Why doesn't SEO work anymore?

In short: SEO still works, but not how you think. AI answers remove clicks, rankings don't equal visibility, and zero-volume questions matter more than keywords. Traditional SEO tactics are breaking because the front door to discovery has changed.

SEO was built for a world where people clicked through search results. That world is gone.

What changed?

People don't search the way they used to. When someone needs an answer, they:

• •Ask ChatGPT directly
• •Scan AI-generated summaries
• •Trust Reddit threads and YouTube explainers
• •Get answers without clicking through

Your content can rank number one on Google and still be invisible.

Why SEO stopped working

AI answers remove clicks. Users get full answers before ever reaching your site.

Rankings don't equal visibility. Being number one no longer guarantees traffic or mentions.

Zero-volume questions matter. The most valuable prompts never show up in keyword tools.

What to do about it

1. 1.Structure for citation — Make it easy for AI to extract and cite your content
2. 2.Answer questions directly — Not just keywords, but actual questions people ask
3. 3.Build authority — AI systems trust sources with consistent, high-quality content
4. 4.Think beyond your site — Win mentions on Reddit, YouTube, forums, and other platforms

The framework

Think: Visibility over rankings

• •Citations matter more than clicks
• •Mentions matter more than visits
• •Authority matters more than positions
• •Answers matter more than results

The conclusion

SEO still works, but not how you think. Search engines now power AI answers. AI answers decide what gets cited. Citations decide who gets discovered.

That's where AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization, comes in.