Does Topical Authority Actually Matter for AI SEO?

Summary

The video delves into the evolving impact of AI on Google's search model, particularly its effects on organic clicks and traffic. It critiques Google's omission of organic CTR data, suggesting that AI-driven queries are replacing traditional search clicks, leading to lower organic traffic for publishers. The speaker emphasizes the need for SEO professionals to adapt to these changes by diversifying strategies, exploring new AI tools, and focusing on multi-platform visibility. The video also introduces several free tools to help businesses track and optimize their search presence in the AI-driven landscape.

Takeaways

• 😀 Google's quarterly report avoids discussing organic clicks, CTR, or organic traffic, suggesting that the data may not be favorable due to AI-driven changes.
• 😀 The number of queries is rising, especially with AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, but this does not translate into more organic clicks for publishers.
• 😀 AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT inflate query counts by counting each follow-up question as a separate query, which distorts organic traffic data.
• 😀 Publishers, especially those relying on organic traffic for ad or affiliate revenue, are facing significant challenges as AI reduces the need for traditional search clicks.
• 😀 Google's shift towards AI features has made it harder for publishers to drive organic traffic, pushing businesses to adapt to broader strategies.
• 😀 SEOs are being forced to diversify their strategies, moving away from a reliance on Google and considering platforms like YouTube and AI-driven tools.
• 😀 Google's business model is increasingly reliant on paid ads rather than organic clicks, as AI reduces the necessity for users to click on organic search results.
• 😀 AI search tools and features, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, are reshaping the search experience by providing more direct answers, bypassing traditional search results.
• 😀 The speaker argues that while the decline in organic clicks is detrimental to publishers, it presents an opportunity for SEOs to broaden their skills and adapt.
• 😀 To help SEOs navigate this new landscape, free tools are available to track brand visibility in AI-driven search platforms and assess the indexability of webpages.
• 😀 Free tools such as the AI Search Indexability Checker, AI Search Query Generator, and People Also Ask Explorer are offered to help SEOs track AI search visibility and page performance.

Q & A

Why does Google emphasize 'billions of clicks' in its reports, and why is it significant?

Google highlights 'billions of clicks' to show the scale of traffic it drives to websites. However, the exact growth of these clicks is not discussed, leaving room for speculation. The absence of clear data on organic CTR or traffic suggests that the growth of clicks might not be as strong or favorable as Google claims.

How does AI impact the number of queries in search engines?

AI-driven search tools, such as ChatGPT, increase the number of queries because each follow-up question in a chat session is counted as a separate query. This leads to growth in query volume, though this doesn’t necessarily translate into more organic clicks.

What is the main difference between a 'query' and a 'click' in the context of AI and search engines?

A 'query' refers to any search input, which can include follow-up questions in AI chats. A 'click,' on the other hand, occurs when a user clicks on a search result. Queries are growing because of AI tools, but this doesn’t mean the number of actual clicks on links is increasing.

Why does Google avoid discussing organic traffic and click-through rates (CTR)?

Google’s avoidance of discussing organic CTR and traffic likely indicates unfavorable results. With the rise of AI tools that summarize search results, fewer users may be clicking through to external sites, thus reducing organic CTR. As a result, Google may be intentionally omitting this data to focus on other metrics like revenue growth.

What are the implications of AI products for content publishers?

AI products are reducing the amount of organic traffic that content publishers receive, especially those dependent on ad revenue or affiliate links. Publishers are facing challenges as AI tools provide summarized answers within search results, meaning fewer clicks to their websites.

How can SEO professionals adapt to the changing search landscape influenced by AI?

SEO professionals can adapt by diversifying their strategies beyond traditional organic search. This includes exploring AI-driven platforms, focusing on commercial queries, and increasing their presence on platforms like YouTube, which are less affected by AI summarization.

What free tools does the speaker offer to help with AI search optimization?

The speaker offers three free tools: an AI Search Indexability Checker to assess if AI crawlers can access a page, an AI Search Query Generator for tracking brand visibility in AI-generated responses, and a People Also Ask Explorer to analyze related queries from Google’s search results.

How does the AI Search Indexability Checker work?

The AI Search Indexability Checker allows users to check whether a page is accessible to AI crawlers, such as those used by Google or Bing. It helps assess if the page can be crawled, indexed, and retrieved by AI platforms, and also measures the page's uptime and response time, which is crucial for AI tools that are sensitive to slow-loading pages.

What does the AI Search Query Generator do, and how is it useful?

The AI Search Query Generator helps track brand visibility by generating synthetic search queries based on a seed keyword. These queries simulate real user inputs, allowing users to test whether their brand appears in AI-driven responses. This tool is useful for businesses trying to gauge their visibility across different AI platforms.

Why are organic clicks declining, and what role does AI play in this trend?

Organic clicks are declining because AI tools, like ChatGPT, provide direct answers to queries, reducing the need for users to click through to external websites. AI is reshaping how information is retrieved, meaning users often get summarized responses without visiting linked pages, which hurts organic traffic and click-through rates.