HubSpot - The evolution of AI and search

"Just GPT it" is all the rage right now.

(Okay, okay. It hasn't caught on just yet. But my Uber driver said it, and I hope it sticks.)

But our marketing leader this week isn't sweating it. She doesn't think SEO is going anywhere.

"I remember when people were saying up to 50% of queries were going to be handled by voice assistants. The SEO industry was in a tizzy over it," she told me with a laugh.

"And the only thing I ask my Alexa for is the weather. So I wouldn't write [Google] off."

She's also HubSpot's senior director of global growth, so I'll take her word over my Uber driver's.

On tap:

Why one SEO leader is excited — not fearful — about AI search competing with traditional SEO
My Asheville-based colleague weighs in on how some local brands responded thoughtfully after Hurricane Helene, and what other SMBs can learn from it
How a swag activation earned our community 2000% more members

MEET THE MASTER

Name: Aja Frost, senior director of global growth at HubSpot
Job: Oversees HubSpot's global non-paid growth strategy, including organic search, video, and free tools
Claim to fame: She's won every limbo game she's ever played (combo of being pretty short and pretty flexible)

Fun fact: She helped double HubSpot's monthly freemium sign-ups over the last few years (alongside her team and many incredible partners!)

Lesson 1: Go non-monogamous with Google.

The HubSpot Blog team has been running on Google fumes for years, and we've racked up millions of views in organic traffic based on high-intent searches. It's also how we attracted many of our current customers.

Aja Frost, who started on the Blog team in 2017 (back when "SEO strategy" was based on our own personal whims that day), knows Google's value better than anyone.

But she tells me it's time for a new playbook.

"The encroachment of AI search has required us to lean into other channels like YouTube, micro-apps, and areas we see as more defensible against AI. And it’s pushed us to figure out new ways to be ultra-helpful to our reader," she says.

Frost’s tip for any marketing leader? Spread the love. Test out Substack, team up with creators, or invest in your own micro-apps.

Google is still a viable channel. It's just not the only one.

Lesson 2: The days of reverse-engineering algorithms are over — and that's a good thing.

I asked Frost — in the same tone of voice you'd use to avoid scaring the neighborhood cat — if she's concerned about the future of SEO in the midst of AI search. (I asked timidly because, you know… SEO is still her job.)

But she adamantly shook her head. "I think it's one of the most exciting developments over the last two years. For so long, we have all just oriented toward Google, and reverse-engineering the Google algorithm has, in many ways, stifled innovation in content marketing and SEO."

She adds, "If there is a more competitive landscape, then the relationship between SEO or content strategist and search engine could change pretty dramatically. It could be a much more collaborative, mutually beneficial relationship."

Frost sees the future of SEO as a shift from obsessing over algorithms to building real partnerships with search engines.

Is there a world where Google takes input from little old me, a content creator? We'll see.

Lesson 3: Focus on expertise.

Questions like “How do I do XYZ?” get funneled straight to ChatGPT these days. So if your SEO strategy revolves around basic definitions or info keywords, brace yourself for a traffic drop.

But when it comes to complex or opinion-based topics, readers still want the human touch.

Case in point: my recent obsession with LED red light therapy.

Those at-home LED masks cost about a bajillion dollars, so I wanted to know: Will I look like a newborn baby if I purchase the mask, or will I be shining a bright red light in my face for 10 minutes while the company's CEO laughs all the way to the bank?

I didn't turn to GPT for my skin aging concerns; I turned to Google, and asked, "What do dermatologists say about LED red light therapy?"

This isn't supposed to be an infomercial for red light therapy (although any brands looking to give one away, hit me up ✋), but the point holds: People still turn to websites for answers to more complex, nuanced questions. Not AI.

Frost is all-in on adding expertise (the first "E" in Google's E-E-A-T rankings) to your posts.

As she puts it, "You're talking to me because I have a ton of experience in SEO. This content wouldn't pack the same punch if you were chatting with someone who just joined the SEO team. In general, the more expertise the better."

She has some additional advice, as well: "Make sure you really outline that expertise in the post itself with relevant information and examples. Highlight to Google — and more importantly, the reader — that you know what you're talking about."

Check Out the Blog for Aja's Bonus Lesson

DATA DIGEST

Search is different (not dead)

And in case you’ve been oblivious, in this age of digital everything and information overload, it’s only more powerful than ever.

Learn how to enhance your standing on search engines and catapult your product to the first page with nifty AI tools and templates.

Six stacked resources:

AI Search Engine Grader tool
Keyword research template
Using AI for keyword research (video)
19 top AI SEO tools (blog)
AI trends to prep you what’s next (blog)
8 ways to future-proof your strategy

Dominate search engines

OPEN TABS

My colleague Curt del Principe discusses how brands can act responsibly during a crisis.
Why you should consider hosting a scavenger hunt-style activation the next time you plan to give away free items at a networking event or conference.
Lexus is leaning into holiday cheer — and creators' audiences — with two new campaigns in December.

LINGERING QUESTIONS

THIS WEEK'S QUESTION

What do you see as the future of marketing and how do you think it will affect your strategy?—Matt Zaremba, director of marketing at Bodega

THIS WEEK'S ANSWER

Frost: I think the future of marketing is incredibly personal — the more sophisticated AI becomes, the more possible it will be to have every visitor experience a totally customized journey throughout the internet, from the ads and search results they see to the websites they land on, how they move through those websites, and the nurturing they receive.

Person A, who works at a big corporation, will see enterprise-centric value props, images, CTAs, email messaging and design, etc., whereas Person B, who works at a startup, will see startup-friendly value props, images, CTAs, emails, etc.

HubSpot knows personalized experiences are better for both the visitor and the company, and so we're trialing new technology as it comes out and thoughtfully introducing personalization across every touchpoint.

NEXT WEEK'S LINGERING QUESTION

Frost asks: What's one book or article every marketer should read?

This week's email was brought to you by Caroline Forsey. Editing by Curtis del Principe and Laura M. Browning.

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HubSpot - The evolution of AI and search

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