How SEO Agencies Win in the Age of AI Search

About This Episode

Is AI replacing agencies or exposing weak SEO strategies?

In this episode of SEO On-Air, host Koa Kauwe sits down with Scott Orth (Thrive Business Marketing), Andrea Schultz (Shero), and Joe Crivello-Sorensen (Top Click Joe) to unpack the real shifts happening across SEO, AI search, LLM visibility, and digital marketing in 2026.

From AI search visibility in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews to the growing importance of storytelling, brand authority, and personalized search experiences, this conversation explores what modern SEO actually looks like as search continues evolving beyond traditional rankings.

The panel dives into how agencies are adapting to AI-driven search, why operational excellence matters as much as SEO expertise, and how businesses must rethink content, conversions, and customer experience in an AI-first world.

You’ll hear discussions around:

• Why traffic is no longer the primary KPI
• The shift from keywords to topics, entities, and search intent
• How AI content is creating a credibility and quality crisis
• Why storytelling and authenticity are becoming ranking factors
• The growing role of YouTube, FAQs, NLP, and brand mentions in AI search
• Why link building still matters and how it’s evolving
• The difference between SEO that drives rankings vs SEO that drives revenue
• Why agencies are becoming strategic growth partners instead of just SEO vendors
• How businesses are failing to convert the leads they already have
• What AI visibility and optimization really mean in 2026

If you work in SEO, digital marketing, AI search optimization, content marketing, branding, local SEO, or run an agency navigating AI disruption, this episode is packed with real-world insights from agency leaders actively adapting to the future of search.

Because search isn’t dead.
It’s evolving beyond Google.

Key Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to the Podcast : How AI Overviews & LLMs Are Changing SEO Strategy

01:30 – Meet the Agency Leaders: Experience Across SEO & Digital Marketing

05:25 – Operational Excellence vs SEO Brilliance: What Actually Wins?

14:34 – Can In-House SEO Replace Agencies in the AI Era?

18:55 – Fixing Conversion & Lead Handling Before Driving More Traffic

27:16 – Is Search Intent Solved? Personalization as the Next Battleground

31:00 – AI Content vs Thought Leadership: What Actually Stands Out

34:00 – Are Backlinks Still Relevant in AI-Driven Search?

41:40 – Brand Mentions, NLP & Optimizing for AI Overviews