Google: Use AI Strategically for Better Search Results
▼ Summary
– Google’s Martin Splitt and Nikola Todorovic discussed how AI is changing Google and SEO, with Todorovic advising SEOs and businesses to use AI for data analysis, competition research, and improving value.
– Todorovic emphasized that there is no “magic wand” for adapting to AI features, and that site owners should focus on providing value to users to ensure they continue coming through Google.
– Todorovic recommended mastering AI tools to increase value, such as using AI to improve grammar or style, and cautioned against using AI to mass-generate low-value content.
– The article provides an example of using a “reverse knowledge search” AI prompt to extract questions that content answers, which can help test if content is focused on the right topics.
– The advice to “provide value” is described as a hidden gem, as it aligns with Google’s algorithm rewarding sites that generate strong user signals, like branding and word-of-mouth.
Google’s Martin Splitt and Nikola Todorovic, Director of Software Engineering at Google Search, recently tackled a pressing question: how can the web ecosystem thrive as AI reshapes search and SEO? Their conversation, captured in a Search Off The Record podcast episode, offered a clear message for site owners and SEO professionals: use AI strategically to analyze data, research competitors, and amplify what you already do well.
Splitt opened the discussion by voicing a concern heard at nearly every industry event. He asked how Google ensures that AI features like AI Mode and AI Overviews don’t harm the ecosystem, and instead create new opportunities. Todorovic’s response was direct: there is no “magic wand” or simple roadmap. The path forward, he said, lies in a familiar but often underestimated principle , delivering genuine value.
“If you provide a particular value, then the users will continue coming to you, and they will continue coming to you through Google as well,” Todorovic explained. On the surface, this sounds like a platitude. But digging deeper, it aligns with how Google’s systems work. When users actively seek out a site, external signals like clicks and engagement reinforce that site’s relevance. Providing value isn’t just good advice; it’s a ranking signal.
Todorovic acknowledged that many business owners and even Google employees worry about AI replacing jobs or making existing models obsolete. His solution? Master the AI tools and use them to increase your value, not just to generate more content cheaply. He cautioned against mass-producing AI content, which adds little to the web. Instead, he recommended using AI to improve grammar, refine style, analyze your data, and understand your competition better.
One practical example of using AI for SEO involves a reverse knowledge search. This technique asks an AI to scan your web page and extract the exact questions it answers. For instance, after writing an article about how Google uses clicks in ranking, I uploaded the text to ChatGPT with a prompt that demanded only complete, direct answers. The AI returned a list of questions, including: “What are clicks considered in the context of ranking signals?” I then searched that exact phrase on Google. My article ranked #1 in organic results. The same query on Bing placed my content in featured snippets, Bing News, and the top organic listing.
I did not use AI to write or optimize the article. With 26 years of SEO experience, that part is second nature. But I did use AI for grammar checks. The reverse knowledge prompt is a tool anyone can use to test whether their content is on-topic, focused, and clear. It’s not about reverse-engineering search engines; it’s about reverse-engineering your own content to see what it truly communicates.
This kind of advice , focus on value, master new tools, and use AI to sharpen your work , may sound simple. But as I learned at Google’s Search Central Live last year, sometimes the simplest advice is the most powerful. I told an attorney that branding his services and generating word-of-mouth was key. After the break, Danny Sullivan took the stage and urged sites to become brands. The attorney raised an eyebrow at me. We both knew: providing value is the hidden gem that never goes out of style.
(Source: Search Engine Journal)
