Staying Visible: SEO In The AI And Spam Update Era

As we move through 2025 and look ahead to 2026, SEO managers are constantly having to adapt. Not only is coverage harder to come by, but every day a new algorithm drops. Without falling into the AI language trap, the SEO ‘landscape is evolving’.

Unfortunately for all creatives, including this SEO expert, gone are the days when having a well-designed website and targeting the right keywords were enough. Here’s how businesses are having to adapt to ensure they are able to monopolise the latest search visibility from consumers and prospects. 

It’s coming up to 2026, and nearly two-thirds of the global population is online. It’s not some dystopian universe, but AI systems now shape how people search and consume information. Therefore, businesses need to think beyond traditional optimisation.

Success today means building a smart, AI-ready digital marketing and SEO strategy that connects meaningfully with human users. It’s never just that easy though, because there is a need and a must to also stay compliant with increasingly sophisticated search engine standards.

AI and Google Spam Updates

AI is now at the core of search, whether we like it or not. It is also here to stay. Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and AI Overviews have reshaped how results appear, prioritising relevance, trust, and context over keyword density.

Alongside this, Google’s 2024 to 2025 Spam and Helpful Content Updates have taken stronger stances against manipulative link building, AI-generated filler content, and low-value sites. This is actually a benefit though, not a complaint. As a result, only authentic, high-quality content rooted in expertise and user intent can thrive.

That means SEO agencies and professionals must embrace AI both as a tool and a challenge. Using AI responsibly to create content ideas and analyse data can boost performance. However, relying too heavily on automated writing or synthetic backlinks risks penalties under the latest spam policies. It is harder than ever to get content ranking, and AI content detectors are unreliable to say the least. Striking the right balance between human insight and AI efficiency is now a key skill for modern marketers.

Authority Building and Backlinks

Guest posting and editorial partnerships remain powerful ways to build authority. Backlinks cannot just be bought. They must be done thoughtfully. Google’s spam update has cracked down on “link schemes” and networks of low-relevance posts. Today, relevance, transparency, and editorial integrity matter more than sheer link volume. Rank tracking software will eventually cotton on to this and will help businesses.

For anyone looking at link-building and gaining coverage, you need to focus on creating value-driven collaborations with reputable publications. You can still keep it interesting though for readers, and this can be done by collaborating with experts within your industry. A lot of marketeers are reaching out to influencers within their niche. Marketing managers need to have the ability to write articles that genuinely inform or entertain audiences, not just exist to host backlinks. Authentic engagement signals such as mentions, shares, and contextual references now carry more weight than ever.

AI-Driven Search and “People Also Ask” Features

Featured snippets still matter. AI-generated summaries and dynamic “People Also Ask” sections are the new number one. Businesses need to earn visibility, brands should structure content around questions, conversational phrases, and natural-language answers.

Integrating FAQ-style sections, structured data (Schema markup), and semantic headings helps search engines understand and surface your content in AI responses. Remember, the future of SEO is conversational. Writing in the way people speak and search is how your content earns trust and visibility in AI-driven search results.

Prioritising Core Web Vitals and Page Experience

At the end of the day,the user experience continues to influence ranking signals. Core Web Vitals and Page Experience updates still form the foundation of technical SEO in 2025. If you need a checklist, it is extensive, but there are some short-term factors. Websites that load fast, perform smoothly on mobile, and prioritise accessibility will consistently outperform those that do not.

Focus on reducing cumulative layout shift (CLS), improving load times, and maintaining strong HTTPS and security protocols. Fast-loading pages are becoming differentiators as users and algorithms alike prioritise ethical, efficient digital experiences.

Putting User Intent First

The golden rule remains unchanged: optimise for humans, not algorithms. As Google’s algorithms increasingly simulate user intent through AI, businesses that understand their audience deeply will always stay ahead. Conduct behavioural research, analyse search intent data, and create content ecosystems that address real-world problems, not just search terms.

Think about where your audience spends time. Whether that is short-form video platforms like TikTok, visual search engines like Pinterest, or AI-powered chat platforms.

Embracing Video and Multimodal Content

Video still is essential when it comes to digital marketing success. SEO now goes beyond traditional YouTube optimisation, which was the go-to 4 years ago. Search engines now analyse video transcripts, captions, and even visual elements to understand relevance. Experts now suggest integrating video across your content strategy. As part of a real team effort, teams can now embed clips on web pages, as well as repurpose podcasts into reels, and optimise metadata for both search and social discovery.

With AI-assisted editing tools, even small businesses can produce polished, educational, and engaging video content that amplifies both visibility and credibility.

As we approach 2026, SEO is no longer about trying to play games and beat the algorithms. Businesses need to align with them through authenticity, transparency, and innovation. Multiple factors are contributing to headaches for SEOs and creatives. These include, but are not limited to; AI in search, stricter spam enforcement. 

There is also a growing emphasis on user trust which means that sustainable SEO comes from genuine expertise, ethical content creation, and continuous learning. Brands that adapt to these principles will not just survive the next wave of updates, they will lead it.