The Surprising Ways AI Is Changing Search

Lachlan Reed

Alright, welcome back to The Digital Edge, folks. Lachlan here in sunny Sydney, and I've got Simon on the line as always. Now, today's a big one—AI is flipping search on its head. You remember in our last episode, when we got obsessed with weird keyword gold like “weird cat behaviors” from Reddit? Well, now the treasure map itself is changing. Simon, have you noticed those tidy little keyword lists are, well, kinda losing their magic?

Simon Carver

Oh, absolutely. Hey everyone—Simon here! Honestly, Lachlan, it sometimes feels like the old “stuff the page with keywords” recipe just… fizzles out now. I saw it the hard way with my old hiking blog. Spent way too long jamming every version of “best trail shoes” I could find—Google barely blinked. But my buddy? Put up a big FAQ answering actual questions from hikers, and bam—he starts ranking. There’s no justice, huh?

Lachlan Reed

Yeah, that’s it! AI-powered search engines—Google, Bing, and the rest—they’re moving right past those dusty lists. Now, they're sniffing out intent and context. You gotta answer what people are actually asking. Take Glassdoor’s Q&A pages, for example. Real users, real back-and-forth, and somehow, Google eats it up. It’s like the search engine is finally eavesdropping for what people mean, not just what they type.

Simon Carver

Exactly, and you know, it’s almost comforting. There’s this shift away from “pleasing the algorithm” to actually helping real people. And I guess that means—maybe we’re all writing less for robots, more for humans? I mean, I get a little misty-eyed over that. Or maybe that’s just my allergies, but... You know what I mean, Lach.

Lachlan Reed

Too right, mate! Even a kangaroo could trip over these new rules if you’re still stuck in 2012. Instead of sweating over the perfect keyword string, you should be thinking, “What exact question’s rattling around in someone's head?” It’s almost liberating... unless you actually loved spreadsheets. But who loves 'em, really?

Simon Carver

Hey, there are spreadsheet people out there! But no, you’re spot on. I do wonder, though: if AI is chewing up the context now, is there ever a risk we kind of lose track of the fundamentals? Or is this just SEO growing up?

Lachlan Reed

Bit of both, I reckon. But you’re right, it’s a good moment to check—are we helping some real human or just chasing ghosts in the machine?

Simon Carver

Let’s go deeper on this, because the way we get those answers is changing fast. You’ve seen how Google’s new Search Generative Experience is rolling out, right? Feels less like a list of links, more like a chat you’re having with an AI barista or something. Used to be we all wanted “position one”—now sometimes, there isn’t even a page you click.

Lachlan Reed

Yeah, mate, it’s almost freaky. My mum, bless her, she used to “Google” everything. Now she’s all, “Lachie, why bother when ChatGPT tells me straight away?” It’s like sites don’t even get a look-in. I was looking up how to change a lawnmower spark plug, and before I even finished typing, Google or Bard or whoever was telling me the answer. Didn’t even get a chance to see some dodgy blog with blinking ads!

Simon Carver

I kind of miss those dodgy blogs, honestly. But here’s the kicker—if people never leave Google or never click through because they get the whole answer upfront, what does “winning” at SEO even look like now? I mean, how do you measure success when the traffic just... evaporates? Is brand awareness enough? Do we just hope they remember our name on the answer snippet?

Lachlan Reed

Yeah, it’s a real “if a tree falls in the forest” situation. Are you helping at all if no one lands on your site? But, and here’s the rub, maybe the goal shifts—help someone, leave a lasting impression, don’t stress so much about traffic spikes. I dunno, mate, maybe I’m just trying to make myself feel better, but this whole conversation-style search makes you rethink what the “edge” even means.

Simon Carver

And it’s not going back—at least with how AI is steering the car these days. So, marketers and content people have to get creative. Maybe you figure out how to take a bigger swing in fewer words, or tweak for that juicy “featured snippet.” Either way, it’s different than what we learned five years ago.

Lachlan Reed

We’re all on the same ride together now, screaming as Google takes the wheel. But hey, that leads right into the next bit—the weird secret power of getting ultra, ultra specific, doesn’t it?

Simon Carver

Yeah, and speaking of specificity—this new AI landscape is putting a big ol’ spotlight on those niche, long-tail questions everyone used to ignore. Like, there’s a reason sites like The Spruce Pets or Stack Overflow are thriving. They’re answering those weirdly specific things an AI still kinda fumbles.

Lachlan Reed

Here’s one for you. Other day, my old Yamaha trail bike croaked on me in the shed. Google gave me some basic nonsense, AI tried to be cute—useless. But this obscure little forum, bloke named “RevHead99,” had a detailed post with exactly the right wiring fix. Saved my weekend! That’s the SEO juice Simon’s talking about, right?

Simon Carver

Totally. When the algorithms get stumped, or when people need advice from someone who’s actually been there, it’s those granular, “no one else bothered to write this” posts that win. That’s kinda comforting, honestly. It’s like the weirder or more specific you get, the better your chances are now.

Lachlan Reed

Exactly. And you know, if big language models mess up on rare questions—or folks just don’t want a “robot” answer—those deep-dive posts and how-tos are like gold. Almost makes you want to go back to your own site and see what weird corners you’ve never covered.

Simon Carver

That’s the challenge, right? Find the stuff the bots can’t quite crack, and lean in. Go weird, go specific, be the “RevHead99” for your space. I kind of love it. And hey, this builds right off our last episode—maybe dig through those Reddit threads or product reviews for the stuff nobody else is talking about. Still totally relevant, just in a new context.

Lachlan Reed

Spot on, mate. Alright, that’s us for today on The Digital Edge—thanks for tuning in, whether you’re listening from the shed or the subway. We’ll be back next time with more ways to get ahead of the curve. Simon, always a pleasure talking search with you, mate.

Simon Carver

Always a good time, Lach. Catch you next episode, and hey, if you stumble onto a weird niche keyword or AI search story, let us know! See ya, everyone.