Originally published June 20, 2019. Updated for 2026. *
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) & AI SEO (AEO) can still feel like a bit of a dark art if you don’t practise it. The goal for many organisations remains the same: to be seen, discovered, and trusted online. But in 2026, the way people search has changed dramatically. AI-driven tools, zero-click searches, and conversational queries mean SEO now involves more than just keywords and backlinks.
Below are our updated top 11 SEO tips for 2026, reflecting how to optimise for humans and AI alike.
SEO Tip #1: Define your keywords – and understand intent
Keywords are still the foundation of SEO, but in 2026, it’s just as important to consider search intent. Think about informational queries, commercial or buying intent, local searches, and bottom-of-funnel queries that indicate readiness to purchase. Using Google Search Console can show you which queries your website is already appearing for, and you can analyse them further with regex filters to identify question-based, commercial, competitor, local, and multi-word searches.
SEO tip: Some useful regex examples include:
- Question-based queries: (?i)^(how|what|why|when|who|which|where|can|does|do|is|are|should|could|would)\b.*$
- Commercial/buying intent: (?i)(best|buy|price|cost|cheap|discount|deal|service|agency|near me)
- Competitor/alternative searches: (?i)(alternative|vs|versus|compare)
Analysing queries by intent allows you to structure content for AI Mode, AI Overviews, and traditional search, increasing the likelihood your site is featured in zero-click results.
SEO Tip #2: Create content that AI can understand
Content must still be valuable and readable, but in 2026, it also needs to be structured for answer engines. Using headings, bullet points, and tables makes content scannable, while FAQs or Q&A sections allow AI to directly pull your content into summaries or AI Overview cards. Your content should always remain natural—avoid keyword stuffing, but include key terms where relevant. Ask yourself if your page could answer a question directly, even without a click-through.
SEO Tip: Include structured sections like:
- H1/H2 headings that clearly reflect questions or topics
- Short paragraphs and bullet lists for readability
- FAQs that mirror your target queries for AI extraction
SEO Tip #3: Write meta titles and descriptions for both AI and humans
Meta titles and descriptions remain important. They should clearly reflect the page content and include relevant keywords and variations naturally. In 2026, meta information also guides AI summarisation in zero-click results, so being clear, concise, and descriptive helps both users and AI answer engines understand your content.
SEO Tip: Include:
- Target keyword in meta title naturally
- Secondary variations in meta description
- Clear indication of what the page contains for both humans and AI
SEO Tip #4: Optimise images
Images are still crawled and can now be used by AI in AI Mode and AI Overview responses. Rename images descriptively (no DSC001.webp) and use alt text that describes the content while naturally including relevant keywords. Upload real, high-quality photos for products, services, and your team. AI increasingly pulls these visuals into direct answers, so well-labelled images can directly improve your discoverability. Also, make sure images are in modern, fast-loading formats like WebP or AVIF to improve page performance and SEO.
SEO tip:
- Use descriptive filenames (e.g., leeds-seo-agency.webp)
- Include keyword-relevant alt text
- Add images to Google Business Profile posts for additional AI exposure
- Use modern formats (WebP, AVIF) to speed up loading and improve user experience
SEO Tip #5: Backlinking is still important
Backlinks remain a strong signal of authority, and in 2026, this signal also influences AI-driven search results. Focus on high-quality, relevant links, and create thought-leadership content that naturally attracts backlinks. Guest posts, partnerships, and affiliations are still excellent ways to improve your domain authority, which in turn makes your site a more trusted source for AI answer engines.
SEO tip:
- Prioritise backlinks from sites relevant to your niche
- Ensure anchor text is natural and descriptive
- Track backlinks in Google Search Console or other tools to monitor quality
SEO Tip #6: Blogging for AI and humans
Blogs are now dual-purpose: they attract readers, encourage backlinks, and serve as answerable content for AI tools. Structure blogs with headings, question-based subheaders, and internal links to your main services. Regularly updating content shows that your brand is active, authoritative, and reliable—a signal AI uses when selecting content for summaries or answer cards.
