TL;DR: For two decades, the debate over whether SEO is "strategic" or "tactical" has persisted. The truth is, it has historically been a tactical discipline in service of a broader business strategy. The rise of Generative AI is now fundamentally changing this dynamic. As AI automates many of the core tactical tasks, the true value of SEO is being elevated to the strategic level. This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for marketing leaders to move beyond execution and architect their brand's authority in a new, AI-driven world.
I am James, CEO of Mercury Technology Solutions.
For as long as I have been in this industry, there has been a persistent debate about the true nature of SEO. Is it a strategic function or a tactical one? Most SEO professionals would like to believe their work is strategic. Many executives, however, have historically viewed it as tactical.
The arrival of generative AI is finally forcing a new level of clarity on this question. This matters immensely because "strategy" and "tactics" are not synonyms. In business, strategy is the overarching plan; tactics are the specific moves. Confusing the two doesn't just muddy language; it leads to wasted resources, stalled initiatives, and misplaced expectations.
Defining Strategy vs. Tactics: A C-Suite Perspective
Business literature has been clear on this distinction for decades. Strategy is the "why" and the "what," while tactics are the "how."
(Image Placeholder: A simple pyramid diagram. The top tier is labeled "Strategy (The 'Why' - Our overall plan to win)." The middle tier is labeled "Tactics (The 'What' - The specific actions we will take)." The base tier is labeled "Execution (The 'How' - The implementation of those actions).")
A strategy might be to compete on customer trust instead of low prices. The tactics would be implementing testimonial campaigns, refining return policies, and training staff to deliver exceptional service.
The History of SEO: A Tactical Legacy
Looking back at the history of SEO makes this divide clear. At every stage, a broader business strategy was set by leadership, and the SEO team was tasked with the tactical execution.
- Early 2000s (PageRank Era): The strategy was to be discoverable on Google. The tactics were link building and keyword-stuffed pages.
- 2010–2015 (Panda/Penguin Era): The strategy shifted to "quality and sustainability." The tactics became pruning thin content and disavowing bad links.
- 2020s (BERT & Semantic Search): The strategy tilted toward "semantic relevance." The tactics followed in the form of creating topic clusters and optimizing for passage-level retrieval.
In each case, leadership set the "why," and SEO executed the "how."
How Generative AI Changes Both the Strategy and the Tactics
The rise of Generative AI reshapes the entire landscape. Instead of a list of 10 blue links, users now get a single, synthesized answer. This changes both the strategic questions leaders must ask and the tactical execution required.
The new strategic choices include:
- Deciding whether to compete for visibility across a fragmented ecosystem of AI engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.)—the core question a SEvO (Search Everywhere Optimization) strategy is designed to answer.
- Prioritizing the building of deep brand authority so you are cited in AI-generated answers—the central goal of our "Trust Layer" philosophy.
- Choosing where to allocate budget: competing for broad, evergreen topics or dominating narrow niches where AI coverage is weaker.
The new tactical execution includes:
- Structuring content into "citable chunks" optimized for vector search.
- Running retrieval tests across multiple AI platforms to measure your brand's presence.
- Aggressively using schema and structured data to clarify facts and entities for the AI.
The Great Elevation of SEO
For two decades, SEO has been defined by its tactical output. Generative AI is now changing that equation. Machines are absorbing many of the tactical SEO tasks. AI tools can now generate meta descriptions, suggest keywords, and even create structured schema markup.
This does not eliminate the need for SEO professionals. It elevates them.
This is similar to the evolution of the architect. While software can now automate the drafting of blueprints (the tactics), the true value of the architect has been elevated to the strategic level: understanding the client's vision, navigating complex regulations, and designing a space that truly serves its purpose.
If the tactical layer is becoming commoditized and automated, the true, defensible value shifts upward to the strategic layer. The opportunity is no longer just in executing optimizations, but in shaping how the entire organization builds visibility, authority, and trust in these new AI-driven ecosystems.
Conclusion: Strategy is the New Frontier
For 20 years, SEO has been the practice of tactical excellence in service of a broader growth strategy. With the rise of Generative AI, much of that tactical layer is shifting to the machines. That makes strategy the defining human frontier.
This is not a semantic debate; it is about influence and survival. The SEO professionals and marketing leaders who recognize the difference between strategy and tactics will step into a new level of leadership. Those who remain focused only on tactical execution risk being automated out.
The question is no longer whether SEO is strategic or tactical. The environment now demands that it becomes strategic. The only remaining question is: who will step up to lead?
