Let’s get real for a second:
SEO isn’t what it used to be.
Remember when ranking on Google meant stuffing a page with keywords, buying some backlinks from shady corners of the internet, and calling it a day? Yeah, that party’s over.
The rules have changed. Drastically. And not just for Google—now we’re optimizing for AI-generated answers, featured snippets, zero-click searches, and conversational responses from tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE).
It’s not just about being found.
It’s about being the answer.
Hi, I’m Dr. Robert Urban. I’m a digital strategist and SEO consultant with 10+ years in the trenches, a PhD to back it up, and a background that spans traditional SEO, performance marketing, and emerging AI trends. (Also, I’m a Marine veteran—so let’s just say I don’t spook easily when Google rolls out a new algorithm.)
In this post, I’m pulling back the curtain on how I help businesses not only rank on Google but show up where people are actually getting answers now—in AI search tools and generative results.
Step 1: The Deep-Dive Audit — Not Your Basic Checklist
First things first: We audit.
Not just a glance at your meta tags or a tool-generated “score,” but a full technical, structural, and content-level excavation of your site. I look under every hood.
- Technical SEO: Broken links, redirect chains, crawl errors, bloated JavaScript slowing your load time—these are silent killers for SEO.
- Structure: Is your content organized like a librarian’s dream? Or is it a digital junk drawer? Clear hierarchies and intuitive URLs help both Google and AI know what’s important.
- Content: Is it speaking to your ideal customer or rambling into the void? I evaluate your messaging, tone, usefulness, and topical authority.
Example:
One local plumbing company I worked with had decent reviews but wasn’t ranking. Their site loaded in over 8 seconds on mobile. After fixing lazy-load images, reducing server requests, and restructuring service pages by ZIP code coverage, we saw a 167% traffic increase—and a 40% lift in booked jobs.
Step 2: Optimize for Performance—Because Speed and UX Aren’t Optional
Your site needs to be fast, mobile-first, and structured for humans and machines.
- Site Speed: If your site takes longer than 3 seconds to load, most people will bounce. Google notices that—and so do AI tools scanning for efficient, accessible sources.
- Mobile Responsiveness: Mobile-first indexing means Google judges you by your mobile site first. If your buttons are unclickable or your fonts look like they were designed for ants, you’re in trouble.
- Meta Structure & Schema: Title tags, meta descriptions, header tags, and schema markup help search engines understand your content’s relevance. Done well, they also encourage clicks.
Example:
I once worked with a medspa whose service pages didn’t have any schema markup—just walls of text. Once we added schema for procedures, reviews, and FAQs, they started showing up in rich snippets and voice search results. Their bookings? Up 52% in 60 days.
Step 3: Smart Keyword Strategy—Long-Tail, High-Intent, and Zero Fluff
If someone searches “plumber,” they’re just browsing. But if they search “emergency water heater repair 32720,” they’re ready to make a call.
That’s the magic of long-tail keywords and intent-based targeting.
I build keyword clusters and content funnels around:
- Localized, transactional terms
- Informational questions AI is likely to surface
- Evergreen topics that build authority over time
Example:
For a wedding venue in Central Florida, we didn’t target just “wedding venue.” We built optimized blogs for “best small wedding venues in Deland,” “unique Florida elopement packages,” and “what’s the cost of a micro-wedding in Volusia County.” They now rank #1 in multiple local and regional categories.
Step 4: LLM SEO — Yes, You Can Show Up in ChatGPT’s Answers
This is where I lose 90% of traditional SEO folks.
But the future of search isn’t just Google—it’s ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and the SGE experience. People aren’t just searching anymore. They’re asking. Conversationally.
And if your content isn’t structured in a way that AI tools can easily pull, quote, or summarize—you’re invisible.
So I:
- Use FAQ sections and clear subheadings to align with natural-language queries
- Add context and clarity so AI doesn’t misinterpret or ignore your point
- Incorporate EEAT-friendly phrasing that signals trust, authority, and helpfulness
Example:
An HVAC blog I wrote was featured in a ChatGPT answer when someone asked, “How often should you change your AC filter in Florida?”—because it had a natural Q&A format, expert insight, and citations. The result? A 23% bump in organic traffic without ranking #1 on Google. AI did the work.
Step 5: Structured Data – Schema Is Not Optional Anymore
Schema markup is how you whisper in Google’s ear, “Hey, this page is about a product review with a 4.9-star rating and a price tag.”
I implement:
- Local business schema
- Service schema
- Article schema
- Event schema
- Product and review schema
- FAQPage and HowTo schema
It helps you win:
- Featured snippets
- AI-generated “panels” and previews
- Voice search mentions
Example:
After applying “HowTo” schema to a DIY lawn care blog for a landscape company, they started getting highlighted in voice searches and “People also ask” sections. You’d be amazed what showing up in a zero-click snippet can do for awareness.
Step 6: SGE Strategy — Riding the Wave Instead of Getting Wiped Out
Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) is turning the SERP into a conversation. It’s no longer a list of links—it’s a live, AI-powered summary with sources.
Here’s what I do:
- Monitor how SGE displays your topics
- Adjust page layouts and anchor sections to be more “snippet-friendly”
- Use conversational headers and question-based intros
- Continually optimize based on what AI is quoting, skipping, or rewriting
Example:
A nonprofit I worked with started getting featured in SGE’s AI preview for “mental health programs for teens” after we restructured their cornerstone page into a more conversational, Q&A format. Their email signups doubled. Overnight.
SEO That Evolves With the Search Itself
If you’re still optimizing like it’s 2020, you’re going to get left behind.
But if you’re ready to future-proof your business—to show up in Google, in ChatGPT, in Perplexity, in the next wave of search—you need a strategy that evolves.
I help brands:
- Clean up and clarify their SEO foundations
- Get fast, mobile, and schema-rich
- Speak directly to search intent and AI logic
- Be the kind of source both Google and ChatGPT want to quote
This isn’t magic. It’s smart strategy with a deep understanding of where digital attention is going.
Let’s connect if you’re ready to scale smarter.
Robert Urban