SEO tip:
- Use H2s for question-based queries
- Include internal links to relevant product/service pages
- Add bullet lists for key points AI can easily extract
SEO Tip #7: Index your site with Google
For Google to find and display your site in 2026, indexing and monitoring are more critical than ever. Submit sitemaps via Google Search Console and check which pages are performing in AI Overview or zero-click searches. Use regex filters (like the ones in Tip #1) to segment queries by intent, then adjust content to capture emerging opportunities. Keeping an eye on this data allows you to optimise for both human users and AI answer engines.
SEO tip:
- Monitor impressions, clicks, and average position by query type
- Identify emerging keywords or queries with high zero-click rates
- Adjust content to answer AI-relevant queries directly
SEO Tip #8: Website performance and user experience
A well-built, fast, mobile-friendly site is still non-negotiable. Google’s AI considers both content and user experience when selecting pages for direct answers. Remove slow-loading elements, maintain clean navigation, and ensure calls to action are clear. Structured data (schema) also helps AI interpret your content, highlighting key details such as services, products, FAQs, and local business info.
Pro tip:
- Implement LocalBusiness or Product schema
- Use FAQ and HowTo schema where relevant
- Regularly test site speed and mobile usability
SEO Tip #9: Reviews matter more than ever
Reviews now influence both humans and AI-driven search results. Encourage positive, authentic reviews on Google, Trustpilot, or other relevant platforms. Responding to reviews demonstrates engagement and authority. Highlight recurring words from reviews in your content—these act as natural keywords and signals to AI about your business’s relevance to common queries.
SEO tip:
- Ask for reviews via email, QR code, or post-service request
- Respond to all reviews, positive or negative
- Pin top reviews on Google Business Profile
SEO Tip #10: Optimise your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile (GBP) is essential for AI visibility. Complete all business info, add posts, Q&A, and photos, and maintain accurate reviews. Google AI increasingly prioritises its own verified data, meaning a fully optimised GBP is now a key foundation for visibility in AI Mode, AI Overview cards, and zero-click searches. Ensure your listings are consistent across locations and platforms to build trust and authority.
SEO tip:
- Keep business name, address, and hours consistent
- Add regular posts and answer questions in Q&A
- Include relevant images and up-to-date services
SEO Tip #11: Video and multimedia optimisation
Video continues to dominate attention and is now highly influential for AI-driven search. Upload videos to YouTube and other social platforms, optimise titles, descriptions, and tags, and create clips that answer common questions directly. Use consistent visuals across your website, GBP, and social channels to reinforce brand identity, helping AI tools understand and feature your content accurately.
Pro tip:
- Upload high-quality, landscape-format videos
- Use keywords in titles, descriptions, and tags
- Share videos across social media for greater reach
SEO Done Right, So You Don’t Have To
SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming, but it can be time-consuming, technical, and constantly changing. That’s where we come in. Our team of SEO experts takes care of the heavy lifting, so you can focus on running your business while still getting noticed online.
Here’s how we make SEO easy for you:
- Advanced strategies handled for you: From technical SEO audits to structured data and AI-driven optimisation, we tackle the complex work behind the scenes.
- Content that gets seen: We ensure your content not only ranks but is structured for AI Overviews, zero-click searches, and answer engine visibility.
- Continuous improvement: SEO isn’t a one-off task. We monitor performance, adjust strategies, and keep your site ahead of algorithm changes.
- Local and global optimisation: From Google Business Profiles to multilingual SEO, we make sure your business is discoverable wherever your audience is searching.
- SEO tips included: We don’t just implement, we give you insights, tips, and recommendations so you understand what’s driving your results.
If you want to leave the complicated SEO & AEO work to experts and start seeing real results, get in touch with us today. We’ll help your business get found, stay visible, and grow online.
Call us now on 0113 733 2020 or reach out via our contact form to get started.
