Search and content are no longer separate lanes. In 2026, they behave like a single system where visibility is split across classic rankings, AI-generated answers, video platforms, and community-driven results. The practical result is simple: teams that treat content as an owned credibility asset will keep earning demand, even as clicks fragment.
1) AI is now part of the workflow, but “operator quality” matters more than tool choice
Most teams are using AI, but the performance gap is widening between teams with clear process and teams that treat AI as a shortcut.
In Siege Media’s survey, 90% of content marketers planned to use AI to support content marketing in 2025, up from prior years.
HubSpot reports about 94% of marketers plan to use AI in content creation processes in 2026.
SEO.com frames the 2026 shift as AI being used across the workflow, including gap analysis, clustering, outlining, and editing, but warns that fully automated output without oversight can hurt performance.
What to do
Use AI for structure and speed, not for credibility. Keep human review for claims, examples, positioning, and anything that affects trust.
Build a lightweight content QA checklist: factual checks, primary-source links, author expertise signals, and “what is new here” validation.
2) E-E-A-T shifts from a guideline to a growth constraint
In 2026, “good writing” is table stakes. Brands need visible proof behind the content. That includes real authorship, experience, and third-party confirmation.
Siege Media ties two of the biggest pain points, ranking and matching intent, to putting E-E-A-T at the center of strategy.
Marketer Milk calls E-E-A-T the most important ranking factor trend they are seeing for 2026, and emphasizes building social proof through interviews, reviews, and credible mentions.
SEO.com lists E-E-A-T emphasis as a core 2026 SEO trend, including showing “real people behind the site” through reviews and proof.
What to do
Add “proof blocks” to key pages: who wrote it, why they are qualified, how it was reviewed, and what sources were used.
Publish original assets that can be cited: benchmark data, teardown studies, templates, checklists, and simple calculators.
Earn third-party mentions through podcasts, partnerships, and digital PR. This is not vanity. It is discoverability infrastructure.
3) Zero-click behavior increases the value of brand recognition and “mention share”
Even when traffic holds, attribution gets messier. Teams feel it, and many do not know where to place the next dollar.
Siege Media found 66.5% of content marketers were not confident about where to allocate resources in 2025.
SEO.com explicitly calls out struggles with attribution and “dark traffic,” plus a growing focus on brand visibility as AI search expands.
What to do
Track “visibility outcomes,” not just clicks: branded search growth, demo assists, newsletter signups, and sales conversations influenced by content.
Add an internal “citation and mention” report. Watch which pages get referenced externally, which topics show up in AI answers, and which assets earn links.
4) Content strategy is moving from “publish more” to “make fewer pages that win”
Volume alone is not a moat anymore. The signal is usefulness, distinctiveness, and alignment with real micro-intents.
Siege Media reports the top frustrations in 2025 were getting content to rank (77.6%) and meeting user intent (70.6%).
SEO.com highlights “micro-intents” and the need to ask, for each page, what the user wants to do right now, then build clusters that match that reality.
What to do
Redesign content planning around jobs-to-be-done. A single keyword often hides multiple intents.
Use topic clusters that connect: a core page, supporting pages, and proof assets that can be referenced and linked.
Prune or merge content that is generic, redundant, or thin. Replace it with fewer pages that carry real substance.
5) Blogs are still a core channel in 2026, but they work best as multi-format hubs
Text is not dead, but text-only pages are less competitive when results mix AI answers, video, images, and community content.
HubSpot reports that in 2025, blog posts (38%) were the third most used content format among marketers, and blog posts were also among the top five highest-ROI formats.
HubSpot also notes blogs are among the formats marketers plan to invest in for 2026, alongside video-heavy formats and UGC.
SEO.com lists “leveraging multimedia” as a 2026 SEO trend and argues text-only pages are increasingly limiting.
What to do
Treat each key blog post like a hub: summary, visuals, a short video clip, examples, and internal links to deeper pages.
Repurpose deliberately. One strong post can become a LinkedIn thread, a short video, a webinar outline, and a downloadable checklist.
6) Trust ecosystems beat isolated content
A useful way to think about 2026 is that you are building a network of trust signals, not just publishing pages.
Content Marketing Institute’s expert roundup recommends building “trust ecosystems,” with interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and expert insights to stand out in an AI-saturated environment.
CMI’s enterprise research shows 61% of enterprise marketers say their content strategy improved over the last 12 months, and they attribute improvement largely to strategy refinement (73%), plus restructuring and technology changes.
What to do
Publish content that proves access and experience: practitioner interviews, field notes, teardown analyses, and operator playbooks.
Link these assets together. The goal is a connected body of work that is easy for humans and systems to trust.
7) Budgets remain resilient, but scrutiny is rising
Teams are spending, but leadership wants clearer rationale and measurable outcomes.
Siege Media reports 88.2% said content marketing budgets would increase or stay the same between 2024 and 2025, and 11.3% planned to invest over $45,000 per month in 2025.
What to do
Tie content to a short list of commercial outcomes: pipeline influence, qualified leads, retention, and sales enablement.
Make ROI easier to defend by building content around high-intent problems, not broad informational topics alone.
A practical 2026 playbook for SEO and content marketing
If you need a clean operating model, use this as your baseline:
Pick 3–5 credibility themes you want to own (not 30).
Build clusters around micro-intents, then publish one “flagship” asset per cluster.
Add proof: author expertise, primary sources, case examples, and third-party mentions.
Distribute like a media brand: video snippets, community posts, partner mentions.
Measure beyond clicks: branded demand, assisted conversions, and mention share.
Refresh, merge, prune quarterly so your site stays coherent and defensible.
Conclusion
The defining 2026 shift is not that SEO is “over.” It is that SEO outcomes are now produced by a broader credibility economy. AI compresses the space for generic content, while raising the payoff for content with proof, voice, and connected distribution.
If you want to win the keyword “seo and content marketing trends” in 2026, build fewer things, make them better, and make them easier to trust.
FAQ About Content Marketing Trends in 2026
What are the biggest SEO trends in 2026?
AI search optimization, stronger emphasis on E-E-A-T, micro-intents, topic clustering, and multimedia content are recurring themes across 2026 guidance.
Is content marketing still worth it if AI reduces clicks?
Yes, but you should measure outcomes beyond traffic. Brand visibility, assisted conversions, and earned mentions matter more as attribution gets harder.
Are blogs still effective in 2026?
Blogs remain widely used and still produce ROI, but they perform best when treated as hubs that include visuals, video, and strong internal linking.
How should I use AI in content marketing without hurting SEO?
Use AI for outlining, clustering, editing, and speed, but keep human oversight for facts, originality, and trust signals. Avoid fully automated publishing without controls.
What is a “trust ecosystem” in content marketing?
It is a connected set of assets that reinforces credibility, like expert interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and original proof that differentiates you from generic AI output.
What metrics should I track for SEO and content in 2026?
Track classic SEO metrics, but add branded search growth, conversions influenced by content, and external mentions and citations where possible, since attribution is increasingly imperfect.
Why do teams struggle with content strategy decisions right now?
The channel mix is changing fast, and many teams are unsure where to put resources. Survey data shows low confidence in allocation decisions, even while budgets remain stable.
If you want, paste your preferred audience (B2B SaaS, local service, ecommerce, healthcare, etc.) and your current domain authority range, and I will tailor the outline and examples to match what can realistically rank.
Today’s healthcare SEO agencies are the driving force of some of the most sought-after health brands and health content. Their expertise lies in what Google calls YMYL, or “your money or your life,” a unique subset of industries that are more heavily scrutinized when it comes to credibility and trust. Today, healthcare agencies are also paving the way for AI SEO, as many consumers are shifting to LLMs like ChatGPT to find information on topics and brands.
The list below was curated based on our knowledge of the top healthcare SEO agencies. Considerations include specialization, notable client list, case studies, reviews, and our general industry knowledge of the leaders of these companies and their teams. While this is our list, we kept it as objective as possible and tried to identify healthcare SEO agencies that focused on specific areas of the vertical.
Digital Elevator – Best for: B2B Healthcare SEO Plus AI/LLM Visibility
Digital Elevator, a marketing agency with nearly 15 years of experience, specializes in B2B healthcare SEO. They are known for their focus on bottom-funnel content and product/service page SEO approach, strategies that concentrate on what they call “money-making pages.”
Their expertise in SEO, content marketing, and AI optimization helps small to mid-market companies increase their visibility in both traditional and generative search. The agency’s services all stem from SEO and include content strategy, competitive intelligence, bottom-funnel content marketing, PR, and UX/UI design, drawing on a history that includes Fortune 500 work.
