How AI is Changing the Work of SEO: The System Builders’ Guide to 5X Efficiency

by Ryder Meehan | Oct 2, 2024

AI is fundamentally changing how SEOs work, making automation and system-building essential for future success. From automating tasks to elevating content quality, AI enables SEOs to streamline workflows, freeing them from time-consuming manual work. The rise of large language models (LLMs) and machine-generated content (MGC) is pushing SEO professionals to redefine their approach—creating opportunities for greater efficiency and faster results.

How AI is Automating SEO Workflows

AI empowers SEOs to automate complex tasks, making processes faster and more accurate.

AI isn’t just a trend; it’s reshaping how SEO work is done. Tools like AirOps and others allow SEOs to automate workflows like keyword cannibalization detection, site crawling, and content creation. These tools combine agents and AI models to scrape, analyze, and transform data in ways that weren’t possible before.

For example, SEOs used to manually download Search Console data and create pivot tables to spot keyword cannibalization. Now, they can build an AI workflow that sends alerts, identifies issues, and even suggests content adjustments—all without manual intervention.

How AI Improves Content Creation

AI takes content from good to great by enhancing SEO efforts through automation and intelligent workflows.

AI-powered tools are helping SEOs automate keyword research, content briefs, and even the first drafts of articles. While machine-generated content (MGC) is improving in quality, human-generated content (HGC) still plays a crucial role. Writers now focus more on taking AI-generated content from ‘good’ to ‘great,’ adding human insights, personal experiences, and brand tone.

In a future dominated by AI, writers will act as curators, editors, and quality checkers, ensuring the final content aligns with both SEO best practices and audience needs.

The Skills SEOs Need for the AI-Driven Future

To stay competitive, SEOs must learn to build AI workflows and use automation tools effectively.

As AI continues to advance, SEOs must adapt by developing new skills. One of the most critical abilities is building AI-powered systems and workflows. No-code platforms and AI tools now allow SEOs to automate repetitive tasks, analyze data more efficiently, and create scalable content strategies.

Learning how to use AI for tasks like Regex, Google Sheets, or even coding with Python can greatly expand the toolkit of modern SEOs. With AI assistance, SEOs can now solve problems independently, without needing to rely on engineers or data scientists.

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The Role of Human Expertise in AI-Driven SEO

Writers and SEOs still play a crucial role in overseeing AI-generated content and making it outstanding.

Despite the rise of AI-generated content, human expertise remains invaluable. SEOs and writers will focus on quality assurance, editing, and providing the creative input that AI cannot replicate. Spot-checking AI content, correcting factual inaccuracies, and maintaining brand voice are crucial tasks that still require a human touch.

This human oversight ensures that content remains relevant, accurate, and engaging—keeping both users and search engines happy.

Final Thoughts: AI is the Future of SEO

AI is transforming the SEO industry, and SEOs who embrace this technology will stay ahead of the competition.

As AI continues to advance, the role of SEOs will shift toward building automated systems and leveraging AI to streamline processes. By combining AI’s power with human expertise, SEOs can optimize their workflows, enhance content quality, and achieve better results faster.

Ready to harness the power of AI for your SEO strategy? Download our free guide on SEO automation or book a discovery call with one of our experts today!

FAQs

What is a marketing automation platform?

A marketing automation platform is a software solution that helps businesses streamline and automate their marketing efforts. It enables users to manage multiple marketing channels, including email, social media, and ad campaigns, from one place. By utilizing a marketing automation platform, businesses can effectively target their audience, nurture leads, and boost conversions.

How can social media be automated using marketing automation tools?

Marketing automation tools allow businesses to schedule social media posts, automate responses, and track engagement across various platforms. With automation, managing social media becomes more efficient, freeing up time to focus on other marketing tasks. Tools like HootSuite are excellent examples of platforms that integrate social media automation with overall marketing efforts.

What are the benefits of marketing automation for businesses?

Marketing automation enhances business efficiency by streamlining repetitive tasks such as email campaigns, lead nurturing, and A/B testing. It helps companies scale their marketing efforts, personalize communications, and make data-driven decisions, ultimately increasing ROI. Automation tools also save time and reduce the workload for marketing teams.

What are the best marketing automation platforms available?

The best marketing automation platforms include tools like HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Marketo. These platforms offer robust features, such as customer segmentation, campaign tracking, and analytics, which allow marketers to optimize their strategies and improve performance across various marketing campaigns.

How do marketing automation platforms help with marketing campaigns?

Marketing automation platforms help streamline marketing campaigns by automating tasks such as email distribution, lead generation, and social media scheduling. They also track the performance of campaigns in real-time, providing insights that help marketers adjust strategies for better outcomes. Automation reduces the time spent on manual marketing tasks, enabling teams to focus on big-picture strategy and creativity.

What should I consider when choosing the best marketing automation platforms for my business?

When selecting a marketing automation platform, consider factors like ease of use, integration with your existing tools, scalability, and the specific marketing tasks you want to automate. It’s also essential to evaluate the platform’s features for email marketing, social media management, lead generation, and analytics. Popular choices like HubSpot and Mailchimp provide all-in-one solutions for various marketing efforts.

How do automation tools improve marketing efforts?

Automation tools enhance marketing efforts by optimizing workflows, reducing manual tasks, and enabling data-driven decisions. These tools help businesses automate repetitive tasks like email campaigns, social media posts, and lead scoring, allowing marketing teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. With the right automation tools, businesses can scale their marketing efforts and improve overall efficiency.

What are the advantages of using marketing tools for a marketing strategy?

Marketing tools provide marketers with the ability to track campaign performance, manage customer data, and automate key marketing tasks. By incorporating tools like Google Analytics and HubSpot into a marketing strategy, businesses can make more informed decisions, improve personalization, and optimize their marketing campaigns for better results.

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Ryder Meehan

Ryder has been on a 16-year journey to master digital marketing from every aspect. His resume includes Razorfish, Slighshot, Fossil, Samsung Mobile and Tatcha before launching Upgrow. Ryder is the acting CEO, heading business development and account services. He has been featured as a digital marketing leader on Forbes, PRNews, Business.com, Workamajig, Databox, Fit Small Biz and other outlets.