From Keywords to Conversations: SEO Strategies for AI-Driven Search

Last updated on July 30, 2025

For over two decades, SEO revolved around a familiar playbook: find the right keywords, map them to pages, and optimise content to rank higher on Google’s search results. But with the rollout of AI Mode, that playbook is becoming obsolete.

Table of Content

Search is no longer about matching words — it’s about understanding conversations, solving problems, and becoming part of AI-generated answers.

In this blog, we’ll explore how SEO strategies must evolve to keep pace with AI-driven search and how your content can become more conversational, contextual, and citation-worthy.

From Queries to Conversations

In traditional search, a user types a query, gets a list of results, and clicks through to find what they need.

In AI Mode, the experience is radically different:

Users can: speak naturally or upload photos.
They can: ask multi-part questions, follow up with clarifications, or ask “what’s next?”
The AI: keeps context, remembers prior inputs, and guides a task-based journey.

It’s not “search and skim” anymore. It’s ask, receive, and act.

Why Traditional Keyword Targeting Falls Short?

Let’s take the query: “What’s the best health insurance for families with young kids in Malaysia?”

Traditional SEO might optimise for:

“Best health insurance Malaysia”
“Family medical insurance Malaysia”
“Affordable health plans”

But AI Mode isn’t looking for those exact matches. It’s looking for answers to the full conversational intent, which might include:

Plans that cover paediatric care.
Comparison of premiums for young dependents.
Claim reviews from other parents.
In-network hospitals near the user’s location.
Recommendations based on income or lifestyle.

To be visible, your content must go beyond the keyword and address the real-world conversation.

Conversational SEO: What It Looks Like

1. Natural Language Questions

Your content should include real phrases users say, not robotic keyword strings.

Example: Instead of:

“Top dental insurance plans Malaysia”

Use:

“What dental plans are best for families in Malaysia?”

“How much does child dental coverage usually cost?”

Include FAQs, subheadings, and callout boxes that mimic spoken language.

2. Multi-Turn Contextual Depth

AI Mode doesn’t stop at one answer. It anticipates follow-ups.

If a user asks:

“Which productivity tools are good for startups?”

AI might assume follow-up questions like:

“Are the project management tools needed for project management, communication, or time tracking?”
“Looking for free tools or paid plans?”
“Need mobile or cross-platform apps?”

It will then search for pieces which answer all of these. Therefore, make sure your content:

Explores multiple layers of the topic.
Offers next-step suggestions.
Addresses “what if?” and “how to choose?” type scenarios.

3. Entity-Focused Optimisation

Google’s AI understands entities: people, brands, products, places. Rather than optimising pages around terms like “best CRM tools,” ensure your content defines:

What your product is (with schema).
Who it’s for (clear ICP).
How it compares (vs competitors or alternatives).
Real-world use cases (backed by experience).

You’re not just trying to “rank” — you’re trying to become a known entity that Gemini can reference.

4. Semantic Content Structure

Think beyond one article = one answer.

Your content should:

Use semantic HTML (headings, lists, tables).
Cover related queries in one resource.
Include FAQs, use-case examples, pros/cons, visuals.

This helps Gemini break your content into building blocks that it can pull into query fan-out answers.

5. Multimodal Support

AI Mode isn’t just text-based. Users may interact via:

Voice
Images
Video
Live camera input

This means your content should include:

Images with alt text and structured metadata.
Video explainers optimised for YouTube and transcribed.
Interactive elements like tables, checklists, carousels.

Example: A product tutorial video on “how to apply liquid eyeliner” might surface when someone asks:

“What’s the best eyeliner technique for almond eyes?” … even if they didn’t search on YouTube.

SEO in the Age of Conversations: A Checklist

Write for: questions, not just keywords.
Use: FAQ blocks and answer-style headings.
Address: follow-up queries proactively.
Focus on: helpfulness, clarity, and depth.
Use: entity definitions and structured data.
Optimise across: text, image, and video formats.
Ensure your content is: AI-digestible (semantic, clean, structured).

Final Thoughts

Keywords still matter, but they’re not the centre of the SEO universe anymore. In the age of AI Mode, it’s conversation, context, and credibility that drive visibility.

Your brand doesn’t just need to rank. It needs to speak the user’s language, anticipate their needs, and provide answers worth citing, even if there’s no click.