Cardinal builds and scales SEO for provider networks. Their program structure covers location architecture, Google Business Profile strategy, and multi-location citation management, then layers AI search optimization on top. They have scaling groups from dozens to hundreds of sites and supporting de novo launches and M&A roll-ups with ranking roadmaps and KPI forecasting. Their case studies include national mental health, infusion centers, dermatology, and DSOs with location counts in the hundreds.
Specialization:
Local SEO at scale for multi-location systems
Google Business Profile management and location architecture
AI and answer-engine optimization
HIPAA-aware analytics and reporting
Technical SEO for complex site structures
Ideal client:
National behavioral health networks managing multiple clinic locations.
Intrepy builds patient-growth SEO programs for specialty medical practices, multi-location groups, and PE roll-ups. Their case work in orthopedics reports a 51% lift in organic traffic in six months and a 101% increase in traffic from Google Business Profile (Modern Orthopaedics of NJ), with other orthopedic results showing 53% organic growth and large gains in paid conversions year over year. The team focuses on local search, service-line pages, listings governance, and site hygiene, and supports groups across 40 or more subspecialties. Their materials position SEO as a direct driver of appointments and clinic volume rather than a stand-alone channel.
Tidal is known for its HealthAuthority CMS, a WordPress-based theme and plugin built to model medical entities, connect physicians to organizations, and publish structured data at scale. The stack automates healthcare schema, on-page templates, and knowledge-panel signals, then ties results to attribution reporting and conversion tracking. Case materials show HealthAuthority CMS driving topic clustering, richer entity markup, and measurable gains in qualified traffic and downstream conversions. The firm also supports ADA-aligned development and SEO operations for MSOs, hospital service lines, and consumer health technologies.
Specialization:
Healthcare schema and entity-based SEO
Knowledge-panel development and brand SERP management
Repeatable on-page frameworks for consistent rollout
Analytics and ROI attribution tailored to healthcare
Ideal client:
Institutes that need visible clinical authority and clean measurement.
The Status Bureau designs healthcare SEO around one goal: more booked appointments. Their programs combine location SEO, Google Business Profile management, technical fixes, and service-line content that addresses common patient questions and encourages visitors to make calls or schedule online. They run structured audits, then maintain ongoing campaigns with link building, directory cleanup, and location pages for multi-clinic groups. Accessibility reviews and clear copywriting support providers, clinics, and health apps that need search visibility and a clean path from search result to booking.
Specialization:
SEO for patient bookings with keyword, competitive, technical, and localization research.
Off-site and location SEO including Google Business Profile, reviews, directories, local content, and link building.
Technical SEO audits and ongoing campaigns for healthcare sites and apps.
Accessibility audits for ADA, WCAG, and AODA compliance.
Content strategy and writing for providers, therapists, medispas, physio/chiro clinics, and health tech.
Ideal client:
Health organizations that need local visibility and a bookings-first plan
Healthcare Success builds and governs local SEO programs for multi-location provider groups. Their case studies show work for dermatology, urgent care, and other PE-backed networks. One case includes an Illinois dermatology group reporting year-over-year lifts such as 243% more Google Business Profile views, 114% more local searches, and 82% more organic clicks. Their playbooks cover location architecture, per-location pages, listings and citation management, and reporting built for operators who track patient calls and revenue by market. They also publish training and webinars on multi-location execution and “near me” visibility for healthcare systems.
Specialization:
Local SEO governance across many locations
Location, architecture and service-line templates
Technical SEO and site performance
Processes for multi-site rollout and QA
Reporting aligned to market-level goals
Ideal client:
Large provider organizations that need consistent local visibility
Client examples:
PlasmaSource
PE-Backed Urgent Care Group
Texas Endovascular
FAQ
Should I focus on a certain type of healthcare SEO agency? Yes. Some agencies, like Digital Elevator, focus on B2B and SEO-driven content, while others focus on B2C or HCP SEO. If you are a medical practice for example, you’d want to work with an agency that focuses on local SEO and related factors like Google Business Profiles and reviews as opposed to national SEO campaigns.
How is “AI SEO” relevant to healthcare now? AI-driven search is influencing how patients and buyers discover services. Agencies are adding AI search audits and content patterns that surface in AI overviews while preserving classic rankings. Many patients do their top funnel research entirely in tools like ChatGPT, so understanding this nuance and focusing on bottom funnel strategies is what the future looks like.
Do small practices and large systems need different SEO strategies? Yes. Small practices gain most from local SEO, reviews, and clear service pages. Systems need scalable location architecture, location-level content, and governance to keep NAP and analytics consistent.
B2B SEO has become a critical investment for companies seeking to capture demand from buyers who increasingly begin their purchasing research with online searches. 49% of B2B marketers implement SEO in their marketing strategy, more than any other tactic, reflecting the central role search plays in B2B lead generation and pipeline development. As B2B buying cycles grow longer and involve multiple stakeholders researching solutions independently, companies that rank prominently in search results capture the majority of qualified leads. The right SEO partner can help B2B companies navigate complex technical implementations, long sales cycles, and the challenge of creating content that resonates with multiple decision-makers.
The list below was curated based on our knowledge of the top B2B SEO companies. Considerations include specialization, notable client list, case studies, reviews, and our general industry knowledge of the leaders of these companies and their teams. While this is our list, we kept it as objective as possible and tried to identify B2B SEO companies that focused on specific areas of the vertical.
Digital Elevator, a marketing agency with nearly 15 years of experience, focuses on B2B SEO with an emphasis on product and service page optimization and bottom funnel content. Their approach targets what they call “money-making pages,” optimizing the specific pages where prospects make purchasing decisions rather than focusing solely on blog content. Their bottom funnel approach to content focuses on comparison, alternatives, and pricing content with UX/UI built in. This methodology proves particularly effective for B2B companies with complex products, long sales cycles, and technical buyers who need detailed information before engaging with sales teams.
Their B2B SEO work combines product-led SEO, content strategy, and AI search optimization to help small to mid-market companies increase visibility in both traditional search engines and generative AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity. The agency’s services include competitive intelligence, bottom-funnel content marketing, and UX/UI optimization. Their history includes work with Fortune 500 companies in biotech, industrial, and enterprise technology sectors, bringing enterprise-level SEO strategy to emerging B2B brands.
Specialization:
B2B SEO and product/service page optimization
AI Search Optimization for ChatGPT and other LLMs
Bottom-funnel content marketing
UX/UI and conversion rate optimization
Ideal client:
Small businesses to mid-market enterprises in healthcare, industrial, and manufacturing
Straight North brings a disciplined, data-driven approach to B2B SEO with an emphasis on lead generation and conversion tracking. Their services prioritize qualified conversions, strict tracking of form submissions and phone calls, and steady execution that delivers predictable results. The firm stands out for its structured reporting that helps non-technical stakeholders understand SEO performance and ROI.
NinjaPromo is one of the leading B2B SEO Companies offering tailored digital marketing solutions that focus on driving organic growth and generating high-quality leads. With a deep understanding of B2B markets, they craft data-driven SEO strategies to enhance brand visibility and improve search rankings. Their expertise includes on-page optimization, technical SEO, and content marketing designed to attract decision-makers and convert them into clients.
Specialization:
B2B SEO Optimization for targeted organic growth
Keyword Research tailored to decision-makers and niche industries
Content Marketing with a focus on whitepapers, case studies, and industry insights
Link Building Strategies to boost domain authority and improve ranking
Ideal Client:
Mid-sized B2B companies and tech startups looking for scalable, results-driven SEO solutions.
GrowthRocks approaches B2B SEO through a product-led lens. Features, use cases, onboarding moments, templates, integrations, and documentation become the core surfaces that attract and convert the right users. This makes them a strong fit for B2B SaaS teams that want SEO to support a PLG motion. From capturing demand with product-relevant pages to improving activation paths once users land, the focus stays on getting users to experience value quickly, not just increasing traffic.
Specialization:
Product-led Growth (PLG) programs and frameworks
SEO strategy built around products, use cases, and competitor landscapes
Growth experimentation that connects acquisition to activation
Ideal client:
B2B SaaS and tech companies that want SEO to drive qualified signups and activation, not only rankings.
Siege Media builds content-first SEO programs that meet high editorial and design standards while driving measurable organic growth. Their approach emphasizes creating linkable assets that earn natural backlinks and establish brand authority in competitive B2B markets. The agency plans topics strategically, develops high-quality content at scale, and improves user experience on key pages to maximize the impact of every piece published.
Directive Consulting connects SEO with paid media and conversion rate optimization to serve pipeline goals and revenue targets. The team speaks in revenue terms rather than rankings and tests assumptions across the funnel to optimize the entire customer journey. Their approach integrates search expertise with revenue operations, making them particularly valuable for companies that track sales stages and need SEO aligned with broader demand generation efforts.
