AI & the Future of Search: From Queries to Conversations

Wednesday, may 28, 2025

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What We Covered:

  • How generative AI is fundamentally reshaping search experiences.
  • Why organic search traffic is declining — and what brands can do to get ahead of what’s next.
  • The shift from queries to conversations.
  • An inside look at Tinuiti’s new AI SEO framework— GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) — built for the next era of search.
Dalton Dorné

Dalton Dorné

Chief Marketing Officer Tinuiti
Simon Poulton Headshot

Simon Poulton

Executive Vice President, Innovation & Growth Tinuiti

Discovery has changed, and brands that don’t evolve beyond traditional SEO are quickly getting outpaced. In this webinar, Dalton Dorné, Chief Marketing Officer, and Simon Poulton, Executive Vice President of Innovation and Growth, unpacked the real forces reshaping search today: the rise of generative AI, the steep drop in organic traffic, and the hard truth that traditional keyword strategies no longer work. It’s not about gaming the system. It’s about building real authority in a world where conversations, not queries, drive discovery.

We introduced GEO, Tinuiti’s new AI SEO solution to help brands adapt to the rapidly changing search landscape. This isn’t a product pitch — it’s a strategic look at what it takes to lead in a world where traditional SEO tactics are no longer enough.

Transcript Highlights

AI & the Future of Search:

Dalton Dorné (CMO, Tinuiti):
Welcome! Today we’re exploring AI, SEO, and the future of search.
This webinar was inspired by a session at Tinuiti Live and has grown due to interest. For those new to Tinuiti, we’re a full-funnel performance marketing agency across industries like CPG, finance, and B2B. We focus on driving growth and eliminating waste.

Now, I’ll hand it off to Simon Poulton, our EVP of Innovation and Growth.

Simon Poulton (EVP of Innovation and Growth, Tinuiti):
Thanks, Dalton. I also host the Measure Up podcast, and today’s topic ties closely to measurement.

We’re at a tipping point in search:

  • Generative AI is transforming how users find information—shifting from static search results to conversational, predictive responses.
  • Google’s latest rollouts, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, mark a major change.
  • These experiences use “Query Fan Out” to break a question into subtopics and retrieve insights from across the web in real time.

Key implications:

  • AI-generated answers now provide opinions on your brand.
  • Search is moving from “links and rankings” to “answers and agents.”
  • The new search layer can reduce site traffic but increase the quality of those who do visit.

What this means for SEO:

  • Traditional keyword tactics aren’t enough. AI doesn’t just rank pages—it interprets brand relevance.
  • SEO is becoming “relevance engineering”—focused on structuring content for machines, not just humans.
  • AI Overviews and tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity are creating a zero-click world. Your website may never be visited directly.

To adapt, brands must:

  • Optimize for topics, not keywords.
  • Shift content from pages to passages and FAQs.
  • Focus on influencing AI agents with structured, useful, and unique content.
  • Use digital PR to shape your brand’s reputation in the eyes of AI.
  • Rethink measurement: clicks and rankings are less relevant. Instead, track influence and sentiment.

Real-world example:
Tinuiti helped Outfront Media influence AI Overviews by creating 52 short FAQ-style pieces tied to broader advertising topics—not just their core business. The result: 32 AI inclusions in related queries.

Tools & tracking:

  • We’ve partnered with Profound to track AI inclusion, brand sentiment, agent behavior on your site, and competitive visibility.
  • This goes beyond traditional SEO tools—covering platforms like Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and more.

Four key takeaways:

  • Organic traffic is declining—and likely won’t bounce back.
  • Search is shifting from query-based to conversational discovery.
  • Brand agents and LLMs will reshape the buyer journey.
  • Measurement must evolve to reflect influence, not just clicks.

Q&A Highlights:

  • Content Strategy: Focus on useful, unique content. Use summaries (like TL;DRs) for humans and depth for bots.
  • SEO Teams: Upskilling in stats, psychology, and prompt engineering is critical.
  • Paid & Organic: AI-generated answers will shape both. Google’s AI Max for Search hints at ad targeting based on generated content, not keywords.
  • Site Experience: Balance user-friendly design with machine-readable structure.
  • Lead Gen Concerns: Rethink CRM tactics—agents may be intermediaries between users and brands, limiting data capture.
  • Talent & Tools: Invest in conversational content strategists, data scientists, and use platforms like Profound for real-time AI visibility.

Closing:
We’re entering a new era. If you’re interested in joining our limited AI SEO beta program, reach out. Thanks again for joining!