AI SEO rankings: What lies beneath for brands?

As artificial intelligence reshapes the digital landscape, brands face new opportunities and challenges in maintaining their hard-won search engine rankings. Industry experts weigh in on how AI algorithms are transforming SEO practices while potentially making them more vulnerable to bad actors.

SEO rankings are essentially influenced by various mechanisms, including keyword relevance, content quality, and user engagement metrics. AI tools are now enhancing SEO strategies by automating keyword analysis, optimizing content for user intent, and predicting trends based on vast datasets. This shift allows marketers to focus on creating high-quality, engaging content rather than merely optimizing for algorithms.

The fundamental shift in search behaviour, driven by AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, which recently launched SearchGPT, and others, is forcing brands to rethink their SEO strategies. As Advait Panchal, Chief Technology Officer at Social Donut, points out, “AI-powered search engines can understand the context of your search and deliver more relevant results.” However, he cautions against over-reliance on AI tools.

The competition for rankings has become increasingly sophisticated, with Google creating category-specific hierarchies. “The moment we talk about the word 'Ranking' it means we are talking about a bunch of brands and entities,” explains Amit Verma, CEO and co-founder of DigitUp. “Just like a competition for boxing, cycling, running happens between particular weight, age etc., Google is also creating rankings among certain categories, like perfumes, luxury goods, apparel, electronics.”

This categorization makes competitor benchmarking crucial, and AI has emerged as a valuable tool in this arena. Verma's company, DigitUp, already implements advanced statistical analysis for major brands like Lipton and Kotak Life. “Such insights are not found with the touch of a button but involve large amounts of data collection, exploration, creating theories and doing hypothesis testing to validate the theories and create final insights for brands,” he elaborates.

The proliferation of AI tools is transforming SEO by enabling more personalized and contextually relevant content creation. These tools can analyze user behaviour and preferences, allowing marketers to align their strategies with evolving search patterns. As a result, businesses leveraging AI in their SEO efforts can achieve significant improvements in search rankings and organic traffic, adapting to the increasing importance of user-centric content in the digital landscape.

However, the rise of AI comes with its share of challenges. 

The Challenges

Sunitha Natarajan, Director of Digital Strategy at Social Panga, warns that “as we approach 2025, despite ongoing awareness efforts, online fraud and phishing activities persist at alarming rates, undermining SEO efforts for many.” She emphasizes that good SEO backlinking practices and cadence can help identify and mitigate bad bot activity.

In response to these growing threats, experts advocate for a comprehensive protection strategy. At the foundation level, security cannot be an afterthought. "Brands must not use just about any plugin," advises Verma. “They should use a good bot management system like Akamai, should focus on security and admin sides should be 2FA enabled.”

Beyond security measures, Natarajan emphasizes the need to “prioritize user-centric content, robust technical SEO, and structured data implementation” to shield against harmful SEO tactics like keyword manipulation and link schemes.

The protection strategy must also include vigilant monitoring of analytics. “By leveraging analytics-driven insights, brands can stay one step ahead of emerging threats, protect their rankings, and achieve sustained online success,” notes Natarajan.

The experts agree that while AI has transformed how search and ranking work, traditional SEO principles remain fundamental. As Natarajan explains, “AI enhances their impact by automating routine tasks, analyzing complex data, and boosting productivity in organic search. AI is particularly useful in keyword research, topic analysis, content optimization, and selective automation, freeing up time for strategic thinking and in-depth analysis.”

The key to success in this evolving landscape lies in understanding that SEO, as Verma puts it, equals “being genuine, complete and understanding the audience.” As brands navigate these changes, those that adapt to AI's capabilities while maintaining focus on authentic, user-centric content will be best positioned to protect and enhance their digital presence.