Specialization:
Media mix planning where SEO and paid inform each other
Testing on landing pages and conversion paths
Revenue operations and attribution
Pipeline-focused SEO strategy
Ideal client:
B2B technology firms with defined sales stages and attribution
Altitude Marketing operates as a B2B-only agency with extensive experience in technical and regulated industries. Their programs integrate SEO with broader marketing support, giving industrial and technical clients cohesive messaging across digital channels. The agency’s understanding of complex B2B purchasing processes and technical products makes them valuable for companies that need to communicate sophisticated value propositions to specialist buyers.
Specialization:
Industrial, life sciences, and enterprise technology SEO
Messaging and content that clarifies technical value
Marketing for complex B2B purchasing processes
Integrated digital strategy
Ideal client:
Manufacturers and scientific firms with specialist buyers
Ten Speed specializes in SEO-driven content strategies specifically designed for B2B SaaS and technology companies. Their team develops data-informed content plans that attract qualified leads and strengthen brand authority over time. The agency’s strength in SaaS comes from a deep understanding of recurring-revenue models and customer lifecycle metrics, allowing them to design SEO strategies that support trial acquisition, conversion, and retention.
Specialization:
Topic ownership and cluster development for SaaS
Balance of demand capture and demand creation content
Editorial frameworks that scale without losing quality
Content strategy for product-led growth
Ideal client:
Product-led SaaS companies with clear use cases and ideal customer profiles
Omniscient Digital blends strategy, analytics, and storytelling to help B2B companies turn content into a measurable revenue channel. The agency’s approach revolves around identifying topics that tie directly to sales opportunities and building scalable systems that connect SEO performance with pipeline growth. Backed by experience in SaaS and enterprise environments, Omniscient’s team brings both creative insight and operational discipline.
Specialization:
Enterprise content operations and SEO for complex sites
Planning that aligns with business themes and revenue targets
Change management for multi-brand portfolios
Revenue attribution and pipeline tracking
Ideal client:
Global B2B brands with multiple lines of business
Client examples:
Order.co
Jasper
Smartlink
FAQ
Should I focus on a certain type of B2B SEO company?
Yes. Some companies, like Digital Elevator and Siege Media, focus on content-driven SEO and UX/UI, while others, like Directive, emphasize integration with paid media and revenue operations. If you’re in manufacturing or distribution, Straight North’s conversion tracking and lead generation focus would be valuable. If you’re a SaaS company, Ten Speed’s specialized expertise in recurring-revenue models would be essential. Match the company’s specialty to your industry, sales motion, and internal capabilities.
How long does it take to see results from B2B SEO?
B2B SEO typically shows initial improvements in 3 to 6 months, with meaningful pipeline impact at 6 to 12 months as content builds authority and rankings improve. According to B2B SEO statistics, it takes anywhere from 6 months to a year to achieve positive ROI for an SEO campaign, with peak results often occurring beyond the first year. The timeline depends on your starting point, competition in your category, the complexity of your products, and the comprehensiveness of the SEO program.
What makes B2B SEO different from consumer SEO?
B2B SEO faces unique challenges, including longer buying cycles with multiple decision-makers, lower search volumes for specialized products, and the need to create content that serves different stakeholders from technical evaluators to executive buyers. B2B SEO must also navigate complex topics and technical specifications while making content accessible to various audience levels. Additionally, B2B success metrics focus on pipeline contribution and revenue rather than just traffic, requiring SEO strategies that align with sales processes and demonstrate clear business impact.
AI-powered platforms like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity are increasingly becoming the go-to sources for answers, and brands that fail to adapt risk becoming invisible.
While traditional SEO has been correlated with mentions in these tools, the following agencies have shown a particular knack for capitalizing on the emerging factors related to AI SEO. While this is our list, we are particularly keen on the leaders in the AI SEO space, the brands with legit case studies and credibility, or those that are on the thought leadership front that own or work at these agencies.
In this article, we’ll explore the top agencies that are pioneering this new frontier and helping brands like yours thrive in the age of AI.
Digital Elevator is a marketing agency known for its work in biotech, healthcare, and eCommerce that has embraced the power of AI to deliver exceptional results for its clients. Their focus on SEO, answer engine optimization (AEO), and content marketing helps clients increase their visibility in both traditional and generative search.
With nearly 15 years of experience, including Fortune 500 work, the agency focuses on high-growth, small to mid-market companies, providing content strategy, competitive intelligence, SEO and AI optimization, bottom-funnel content marketing, PR, and UX/UI design. Digital Elevator’s specific focus is creating high-intent content that meet buyers at the most critical stages of the sales funnel, including the most critical sources of content that drive AI brand discovery.
Graphite is an AI-powered growth and SEO agency specializing in driving measurable visibility across both traditional and generative search. The agency focuses on the intersection of SEO, content strategy, and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)—helping brands gain presence not just on Google, but within emerging AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.
Graphite works with high-growth SaaS and technology companies to build scalable, conversion- focused content systems that prioritize velocity and impact. Their proprietary methodologies and internal platform allow clients to track performance across search engines and generative models in one unified framework.
Specialization:
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Technical and Programmatic SEO
Scalable Content Systems
Growth Analytics and Forecasting
Ideal Client:
Mid-market to enterprise SaaS and technology companies
Notebook Agency is a results-driven SEO and LLM optimization agency that helps businesses attract qualified traffic and maximize growth with AI-powered strategies. They are focused on positioning brands as the preferred solution when enterprise buyers consult LLMs like Google AI Mode and ChatGPT. Their Truth Alignment Framework™ is designed to make your brand AI’s recommendation, not just another option.
Omnius is a specialized SEO & LLMO agency known for its exclusive work with B2B SaaS and Fintech companies that have embraced the power of AI search optimization to deliver exceptional revenue-focused results. Their focus on SEO, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and bottom-of-funnel content marketing helps clients increase their visibility in both traditional search engines and AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.
With over a decade of experience working exclusively in the SaaS and Fintech space, the agency focuses on subscription-based businesses, from venture-backed startups to enterprise companies. What sets them apart is AtomicAGI, their proprietary in-house AI SEO analytics software that tracks brand visibility and citations across AI search platforms in real-time, a capability most agencies lack, positioning Omnius as an industry leader in GEO.
Siege Media is a content marketing agency that has adapted its approach for the generative era. They build GEO, SEO, and content strategies that drive compounding growth for B2B and B2C enterprise brands. Their strategies ensure that content shows up where people are searching, whether it’s Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or other LLMs. This means stronger visibility, more qualified traffic, and long-term SEO resilience.
Grow and Convert is a content marketing and SEO agency that has expanded into AI search optimization with a research-backed approach. They developed the Prioritized GEO framework, which prioritizes owned content and acquiring brand mentions as the foundation of an AI content strategy. The agency is known for their Pain Point SEO framework, which targets bottom-of-funnel keywords where buyers are actively searching for solutions.
Specialization:
Bottom-of-Funnel Content Strategy
Pain Point SEO
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
AI Visibility Tracking
Content Marketing
Ideal client:
B2B SaaS and software companies focused on lead generation and conversions
uSERP is an enterprise-focused SEO agency built around one core belief: organic growth only matters if it drives revenue. uSERP helps B2B, SaaS, and tech-enabled companies win competitive search markets by strengthening the signals that actually move rankings: authoritative links, content relevance, and sustained trust. Their work prioritizes commercial pages, conversion-value keyword positions, and long-term authority over vanity traffic with short-lived tactics.
Unlike traditional SEO vendors, uSERP operates as an extension of internal growth teams. Every campaign is led by senior SEOs and executed in-house, with a clear focus on outcomes: stronger rankings where ideal customers make buying decisions, increased visibility across search and AI-driven discovery, and lasting authority that enables better rankings across competitive verticals.
Specialization:
Enterprise Grade Authority Link Building
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
Content Strategy and Production
Growth Forecasting and Strategic SEO Resource Allocation
Intero Digital takes a technical approach to GEO, providing clients with website optimizations that increase their page visibility in generative engines. Their proprietary crawler simulation, InteroBOT®, mimics how generative engines and traditional crawlers evaluate content, helping to surface issues that limit discoverability. This approach is particularly effective for brands with large content libraries that want to improve visibility on platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
iPullRank focuses on enterprise-level technical SEO, with deep experience in JavaScript rendering, log file analysis, and large-scale site architecture. Their process is built to ensure that both search engines and generative platforms can crawl and interpret complex content structures without friction. Generative optimization is part of their core workflow, with audits that include analysis of how AI systems access and evaluate content strategy.
Specialization:
Enterprise-Level Technical SEO
Generative AI Adoption
JavaScript Rendering & Log File Analysis
Large-Scale Site Architecture
Ideal client:
Enterprise websites with complex content structures
Go Fish Digital is one of the most advanced agencies in the GEO space, with a team recognized for its unmatched ability to analyze and apply Google patents directly to client strategies. They use custom-built technology with backtested results to identify exactly where and how a brand can increase its inclusion in AI-generated answers. Their approach is deeply rooted in understanding how AI systems retrieve and prioritize content, and then building tactical plans to influence those systems in measurable ways.
