Written by: Vickie Sullivan  |  May 05, 2026

How to Stand Out in AI Search. Hint: It’s More Than Keywords

The SEO world is experiencing a major shift. Once you could build your SEO strategy and Google ad plan around keywords. That’s no longer the case. Now, thanks to Google’s AI, you need an intent-first SEO strategy, according to a recent Search Engine Land article.

What Is an Intent-First SEO Strategy?

An intent-first SEO strategy is an approach that prioritizes the user’s underlying goal behind a search query—rather than just the keywords—when creating and optimizing content.

Instead of focusing only on matching exact terms, an intent-first strategy asks: What is the searcher trying to accomplish? Are they trying to learn something, compare options, or make a purchase? Then it delivers content that directly satisfies that need.

In short, an intent-first SEO strategy involves optimizing for why someone is searching, not just what they type.

In the Search Engine Land article, the authors outline what intent really looks like in an AI world. The biggest surprise to me is how AI now splits complex questions into subtopics with concurrent searches—all before the user finishes typing.

How to Make Content Stand Out in an Intent-First World

The questions for us, now, are: How do we make our content stand out in this new AI-driven intent-first world? What should we include in our intent-first SEO strategy? Here are two tactics I suggest:

• Create subtext and answer needs. Your search engine strategy needs to shift away from keyword matchmaking and toward why. What to do: Make sure your content goes beyond recommendations and explores context and next steps. Your insights no longer live in a vacuum.

• Shift from transactions to goals. The authors make a critical point: keywords will help you show up in search results, but you need more for buyers who are in research mode. What to do: Make sure your content directly addresses the problem buyers need help with.

The common denominator: Problem solving. Ask yourself that age-old question: What problem does my content solve?

Are keywords dead? Nope. But buyer intent is the new lens AI uses in search mode. As the authors note, this is a mental shift, not a tactical one.

Now Read This:

• Why You Must Embrace Generative Engine Optimization
• Strategic Sounding Boards Give Real-World Advice for When the Rubber Meets the Road