SEO is Changing

In this episode, Rustam Irani sits down with SEO expert Julian Hooks to unpack the growing confusion around declining traffic, AI’s impact on search, and what higher-ed marketers should actually focus on right now. Together, they cut through the hype around AEO, GEO, and LLMs, revealing that while the discovery landscape is shifting, the fundamentals of SEO—and great marketing—are still the foundation. The conversation explores how user behavior is evolving, why attribution is getting harder, and how marketers can adapt without abandoning what already works.Resources Mentioned RGI AEO Dashboard - https://aeo.rgiconsulting.net/Timestamps 00:00 – The Problem: Traffic and conversions are declining despite doing “everything right” in SEO 01:00 – Meet Julian Hooks: 20 years in SEO and deep experience in higher ed marketing 04:00 – Is SEO Dead?: Why AI isn’t replacing SEO but reshaping how discovery works 08:00 – AEO vs GEO vs SEO: Breaking down the terminology and what actually matters 10:30 – The Attribution Problem: Why AI-driven traffic is hard to measure (but still impactful) 13:00 – New Signals to Watch: Direct traffic, branded search, and behavioral shifts 15:30 – AEO Measurement Framework: Visibility, share of voice, citation rate, and sentiment 22:00 – How to Prioritize Efforts: 80–85% fundamentals vs 15–20% AI-specific adjustments 25:00 – Content Strategy Shift: Don’t abandon long-form—just surface answers faster 28:00 – Why Traffic Is Down: LLMs are capturing top-of-funnel informational queries 31:00 – Higher Intent Users: Fewer visitors, but stronger conversion and engagement 32:00 – Final Advice: Think holistically, focus on fundamentals, and build a great product/experience