Using AI for max leverage (from a 20+ year SEO veteran)

The following is a conversation with Filipe Santos - VP SEO & host of the PhraSEOlogy + AI Podcast

Before I ask any questions - give our readers some quick background context on you.

I’ve been in SEO for about 20 years. Started at a boutique agency, then moved to a bigger one that became well-known. Now, I’m on the client side, helping big companies like TopTal, Shutterstock, and UiPath solve organic search problems. 

I love combining search, tech, and storytelling. Innovation drives me.

You’ve seen the internet evolve like crazy. What’s your strength—technical side, content side, or both?

Both, plus PR and getting backlinks. I do a lot of testing to see what works. With AI in the mix, the focus is shifting more to the technical side and a holistic strategy, not just on-site and off-site SEO.

How is AI changing search’s role in SaaS go-to-market?

AI changes how fast we go to market, the coverage we get, and team structures. It touches everything from personalization to automation. Predictive analytics help forecast market trends and customer behavior, improving efficiency. AI also enhances customer service with virtual assistants and chatbots.

In SEO, generated responses are changing traffic flow. The traditional 10-blue links are less common with featured snippets, local packs, and more. AI-generated answers might cut traffic, so focus on the bottom part of the funnel. Top-of-funnel info will be covered by AI-generated content, so working with AI is crucial.

It’s crazy how contextual tactics can get. I use generative AI search a lot for thinking tasks but Google for shopping. Do you audit your search habits and apply that to client work?

Absolutely. Observing my own search habits helps me understand broader trends and apply them. I analyze my behavior and look at data to see how pain points are being addressed and how behaviors are changing.

Many are trying to make sense of how SEO is changing. Auditing their own behavior can help. You have a podcast and talk to many experts. Has interviewing guests given you insights into adjusting search strategies?

Definitely. Talking to experts about AI and SEO helps me see how to make AI work now and in the future. Each conversation adds to my understanding and helps me apply these changes.

User behavior and psychology have always been key in SEO. With AI delivering answers quickly, we need to pay attention to these changes. I gather insights from my guests to see how others are adapting and apply that to my strategies. Each experience is different but contributes to a broader understanding.

Do you think having “street-level knowledge” from practitioners will be a competitive advantage?

Yes, sticking to old methods will be tough in the next six months to two years. Competitive advantages go to those who understand and apply new tools and methods quickly. This advantage will level out as others catch up, but early adopters will always have an edge.

My advice: be brave, start learning, and experiment. For SEO, use AI to improve keyword research, site structure, and data application. Focus on quality, unique content using your first-party data.

Let’s say I’m an executive at a startup with a budget cut in half. I need guaranteed short-term results to stay afloat. How can I know that exploring new tools and methods will yield those results, especially with a board breathing down my neck?

Dedicate time to exploring new tools and strategies. Apply AI to your current strategy to improve it and show the board how it enhances existing methods. Use forecasting to present the likely upsides of small investments in channels like SEO. You can’t guarantee 100% success, but projecting over a year or two can help ease concerns. Present AI as a way to enhance what’s already working and show its potential for bigger gains.

What's your biggest win to date?

One stands out. I led a 36-person SEO team, split into six sub-teams focused on inbound, outbound, and technical SEO. We drove about $96 million in revenue from organic search in a year. It was a marketplace with many variables, and we used first-party data to create valuable content. Partnering with the right teams was key. If we had AI tools then, we could have tripled that number.

That’s amazing. What year was that?

Within the last five years. The $96 million was from organic search alone.

If you had one piece of advice for our readers, what would it be?

Life is about learning. Stay curious and keep testing. Be kind and humble; adding value to the world is more important than chasing goals at any cost. In your work, be playful and experimental.

The best results come from a state of flow and curiosity. Thanks for your time, Filipe. This was a great interview.

You too, Brooks. Take care.