Let’s set the record straight: The keyword-first approach—as we knew it—is dead.
Not because it was always a bad idea, but because AI has made it obsolete.
That’s not an exaggeration. That’s not a hot take. That’s Google’s own direction, quietly baked into every AI-powered search result now rolling out to millions of users. If you’re a local business—or someone like me who helps them show up online—this is a seismic shift worth paying attention to.
As someone who’s been in the trenches of website design and SEO for trades and construction companies, I’ve always seen the website as more than just a digital brochure. It’s your home base. But with AI-driven search now disrupting how people even discover your site, it’s time to reframe how we think about SEO—and how we build online authority in a changing landscape.
Stop Stuffing Keywords—Start Owning Topics
If your SEO strategy still revolves around cramming “emergency plumber Melbourne” into every second paragraph, you’re missing the point.
AI doesn’t need repetition. It needs relevance.
It doesn’t rank pages—it answers questions.
Your keyword list is still useful—but now it’s a topic list, not a stuffing guide.
Each keyword is a signpost to a broader topic:
- “Roof insulation Geelong” becomes a content pillar on rental property compliance in Victoria
- “Kitchen extension costs” is really a topic on planning a home renovation budget
The businesses that win won’t be the ones who mention a keyword the most—but the ones who cover the topic best.
What’s Actually Happening with AI Search (and Why It’s a Big Deal)
Google isn’t just ranking pages anymore. It’s answering questions.
Directly. Using AI.
This is called Search Generative Experience (SGE). It’s already live in parts of the U.S. and beginning to filter into Australian results. Instead of the familiar list of ten blue links, Google now shows a rich AI-generated summary above the organic listings—pulled from a variety of sources across the web.
Here’s the kicker:
AI scrapes data from across the internet—then credits only a few standout sources.
So even if your content is helpful, your site might not be credited—or clicked—unless it’s seen as a clear authority on that topic.
This is the start of a closed-loop system. Google, ChatGPT, and other AI platforms want to answer the query in their interface, not send users away. Less searching. Less clicking. More control.
And if you’re not being cited, you’re being left behind.
Old SEO: Stuff Keywords and Pray
New SEO: Be the Expert on the Topic
You used to be able to rank by brute force—jamming “custom home builder Geelong” into every available text field.
Not anymore.
Today’s AI understands:
- What you’re talking about
- How well you explain it
- Whether you’re credible—topically and locally
It doesn’t just read words. It understands ideas.
So now, your SEO strategy should be guided by:
- What topics do I want to be known for?
- What questions do my customers regularly ask?
- Am I visibly the expert in my region?
If you can answer those questions—and show it across multiple platforms—AI will pick you as the answer, not just an option.
Local Authority Is the New SEO Currency
If you’re a diesel mechanic in the Mornington Peninsula or a container transport operator in Werribee, your website alone won’t cut it.
You need to be seen by Google’s AI as the go-to expert in your region.
That means more than content—it means presence.
Here’s what Google and other AI models now favour:
- Topical expertise: Deep, helpful content on a subject
- Local trust signals: A complete Google Business Profile, strong reviews, and consistent location-based content
- Digital reputation: Your brand mentioned across other sites, directories, blogs, or news outlets
- Structured content: Articles, FAQs, videos, and clear page layouts that AI can easily digest
And here’s the game-changer:
AI isn’t just looking at your site.
It’s pulling from:
- Podcasts
- YouTube
- Guest blogs
- Online reviews
- Directories
- Business listings
It’s pulling from everywhere online.
Still, your website remains the one place you fully control—and it needs to be the foundation of everything else. If your brand only lives on your website and nowhere else? You’re invisible to the machines.
Your Website Still Matters—But It’s at the Pointy End Where Sales Happen
There’s a myth going around:
“AI gives all the answers now, so websites are dead.”
Wrong.
People still visit websites—especially when they’re ready to buy.
They’re not just researching anymore. They’re looking to:
- Confirm your legitimacy
- Check services and service areas
- View pricing or availability
- Make a booking, call, or send an enquiry
But they’ll probably land there later in the process—not at the start.
So your website has one key job:
Back up your authority and close the deal.
That means:
- Content structured by topic and region
- Clear calls to action and intuitive navigation
- Genuinely helpful information (not filler copy)
- Fast, mobile-friendly design
- Local cues like case studies, team profiles, and service photos
Think of your website less as a traffic magnet and more as a trust checkpoint. If AI brings someone to your digital front door, you need to look and sound like the real deal.
The New SEO Playbook (in Plain English)
Here’s how to stay ahead:
1. Map out your topics.
Take the keywords you’ve been targeting and turn them into topics to cover.
Example:
- “Fleet diesel servicing in South East Melbourne”
- “Structural demolition in Williamstown”
2. Create useful, deep content.
Answer real questions. Show your process. Highlight examples of your work. The easiest way to do this consistently is through a regular blog or news section.
3. Distribute your presence.
AI pays attention to what happens off your site.
- Be active on LinkedIn, Instagram, Google
- Do guest posts or interviews
- Get your brand mentioned across the web
You don’t need backlinks anymore. AI is smart enough to recognise brand mentions—even without a hyperlink.
4. Be the local expert.
Don’t try to dominate the world. Dominate your region.
- Keep your Google Business Profile updated
- Post regularly
- Upload new photos
- Respond to reviews
- Own your niche
5. Optimise your website for the trust check.
Forget the funnel tricks. Be helpful. Be local. Be clear. Help people make decisions—fast.
Final Thought: You’re Not Competing with AI—You’re Training It
Here’s the twist most people miss:
You’re not competing with AI. You’re feeding it.
Every blog, every case study, every brand mention trains the AI to associate you with your topics.
The businesses that win tomorrow are the ones doing the groundwork today—creating consistent, helpful, trustworthy content that tells the algorithm exactly who they are and what they do best.
At Uplift 360, we’re building websites—and content ecosystems—that are designed with this future in mind. Structured, human, and strategically visible.
If you want to be seen as the answer—not just an option—let’s talk.