Is Automation a Path of Search Growth?
What these online marketers do not recognize is that Things like homepages, pricing pages, or bottom of funnel material, tends to be revealed in ChatGPT. The informative top of funnel material is "consumed up" by LLMs and revealed to users without anywhere to click.
If you were to take that very same idea over to Google, you would see the very same conversion rates. Google's conversion rates reveal less since the traffic is greater due to it being diluted by all the top of funnel content that remains in the formula. Other things like how ChatGPT can make stuff up, it never completely follows triggers correctly (i.e.
I do still believe that bigger business will set aside an experimental budget plan to test things like ChatGPT apps and other AI SEO tools. But in 2026, I predict individuals will understand enhancing for Google will enable them to show up in ChatGPT and Perplexity also. Simply look at ChatGPT Atlas or Perplexity's Comet browsers.
These techniques might work now in ChatGPT and other LLMs, but they're short-term plays that will ultimately get penalized. Scammy keyword packing strategies, paying for low-quality backlinks, shipping thousands of worthless posts all in the name of ranking high.
Winning at SEO with Modern Ranking Hacks
Now, the algorithm is mature enough to neglect all that nonsense. ChatGPT and other LLM algorithms are not as mature. I can't name this individual, however I met an SEO director at a substantial banking business. This individual informed me they (and all their competitors) are producing microsites (like small blogs) on various domains.
And from there, they are utilizing their main company domain, that has an exceptionally strong brand name authority, and sending out backlinks to the microsite. And this has actually led to higher rankings for their brand name in LLMs like ChatGPT.It blew my mind that huge, trusted business are doing this. And I recognized just how much black hat (or grey hat) techniques are going on behind the scenes.
In 2026, I anticipate these tactics will continue to take place. Up until ChatGPT's algorithm gets as clever as Google's search algorithm.
Navigating Future SEO Landscapes with Automation
Share real insights, utilize your own images and videos, and develop topical authority in your niche. This is how solo creators and little teams can beat big brands in 2026. This is one of the biggest SEO trends for content marketing I'm seeing right now.
You require a real business, be it a newsletter service, a service-based business, SaaS company, or ecommerce store. And after that you add on this human-centered specific niche blogging to the website to organically grow your core product/service offering. In 2026, I anticipate that Google's algorithm will continue to get smarter about which websites include AI content and which don't.
In truth, I understand heaps of people quietly crushing it with AI produced material (even going after top of funnel keywords). What I am stating is that engaging, human content will outrank AI generated content with no initial insights. There are 2 routes I see with SEO's today: Produce countless AI-generated blog site posts and get them to rank in the middle/bottom of page 1.
GSA SER quality listsLeveraging Growth Hacks for Better Web Visibility
Produce a hundred human blog posts and get them to rank at the top of the very first page. And anyone who composes much better human material will rank greater in positions 1-3. The second path is slower, however can yield higher ranking positions and more trust with readers.
The second route is for solo developers or start-ups that want to do things. And I understand I sound prejudiced for path 2. It's because I am. I have actually seen it deal with my own blog site. And I have actually also seen it with other smaller sized developers in the organization area. For instance, my buddy Victoria (an SEO who I deeply respect) is a terrific example.
