Highlights
This video isn’t a funeral for SEO. It’s a clarity check on what Google filters out now—and what it can’t ignore.
- SEO isn’t dead. The “five-years-ago playbook” is.
- Google killed generic, keyword-focused pages that exist only to rank.
- Google evaluates meaning, not just words, so redundancy gets filtered.
- The new bar is “deserve to be the answer,” not “match the keyword.”
- Many pages didn’t lose rankings—they lost visibility to featured snippets, AI Overviews, and zero-click answers.
The strongest line to remember: “Google didn’t kill SEO—it killed pages that exist only to rank.” When search can summarize, shallow pages don’t just underperform—they disappear.
Takeaways
- Stop buying “keyword pages.” If a page targets one term and says nothing new, it’s a cost center—not an asset.
- Design for usefulness, not just relevance. Ranking is not the same thing as being the best answer.
- Assume visibility can vanish even if rankings don’t. AI Overviews and snippets can remove the click.
- Feed the algorithm. Build around real questions, make answers extractable, and add proof with examples and comparisons.
Highlights Mapped to Action
| Highlight | What It Signals | Why It Matters | What To Do Now |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEO isn’t dead; shortcut SEO is. | Old “template content” strategies are being devalued. | Budget can be wasted producing pages Google won’t surface. | Audit pages built to rank first; rebuild around real questions. |
| Google killed generic, keyword-focused pages. | “One keyword, one page” without originality is a liability. | Shallow pages get replaced by better sources (or summaries). | Remove or rewrite pages that say nothing new and exist only to rank. |
| Google understands meaning, not words. | Redundancy is easier to detect and filter. | Lightly rewriting competitors doesn’t differentiate your brand. | Add unique framing and depth; stop producing “me too” content. |
| “Deserve to be the answer” is the new question. | Usefulness wins over mere relevance. | The best answer gets extracted and surfaced more often. | Make the answer clear, complete, and decision-oriented. |
| Rankings ≠ visibility (snippets/AI/zero-click). | Clicks can disappear even when positions remain stable. | Traffic loss can happen without “ranking loss.” | Build content that can be surfaced in summaries and snippets without being shallow. |
Ranking Mindset vs AI Visibility Mindset
| Ranking Mindset | AI Visibility Mindset |
|---|---|
| “Does this page match the keyword?” | “Does this page deserve to be the answer?” |
| Win by keyword matching and volume. | Win by clear answers, unique framing, and topic depth. |
| Relevance is treated as success. | Usefulness is treated as success. |
| Thin pages can be “good enough.” | Redundancy gets filtered; shallow pages get replaced. |
| Rank position is the primary KPI. | Visibility can shift to snippets, AI Overviews, and zero-click answers. |
| Content is written to rank. | Content is structured for extraction and decision clarity. |
AI Citation Readiness Checklist — February 2026 (Shortcut SEO Edition)
- Does the page answer a real question (not just target a keyword)?
- Is the answer clear enough that it can be extracted without losing meaning?
- Do you add something new (unique framing), or are you repeating what’s already said elsewhere?
- Is there real topic depth—not fluff—so the page is actually useful?
- Is the decision clear (proof, examples, comparisons) instead of vague claims?
- Are you sending clear entity signals (who/what the page is about)?
- Would the page still matter if Google could summarize the question without it?
- Have you identified queries where snippets/AI Overviews may remove the click—and adapted accordingly?
Watch the Video
This blog is the highlight reel. The walkthrough is in the video.
FAQ
Is SEO dead?
No. The point is that if SEO were dead, Google wouldn’t be making more money than ever. What’s changed is how people used to do SEO: shallow pages built only to rank get filtered.
What SEO tactic did Google kill?
Generic, keyword-focused pages created to target one keyword, say nothing new, and exist only to rank. Examples include “Best [Service] in [City]” pages, thin service pages, and slightly rewritten competitor content.
Why did generic keyword pages used to work?
They benefited from keyword matching, link volume, and domain authority. When matching words mattered more than meaning, repeating the right terms could be enough.
Why is that tactic dead now?
Google understands meaning, not just words, so redundancy gets filtered. And AI summaries can replace shallow pages by answering the question without needing them.
What replaced keyword-focused pages?
Answer-centered pages that deliver clear answers, unique framing, topic depth, and decision clarity. The shift is from “Does this match the keyword?” to “Does this deserve to be the answer?”
What does “deserve to be the answer” mean?
It means usefulness wins over mere relevance. The page needs to be clear, genuinely helpful, and confident enough that Google can surface it as the answer.
What’s the difference between rankings and visibility?
You can keep a ranking but lose visibility when featured snippets, AI Overviews, and zero-click answers take attention and clicks. Many pages didn’t lose rankings—they lost visibility.
Why do pages “disappear” even if they still exist?
If Google can answer the question without your page, your page disappears from the user’s journey. Shallow pages are easier to replace with summaries and SERP features.
What still works in SEO right now?
Pages built around real questions, structured for extraction, with clear entity signals and proof. The brands winning aren’t gaming the algorithm—they’re feeding it.
How should I audit my site for “dead tactic” pages?
Look for pages that target one keyword, say nothing new, and exist only to rank. Rebuild them around real questions, add unique framing and depth, and make the decision clear with proof and comparisons.
