The rise of generative artificial intelligence and the change in Google search behavior have been fueling a hot (and controversial) debate in digital marketing: does SEO (Search Engine Optimization) still matter? For liveSEO, an agency specialized in search engine optimization, the answer is clear: yes, more than ever. What has changed is not the relevance of SEO, but the rules of the game.
The statement “SEO is dead” has been spreading with alarmist tones on social media and events, reflecting the natural tension around a strategic and billion-dollar market where brands compete for positions and clicks every day. And despite this warning tone, in a way, it reflects a reality: SEO “dies” with every major technological change that impacts this market. With that, data and practice show that SEO has reinvented itself, following the evolution of search and AI.
“It’s true that traditional SEO has lost space in blue links, but, as always, it didn’t die, it reinvented itself. Today, more than ever, we need to look at three fronts: traditional SEO, RAGs, and LLMs. And the central point is that without a solid foundation in traditional SEO, none of the others stand. What really changes is the strategic management and how we prioritize each pillar,” says Henrique Zampronio, partner of the liveSEO group and CEO of Journey.
“Many of the terms that have now become trends, such as useful content, digital reputation, algorithm memory optimization, among others, are actually practices that well-done SEO has incorporated for years,” adds Henrique.
The global SEO market is projected to reach $122 billion by 2028, growing at an annual rate of about 9.6%, according to estimates released by sources such as PR Newswire and industry studies.
In addition to observing the change in search format, liveSEO has recorded concrete results in strategies adjusted to the new scenario. In the last 12 months, liveSEO’s clients generated R$2.4 billion in organic revenue even with the arrival of generative search.
More than insisting that “SEO is still alive,” the executive proposes a new mindset for brands: that SEO has evolved, requires sophistication and integration, and will continue to be fundamental for brands that want to be found, recognized, and clicked in the digital environment. “AI didn’t kill SEO, it just raised the standard of what deserves to be displayed in the results,” concludes Henrique.