Specialization:
Patent-Based GEO Strategies
Custom-Built AI SEO Technology
Semantic Content Audits
AI Overview Analysis
Ideal client:
High-profile brands seeking a data-science approach to GEO
Client examples:
GEICO
About Amazon
Wayfair
Jelly Belly
Guide to Working with an AI SEO Agency
Choosing the right AI SEO agency is crucial for navigating the evolving search landscape. Here are some key considerations to help you make an informed decision:
Proven AI SEO Expertise: Look for agencies with a track record of success in ranking clients in AI Overviews and other generative search platforms. Ask for case studies and data to back up their claims.
Technical Capabilities: A top AI SEO agency should have a deep understanding of large language models (LLMs), semantic search, and the technical aspects of optimizing for AI. They should be able to explain their methodologies in a clear and concise way.
Custom Technology: Inquire about any proprietary tools or platforms they use for AI SEO. Custom technology can be a sign of a forward-thinking agency that is invested in staying ahead of the curve.
Strategic Approach: The agency should have a strategic, data-driven approach to AI SEO that aligns with your business goals. They should be able to create a customized strategy that is tailored to your specific needs and target audience.
Thought Leadership: Look for an agency that is actively contributing to the conversation around AI SEO. This can be a sign that they are passionate about what they do and are committed to staying up-to-date on the latest trends and best practices.
In the competitive landscape of medical device marketing, the quest to effectively reach healthcare professionals and decision-makers has always been difficult.
The dynamic nature of the healthcare industry demands a strategic approach that not only showcases the technical prowess of your medical devices but also establishes trust, addresses pain points, and offers tailored solutions.
By the end of this blog, you will be able to create strategic approaches in your marketing that will help your medical devices stand out.
In this guide, we delve into five expert-level tips that can elevate your medical device marketing game. From crafting content that resonates with your buyer persona to leveraging the power of paid advertising and SEO, these strategies are designed to create a robust marketing framework that resonates with your target audience, builds credibility, and drives meaningful conversions.
One of the key pillars of successful medical device marketing is tailoring your content to your specific target audience or buyer persona. As highlighted in our article on HCP marketing, understanding the pain points, challenges, and needs of your audience is crucial.
For example, this resource by McKesson on lab solutions for urgent care facilities is a prime example of tailored content. As McKesson provides lab solutions that are related to the topic, not only are they introducing themselves as a solutions provider but they are doing it in a way that is first and foremost beneficial to the end reader by showcasing how these solutions provide faster results and better patient experience.
By developing in-depth knowledge about the healthcare professionals (HCPs) and decision-makers who are likely to engage with your medical device, you can create content that resonates with them, address their concerns, provide solutions to their problems, and showcase the benefits of your device in a language that speaks directly to their expertise.
By showing that you understand their unique challenges and can provide valuable solutions, you’re more likely to build trust and credibility.
Outsource Content Marketing for Expertise in Conversion-focused Content
While you’re an expert in medical devices, you may not be an expert at creating persuasive and effective sales copy or understanding how to utilize content marketing to drive more leads and sales.
This is where outsourcing content creation comes into play. By partnering with vendors that specialize in biotech content marketing and offer different areas of expertise – graphic design, marketing, writing, etc. – you can take your medical device marketing beyond the merits of the product itself.
For example, this resource from ThermoFisher Scientific on “Useful Numbers for Cell Culture” is a great example of conversion-focused content. Here’s why:
It provides an easy-to-use reference point for the target audience to utilize
The page ranks for over 1,100 keywords (according to Ahrefs), including “useful numbers for cell culture” which gets an estimated 2,300 searches per month alone
The resource naturally introduces relevant product categories as ThermoFisher understand that a searcher looking for appropriate cell culture dishes and flasks may need to purchase more based on this resource
Whether it’s crafting engaging articles, designing visually appealing infographics, or producing persuasive marketing copy, outsourcing ensures that your content is not only accurate but also captivating.
Your Website as Your Primary Sales Tool
In medical device marketing, your website serves as more than just an online presence; it’s a dynamic platform that can drive your sales and conversions. Your potential customers, whether they are healthcare professionals or decision-makers, often turn to your website for detailed information before making purchasing decisions.
Your website should function as an intuitive and informative hub that not only showcases the features of your medical devices but also educates visitors about its applications, benefits, and real-world user experiences.
To achieve this, focus on incorporating captivating visuals, user-friendly navigation, and compelling Calls to Action (CTAs) strategically placed throughout your website. Include detailed product descriptions, case studies, success stories, and any relevant certifications or awards that underline the credibility of your medical device. By creating a seamless online experience, you can capture leads, nurture prospects, and guide them through their decision-making process.
Let’s look at the following example from Qiagen. On their website, can easily navigate with their simple menu bar at the top, a panel of rotating images with different CTA’s, and multiple custom graphics related to applications. This home page is an example of a good sales tool as it helps funnel visitors down a path with an easy-to-use interface and site structure.
An additional aspect of using a website as a sales tool is building trust and credibility. It’s one thing to say “our products are the best” and another when other trusted references do it for you.
Throughout their website they have littered several instances of subtle social proof. For example, in their case stories section, they have multiple doctors talking about how great and effective their products are. This gives Qiagen respect and authority, resonating with their potential customers as these claims come from third-party clients.
In another social proof example, at the top of this page, we see the logos of brands Qiagen is associated with. These provide a subconscious level of social proof and credibility that a visitor would likely take comfort in should they be considering using the brand. Second, they have a blog section with informative articles that establish them as a thought leader in the space.
Leverage Paid Ads to Fill Your Sales Pipeline
Paid advertising is a strategic avenue for accelerating your medical device marketing efforts. Google Ads, as highlighted for search intent, allow you to capture the attention of ideal clients actively searching for relevant keywords related to your device(s). This ensures that your product is visible at the precise moment when potential customers are seeking solutions.
Below, we see two different ad types. The top ad with pictures are Google Shopping Ads while the second are Google Search Ads. This is valuable real estate for brands that want to get in front of searchers with purchase intent.
Additionally, LinkedIn ads are also effective for targeting Ideal Customer Profiles (ICPs) in the medical field. The platform’s advanced targeting options enable you to reach specific job titles, industries, and professional demographics.
For these ad types, it is recommended to partner with a company experienced with biotech paid media so that they can evaluate and recommend paid advertising opportunities on a case-by-case basis.
SEO for Full-Circle Sales Cycle Awareness & Lead Generation
SEO can drive organic traffic, generate leads and ensure a continuous flow of engaged prospects through the various stages of your sales funnel. For medical device sales specifically, an SEO plan should revolve around:
Product pages
Category pages (see example below)
Supporting content to drive traffic and brand awareness
For example, the below page from DRE Medical appears to have invested in some SEO in order to rank this page on ENT Equipment.
They rank number 1 for key high purchase intent keywords such as “ent medical supplies,” “ent equipment” and others related to their product offerings. This is an example of bottom-of-the-funnel SEO as it relates to purchase intent.
The site also does a good job of funneling search traffic for top-of-the-funnel searches with its medical glossary, which ranks for general searches like “nasalplasty” or “fulguration.”
If your company doesn’t have in-house staff to constantly work on developing your SEO for the medical devices, it is strongly encouraged that you partner with an agency that can help make sure your medical devices don’t slip through the cracks.
Incorporating these expert-level tips into your medical device marketing strategy can position your brand for success, resonate with your target audience, and enhance your overall marketing effectiveness.
Medical devices are an essential part of modern healthcare. Companies that design, manufacture, or distribute these products often look for ways to reach healthcare professionals, procurement teams, and patients online. Search engine optimization, or SEO, is one method used to connect medical device providers with these audiences.
Medical device SEO is different from general SEO because it is shaped by strict regulations and unique industry language. Understanding these differences is important for anyone managing a medical device website or working with a medical device SEO agency.
This guide explains the main ideas behind medical device SEO and how it works in the context of the industry.
Medical device SEO is the process of optimizing websites related to medical devices so they appear higher in search engine results for relevant keywords. Unlike general SEO, this specialized approach involves extra steps to meet industry regulations and compliance standards.
The main challenge is balancing marketing goals with requirements set by regulatory bodies like the FDA or EMA. Websites must accurately describe products, avoid misleading claims, and include important safety information. A medical device SEO agency often works with legal and regulatory teams to ensure all content aligns with these rules.
Medical device SEO also involves understanding the terminology used by healthcare professionals, buyers, and patients. Keyword targeting often includes technical product names, catalog numbers, and clinical applications. A medical supplies SEO company researches how different audiences search for products and adjusts website content accordingly.
