Old SEO ≠ New SEO
Understand the difference or miss out on key visibility
OLD SEO
What Is It?
A race to the top of Google's page one. If you weren't there, you didn't exist.
Description
Search Engine Optimisation focused on beating algorithms. Success came from keywords, backlinks, and technical tweaks. It worked, but often prioritised visibility over real authority.
What It Used To Be Great For
- Driving large volumes of traffic
- Helping new sites compete quickly
- Monetising clicks through ads or lead funnels
Key Use Cases
- Ranking blogs and landing pages with targeted keywords
- Building backlink networks to climb the SERPs
- Scaling content production for page-one coverage
Questions To Answer
- Are higher rankings leading to actual business outcomes?
- Do clicks equal credibility, or just short-term wins?
- Are we optimising for algorithms, or building for people?
Potential Problems
- Results vanish when algorithms update
- Traffic without trust or conversions
- No presence in AI-driven platforms where discovery happens
End Goal
NEW SEO
What Is It?
SEO today is about credibility, rather than clicks. Success means being retrieved, cited, and trusted – across Google and AI platforms.
Description
Modern SEO is built on four layers:
What It Is Great For
- Building durable authority that compounds over time
- Being cited in AI-driven results and recommendations
- Turning visibility into leads, sales, and long-term trust
Key Use Cases
- Companies scaling content clusters rooted in expertise
- Brands that want to be the source others reference
- Founders aiming for discovery → demand → conversion
Questions To Answer
- Would AI or Google choose our content as the best answer?
- Does our content prove credibility with evidence and examples?
- Are we balancing optimisation for search engines and people?
Potential Benefits
- Visibility across both Google and AI ecosystems
- Retrieval and citations in tools people use every day
- Stronger brand trust built directly into content
End Goal
Not just visible but discoverable, credible, and preferred.
The CITE Framework™ for New SEO
Master new SEO across GEO, AEO, AIO, and SXO using our proprietary methodology:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 1,200% AI traffic growth mean for my strategy?
According to Adobe Analytics, generative AI traffic grew 1,200% between July 2024 and February 2025. AI Overviews have 1.5B monthly users. ChatGPT has 700M+ weekly users. Old SEO focused only on Google rankings; new SEO recognizes that a significant and growing portion of your audience discovers you through AI-generated answers, not just blue links.
Why does the 67% stat bridge old and new SEO?
67% of AI Overview content comes from top-ranking Google pages. This means old SEO fundamentals (rankings, backlinks, technical health) still matter—they correlate with AI citations. However, ranking alone isn't enough. You need your content structured for AI extraction (direct answers, FAQs, lists) to be cited even when you rank. New SEO builds on old SEO; it doesn't replace it.
What's the zero-click search problem?
60% of Google searches now end without clicking any result—users get answers from featured snippets, AI Overviews, or knowledge panels. Old SEO measured success by page-one rankings. But if users never click, rankings become vanity metrics. New SEO focuses on being cited in the answer itself, where users actually consume information.
Why do AI referrals convert 6x higher?
Old SEO drove volume—lots of visitors, many unqualified. AI search users ask specific, considered questions. When AI cites your brand, it carries an implicit endorsement. Users arrive pre-qualified, having already validated your relevance through the AI's selection. New SEO focuses on being chosen, not just seen—and chosen traffic converts dramatically better.
How do GEO, AEO, AIO, and SXO work together?
These four layers form new SEO's foundation. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) gets you cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) wins AI summaries and featured snippets. AIO (AI Optimization) structures content for AI tools to use. SXO (Search Experience Optimization) ensures clicks convert. Old SEO focused on one metric: rankings. New SEO optimizes for the entire AI-influenced journey.
Can small businesses actually win in new SEO?
Yes—often better than old SEO. AI systems evaluate content quality, not domain age or backlink volume. Small businesses with genuine expertise, clear answers (30-50 words per section), and consistent mentions across trusted sources can earn AI citations that would take years to achieve through traditional link building. New SEO democratizes discovery for those with authentic expertise.