1. Revisiting the Relevance of Search Marketing and SEO











Initial question: "Is search marketing dead?"







Reflection on personal experience with SEO since 2009







Observing the disconnect between high rankings and actual business results







The realization: Rankings don’t pay bills, clients do



2. The Birth of Digital Engagement Optimization (DEO)











Integrating conversion rate optimization with traditional SEO







Coining the term "Digital Engagement Optimization (DEO)"







Recognition by the American Marketing Association







The agency’s unique approach, especially as a creative agency



3. The Rise of AI-Driven Search and Its Impact











Introduction of AI platforms like ChatGPT and Google’s generative AI results







The shift from traditional SEO to AI choosing the best answers







Assurance that fundamental principles remain similar, with key tweaks for AI-driven marketing



4. The Everlasting Myth: "Is SEO Dead?"











Recurring claims about the death of SEO through the years







Google’s major algorithm updates (2010–2020) and their effects







How updates benefited those focused on user value, not gaming the system



5. Google’s Focus: User-Centric Answers











Discussion of EEAT: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness







The importance of giving users what they want







Continuity of fundamental search marketing values



6. Comparing SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)











Introduction of AEO as the evolution of SEO







Six main differences between SEO and AEO:











1. Keyword Usage: SEO’s keyword density vs. AEO’s conversational clarity







2. Content Structure: Chasing keywords in SEO vs. structured, extractable answers in AEO







3. Search Query Style: Short, choppy terms vs. detailed, conversational questions







4. Authority Signals: Backlinks for SEO vs. genuine authority/mentions for AEO







5. Content Frequency: Frequent blogging (SEO) vs. quality and depth (AEO)







6. Visibility Dynamics: Static publishing (SEO) vs. ongoing, dynamic content optimization (AEO)







The paradox of frequency: Balancing quality and quantity



7. Additional Differences in SEO vs. AEO











7. Technical Aspects: Importance of backend optimization, especially structured data and schema markup







8. Desired Outcomes: Ranking #1 (SEO) vs. being the trusted, referenced answer in AI (AEO)



8. The Concept of Search Intent











Defining search (or user) intent as the "why" behind queries







Four types of intent:











Informational







Commercial







Transactional







Navigational



9. Key Takeaways and Insights











The shift to AEO is about empathetic communication, not just technology







Importance of genuinely addressing people’s needs with clear,