Yes. But not the SEO you were sold five years ago, and not a one-size package pulled off a shelf.
If you’re wondering whether it’s still worth paying someone to look after your search visibility, we get it.
You’ve probably heard that Google is dying, that AI answers everything now, and that nobody clicks on websites any more.
Some of that is true. A lot of it is overblown. Here’s what’s actually going on, and how to make sure you’re paying for the right thing.
What’s changed
Google now answers a lot of questions itself. AI Overviews (the summary box at the top of results) and AI Mode (Google’s chat-style search) mean people often get what they need without visiting a website.
The numbers are hard to ignore:
• In early 2026, 68% of US Google searches ended without a single click, according to SparkToro.
• When an AI Overview appears, the top-ranking page gets around 58% fewer clicks, according to Ahrefs. That’s nearly double the drop they measured a year earlier.
• People now also ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot for recommendations, not just Google.
So the old game of ranking for a phrase and waiting for the clicks to roll in has changed. Anyone telling you otherwise hasn’t been paying attention.
What hasn’t changed
Google still sends far more people to websites than every AI tool put together.
SE Ranking’s 2026 research puts organic search at around 43% of all website traffic, against roughly 0.3% from AI platforms. That’s Google sending about 134 times more visitors.
The searches that matter most to most businesses are also the least affected. Branded searches, local searches and ready-to-buy searches still get clicked.
Someone typing “kitchen fitter Wakefield” wants a phone number, not an essay.
And here’s the bit people miss: AI tools build their answers from websites. Pages that are clear, trusted and well organised get quoted. Pages that aren’t get ignored. That’s still SEO. It just has more places to show up now.
(Most of this research is US data. The UK tends to follow the same direction, a little behind.)
What you’re actually paying for in 2026
Good SEO now does three jobs, not one.
1. Getting found on Google. The basics still count: a quick site, a page for each service and area you cover, a properly filled-in Google Business Profile, and reviews.
2. Getting quoted by AI. You’ll hear this called GEO (generative engine optimisation) or AIO (AI optimisation). In plain English, it means making your content easy for ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI to pick up and credit. Answer the question first. Use real facts and figures. Keep your name, address and details the same everywhere.
3. Being trusted. AI tools lean heavily on what other people say about you: reviews, press coverage, directories, LinkedIn. Your reputation away from your website now feeds your visibility on it.
Why there’s no one-size-fits-all
A plumber in Pontefract, an online jewellery shop and a specialist engineering firm need completely different things.
If you’re…
Spend on
Probably skip
A local trade or service
Google Business Profile, reviews, a page per service and town
National content campaigns
An online shop
Product pages, site speed and health, clear product info AI can read
Blog posts nobody searches for
B2B or specialist
Expert articles, case studies, being mentioned in your industry
Chasing big generic keywords
If someone’s selling you the same monthly package they sell everyone else, that’s a red flag.
How to tell if your SEO provider has kept up
Ask them these five questions:
1. Do you check whether we show up in AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Gemini, or just Google rankings?
2. What do you measure besides traffic? With fewer clicks about, enquiries matter more than visits.
3. How are you making our content easy for AI to quote?
4. What are you doing about our reviews and mentions elsewhere?
5. What won’t you do for us, and why?
Blank looks, or “we do keywords and backlinks”? Time for a second opinion.
The honest bit
SEO is slower than paid ads. It won’t double your enquiries in a month, and anyone promising that is fibbing. But switch your ads off and the leads stop that day. Good SEO keeps working while you get on with running your business.
It’s still worth paying for. You just need to pay for the right version of it.
Not sure where you stand?
That’s what our Free SEO Audit is for. We’ll look at how you show up on Google and in AI search, tell you what’s worth fixing and what isn’t, and give it to you straight. No hard sell, no jargon.
Book your Free SEO Audit
FAQ (publish at the end of the post)
Is SEO dead because of AI? No. Google still sends far more visitors to websites than all AI tools combined, and AI tools build their answers from well-optimised websites. What’s changed is where you need to show up.
What is GEO? GEO stands for generative engine optimisation. It means making your content easy for AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Google’s AI Overviews to find, understand and quote. It builds on good SEO rather than replacing it.
Do I need separate SEO and GEO services? Usually not. The foundations are the same: clear content, a healthy website, consistent business details and a good reputation. A good provider covers both together.
Is SEO worth it for a small local business? Yes, often more than for anyone else. Local and “near me” searches still get clicked, and a well-run Google Business Profile with steady reviews is one of the cheapest ways to win work.
How long does SEO take to work? Most businesses see meaningful movement within three to six months, longer in busy markets. Be wary of anyone promising results in weeks.
