SEO didn’t die when AI search arrived — but the rules shifted. Here is a current, hype-free intro covering what still works in 2026 and where to spend your first three months.
The three things that still work
Search intent matching, real-world authority, and technical hygiene. None of those got less important when AI search arrived — if anything, they all got more important.
What to deprioritize
Pure keyword stuffing, low-effort link buying, and chasing every SERP feature. These were dying in 2020 and are dead in 2026.
The bottom line
Write better than the page currently ranking. Make sure the site is fast and crawlable. Earn one or two real backlinks. That covers 80% of effective SEO in 2026.
