Google’s Danny Sullivan: SEO for AI Is Still SEO – Let’s Find Out What This Really Means

Introduction

Surely you’ve once given some thought to the arrival of AI searching and considered the death of classic SEO. But the din on AI‑powered results, generative search, and all the hip jargon related to AI SEO, Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) makes it seem as if the ground is shaking under the feet of most marketers, and with most of them, on no sand at all. The truth? The basics have not changed from what Google’s Danny Sullivan has observed: SEO for AI is still SEO-and they all impact one another in the changing online visibility story after and into 2025.

Hence, this breakdown is a first example of what the concept may be in practice and reasons for not engaging in new-fangled trends in AI, and how you can go ahead with your SEO right now. We look into such subjects as search intent, AI and keyword research, AI Surfer, structured data, and good content to give you a good general account of the way to bring your innovations into action.

What Am I Trying to Say by “SEO for AI is Still SEO”?

Well, at first glance it may seem that if you have your regular SEO done, there is no need to do a specific AI SEO, but let’s elaborate further. In his tweet, Google’s Danny Sullivan maintains that Readate, or AI that does not use page-ranking signals, is not anything different, but an extension of good SEO most of you have been practicing till now.

Which translates as:

Write for people, not for robots or tools.

Write for beneficial content, not for whichever tiny SEO hack may work.

Use structured things wisely-such as schema-to make information clear.

Whenever there is a new abbreviation-everybody should not reinvent the wheel.

Thus, a trend will be visible shortly that places more emphasis on intent and quality content, since when the search engine responds to the user’s query, does it not ultimately uphold the site in preference to the AI algorithms, traditional algorithms, or types in themselves?

What Kind Of SEO Misunderstands AI?

The SEO conversation has been breaking-up into GEO, AEO, AI SEO, LLM optimization, and so on – upping the ante-and some people make you believe they are separate namespaces you must master one by one. But they are, quite to the contrary, an extreme distraction to every serious writer forcing them to seek a refund to the next little tool instead of working hard for the big win by creating real authority and build engagement.

In contrast to this point articulated by some expert: focusing only on AI tricks or hacks may win for the immediate, select instance but won’t bring real gain in the long run. SEO around AI is about making sure you focus on providing relevance, clarity, and useful information, the core story of search engine optimization in the first instance.

Do Keywords Even Count in AI Searches?

So for one thing, they do just not in the way people expected. Classical strategies like keyword saturation and literal match are now out, replaced by more cutting-edge techniques. With semantic analysis, search engines find user intents even when they do not contain exact keywords. This means relevance plus long tail‑and related‑term variations reflecting something utterly different from keywords that reflect the user’s language.

Putting this into graphic terms lets you argue your principal keywords with some secondary keywords like:

• AI SEO strategy

• Search intent optimizations

• AI‑driven keyword research

• SEO content quality

Organic search visibility

These secondary keywords underline the connection by search engines to tie in your content way to the larger queries by the users while keeping the theme sufficiently in context.

Why Focus on Content That Solves Real Problems?

Most often, Greg Sullivan goes from his points to AI rewarding content that only answers real questions. Hence, whenever AIs try to generate summaries or “AI Overviews,” they quote information such as clear, direct, and content that talks to humans. That is just what web pages really back up questions or explore topics. In either search or AI’s outcomes, relevant content pieces are being cited increasingly for answering the question or finding information about the answer connected to whatever is input.inidad case studies, since they are knowledge-rich and provide added value for users. On top of this, your users will stick around longer on each page, dig deeper, and end up converting when their needs are met instantly and assuredly. This trend towards engagement above mere traffic is why even SEO experts have had to rethink quality metrics that go beyond a mere ranking.

How Do AI Overviews and Generative Experience in Search Affect SEO?

The days of clicking through ten blue lines are long gone, if not on the verge of being sucked into a black hole. Instead, the reader is served with useful envelopes of dialogue atop a job search page. Apart from this, the mini-index still keeps referencing the original content from the web, but Google would only imagine those references to be trustworthy and helpful but not simply the filler of SEO main keywords.

This further implies that the foundations of SEO are strong, whether in generating snippets for traditional text or for AI creative design. Heading clarity, simple answers, information‑rich explanations, and correct placement of keywords are the indispensable soul of noticeability.

However, should Technical SEO still remain relevant with respect to AI technologies?

Sure, to an extent where the new platforms like WordPress, Wix, etc. already handle the majority of

the technical heavy lifting necessary for basic crawlability, providing enough freedom to the marketer to

on creating content and optimizing it. Thus, while page speed, mobile friendliness, structured data, and

Writing SEO Campaign Implementation That Works in 2025 and Beyond

Here’s a cross between Google’s guidance and a variety of proven SEO best practices:

Focus on content for humans: Make sure htmlfile is useful to users, not algorithms.

Original insights: Instead of re-hashing the same old fodder, add your two cents, offer an illustration for clarification or tell the story from your perspective.

Structured answers: Make good use of clear headlines, bullets, and direct responses to questions.

FAQ

Q1: Does AI signal the death of SEO?

No, AI is expected to change how search results are shown, yet fundamental SEO principles   relevance, clarity, high-quality content, search intent match the criteria most in determining search results.

Q2: Should an AI SEO strategy be separate?

Is your SEO strategy different with AI, or should there be separate guidelines related to AI search? In my experience, AI serves to enhance core SEO programs.

Q3: Are keywords irrelevant in an AI-infested world?

They do, but within an ambience. Focus on natural language, user intents, and co-occurring phrases instead of a solo list of keywords alone.

Q4: What means the most to have any ranking?

Based on all the classic and AI-driven search features out there, it usually relates to yielding responses directly out of content that are crystal-clear and exclusive to the user.

Q5: How am I supposed to measure success now?

It is not about clicks. It is about user engagement, through conversions, and alignment with their intent and business objectives.

Conclusion

So what is the conclusion? Danny Sullivan of Google, in considering the past and future of search, we postulate that AI may bring changes in search, but those changes will be made to evolve and modify the interfaces. The principles of discovery shall carry on meaning no need to run immersion algorithms to serve up human-best content, understand user intentions, and figure out how to build content that answers real queries. SEO is not dead; it is just smarter and more user-centric than ever before.

What do you think AI means for your content strategy? Put your thoughts in the comments section below. I would really be taken by what you see in your journey in SEO.