Now that people use ChatGPT, is SEO dead?

Every few years someone announces the end of SEO, usually to sell its replacement. What actually happens is that search changes shape. AI assistants have changed how some questions get answered, especially research-style questions where a summary is enough. But people looking for a clinic in Islamabad, a caterer in Rawalpindi or a sofa with delivery still search Google, check the map, read reviews and visit websites. Many also ask an assistant and then verify what it says on Google.

More importantly, the two are linked. Google's AI Overviews are built from pages in Google's index. ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini search the web when a question needs current or local information, and the pages they find are, broadly, the ones search engines can crawl and trust. A site that Google cannot index, that loads slowly or that says nothing specific is unlikely to be cited by an assistant either. The foundation — technical health, useful pages, a complete Google Business Profile, genuine reviews — serves both.

What should change is how pages are written and what you track. Content that answers questions directly, states facts plainly and avoids filler is easier for both a search engine and a language model to use. Consistency across your website, profiles and directories matters more, because assistants compare sources. Some informational searches may bring fewer clicks when the answer appears on the results page, so measure enquiries and sales rather than traffic alone. Treat AI search as an extra channel built on the same groundwork, not a reason to abandon the work that already brings customers.