Your SEO strategy from 2024 won’t cut it anymore. Google has changed how it ranks websites. AI is changing how people search, and your competitors are already adapting. What about you?
If you’re still optimising the way you did last year, you’ll be left behind, fast.
SEO in 2026 is different. The tactics that worked twelve months ago now hurt your rankings instead of improving them. You may find that your blog posts that were on top are now hard to find. Maybe your approaches that generated consistent leads are quiet now.
This is happening right now, and many businesses have no idea.
What’s Changed About SEO for 2026?
The biggest change is that Google doesn’t focus as much on traditional SEO anymore.
Backlinks still count, but now it’s all about quality. Hundreds of average links won’t help you, but one good link from a trusted website can make a big difference. Google is tough on fake or low-quality link-building tactics.
Content has changed, too. Writing long articles doesn’t guarantee a good ranking. Google cares more about whether your content actually answers people’s questions. A short, helpful post can rank higher than a long, boring one.
User experience is now non-negotiable. Speed, mobile responsiveness, and layout stability determine rankings as much as content quality. Google now uses Core Web Vitals as key ranking factors for page experience, and they show up in all Google tools.
What people are looking for is now the most important thing. Google doesn’t just look at keywords anymore; it looks at why someone is searching. Are they trying to buy something? Learn something? Compare options? Your content needs to match that intent exactly.
Most businesses are still chasing keywords. They’re not chasing intent. That’s the gap.
How Is AI Reshaping SEO in 2026?
AI didn’t just change SEO. It rewired how people search.
ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and other AI search engines are now serious competitors for Google. People are using them for research, comparisons, and even product discovery. According to industry data, over 40% of internet users have tried AI search engines.
This means your content needs to show up in two places now—Google results and AI-generated answers. AI engines cite sources. If your content is cited, you get visibility and traffic. If it’s not, you’re invisible.
Google itself is fighting back by adding AI summaries directly into search results. This pushes organic results further down the page. Your click-through rates are dropping even if your rankings stay the same.
At Tower 25 San Diego, we’re tracking how AI is reshaping search behaviour. We’re optimising client content to get cited in AI answers. We’re building strategies that account for AI search engines, not just Google. The businesses that ignore this shift will lose visibility fast.
AI is also changing how people create content. AI-generated content is everywhere now. Google can detect it and rank it lower. However, AI tools used strategically to optimise and improve human-written content work well. The key is human expertise combined with AI efficiency, not pure automation.
The content game has shifted from volume to relevance. You don’t need fifty mediocre blog posts. You need five exceptional ones that actually answer the questions that people ask.
What Are Google’s Latest SEO Updates in 2026?
Google released several major updates in 2026. The most impactful was the shift toward entity-based SEO.
Google doesn’t just look at keywords anymore. Now, it looks at real businesses and people, called entities. If you’re a plumbing company in Los Angeles, Google wants to see that you’re a real, trusted business with good reviews and a strong reputation. Your website is just one way Google checks who you are.
This explains why local businesses with strong Google Business Profiles and numerous reviews rank higher than those with better websites. Google cares about your business as an entity, not just your web pages.
Another major update punished sites using outdated SEO tactics. Keyword stuffing, hidden text, cloaking, and low-quality link exchanges all trigger manual penalties now. Google’s algorithm can easily detect this manipulation, which only hurts your site.
The emphasis on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) has intensified. For health, finance, and competitive industries, this is critical. Google wants to know you’re qualified to speak on the topic.
What Does the Future of SEO in 2026 Really Look Like?
SEO is becoming more complex and more integrated with the overall business strategy.
There’s not much difference between SEO and content marketing now. The same goes for SEO and paid ads; they’re all mixing. To do well in search, you need to look at everything: your website, your articles, your ads, your social media, your business profile, and your brand’s reputation. All of these things work together to help you show up in search results.
This means SEO isn’t a separate department anymore. It’s part of everything you do. Every piece of content you create should serve SEO. Every page on your site should be strategic.
