I'll be perfectly honest, in one click AI actually wrote this entire article. Well the first draft, anyways. And scary enough, it was pretty damn good especially on the technical side of things.
So how do you compete in a world when AI can write 1000x the content you could ever write?
Since AI is so good at writing articles, the human element is now even more important.
This means adding your own personal observations, numbers, and case studies. Someone who has the expertise will end up ranking better than someone who doesn't. And then letting AI know WHY you're the expert on the topic.
Like for this article specifically, I've been doing SEO since 2006, when I ran a company that was a kpop and Asian-niched website. We were literally outranking Wikipedia back in the day for many keywords for Kpop singer names. But it was easy mode back then - some on-page optimizations did all of the work, and because there wasn't a lot of competition - we got tons of links.
Since then, I've used my SEO expertise to run multiple SaaS (like Hyax.com) and Blitz Rocket. And we've hired many other SEO experts to help us as well, learning from them along the way.
But even with my expertise, I have to admit something. When I wrote this piece I realized that this particular article probably won't rank very high. It's in a super competitive niche and everyone in the niche is an SEO expert. I'm still writing it though because it's going to be an invaluable resource for OUR Hyax.com customers and I've been doing a lot of SEO experiments that are actually working really well.
But for YOUR articles, you want to find content topics that WILL rank. Meaning you have to find articles that aren't in super competitive niches, targeting keywords that are longtail (more on this later).
And lastly, you need other publications to link to your content. We'll go in-depth on how to do this later.
Keeping SEO and GEO simple
So essentially, this is what SEO and GEO consists of
1) Perfect technical SEO / GEO.
2) Creating content that has a personal touch - not just 100% AI spun up articles.
3) Finding the right content topics that have a chance of ranking.
4) Social proof (commonly known as E-E-A-T).
5) Getting backlinks.
Luckily for you, most of this can be done right within Hyax.com - if you decide to use out platform for blogging.
Why SEO Still Matters
Despite all the talk about AI replacing traditional search, SEO is far from dead. Google still processes billions of searches every day, and organic search remains one of the strongest traffic sources for blogs, businesses, ecommerce stores, and local services. Google’s own Search Central documentation continues to emphasize helpful content, crawlability, page experience, and structured data.
What has changed is the level of competition. You’re not just competing against other websites anymore. You’re competing against AI summaries, featured snippets, Reddit threads, YouTube videos, map packs, product carousels, and “People Also Ask” boxes.
That sounds intimidating, I know. But it also creates more ways to be discovered if you structure your content properly.
What Makes GEO Different from SEO?
GEO focuses on direct answers. When someone asks, “How do I optimize a blog post for SEO?” an answer engine wants a clear, accurate, concise response. It doesn’t want to dig through ten vague paragraphs to find the point.
GEO works especially well when your content includes:
Clear questions and answers
Short definitions near the top of a section
Step-by-step instructions
Schema markup, especially FAQ, HowTo, Article, and Product schema (already built directly into Hyax)
Trust signals such as author bios, citations, and updated dates
Natural language that matches how people actually ask questions
Sources such as Schema.org, Google’s structured data guidelines, and Bing Webmaster Guidelines all point toward the same theme: make your content understandable for both humans and machines.
How to achieve perfect technical SEO / GEO?
Perfect technical SEO is a lot simpler now that we have AI and tools like Hyax to help you achieve it, but if you don't have it, then you're at a huge disadvantage.
