still relevant in the AI era.
A new study analyzing 25,000 user searches indicates that websites ranking #1 on Google are featured in AI-generated search answers 25% of the time. This insight emphasizes that traditional SEO continues to play a crucial part despite increasing claims that AI has made it irrelevant.
Tomasz Rudzki, co-founder of ZipTie, led the research by examining real-world questions across platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. His conclusions push back against the standard idea that AI has made traditional SEO techniques outdated.
Top Rankings Translate To AI Visibility
The findings demonstrate a consistent trend: websites that maintain the #1 spot on Google has a 1-in-4 chance of showing up in AI-generated search results. As rankings fall, so do the probabilities of being featured.
Tomasz Rudzki stated:
“The higher you rank in Google’s top 10, the more likely you are to appear in AI search results across platforms. This isn’t speculation – it’s based on real queries from real users.”
This trend is prominent across all major AI search tools, revealing that AI systems still heavily rely on conventional search rankings when deciding which sources to show.
How AI Search Engines Choose Their Sources
The study shed light on how AI search engines select content, drawing insights from Google’s recent antitrust trial. The procedure follows three key steps:
Step 1: Pre-selection
AI systems first determine the most relevant documents for a given query, generally favoring pages that already rank highly on Google.
Step 2: Content Extraction
From these top-ranking sources, the AI pulls out the most relevant information—particularly content that instantly addresses the user’s query.
Step 3: AI Synthesis
The extracted content is then incorporated into a clear, concise answer using AI models such as Google’s Gemini.
Internal documents from the trial confirm a vital insight: leveraging top-ranked content leads to more authentic AI responses. This is a fundamental reason why traditional search rankings still play a crucial role in how AI search engines produce their answers.
Understanding the Query Fan-Out Effect
You might sometimes witness AI search results featuring sources that don’t appear in Google’s top 10. The study indicates two key reasons for this:
Reason 1: Personalization
Search results can vary from user to user. A page might rank high for one person depending on their search history or location but appear lower—or not at all—for someone else.
Reason 2: Query Fan-Out (The Bigger Factor)
This plays a much bigger role. According to Google’s internal documentation:
“Both AI Overviews and AI Mode may use a ‘query fan-out’ technique — issuing multiple related searches across subtopics and data sources — to develop a response.”
In simple terms:
When you search for something like “SEO vs SEM,” the AI doesn’t just analyze that single query. It quietly conducts various related searches behind the scenes, such as:
- “What is SEO?”
- “SEO explained”
- “What is PPC?”
- And other similar questions
Pages that rank well for these secondary or related queries may end up featured in the AI-generated answer—even if they don’t rank for the main search term. This allows AI to build a more complete and correct response by pulling from a broader pool of relevant content.
An Essential Shift in Content Strategy Is Needed
The research makes one thing obvious: it’s time to reconsider how we create content.
Conventional SEO has long prioritized building exhaustive, in-depth guides that seek to cover every aspect of a topic in one place.
But AI search changes the game. Rather than rewarding breadth, it favors the “best answer.” That means providing clear, focused answers to very specific user questions.
As the analysis explains:
“When someone asks specifically about iPhone 15 battery life, you may rank top 1 in Google, but AI doesn’t care about it if you don’t provide a precise, relevant answer to that exact question.”
For marketers, this signals a crucial change: it’s no longer just about keyword optimization—it’s about truly responding to the queries people are asking. Precision and relevance now matter more than sheer volume or length.
What This Means for Digital Marketers: Key Takeaways
Depending on the research, here are useful steps marketers should take:
Stick with SEO:
Ranking in the top 10 still matters—AI search engines lean on these rankings to determine sources. Your SEO approach is still paramount.
Refine your Content Structure
Break down long-form content into explicit, focused sections that instantly respond to specific user queries.
Optimize for Related Queries
Go beyond your primary keywords by targeting various variations and closely related search terms.
Prioritize Clarity
AI prefers concise, straightforward answers over keyword-heavy or extremely complicated content.
Measure Performance across Channels
Monitor how your content performs not just in standard search but also in AI-generated outcomes.
Embracing these changes will help you stay visible and competitive in the AI-powered search realm.
Industry Impact and What Lies Ahead
This research couldn’t be more convenient. With AI-driven search growing quickly, comprehending how it links to standard rankings gives marketers a powerful benefit.
Here’s a fundamental insight: only 25% of top-ranked Google pages appear in AI-generated results—indicating 75% don’t rank. That gap presents a tremendous opportunity for marketers who are willing to adapt their strategy.
As Rudzki puts it:
“Instead of asking ‘How do I rank higher?’ start asking ‘How do I better serve users who have specific questions?’ That mindset shift is the key to thriving in the AI search era.”
For an enterprise racing to incorporate AI, these findings offer a reliable strategic foundation. Rather than abandoning proven SEO techniques, the data points to a smarter path ahead: build upon what works while growing to fulfill the requirements of AI-driven search behavior.
Conclusion
At Revolute X Digital, we see AI as an opportunity, not a threat. It’s a powerful assistant that improves how we research, craft, and optimize content. However, it doesn’t replace the human touch that effective SEO needs.
As AI continues to grow, so should your SEO plan. The firms that adapt, innovate, and invest in smart, ethical SEO will continue to dominate search engine rankings—regardless of how search changes. So, to put it simply—SEO is still very much alive in the AI era. And it’s more critical than ever. Contact us for more information!
Jason
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