Key differences from general SEO include:
Regulatory compliance: All content must follow FDA, CE marking, and other regulatory guidelines
Technical terminology: Keywords include specific device classifications, clinical applications, and compliance terms
Evidence-based claims: All product statements require documentation and substantiation
How Medical Device SEO Influences Buyer Journeys
Healthcare professionals and procurement teams often begin their search for medical devices online. Most decision-makers review several options before making contact with a company, and products that appear on the first page of search results receive the most attention.
The typical buyer journey for medical devices consists of several stages. During the awareness stage, buyers learn about new devices or technologies through search engines and educational content. In the consideration phase, they compare features, technical specifications, and compliance information across multiple providers.
The evaluation stage involves reviewing detailed product information, case studies, and regulatory documentation before final selection. Finally, during procurement, purchasing teams or clinicians initiate contact, request demos, or seek formal quotes.
SEO influences each stage by making information easy to find and navigate. A medical supply SEO company organizes website content so buyers encounter relevant resources at each step. This approach helps buyers progress from initial discovery to final purchase with confidence in the accuracy and compliance of information presented.
Key Steps to Build an Effective Medical Device SEO Strategy
A systematic approach in medical device SEO ensures reliable results. Each step addresses how search engines evaluate and rank medical device websites.
Identify High-Intent Keywords
Keyword identification involves finding the exact terms that healthcare professionals and procurement teams use when searching for medical devices. These terms are often based on technical specifications, regulatory requirements, and clinical applications.
Effective keyword categories include:
Product-specific terms: “continuous glucose monitoring systems” or “laparoscopic surgical instruments”
Regulatory terms: “FDA-approved ventilators” or “CE-marked diagnostic devices”
Problem-solution terms: “reducing surgical site infections” or “improving patient monitoring accuracy”
High-intent keywords typically include device classifications (Class II, Class III), specific clinical uses, and regulatory status. These terms convert better than broad keywords because they target users closer to making purchasing decisions.
When conducting a keyword strategy, Digital Elevator uses factors such as keyword volume, keyword difficulty, and search intent to formalize our optimizations. Note that pages can target dozens, sometimes 100s, of keywords, and these can be identified in the keyword research phase. These secondary keywords are often infused into subsections to ensure a fully optimized page that is given the best chance to rank for as many relevant keywords as possible.
We’ll generally start with the optimization of product pages, a process called “product page SEO,” as these pages have the highest commercial intent and are what we call your “money-making pages.”
Develop Compliant Content
Content for medical device websites follows regulatory guidelines. The information must be accurate, reviewed, and supported by evidence. Compliance-focused strategies include establishing a medical review process for all content and documenting substantiation for product claims.
Content includes disclaimers about intended use and regulatory information. Only terminology approved by regulatory bodies appears on the site, avoiding unauthorized claims about “curing” or “treating” conditions unless specifically cleared for those indications.
Effective content formats include:
Clinical case studies: Demonstrate device usage and real-world outcomes
Technical white papers: Present data and analysis on device performance
Product specification pages: List features, technical data, and compatibility information
Regulatory guidance resources: Help customers navigate compliance requirements
Educational content: Videos and webinars showing proper device operation
As it relates to SEO and keyword volume, educational pages generally have the most potential for search traffic. During a content strategy phase, the types of content that will be created will be siloed accordingly. While content like case studies and technical articles are great and recommended for sales enablement content, SEO content works best when it is focused on bottom funnel content (content that targets searches closest to a purchase decision) that is steeped in search volume.
For example, a resource on “best CPAP machines” is an effective SEO-driven content idea that targets searchers who are likely closer to the buying stage of their research. Best, versus, alternative, calculators, and tools are great ideas to look for for this type of bottom funnel SEO-driven content.
Strengthen Your Link Profile
Links from credible sources indicate trustworthiness to search engines. In the medical device industry, link quality dramatically outweighs quantity. A single backlink from a respected medical journal provides more SEO value than dozens of links from general websites.
Effective link-building strategies focus on:
Original research: Publishing clinical studies or technical analyses that healthcare professionals reference
Thought leadership: Creating authoritative content on emerging technologies that naturally attracts citations
Industry participation: Presenting at medical conferences with published proceedings
Strategic partnerships: Collaborating with healthcare institutions or complementary technology companies
Professional associations: Maintaining active memberships in relevant industry organizations
A medical device SEO agency focuses on acquiring links from healthcare directories, medical journals, hospital systems, and educational institutions.
Domain level links and page level links may be part of the strategy. For example, a medical journal is likely to provide a link to your homepage, while a comparison guide may fetch links from smaller, healthcare sites. Domain level links tend to increase brand equity as a whole, whereas page level links help to increase the rankings of the specific keyword targets of that page.
Optimize On-Page Elements
On-page optimization involves structuring each webpage with clear, accurate, and keyword-relevant information. Key techniques include writing title tags that include the specific device category, functionality, and brand name.
Meta descriptions highlight key benefits and regulatory status. Headers (H1, H2, H3) create logical organization throughout the page. Images include descriptive alt text that explains what the image shows, and schema markup helps search engines understand product specifications and regulatory status.
Internal links connect related products, compatible accessories, and supporting clinical evidence with contextual anchor text. This structure helps both users and search engines understand the relationships between different products and resources.
Navigating Compliance and Regulatory Requirements
Medical device websites follow specific rules set by agencies like the FDA and CE marking authorities. These rules impact how information is written, displayed, and promoted online. Every claim about a device’s use, safety, and effectiveness requires accuracy and must follow official guidelines.
SEO content for medical devices avoids language that promises results not supported by evidence or regulatory approval. Content includes required disclaimers about intended use and warnings related to the device. Companies document all claims and keep references for every statement on their website.
Websites display regulatory marks like FDA clearance or CE marking according to specific guidelines. Information about device classes, approval numbers, and compliance status appears clearly on product pages.
Essential compliance considerations include:
Approved claims only: Product descriptions stick to cleared or approved uses and indications
Required disclaimers: Safety information and warnings appear on relevant pages
Documented evidence: Clinical data and references support all product statements
Regulatory marks: FDA, CE, and other certifications display with accurate classification numbers
Content review: Medical, legal, or regulatory teams approve content before publication
Technical Factors and Core Web Vitals
Technical SEO ensures websites are easy for users and search engines to access and understand. Medical device websites often contain detailed documentation, regulatory content, and complex resources that can affect performance.
Core Web Vitals are specific factors measured by Google that reflect user experience, focusing on load time, interactivity, and visual stability. These metrics directly impact search rankings.
Page speed is the time it takes for a website to load and become usable. Medical device sites with technical documentation, high-resolution images, and downloadable content can experience slow load times. Faster websites help users find information quickly and prevent frustration.
Mobile optimization ensures websites work well on smartphones and tablets since healthcare professionals often access device information on the go. Responsive design adapts the website layout to fit different screen sizes, making it easier to read technical product information.
Security protocols like HTTPS encrypt information sent between a user’s browser and a website. Google considers HTTPS a ranking factor and marks sites without it as “Not Secure.” Secure websites help protect user data and maintain trust with healthcare professionals.
Selecting a Medical Device SEO Agency
Choosing a medical device SEO agency involves evaluating expertise, technical skills, and performance with similar clients. Agencies with healthcare experience understand medical device regulations, terminology, and compliance issues.
When evaluating agencies, look for experience with medical device or healthcare SEO projects, familiarity with FDA or CE regulatory frameworks, and team members with healthcare or scientific backgrounds. Case studies involving technical products or regulated industries demonstrate relevant experience.
Past results with similar clients help assess potential performance. Request metrics like organic traffic growth for medical device websites, rankings for industry-specific keywords, and lead generation from SEO campaigns. Examples of content that passed regulatory review demonstrate understanding of compliance requirements.
Measuring Medical Device SEO Success
Measuring SEO results involves tracking specific data points that show how people find and use the site. These metrics identify which SEO activities lead to more visitors, leads, and sales.
Organic leads come from people who visit a website by clicking a search engine result, not from paid ads. Tracking involves setting up conversion goals in analytics platforms to record actions like contact form submissions, demo requests, or downloads of technical documents.
Keyword tracking observes where website pages appear in search engine results for specific search terms. Tools like Google Search Console, SEMrush, or Ahrefs check keyword positions and track changes over time.
Analytics dashboards present key data in one place for easy review. These dashboards connect Google Analytics, Search Console, and CRM systems for unified reporting. Key performance indicators for medical device SEO include organic traffic by device category, conversion rates from organic sessions, and growth in backlinks from healthcare domains.
FAQs About Medical Device SEO
How long does medical device SEO take to show measurable results?
Most medical device companies see improvements in search visibility within 3 to 6 months, with significant lead generation results appearing after 6 to 9 months of consistent optimization.
What makes medical device SEO different from standard healthcare SEO?
