Is it me you're LOOKING for?
Search behavior is evolving fast, and ChatGPT is leading the way. As Danny Goodwin reveals here, ChatGPT isn’t just a chatbot—it’s a traffic-driving machine, pushing users to new sources of content, particularly in tech, education, and research. But here’s the twist: 70% of prompts it handles aren’t traditional SEO queries. That’s a seismic shift, and many brands may not be ready for it.
The bigger takeaway? AI-first discovery is here, and we can’t rely on Google alone to stay relevant. As Scott Waldren, Head of SEO at Acadia | Digital Marketing Leader & Consultant says:
SEO is Dead. Again. Maybe. But Also, Not.
“This is a new search paradigm. If your content isn’t useful to AI, you’ll miss out on an entire segment of discovery traffic.” The challenge isn’t just optimizing for SERPs—it’s being referenced by AI models that sift through the web’s vast content.
Community-Led Content: The Secret Weapon for AI Discovery
Platforms like Reddit, Quora, and other user-driven forums have emerged as critical components of this shift. Why? Because AI models like ChatGPT aren’t just scanning static articles—they’re looking for authentic, conversational content that reflects real questions, experiences, and opinions. Community content is dynamic, diverse, and often highly relevant to niche search intents—making it a goldmine for AI discovery engines.
Optimizing for SEO in 2025 Means Prioritizing Community Signals:
Engage with authentic communities. Brands that contribute to Reddit threads, participate in community discussions, and offer value directly where users are talking will have a better chance of being picked up by AI.
Structure content like a conversation. AI thrives on context-rich answers. If your content mimics the conversational tone of communities, it’s more likely to be seen as relevant and useful.
Prioritize user-generated insights. Reviews, comments, and real-world experiences are the types of content AI trusts. Make sure this is embedded in your strategy, not an afterthought.
Why B2A (Business to AI-Agent) and Community Content Go Hand-in-Hand
In this emerging “B2A” world, where businesses engage with AI agents acting on behalf of consumers, the importance of community content is amplified. AI agents will prioritize answers and recommendations that reflect trusted, real-world discussions. If your brand doesn’t have a presence in those spaces, you risk becoming invisible in the new search ecosystem.
Jeremiah Owyang, a Tech Investor and a Global Speaker puts it like this:
“B2A: Business to AI-Agent: A business engages or collaborates with an AI agent that represents a human buyer, acting as a conduit. The business’s Marketing, Sales, and Customer care teams will need to woo, respond to, and satisfy AI agents that act on behalf of consumers or business buyers. Sci-Fi? Let's push the thinking even further... In the near future, we’ll see a new class of entity emerge—AI agents generating their own revenue, offering services, and operating independently. We won’t always know who (or what) created them, making them functionally like living synthetic entities. So there you have it: a short new concept and term to know, but the implications to business, software, and society are significant. Maybe we need to redefine “customer experience” to be “customer and AI Agent experience”? “
Takeaway:
No, SEO isn’t dead, but it’s not what it used to be and it’s important to keep your property ahead of the curve. Optimizing for AI-first discovery means embracing community-driven content as part of your strategy. AI trusts the crowd and what the community is saying and prioritizes real voices, in that way it is not dissimilar to the relationship with Google and Reddit community threads.
Is your brand part of the conversation? I want to help you, get in touch!
Cheers!
Sara Hope