Here's your technical SEO checklist. If you're using Hyax, most of these are handled automatically, but it's still worth understanding what's happening under the hood:
Site Structure & Crawlability
XML sitemap submitted to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools
Robots.txt configured correctly – not blocking important pages
Clean URL structure – descriptive, lowercase, hyphens instead of underscores
Logical internal linking – every important page reachable within 3 clicks from homepage
No orphan pages – every page has at least one internal link pointing to it
Page Speed & Performance
Core Web Vitals passing – check Google Search Console or PageSpeed Insights
Images optimized – compressed, lazy-loaded, using modern formats (WebP)
Minimal JavaScript bloat – scripts loaded efficiently, defer non-critical JS
Browser caching enabled – static resources cached properly
CDN in use – content delivered from servers close to users
Mobile & Accessibility
Mobile-responsive design – passes Google's Mobile-Friendly Test
Readable font sizes – at least 16px on mobile
Tap targets properly sized – buttons and links easy to click on mobile
No horizontal scrolling – content fits viewport width
Accessible navigation – keyboard navigation works, proper heading hierarchy
Security & Trust
HTTPS enabled – valid SSL certificate, no mixed content warnings
No broken links – internal and external links checked regularly
404 pages handled gracefully – custom 404 page with helpful navigation
Redirects set up properly – 301 redirects for moved content, redirect chains eliminated
On-Page Technical Elements
Title tags optimized – unique, 50-60 characters, includes target keyword
Meta descriptions written – compelling, 150-160 characters, includes call-to-action
Heading hierarchy correct – one H1 per page, logical H2-H6 structure
Image alt text added – descriptive, includes keywords naturally
Canonical tags set – prevents duplicate content issues
Open Graph tags included – proper social sharing previews
Structured Data & Schema
Article schema implemented – for blog posts and articles
FAQ schema added – where you have Q&A sections
Breadcrumb schema – helps with site navigation understanding
Organization/Person schema – establishes author and publisher identity
Schema validated – tested with Google's Rich Results Test
Content Delivery
No duplicate content – same content not accessible via multiple URLs
Pagination handled correctly – rel="next" and rel="prev" if needed
International targeting set – hreflang tags if serving multiple languages/regions
RSS feed available – helps with content distribution and indexing
✅ The good news? If you're building on Hyax, we handle the majority of this automatically – from schema markup to Core Web Vitals optimization to mobile responsiveness. But even if you're on another platform, tackling these items one by one will put you ahead of most websites out there.
On-Page SEO: Make Every Page Easy to Understand
On-page SEO is everything you control on the page itself. This includes your title, headings, content, internal links, images, and meta description. The goal is simple: help readers and search engines immediately understand what the page is about.
Here’s a practical on-page SEO checklist:
Use your main keyword naturally in the title, introduction, and at least one heading.
Write a meta description that clearly explains the benefit of the page.
Use descriptive headings with related phrases and questions.
Add internal links to related pages on your site.
Optimize images with descriptive file names and alt text.
Keep paragraphs readable, especially on mobile.
Answer the main question early, then expand with examples and details.
Google’s guidance on creating helpful, reliable, people-first content is especially useful here. The main idea is that your content should feel like it was written to solve a real problem, not to manipulate rankings.
Technical SEO: Don’t Let Your Website Trip Over Itself
Technical SEO sounds scary, but the beginner version is pretty straightforward. Your site should load quickly, work on mobile, be crawlable, and avoid broken pages. If search engines can’t access your content, even the best article won’t perform.
Start with these basics:
Set up Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
Submit an XML sitemap.
Make sure important pages are not blocked by robots.txt.
Fix broken links and 404 errors.
Use HTTPS for security.
Improve Core Web Vitals, especially loading speed and mobile usability.
Create a clean URL structure, such as “/beginner-seo-guide” instead of “/post?id=8472.”
Tools like Google Search Console, PageSpeed Insights, Screaming Frog, Ahrefs, Semrush, and Moz can help you spot problems. You don’t need every tool on day one. Honestly, Google Search Console is enough to start learning what’s happening.
How do you create content that has a human touch?
AI can generate a technically perfect article in seconds, but it lacks the one thing that makes content truly valuable: your unique perspective and real-world experience.
Omid at Marketer Milk does this beautifully, here's an example post that discusses his experience with Clearscope.
If you read the article, you'll see some of the following things that makes this piece of content really stand out.
He personally talked to the CEO of the company, Bernard Huang.
He actually used the tool for six years, this isn't just some AI slop review.
How did he hear about? In 2019 at Grow and Covert, a conference.
He used it at a big company Webflow - which is verifiable and public information.
He outlined everything into a YouTube video - showing his real face.
He even did a case study with Clearscope.