Medical device SEO requires specialized knowledge of product certification, technical specifications, and procurement processes that standard healthcare SEO typically doesn’t address in depth.
How much should medical device companies expect to invest in professional SEO services?
Medical device SEO pricing depends on market competitiveness, product complexity, and optimization scope, with specialized agencies typically charging premium rates for regulatory expertise.
Next Steps
If you are a medical device company looking to get more search engine exposure for your brand and products, reach out to Digital Elevator today.
The bottom line: While AI-driven traffic currently represents less than 1% of overall website traffic, its quality and conversion potential are unprecedented. SEO software leader Ahrefs reports that despite accounting for less than 1% of their total traffic, visitors from AI platforms are their highest converting channel—with a conversion rate exceeding 10%. This document outlines a strategic framework to capitalize on this shift, moving beyond volume metrics to capture highly qualified, high-intent users at the final stages of their decision-making process.
Every marketing team I speak to has heard of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), but most have no idea how to approach it strategically. They’re stuck in the same mindset that got them ranking in Google—and that’s a problem.
As Klaus-M. Schremser, co-founder of Otterly.AI, puts it:
“Today’s AI-search engines are answering machines rather than search engines. We have to take that into account in our optimization strategies for LLMs and GenAI.”
I wanted to develop this AEO strategy document to give marketing teams a clear, repeatable process for optimizing their brand’s presence within AI answer engines—not just for visibility, but for active recommendation and high-intent traffic.
Let’s face it. You have limited marketing budget and a lot of channels competing for it. So why should AEO be a priority?
The TLDR version: AI traffic converts at rates that blow traditional channels out of the water.
While the volume is still small, the quality is unmatched. Here’s what we’re seeing:
Ahrefs reports AI traffic as their highest converting channel, despite being less than 1% of total traffic, with conversion rates exceeding 10%.
Users who click through from AI are more informed, have done their research, and are ready to make decisions.
Early movers have a significant advantage—over 40% of AI professionals are exploring ways to optimize generative AI outputs, but most don’t have a strategy yet.
The shift is already happening. A study by Siege Media found that as AI answers more general questions, traffic to traditional “guide” and “how-to” content has plummeted by -34.7% and -88.3% respectively. AI is eating the top of the funnel. What’s left? High-intent, bottom-of-funnel traffic that’s ready to convert.
Understanding the Landscape: Mentions vs. Citations
Before we dive into strategy, it’s critical to understand the two primary forms of AI visibility—because they represent fundamentally different outcomes and require distinct optimization approaches.
Getting mentioned in LLMs
Mentions occur when a brand, product, or service is named in an AI-generated response without a direct, clickable link. This is a measure of brand recognition and recommendation by the AI itself.
Getting cited in LLMs
Citations, by contrast, are direct, clickable links to a webpage that the AI used as a source for its answer. Citations represent the new currency for driving high-intent traffic from AI.
Here’s the thing: mentions matter more than citations.
Research from BrightEdge shows that ChatGPT mentions brands 3.2 times more often than it cites them. From a user behavior perspective, users are guaranteed to read the AI’s direct answer (where mentions occur) but may not look at or click on the citations, which are often hidden or less prominent. Furthermore, mentions are more stable and less volatile than citations, providing a more consistent signal of brand trust and authority within the AI model.
What Drives Mentions and Citations?
Commercial queries are the primary drivers of both. The same BrightEdge study found that queries with commercial intent—using words like “best,” “deals,” “vs,” “alternatives”—drive 4-8 times more mentions than purely informational queries.
This insight is critical for content strategy. It reinforces the importance of bottom-of-funnel (BOFU) content in the AEO landscape—the same content types we’ve been pushing for years in our SEO-driven content marketing approach.
The 3-Pillar AEO Framework: Our Repeatable Process
At Digital Elevator, we’ve developed a proprietary, outcome-oriented 3-step process for building a defensible AEO strategy. The framework is built around the three fundamental ways that AI models determine brand visibility: through owned content, earned validation, and amplified authority signals.
We call it the 3 P’s: Presence, Prominence, and Propagation.
Pillar 1: Presence (Owned Media Strategy)
Goal: Establish your website as the definitive, authoritative source of truth for your products, services, and market category—directly influencing the information LLMs use.
Why Owned Content Matters
For factual, objective questions, AI models show a strong preference for first-party content. A Yext study of 6.8 million citations found that brand websites were the dominant source (over 40%) for all major AI models when answering objective, unbranded queries.
A recent study by Seer Interactive demonstrated a strong correlation (0.65) between organic search ranking and LLM mentions. This means that traditional SEO factors—particularly organic visibility—directly influence AI visibility. Backlinks, however, were found to be relatively neutral and not as relevant.
The Bottom-of-Funnel (BOFU) Shift
AI is accelerating a market shift away from broad, top-of-funnel content. The Siege Media study I mentioned earlier found that as AI answers more general questions, traffic to traditional “guide” and “how-to” content has plummeted. Users who click through are now more informed and have specific, high-intent, BOFU questions.
This is exactly the type of content we’ve been creating for our clients for years—”best,” “vs,” “pricing,” “alternatives” content mixed with strong UI and clear calls-to-action.
Actionable Steps for Pillar 1:
1. Build Your Brand Authority Repository
Create a centralized, internally-validated repository of all critical information about your brand. This serves as the single source of truth that informs all content creation and ensures consistency across platforms.
This repository must include:
Detailed product/service capabilities and key differentiators
Crucially, a focus on BOFU content: Pricing, detailed comparisons (“vs”), alternatives, integrations, compliance, and support details
Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) fit and specific, niche use cases
Proprietary data, case studies, and unique insights that cannot be replicated by AI summaries
2. Execute a BOFU-Centric Content Strategy
Based on the principles from the Graphite guide and the OtterlyAI research, create dedicated pages or enhance existing ones to target clusters of high-intent questions. Here are six key optimization principles for owned content:
Deliver Meaningful Value, Not Fluff: Prioritize expertise and specificity. Add unique insights, original research, or frameworks. Support content with data and credible sources.
Answer Search Intent Quickly and Clearly: Use summary boxes or TL;DR sections. Provide direct answers to common questions. Avoid burying key insights below the fold.
Structure Content for Semantic Parsing: Use clear headings (H2/H3) to delineate sections. Follow logical, hierarchical content flow. Include lists, tables, and callouts to break up text.
Align Content to Natural Language Queries: Use headings that match user questions (e.g., “What is [Product] pricing?”). Embed concise, relevant answers right below. Avoid keyword stuffing—focus on relevance and clarity.
Increase Originality and Authority: Cite your own data or case studies. Include expert commentary or author bios. Build domain authority with internal linking and topical consistency.
Optimize Existing Content at Scale: Refresh outdated information. Add missing sections that answer emerging queries. Consolidate thin pages into robust, evergreen resources.
Prioritize “Product Questions”—queries that are likely to result in a product recommendation. Structure content to directly answer these questions in a clear, concise, and easily parsable format for LLMs. Go beyond simple summaries and provide expert-level detail, proprietary data, and unique workflows that an AI cannot replicate.
3. Implement Foundational Technical Best Practices
While extensive technical AEO is not recommended, ensure content is easily crawlable, structured, and semantically rich. Use schema markup where appropriate to clearly define entities and relationships. Maintain strong traditional SEO fundamentals, as organic ranking directly correlates with LLM mentions.
4. Leverage E-E-A-T Signals
AI systems like ChatGPT and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) rely on citations and authority signals to curate trustworthy results. Google has made clear that Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust (E-E-A-T) continue to influence content ranking—now also in the generative layer.
Content that is well-linked internally and externally, features clear authorship and expertise, and provides up-to-date, comprehensive answers is far more likely to be quoted or recommended by AI systems.
Pillar 2: Prominence (Earned Media Strategy)
Goal: Ensure your brand is prominently featured and validated by the third-party sources that AI models trust for subjective and opinion-based queries.
Why Third-Party Validation Matters
When queries become subjective (e.g., “What is the best…?”), AI models shift their reliance to third-party directories and industry-specific sources to gauge consensus and authority.
Understanding where LLMs get their training data helps inform where to focus earned media efforts. Large language models are trained on vast datasets that include Common Crawl (60%), WebText2 (22%), Books (16%), and Wikipedia (3%). Additionally, OpenAI has partnerships with news sites and has licensed Reddit’s user-generated content for LLM training.
Actionable Steps for Pillar 2:
1. Master General Directories
For subjective queries on OpenAI’s ChatGPT, third-party directories are a primary source, peaking at 46.3% for branded subjective questions. Ensure profiles on major platforms are complete, accurate, and consistent with your brand’s authority repository. This includes maintaining up-to-date information on pricing, features, integrations, and customer reviews.
