The short answer
No. AI search tools mostly draw on pages that already rank well, so good SEO is how you get into AI answers. What has died is the old playbook of keyword-stuffed blogs and link schemes.
Every few years someone declares SEO dead. This time the reason is AI: if people ask ChatGPT or read Google's AI Overview, why would they visit your website?
What the evidence says
- Google still dominates in Australia. It handles around 88% of searches.
- AI answers lean on search results. Google's AI Overviews mostly cite pages that already rank. Google says there are no special requirements to appear in them beyond normal good SEO.
- ChatGPT search draws heavily on Bing. Being well indexed in Bing is part of being visible in ChatGPT.
So the foundation is the same: a fast, clear, trustworthy website that search engines can read.
What has died
- Publishing endless blog posts written for robots.
- Stuffing keywords into pages.
- Buying links.
- Monthly reports that celebrate rankings while the phone stays quiet.
AI tools are good at ignoring filler. That's bad news for content farms and good news for businesses with something real to say.
What matters more now
- Clear answers. Pages that answer real questions directly get quoted.
- Reputation. Reviews and mentions around the web carry more weight.
- Conversion. If AI sends fewer but better-informed visitors, your website has to turn more of them into enquiries.
The bottom line
SEO isn't dead. Bad SEO is finally being found out. If your website clearly explains what you do, loads fast, is set up properly and is well spoken of, it works in Google, in AI answers and with the person reading it.
How we can help
AI search optimisation (GEO) for Melbourne businesses
Practical, evidence-based work to help ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Gemini and Perplexity find, trust and recommend your business, without the hype.
Website overhaul for more enquiries
A rebuild of the pages that matter, so the people already visiting your site actually call or enquire. This is how Property Valuation Vic went from zero leads to five a week.