Here's how to add that human touch that both readers and search engines reward:
Share Specific Numbers and Results
Instead of saying "SEO can increase traffic," say "We increased organic traffic by 347% in 6 months by focusing on long-tail keywords in the project management niche for X company."
Real numbers, even small ones, instantly make content more credible and useful.
AI can't pull from your Google Analytics. You can.
Include Personal Observations and Mistakes
Write about what actually happened when you tried something.
"I spent three months optimizing for high-volume keywords before realizing our competitors had 10x our domain authority. Switching to long-tail keywords with lower competition got us ranking within weeks."
These real experiences are impossible for AI to fabricate and incredibly valuable to readers facing the same challenges.
Add Screenshots and Original Images
Show your actual Search Console dashboard, your keyword research process, or a before/after comparison. Original visuals prove you're not just recycling information. They also make your content more engaging and shareable.
Use Conversational Language
Write like you're explaining something to a friend over coffee, not presenting a dissertation. Notice how I started this guide admitting AI wrote the first draft? That's the kind of honesty that builds trust.
Read your content out loud. If it sounds robotic or overly formal, rewrite it.
Update with Current Observations
AI training data has a cutoff date. You don't. Reference what's happening right now in your industry. "Just last week, I noticed Google started showing more Reddit threads in search results for software questions" is something AI can't write authentically.
Cite Specific Tools and Processes You Actually Use
Don't just list "keyword research tools." Say "I use Ahrefs for competitor analysis because it shows me exactly which keywords are driving their traffic, then I cross-reference with Google Keyword Planner to verify search volume."
The specificity proves expertise.
Answer Questions AI Won't
AI tends to be diplomatic and avoid controversy. You can share honest opinions: "Most SEO courses are overpriced and teach outdated tactics. Here's what actually works in 2026..."
Strong, informed opinions based on experience make content memorable and shareable.
The bottom line: AI should be your research assistant and first-draft writer, not your final product. The content that ranks and converts in 2026 is the content that could only have been written by someone who's actually done the work.
Showing Google and other networks that its a real human behind your piece of content will make it rank.
Keyword Research: How do you actually find keywords to target?
This is where things get a little complicated. You'll need an SEO tool and you'll have to connect to Google Search Console.
For SEO tools, Ahrefs / SEMrush are two of the best but they're both on the more expensive end. If you decide to go with them, it'll be a decent choice and you really can't go wrong.
Hyax.com has SEO out of the box if you decide to use our platform, but it won't give you everything that Ahrefs has. For 90% of the people starting out though, our in-house SEO tool is enough.
Inside Hyax, check out the SEO app > then navigate to "What to write" - giving you a full list of great articles to write inside your niche.
Here's an example of what's inside the area for our app Hyax.
Competitor & alternative articles
As exemplified here - competitor articles are generally your lowest hanging fruit. And for almost all cases, we start here.
Writing unbiased (as much as you can) articles about your competitors will get you the most initial SEO traction. That's because someone who is already looking for an established company that is your competitor is already shopping around to buy your product, they just don't know you exist yet.
Longtail keywords
Let me give you a real example from our own strategy at Hyax.
Instead of trying to rank for "blogging platform" (impossibly competitive – we're up against WordPress, Medium, Substack, and companies with massive domain authority), we target long-tail variations like:
"blogging platform with built-in SEO schema" – much more specific, lower competition
"blog CMS for SaaS companies" – targets our exact audience
"how to add FAQ schema to blog posts" – answers a specific question our users ask
"best blogging platform with AI-generated content optimization" – addresses a current need
Notice how each of these has three things in common:
1. They're specific enough that big competitors aren't targeting them – WordPress doesn't need to write "blogging platform with built-in SEO schema" because they already own "blogging platform."
2. They signal clear intent – someone searching these terms is further along in their research and more likely to convert.
3. They let us showcase our actual differentiators – our automatic schema markup, our focus on SEO/GEO and our AI-friendly editor.
When I check these in a keyword tool like Ahrefs or Semrush, I'm looking for search volume between 50-500 monthly searches and a keyword difficulty under 30. Yes, that's small compared to the 50,000 monthly searches for "blogging platform," but we can actually rank for these within weeks instead of never.