2. Dominate Industry-Specific Platforms
For models like Perplexity, industry-specific directories are key. These niche platforms account for 24% of citations for unbranded subjective queries. Identify and optimize presence on the most authoritative review sites and platforms in your vertical. Actively manage reviews and engage with user feedback to signal ongoing authority and responsiveness.
3. Execute Citation Optimization
Identify the most frequently cited URLs for your target AEO topics and develop a strategy to get your brand mentioned within that content. This is the core of an “earned” AEO strategy.
Use tools that analyze citation sources (based on Perplexity’s “Sources” tab, Google’s SGE snippets, or ChatGPT’s browsing references) to reverse-engineer visibility. This approach allows you to:
Identify content currently cited in AI results
Spot thematic or structural patterns across cited pages
Compare converting vs. non-converting content from AI-driven traffic
Map gaps and opportunities for content creation and optimization
4. Secure Wikipedia Presence
Wikipedia is not only a 5x boosted source in LLM training data, but it is also frequently cited by AI models for factual information. For brands that meet Wikipedia’s notability guidelines, establishing and maintaining a well-sourced Wikipedia page is a high-value earned media tactic.
Pillar 3: Propagation (Off-Page Amplification)
Goal: Amplify the signals of trust and authority around owned and earned assets, creating a feedback loop that reinforces your brand’s position within the AI ecosystem.
While direct content is crucial, AI models also weigh broader signals of authority and public discourse. This pillar focuses on influencing the wider web to reinforce the narratives established in Pillars 1 and 2.
Actionable Steps for Pillar 3:
1. Strategic Public Relations
Target PR efforts to secure mentions and links from high-authority news outlets and publications that are frequently cited by AI models. Given that OpenAI has partnerships with news sites and that news content is part of LLM training data, securing coverage in these outlets has a dual benefit: immediate visibility and long-term influence on model training.
2. Community Marketing and Social Validation
Foster conversations and user-generated content on social platforms that validate your brand’s key differentiators and market position. While forums like Reddit account for a small percentage of citations in location-based queries (~2%), they are still valuable for brand commentary and narrative shaping.
Importantly, Reddit’s user-generated content has been licensed for LLM training, making authentic community engagement a long-term investment in AI visibility. Encourage forum participation and thought leadership in relevant online communities. The goal is not just immediate visibility, but to influence the broader corpus of content that AI models learn from.
3. Targeted Advertising
Use paid channels to amplify your best-performing BOFU content, driving user engagement and signaling to AI models that this content is valuable and relevant. While advertising does not directly influence LLM training, it can drive traffic and engagement signals that indirectly boost content authority and visibility.
Next Steps: How to Get Started with AEO
The transition to an AEO-centric world is inevitable, and early movers have a significant advantage. Research shows that over 40% of AI professionals are currently exploring ways to optimize generative AI outputs, but most don’t have a strategy yet.
The strategic imperative is to act now to build a defensible position before the space becomes saturated.
Here’s how to get started:
1. Audit Your Current AEO Footprint
Begin by identifying the most important “Product Questions” and commercial-intent queries for your brand. Use tools that analyze citation sources to understand where your brand currently appears (or doesn’t) in AI-generated responses.
2. Initiate the Brand Authority Repository
Assemble the cross-functional team required to build and validate this central repository of information. This should include product, marketing, sales, and customer success teams to ensure comprehensive and accurate information.
3. Prioritize BOFU Content Creation
Analyze existing content for gaps and create a roadmap for developing the high-intent, comparison, and detail-oriented content that succeeds in the AEO landscape. Focus on content that provides a level of detail and expertise that a general AI summary cannot replicate.
4. Strengthen SEO Fundamentals
Given the strong correlation between organic ranking and LLM mentions, ensure that traditional SEO best practices are in place. This includes technical SEO, on-page optimization, and building domain authority through internal linking and topical consistency.
5. Reverse-Engineer Competitor Visibility
Analyze which competitors are being cited or mentioned in AI responses for target queries. Identify the patterns and sources that drive their visibility, and develop a strategy to match or exceed their presence.
Should You Go In-House or Use an Agency for AEO?
The decision of whether to handle your AEO strategy in-house or hire an agency is a complex one. There are a number of factors to consider, such as your budget, your in-house expertise, and your desired level of control.
If you have a large budget and a team of experienced SEO and content professionals who understand the nuances of AI optimization, you may be able to handle your AEO in-house. However, if you have a limited budget or in-house expertise, you may want to consider hiring an agency for AEO services.
An agency can provide you with several benefits, such as access to expert AEO professionals, access to specialized tools and resources, and a proven track record of success in both traditional SEO and emerging AI channels.
There’s also an opportunity cost to consider. The time it takes to get something to market matters. If an agency can take your AEO strategy to market in half the time it takes an in-house team, consider the impact that can have on your business. Those potentially untapped leads will be further along your sales cycle, and the ROI from investing in an agency will have a significant business impact compared to trying to save money using an in-house team that has a different focus.
As you plan ahead or are getting AEO budgets together, consider the opportunity cost of not launching campaigns quickly and effectively.
Using the exact backlink analysis I’m about to show you, you’ll be able to create a backlink strategy that gets you to the number one spot for your target keywords just like our clients:
Exclusively Hybrid and “toyota prius battery replacement”
And Fitness Mentors and “best personal trainer certification”
If you want to learn how many backlinks your competitors are using to outrank you and the link building factors you need to consider to outrank them, you’ll be happy to know that, with a little practice, you can execute this process in a few minutes.
All other things being equal — content quality, depth, and user experience — having more links than your competitors should help you to outrank them.
Here is the exact 7 step research process we use to determine the quantity of links you’ll need to take over the SERPs.
Before we begin, I want to emphasize that we focus on the competitor backlink analysis from a URL basis, as knowing how many links are needed to rank a specific URL is really what a competitor backlink analysis is all about.
If you want me to do a video analyzing all the backlinks your competitors have for link prospecting, let me know in the comments.
Step 1: Identify primary keyword and volume
The primary keyword will provide the basis of your backlink analysis as it will showcase who ranks for your target keyword. It will also let you know the volume of this keyword and reveal how valuable it is to your SEO campaign and business goals. In short, it will help you triage your link building efforts based on competition and benefits.
For this example, let’s use a previously published post from Guitar.com on the best acoustic guitar amplifiers to buy, with a primary keyword of “best acoustic guitar amp.”
How to: There are several ways to pull keyword volume but I’ll break down a free way and a way that uses premium software. The free way is to use Google Keyword Planner. Simply login, select “Get Search Volume and Forecasts,” and insert your keyword for data.
Google Keyword Planner is good enough for many people, but it does have its flaws. Let’s use the example of “best acoustic guitar amp” to showcase why.
For example, the keyword volume here shows a really wide range — 1,000 to 10,000 per month — and an arbitrary Competition value of “High.”
Compare that to a premium keyword research tool like Ahrefs and you have much more granular data.
Using their Keyword Explorer tool and doing the same search we can see that Ahrefs provides data on Keyword difficulty, and in high contrast to Google Keyword Planner, says this search is easy to rank for. It also provides two volume estimates, one for my native country (USA) and one for Global volume. I find this data to be much more accurate, and telling, of how difficult it is to rank for a keyword based on my link building efforts.
Step 2: Note current rankings
your current ranking will provide an indication of how many more links you have to build, and gives you a benchmark for how the other factors in this process will influence your link building efforts. More on that later.
How to:
Noting current rankings is fairly straightforward. You can perform a search for your primary keyword in the SERPs and keep clicking until you see where you rank. If it’s a newly published blog, you might be clicking for a while.
An additional way is to use the Site Explorer feature in Ahrefs, using the Exact URL feature to review rankings.
Step 3: Note your site’s domain rating
The Domain Rating, or DR, of your website is defined by Ahrefs as “the strength of a website’s backlink profile compared to the others in our database on a 100-point scale.” In short, the higher a site’s DR, the more weight it carries and therefore the easier it is to rank. Why is this important? Well, if you are going after a keyword and trying to decide how many links you need to build and your research tells you that all the sites that rank for that keyword have high DRs, it might mean they inherently can rank without a lot of links while your site may not carry the same weight. Basically, a site with higher DR has more trust than a site that does not.
How to:
To find a site’s DR, you can use the Site Explorer tool from Ahrefs, using the Overview option on the left sidebar.
Step 4: Note your URLs Referring Domains
You’ll also want to know how many referring domains your site has as we’ll be comparing this metric to the top ranking sites.
How to:
Again using Site Explorer, mark the number of Referring domains you’ve earned.
Step 5: Note lowest Referring Domains of top three competitors
If you want to earn any respectable amount of traffic from your keywords, you’ll want to strive for the top three positions in the SERPs. This does not dismiss the fact that you can earn a lot of long-tail traffic before you rank in the top three for your primary keyword, but since we are basing these link metrics on your competitors, you’ll want to know which of the top three competitors has the lowest number of referring domains.
