AI directly answers informational queries, making traditional top-of-funnel content on corporate blogs obsolete. SEO efforts must now laser-focus on bottom-funnel, high-intent keywords for demand capture and narrative control, eliminating top-funnel content from owned properties entirely.

As AI-driven search provides answers directly, traditional website traffic is declining for many. However, YouTube usage is increasing. A robust video strategy on YouTube is no longer optional, as it is becoming the primary platform for discovery and trust-building in the AI era.

Generative AI is replacing traditional search, causing inbound leads to "disappear off the edge of a cliff." To influence buyers, marketing must now focus on channels that feed AI models, such as Reddit and YouTube, and prioritize third-party authenticated sources over owned content and SEO.

In an AI-driven world, optimizing for website traffic is a losing game. A better long-term strategy is to create high-value content (podcasts, videos, newsletters) across various platforms. This approach helps people directly and simultaneously feeds the large language models that are increasingly becoming information gatekeepers.

The SEO strategy that built Stable's initial growth is now failing. Google's AI Overviews absorb clicks that previously went to top-ranking blog posts. This fundamental shift requires moving from informational content SEO to brand-building, thought leadership, and diversified channels.

As users turn to LLMs for answers, brand visibility depends less on optimizing owned web content. The focus must shift to nurturing the community and third-party content (e.g., Reddit, forums) that AI models are trained on. What customers say about you is the new SEO.

AI is excellent at answering general, top-of-funnel questions (e.g., "what is X?"). To remain relevant, brands should create content that offers unique human experiences, use cases, and perspectives that an AI cannot replicate, targeting users who seek deeper, post-discovery insights.

LLMs are increasingly able to answer basic, top-of-funnel "what is" questions better than most brands. The strategic opportunity lies in middle and bottom-of-funnel content, such as detailed comparison pages against competitors, where you can own the narrative on differentiation.

As users increasingly get answers from AI assistants, marketing strategy must evolve from Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). This means creating diverse, authoritative content across multiple platforms (podcasts, PR, articles) with the goal of being cited as a trusted source by AI models themselves.