How to Build an SEO Strategy That Still Works

TL;DR

Prioritize proven channels such as SEO before committing substantial resources to newer platforms and generative AI. Continue creating valuable content, building authoritative backlinks, and improving user experience, while reserving a small budget for experiments with ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, and emerging plugins. Measure traction and revenue, then increase investment only where results justify it.

Transcript

• We all have these notions in our head, "Oh, there's this new shiny object, TikTok. We should be spending all our time on that." And I'm not saying you shouldn't leverage TikTok, but there's all these old, boring, ugly channels that still produce massive ROIs. You should be doing those first because they're proven and then spend a portion of the t... Read More

Key Insights

• SEO is still a viable marketing channel because established search platforms continue to generate traffic and search volume. The interview reports no major decline in tracked website analytics and argues that repeated predictions about the death of SEO have not matched observed business results.
• Proven marketing channels should receive priority because they already demonstrate measurable returns. New platforms such as TikTok and generative AI may deserve attention, but they should initially receive only a portion of the time and money allocated to established acquisition methods.
• An omnichannel strategy is necessary because neither SEO nor paid advertising alone is expected to build the biggest possible company. Sustainable growth can combine SEO, paid ads, social media, media buying, conversion optimization, email marketing, and other channels based on their performance.
• Generative AI can create business opportunities by recommending experts or agencies directly to users. Neil Patel describes receiving a consultation inquiry after ChatGPT identified him in response to a request for an expert who could advise on social media and engagement.
• AI-assisted creative production can reduce advertising costs by generating variations in backgrounds, images, and other campaign elements. This approach may help companies adapt creative materials for different countries without filming every variation through conventional production processes.
• Optimization for AI platforms should remain a small experiment because its revenue contribution is not yet proven. Companies can prepare for ChatGPT, Bing, and Bard while continuing to invest most resources in existing activities that already produce measurable business outcomes.
• Experimentation is the practical response to uncertain technologies because no single plugin or AI optimization method is guaranteed to work. Teams can test three, four, or five approaches, identify which ones gain traction, and increase investment in those producing returns.
• Local operations can support global agency expansion by serving companies within each regional market. NP Digital describes teams across multiple countries and regions, including India, Brazil, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia, France, Italy, and Spain, with further expansion underway.

Questions & Answers

Q: How should businesses balance traditional SEO and generative AI?

Businesses should keep most of their resources focused on established activities that already produce traffic, leads, sales, or other measurable results. A smaller portion can be used to test optimization for ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, and related tools. The purpose is to prepare for changing discovery behavior without abandoning proven channels before the newer opportunities demonstrate traction or revenue.

Q: Why does old-school SEO still work?

Old-school SEO still works because its fundamentals address the needs of users and search engines. The description identifies valuable, relevant, informative content, authoritative backlinks, and user experience optimization as the foundation of successful campaigns. The interview also reports that tracked websites continue receiving substantial traffic and that search volumes on platforms such as Google and Bing remain strong.

Q: Is SEO still important in an omnichannel marketing strategy?

SEO remains an important channel, but it should operate alongside other marketing methods. The interview argues that neither SEO nor paid advertising alone is likely to build the biggest possible company. Businesses can combine organic search with paid ads, social media, media buying, conversion optimization, and email marketing, then allocate resources according to the returns each channel produces.

Q: How can generative AI create revenue opportunities?

Generative AI can create revenue by recommending an expert, agency, or company when users ask for help in a specific field. Neil Patel describes a research firm contacting him for a consultation after ChatGPT recommended him for advice about social media and engagement. A similar recommendation could introduce an agency to prospective clients in particular markets or regions.

Q: How can AI reduce the cost of advertising campaigns?

AI can reduce creative production costs by generating different backgrounds, images, and campaign variations without requiring every version to be filmed conventionally. The interview notes that producing advertisements across multiple countries and settings can be expensive. AI-generated variations may be created for far less money, giving advertisers more ways to adapt and test their creative materials.

Q: How much should a company invest in emerging AI platforms?

Investment should be proportionate to the company and remain small compared with spending on proven channels. The interview gives examples of $10,000 or $20,000 per year, and potentially $100,000 for a very large corporation. It also suggests that a company earning 10 billion a year in profit could reasonably spend a few hundred thousand dollars to prepare and experiment.

Q: How should marketers test ChatGPT plugins and other new channels?

Marketers should treat plugins and new AI channels as experiments because adoption and commercial impact remain uncertain. The suggested process is to try three, four, or five approaches, observe which ones gain traction, and then increase investment in the methods producing returns. A plugin may offer visibility, but its value depends on whether users actually adopt and use it.

Q: What can agencies learn from NP Digital's global expansion?

Agencies can support international growth by establishing local operations that serve businesses in each target market. NP Digital explains that its India team serves companies in India rather than functioning as outsourced labor for America. It also describes operations or personnel across Brazil, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Australia, France, Italy, and Spain, with additional regions being considered.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• SEO remains a viable part of digital marketing even as generative AI changes how people discover information. The recommended strategy is to preserve investment in established practices that already produce measurable results, including useful content, authoritative backlinks, user experience improvements, paid advertising, social media, conversion optimization, and email marketing.

• Generative AI may reduce some website traffic, but it can also improve search experiences, lower creative production costs, and introduce businesses or experts directly to potential customers. The interview illustrates this opportunity through a consultation inquiry generated after ChatGPT recommended Neil Patel as an expert on social media engagement.

• Businesses should treat emerging AI channels as controlled experiments rather than replacements for proven marketing. A small portion of the budget can support optimization for ChatGPT, Bing, Bard, or plugins. Teams should test several approaches, watch for traction and revenue, and double down only on methods that demonstrate worthwhile returns.