How to:
Ahrefs makes it really easy to find this, and the next metric (Domain Rating) within their Keyword Explorer tool. After entering your keyword into the tool, scroll to the bottom of the page to get these metrics.
Step 6: Note lowest Domain Rating of top three competitors
Just like it is important to know your own DR, it is important to know the DRs of your competitors.
How to:
We already have the data from an easily accessible area on the Keyword Explorer tool, so we’ll make a note of that.
Step 7: Note suggested Referring Domains from Ahrefs
You may have seen that this metric was already revealed when we referenced that Ahrefs said this keyword was “Easy” to rank for. Now you may be saying, “why did we go through all this trouble of pulling all this data when we could have just looked at this one metric to get an idea of how many links we need to build?” Good question. The fact is you need to dig a little deeper than this general metric using the other information we’ve pulled to determine how competitive a keyword really is to rank for.
Interpret Backlink Analysis Data
Now that you have gone through the process of pulling all this data you should have a spreadsheet that looks like this.
In our Guitar.com example, things to note for our second page ranking for “best acoustic guitar amp” are the following:
Currently rank 11 for target keyword
Domain rating of 69
Referring domains 12
Lowest Domain Rating of top three competitors 44
Lowest amount of referring domains of top three competitors 8
Suggested referring domains from Ahrefs 8
Upon analyzing this data alone, we can conclude that we should have enough links to be within the top three ranking positions. One of the top three spots have a smaller Domain Rating (44) and fewer referring domains (8) than Guitar.com and we have satisfied more backlinks than what Ahrefs is telling us are needed to rank in the top 10 (we have 12 to their recommended 8).
So what do we do now? Quit SEO?
This is an important SEO lesson in that sometimes data alone will not tell the whole story. Rather than go through all the scenarios surrounding why the Guitar.com site might not rank better, I think I’ll chalk it up to their title tag “The best guitar amplifiers to buy in 2020: 10 best acoustic amps.” The top three results all reference 2021, the current year.
Perhaps updating the title to the current year (and even the gear reviews) would allow Guitar.com to take its rightful position near the top of the rankings. For now, they have a good understanding of how they stand from a competitive backlink standpoint and what to do for other posts they want to evaluate and so do you.
If content is king, search engine optimization (SEO) is the key to getting your content seen by the right audience. Marketers are constantly exploring new ways to enhance their SEO strategies, the latest and most explosive trend being the use of AI-generated content. But what do the top SEO experts think about this trend?
In this article, we dive into the opinions of five top SEO experts on the use of the AI tool GPT-3. Let’s get started!
What is GPT-3?
GPT-3 stands for generative pre-trained transformer 3. It is an artificial intelligence language learning model developed by the Silicon Valley wunderkind OpenAI. With over 175 billion parameters, GPT-3 is considered one of the most advanced language models to date. It uses ‘deep learning’ (a machine learning technique) to create human-like text, write poetry and movie scripts, chat, translate, and perhaps the most fascinating of all – answer abstract questions!
Predictably, GPT-3 has generated tremendous buzz in the tech industry for its ability to produce high-quality, coherent text. Many developers and companies are exploring how GPT-3 can be integrated into various applications, including chatbots and content creation tools.
But is the buzz all hoopla or is there credibility behind its use for SEO. I looked to five leading thought leaders in the space for insights.
What 5 SEO Experts Think About AI-generated Content
SEO experts have varying opinions about AI-generated content in general, and GPT-3 in particular. Those who view it favorably believe AI-generated content can save businesses time and resources and be a valuable supplement to human-written content.
Those who disagree with this view argue that AI-generated content lacks both originality and creativity, because of which it can never be as unique or engaging as human-developed content.
Let’s take a closer look at what five top SEO experts have to say on the matter.
Lily Ray
Senior Director, SEO & Head of Organic Research at Amsive Digital
Lily Ray raises significant concerns about the quality of AI-generated content. “There are shortcomings with ChatGPT and all AI content generation tools in their current form,” she says.
Content-generation tools such as ChatGPT have been known to return wildly incorrect information and biased opinions. While the technology allows users to create content quickly and cost-effectively, the output generated often lacks expert-level or unique insights. This is not in line with Google’s emphasis on E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trustworthiness), which is why she believes AI-generated content can negatively impact search engine rankings.
However, Lily does advocate for the use of AI in specific situations, such as creating summaries of your content or generating product descriptions.
Matt Diggity
SEO entrepreneur
Matt Diggity has a largely positive view about using AI for generating content. He is pumped about how tools like ChatGPT can be used to write large volumes of content and conduct keyword research quickly and easily. “Even if AI isn’t your jam, your competitors are using it, so you should know what you’re up against,” he cautions.
However, he does think it necessary to recheck all AI-generated content for grammatical and factual accuracy and proofread it before uploading.
Gael Breton
Co-Founder, Authority Hacker
Gael Breton has somewhat of a balanced, if not neutral sentiment toward AI-generated content. However, he believes all web publishers have to deal with it in 2023, regardless of their personal views on the topic.
Gael believes that most of the time, AI content is bland and can be identified accurately. However, it is possible to tweak the content to evade the tools that detect whether a particular piece of content is human-written or AI-generated. Moreover, Gael also explores how websites like CNET openly state that they are using AI engines to generate content that is then reviewed by humans.
Another interesting insight he shares is Google does not reduce organic traffic to a piece if you use more or less AI to help write it. According to Gael, “factors like keyword selection, competition, and other traditional SEO factors matter much more than the use of AI.”
Sam Oh
VP of Marketing, Ahrefs
Sam Oh explores the different use cases of ChatGPT for SEO and finds most of the ways people are using it will have negative results. However, he is bullish on AI for SEO, just not for writing blog posts.
He believes AI-driven keyword research is unreliable as its results have no search demand. “ChatGPT is insanely cool, but most of the use cases you’ve seen in Twitter or LinkedIn threads or YouTube videos are mostly hyped up for engagement bait,” he reveals.
However, Sam thinks using ChatGPT to generate titles for blog posts is promising. According to him, the best use case of ChatGPT is creating outlines for your blog posts. This can help you organize your thoughts and get your creative juices flowing, helping you create better content.
Daniel Lofaso
Founder & CEO, Digital Elevator
Daniel Lofaso brings a reasoned judgment to the discussion, insisting that Google will do what Google has always done. He believes it will continue to reward content that is novel, written by subject matter experts (SMEs), and backed by references, examples, or unique takeaways. An article written by GPT-3 is no more than a simple regurgitating of what is already on the web, he says. It is often no different from what you’ll get by outsourcing it to a writer with no real subject matter expertise.
Daniel believes SEOs and content marketers need to step up their game and create systems and processes to make content valuable from an E-E-A-T point of view, conduct interviews with SMEs, and develop content with legitimate value to readers. “I do see the value in utilizing GPT-3 for SEO in many areas (the title of this blog was helpful with GPT-3), but the lazy use of having it rewrite what’s already out there is just not going to rank. Period,” he puts it.
How is GPT-3 Used in SEO?
GPT-3 has widespread applications across the SEO domain. Whether they are effective or potentially harmful are still up for debate. However, the below are some of the primary applications of using AI-content that some SEOs testing.
They include:
Creating Content: You can use GPT-3 to generate content at scale. With its advanced natural language processing capabilities, GPT-3 generates engaging content for websites that can boost search engine rankings. Businesses in any sector can use the technology to create blog posts, meta descriptions, and other content for their web properties.
Pros:
Content can be created at scale
Helps with writers block
Often is surprisingly well-formulated
Cons:
Content risks being the same as everyone else
GPT-3 doesn’t provide references
GPT-3 can often be highly inaccurate
Conducting Keyword Research: Apart from writing content, GPT-3 can also be used to identify and analyze relevant keywords and search terms for your company. This can help you optimize your content and rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs).
Pros:
Can get interesting, logically sound keywords
Cons:
The volume of these keywords is not provided
Creating content calendars: GPT-3 is actually surprisingly good at putting together topically relevant content when prompted to do so. If you suffer from writers block, this can help plan the next sequence of blogs.
Pros:
The topics provided by GPT-3 are often great and sound interesting.
Cons:
Again, GPT-3 does not use keyword research so you’d want to layer in anything they propose with actual keyword research and targeting.
What’s the takeaway on AI-generated content?
The debate over AI-generated content is no doubt going to rage on for some time, particularly in the realm of SEO. The takeaway so far is that while AI offers the potential for increased efficiency, it also raises concerns about authenticity and quality, which are primary points of emphasis with Google.
Whether you are a marketer with decades of experience or an SEO newbie, there is but one consensus about AI-generated content so far – be open to change but always prioritize quality over quantity.
