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Does AI search require new optimization strategies separate from traditional SEO?
No. Nick Fox (Google’s SVP of Knowledge and Information) said in a recent interview:
- AI search optimization = traditional SEO – “The same as how to perform well in traditional search”
- What works: Build great sites and great content (standard SEO advice)
- Publisher partnerships: Google works with 3,000+ organizations in 50+ countries
- Primary partnership model: Driving clicks and traffic, not just licensing deals
- No standardized licensing: Google won’t offer uniform licensing deals for all publishers
- AI Mode insights: Deeper queries, stronger adoption in early markets, younger users prefer it more
Bottom line: Google’s official position is that AI search optimization doesn’t require new tactics. Standard SEO principles still apply.
Nick Fox sat down for an interview on the AI Inside channel with Jason Howell and Jeff Jarvis. He dropped some clarity on how publishers should approach AI search optimization.
Short version: you don’t need special “AI SEO” tactics. Do what already works for traditional search.
AI Search Optimization = Traditional SEO
Jeff Jarvis asked about guidance for publishers who want to be part of AI search.
Nick Fox’s response: “The way to optimize to do well in Google’s AI experiences is very similar, I would say, the same as how to perform well in traditional search. And it really does come down to build a great site, build great content.”
That’s it. No special schema markup for AI. No unique content structure for AI Mode. No separate optimization playbook.
Same fundamentals that have always worked: quality content, good site structure, user-focused experience.
This aligns with Google’s broader messaging about AI features – they’re extensions of search, not replacements requiring entirely new strategies.
Google’s Publisher Partnership Model
Fox emphasized that Google works with “over 3,000 organizations, publishers, publications, organizations around the world in 50 plus countries.”
The partnership model has two components:
Primary: Driving clicks and traffic – Fox said this is the core partnership. “I believe that users will continue to click through and read underlying sources.”
Secondary: Commercial partnerships – Financial arrangements exist, but traffic remains the primary value exchange.
He doubled down on this: “The core of the way that Google will partner with news organizations and websites overall will be through traffic and links within these experiences.”
Translation: Google’s position is that AI search features will send traffic, not cannibalize it.
No Standardized Licensing Deals
When asked if Google would create a standardized licensing model for all publishers, Fox said “short answer is no.”
Each partnership is negotiated individually. There’s no uniform deal structure that smaller publishers can simply opt into.
This contradicts what some publishers hoped for – a simple, transparent licensing framework where everyone gets paid based on clear metrics.
Update: A Google spokesperson later clarified that Fox “never said that there won’t be licensing deals” and “did not outright reject the idea.” But the interview strongly suggested no standardized model is coming.
Fox Questioned Third-Party CTR Studies
Fox pushed back on third-party studies showing AI features reduce clicks.
He called them “cherry-picked” and “one-offs” and said stats vary by site. He claimed Google has seen studies showing AI results send even more traffic to some sites.
This is the second time Google executives have questioned the methodology of independent CTR research on AI Overviews and AI Mode.
The disconnect: publishers and third-party tools consistently show traffic drops. Google says their internal data shows increases (or at least no consistent decreases).
Without Google releasing their data, this remains a “he said, she said” situation.
What Google Learned From AI Mode
Fox shared insights from AI Mode’s rollout:
Deeper queries – Users ask more complex, multi-part questions in AI Mode than traditional search.
Stronger adoption in early markets – Regions that got AI Mode first show higher sustained usage.
Less-resourced languages prefer AI responses – Regions with less web content in their language find AI responses more satisfying because they synthesize limited available information.
Younger users resonate more – AI Mode adoption skews younger, suggesting generational preference for conversational interfaces.
These patterns suggest AI search isn’t just a feature upgrade – it’s shifting how different user segments interact with Google.
The Bigger Picture
Fox positioned AI search as “expansionary” – meaning it increases overall Google usage rather than cannibalizing traditional search.
His argument:
- People use Google more when they can ask more types of questions
- More people using Google means more people clicking through to websites
- Therefore, AI search should increase total traffic to publishers
Whether this holds true remains to be seen. Early data from publishers tells a different story.
But Google’s official position is clear: optimize for AI search the same way you optimize for traditional search. Build great content, build great sites.
No special tactics needed.