Personalisation is increasing. Google shows different results to different users based on their location, search history, and behaviour. Your rankings might be different for different segments of your audience. This makes monitoring rankings trickier, but also creates opportunities for you to target specific audiences.
Voice search and visual search are growing. People are using voice assistants to search. They’re using image searches to find products. Your content needs to work across these formats, not just a text-based Google search.
What Are the Latest SEO Strategies for 2026?
Forget shortcuts, what matters now is real value.
Don’t just focus on one keyword for one page. Make a main page about a topic, then create more pages that explain ideas related to the topic. Share real facts, use data, and show where your info comes from. This shows Google you really know your stuff.
It’s also important to prove your business is real and trusted. Get listed in online directories, collect reviews, and be active on social media. Show you’re an expert in your field.
At Tower 25 San Diego, we help clients move from old keyword tricks to new strategies that build trust and authority. We write content that both people and AI search engines like. The results are much better than the old ways.
When it comes to links, quality beats quantity. Focus on earning good links, not trying to trick the system.
Finally, your website must be fast, easy to use, and work on phones. This isn’t optional. Google research shows that as page load time increases from one to five seconds, visitors are 90% more likely to leave the site.
How Can You Rank on Google in 2026?
Start by auditing your current strategy. What worked in 2024 might be hurting you now.
Check your backlinks. Do you have links from low-quality sites? Are you using outdated link-building tactics? Clean up your link profile.
Review your content. Is it actually solving problems? Does it match search intent? Is it better than what’s already ranking? If the answer is no, rewrite it or delete it.
Optimise your entity. Claim your Google Business Profile, build reviews, and get citations. Create a strong social presence. Make sure your business information is consistent everywhere.
Implement Core Web Vitals. Make sure your site loads fast. Test on mobile and fix layout issues. These are ranking factors now.
Make groups of related pages about each topic. Don’t just focus on one keyword per page. Build a whole set of helpful content to show you’re an expert.
Stop Losing Rankings to Competitors
Your competitors are already adapting. Some are shifting to AI-friendly content, some are focusing on entity optimisation, while some are building comprehensive topic clusters.
The ones moving fastest will dominate search results in your industry. The ones ignoring these trends will slowly disappear.
We’re offering a free SEO audit where we analyze where your strategy stands in 2026. We’ll show you which of your current tactics are helping and which are hurting. We’ll identify gaps where your competitors are winning. We’ll map out which changes generate the most impact.
Book your free SEO audit today. See exactly where your strategy needs to change to compete in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is my 2024 SEO strategy still effective in 2026?
Some fundamentals still work, like quality content and site speed. But keyword-focused optimization is less effective. Entity optimization and AI-friendly content are now critical. Most 2024 strategies need significant updates.
Q: How do I optimize for AI search engines?
Create factual, well-sourced content. Include citations and references. Answer specific questions directly. AI engines prefer content that cites reliable sources. Focus on providing genuine value, not keyword optimisation.
Q: Do backlinks still matter in 2026?
Yes, but differently. A few high-quality links from authoritative sources matter more than many mediocre links. Low-quality link building now hurts you. Focus on earning links through great content and partnerships.
Q: What’s more important, keywords or search intent?
Search intent now. Google ranks based on whether your content matches why someone is searching. “Best project management software” requires different content than “how to use project management software.” Both have the same keyword but different intent.
Q: How often should I update my SEO strategy?
Update your strategy every three months as SEO changes constantly. What works now might not work in three months. Stay updated on Google announcements. Test new approaches and adapt based on results.
Q: Is AI-generated content bad for SEO?
100% AI-generated content often ranks poorly because it is generic and lacks depth, but AI-assisted content works great. You should use AI to improve your content, not write it.
Q: How long does it take to see results from new SEO strategies?
Quick wins appear within weeks. Major improvements in rankings will take about two to three months of consistent effort.