Hi Peter, just want to check, is it still worth doing SEO and GEO – AI search and ChatGPT – monthly or is there an option to go bi-monthly or quarterly to keep things ticking over?
In the past, I would have said that moving from monthly to every two months was manageable, but came with a noticeable trade-off. Growth would usually drop by about a third because momentum is lost and updates no longer compound at the same pace. SEO has always worked best through steady and consistent effort, where the gains build month on month.
With the emergence of AI Search though, the pace of change is unlike anything we have seen since Google first launched. What would once have been a 30 per cent reduction in effectiveness is now closer to 80 per cent if you skip a month. The way content is being indexed, surfaced, and valued is evolving almost week by week, which makes keeping current absolutely essential. Falling behind now could quickly mean losing ground to competitors who are investing in continuous adaptation to new changes as they arise.
From my side, I am already investing more time into making sure you are covered (at no extra cost) because it is such a pivotal period of change for this sector – heck, for all of marketing. When Google first appeared with its new approach, businesses that failed to keep up often dropped out of view altogether. We are seeing that same kind of disruption now – ultimately it will be a good thing, and staying the course (well, with all the extra I’m doing) will make a real difference.
The good news is that staying consistent gives you a clear advantage. Every step you take forward not only strengthens your position but actively pushes competitors further back. Companies that aren’t staying on top of this – well the future looks a good deal less bright for them.
Peter Mahoney
WordPress SEO & AI Search (GEO) Expert