And here's the thing: ten long-tail articles ranking on page one will drive more qualified traffic than one article stuck on page eight for a high-volume keyword.
And these high intent longtail keywords can be found inside Hyax as well as SEMrush / Ahrefs.
What is E-E-A-T (aka social proof) for GEO/AEO?
Google talks about E-E-A-T in its Search Quality Rater Guidelines. It stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
In layman's terms - how much "social proof" do you have.
Do you have a popular podcast or YouTube channel?
Do you have an authoritative website?
Have you been around for a while or are you just some fly-by-night operation?
This is a major signal that is hard to fake. In a world where anyone can create a million AI blog posts, being a real verified human with brand recognition actually helps you get more SEO traffic.
It's a little bit of a case where the rich get richer, so to speak. But all is not lost if you don't have it. You just have to start building it over time.
You can also slightly improve E-E-A-T by:
Adding author names and bios.
Showing real experience, examples, screenshots, or case studies.
Citing reputable sources such as Google Search Central, Bing, Pew Research Center, Nielsen Norman Group, and industry studies.
Updating old articles regularly.
Including clear contact information and business details.
Avoiding exaggerated claims like “guaranteed first-page rankings.”
My personal rule: if I wouldn’t say it to a client on a video call, I don’t put it in an article. That little filter keeps content grounded.
Write Direct Answers Before Deep Explanations
One of the best AEO habits is to answer the question right away. Then you can add context.
For example, if your section is titled “What is answer engine optimization?” your first sentence should be something like: “Answer engine optimization is the process of formatting and improving content so AI tools, voice assistants, and search engines can provide it as a direct answer to user questions.”
That’s clean. It’s quotable. It helps the reader instantly.
Then, after the definition, you can explain how it works, why it matters, and what to do next.
Use Question-Based Headings
People ask search engines questions. AI systems are designed to respond to those questions. So your content should include natural question-based headings where they make sense.
Good examples include:
What is SEO?
How does GEO work?
How long does SEO take for beginners?
What is the difference between SEO and GEO?
How do I optimize content for AI search?
This doesn’t mean every heading needs to be a question. Mix it up. But question headings are great for FAQ sections, featured snippets, voice search, and AI-generated responses.
Add Structured Data for Better Context
Structured data is code that helps search engines understand what your content means. It doesn’t guarantee rankings, but it can improve eligibility for rich results and help machines interpret your page more accurately.
Common schema types for beginners include:
Article schema: Useful for blog posts and educational content.
FAQ schema: Useful for question-and-answer sections.
HowTo schema: Useful for step-by-step tutorials.
LocalBusiness schema: Useful for local SEO.
Product schema: Useful for ecommerce pages and product reviews.
Before you add schema, read Google’s structured data policies. Don’t mark up fake FAQs or content that isn’t visible on the page. Search engines are getting better at detecting that kind of thing, and it’s just not worth the risk.
Build Trust with E-E-A-T Signals
How to get real backlinks?
Getting backlinks is honestly one of the hardest parts of SEO, but it's also one of the most important ranking factors. The old-school method was guest posting - writing articles for other websites in exchange for a link back to your site. That still works, but it's time-consuming and a lot of sites now charge for guest posts.
Here's what actually works in 2026: Create content that naturally attracts links. This means original research, case studies with real numbers, comprehensive guides that become the go-to resource, or tools and calculators people find useful. For example, when we publish our monthly SaaS growth metrics at Hyax, other blogs naturally link to our data because it's original.
You can also do digital PR - reaching out to journalists and bloggers when you have a genuinely interesting story, data, or expert commentary. Tools like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) connect you with journalists looking for sources. And don't overlook the simple stuff: get listed in relevant directories, claim your business profiles, and ask partners or customers you've helped if they'd be willing to mention you.
The key is this: don't buy links from sketchy link farms, and don't spam people with generic outreach emails. Build real relationships, create content worth linking to, and earn links naturally over time. It's slower, but it's the only method that won't get you penalized.
A Practical Beginner SEO and AEO Action Plan
Now let’s make this real. If you’re starting from scratch, you don’t need to do everything at once. In fact, trying to do everything usually leads to doing nothing well. Start with a simple process you can repeat.
