May 5, 2025
Your SEO Strategy Is So 2016
If You're Not Optimizing for AI and TikTok, You're Basically Whispering Into the Void
By Sofia Cianciulli
Remember when SEO was all about cramming “best vegan shampoo 2022” into a blog post and begging Google to notice? Simpler times. But friends, the algorithm gods have evolved—and they’re bringing receipts. TikTok is now a search engine, ChatGPT is your new homepage, and SEO? She’s not dead. She’s just working a new job with better benefits.
Let’s unpack it.
The Blue Links Are Retiring
The way people search is changing—fast. No more 10-tab Googling. No more scrolling through forums trying to decode someone’s cousin’s opinion on the best noise-canceling headphones.
Now?
Teens are searching on TikTok for skincare routines.
Your aunt is asking ChatGPT what to make for dinner based on whatever’s wilting in her fridge.
Even you might’ve gotten a product recommendation from an AI instead of a banner ad.
Google still matters. But it’s no longer the only game in town.
TikTok SEO Is Realer Than Your FYP
TikTok didn’t ask to be a search engine. It just happened. Gen Z said, “I don’t trust blogs with too many popups,” and started typing “best sushi in Brooklyn” into TikTok instead.
So now:
Your captions, comments, and even closed captions matter.
Keywords aren’t just for headers—they’re for voiceovers.
Your niche video might go viral not because it’s the prettiest, but because it says the exact phrase someone searched.
Case in point: Alix Earle didn’t just become a TikTok It Girl—she’s now a shopping authority for thousands. (Ask her 7.4M followers how they found out about the Dyson Airwrap.)
LLM SEO Is Coming for Your Blog
Language models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude are scraping the internet like it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet. But they’re not grabbing random Reddit threads—they want well-structured, clear content to feed their responses.
Translation:
Your content needs structure (think headers, FAQs, summaries).
Be concise, be clear, and be helpful—AI rewards content that’s easily digestible.
And citability is the new kingpin. If an AI starts referencing your content as a source, that’s worth more than climbing to Page 1 of Google.
This is not theoretical. OpenAI is already partnering with publishers like The Atlantic and Vox Media to cite and train on their content.
Authority Is Getting Automated
Traditional SEO told us: backlinks = credibility. Now? Authority is about being cited by robots.
If ChatGPT keeps mentioning your newsletter as the go-to for sustainable fashion tips, congrats—you’re the new authority. Even if you’ve never ranked on Google.
We’re shifting from “ranked by humans” to “referenced by machines.”
So, What Now?
If you’re a brand still relying only on old-school SEO—optimizing blog posts, tweaking meta descriptions, and praying to the Google algorithm—you’re not just invisible. You’re irrelevant.
You need to show up:
In AI summaries
In TikTok search results
In Reddit threads, YouTube captions, even email newsletters AI might scan
SEO isn’t dead. She just got promoted. And she’s wearing a different outfit.
TL;DR?
TikTok is a search engine now. Yes, really.
ChatGPT is the new front page of the internet.
Structure your content so AIs want to cite it.
If the robots don’t know you exist, neither will your next customer.
Want help making your content AI-friendly and scroll-stopping? Let’s chat.
xo,
Studio Vagari