Step-by-Step SEO and AEO Workflow
Choose one topic your audience cares about. Start with a real problem, such as “how to create an SEO-friendly blog post.”
Research search intent. Look at the top-ranking pages, People Also Ask questions, Reddit discussions, YouTube results, and related searches.
Pick one primary keyword. Choose a phrase that matches your page, such as “beginner’s guide to SEO.”
Gather related terms. Include semantic keywords like “on-page SEO,” “technical SEO,” “answer engine optimization,” “AI search,” and “structured data.”
Create a helpful outline. Use clear H2 and H3 headings that follow the reader’s journey.
Answer key questions directly. Add short, clear definitions and practical examples.
Add internal and external links. Link to your own related content and credible sources.
Optimize the page title and meta description. Make them specific, not clever for the sake of being clever.
Add schema where appropriate. Use FAQ, Article, or HowTo schema if it fits the content.
Review performance. Use Google Search Console to track impressions, clicks, and queries.
Example: Turning a Basic Blog Post into an AI-Friendly Page
Let’s say you wrote a blog post called “Marketing Tips for Small Businesses.” That’s broad. Too broad, honestly. A better SEO and AEO version might be “Beginner’s Guide to Local SEO for Small Businesses.”
Then you’d structure it with sections like:
What is local SEO?
Why local SEO matters for small businesses
How to optimize your Google Business Profile
Local SEO checklist for beginners
Common local SEO mistakes
Frequently asked questions
See the difference? The second version is clearer, more searchable, and easier for an answer engine to summarize. It also serves the reader better, which is the whole point.
Common Mistakes Beginners Should Avoid
SEO can get noisy fast. Everyone has a hack, a shortcut, or a “secret” strategy. Most of the time, the boring basics win.
Keyword stuffing: Repeating your keyword unnaturally makes your content worse, not better.
Ignoring search intent: Ranking for the wrong intent won’t help you get useful traffic.
Publishing thin content: A 500-word article with generic advice usually won’t stand out.
Forgetting internal links: Internal links help users and search engines discover related content.
Skipping updates: Old stats, outdated screenshots, and broken links hurt trust.
Writing only for algorithms: If humans don’t like the content, the strategy is broken.
The age of AI doesn’t mean you need to become a machine. Actually, it’s the opposite. The more generic content floods the web, the more valuable real experience, clear thinking, and useful examples become.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between SEO and AEO?
SEO helps your website rank in search engine results, while AEO helps your content appear as a direct answer in AI search tools, featured snippets, voice assistants, and answer engines. They work best together.
Is SEO still worth learning in the age of AI?
Yes. SEO is still one of the most important digital marketing skills. AI has changed how search works, but the fundamentals of helpful content, technical accessibility, authority, and relevance still matter.
How do beginners start with SEO and AEO?
Start by learning keyword research, search intent, on-page SEO, technical SEO basics, and content structure. Then add AEO tactics such as direct answers, FAQ sections, question-based headings, schema markup, and credible source references.
Does AI-generated content rank in Google?
Google’s guidance says content is evaluated based on quality and usefulness, not simply how it was created. However, low-quality automated content created mainly to manipulate rankings can violate spam policies. If you use AI, edit carefully, add experience, verify facts, and make the content genuinely helpful.
What are the best free tools for beginner SEO?
Good free SEO tools include Google Search Console, Google Analytics, Bing Webmaster Tools, Google PageSpeed Insights, Google Trends, and Google’s Rich Results Test. These give you plenty of data before you invest in paid platforms.
How long does SEO take to work?
SEO usually takes several months, especially for new websites. Some pages may gain impressions within weeks, but meaningful rankings and traffic often take three to six months or longer. The timeline depends on competition, content quality, site authority, and how consistently you publish and improve pages.
Do I need schema markup for AEO?
You don’t always need schema markup, but it helps search engines understand your content. For AEO, schema can support clearer context, especially for FAQs, how-to guides, articles, local businesses, and products. Just make sure the marked-up content is visible and accurate.