TL;DR: Everyone is panicking that "SEO is dead" because of AI Search (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity). They are wrong. Abandoning SEO for "AI Optimization" is the fastest way to become invisible. To win in the AI era, you need to double down on traditional SEO, embrace your competitors, and stop trusting API data. Here are the 5 counter-intuitive mistakes you are likely making right now.
James here, CEO of Mercury Technology Solutions. Hong Kong - February 12, 2026
Lately, I hear a lot of anxiety: "AI Search is here. Should we stop doing SEO and focus entirely on AI?" This is Mistake #1.
The logic is simple: Where do you think ChatGPT and Gemini get their answers? They don't invent facts; they steal them from high-ranking search results. If you have no Google ranking, you have no AI visibility.
Here are the 5 deadly mistakes brands are making in the age of AI Search (GEO - Generative Engine Optimization).
1. Abandoning SEO for AI (The Suicide Move)
If you stop doing SEO to focus on "AI prompting," you are cutting off your own oxygen.
- The Math: Google still handles 8 billion searches per day (mostly commercial intent). ChatGPT handles 2.5 billion (mostly creative/coding intent).
- The Logic: AI models are "Answer Engines." They pull data from authoritative sources. If Google doesn't trust your site, Gemini won't cite it.
Strategy: Good SEO is the entry ticket to AI recommendation. You don't choose between them; you do SEO to get AI visibility.
2. Obsessing Over Keywords vs. Topic Authority
Old SEO: Stuffing the keyword "Best Running Headphones" 50 times. New AI SEO: Query Fan-out.
When a user asks AI about headphones, the AI secretly generates 10 sub-queries:
- Are they waterproof?
- Battery life?
- Do they fall out?
If your content only answers the main keyword but misses the sub-queries, the AI will ignore you. The Stat: If you cover a topic comprehensively (answering all related questions), your chance of being cited in an AI Overview jumps by 161%. Stop counting keywords; start building Topical Authority.
3. Hiding Your Competitors (The "Ostrich" Strategy)
This is the most counter-intuitive point: You must mention your competitors. Brands hate doing this. "Why would I advertise for them?"
The AI Reality: AI loves Efficiency. It loves "Top 10" lists and "Comparison Tables" because they save processing power and give the user a quick answer.
- Case Study: A brand called T-metric ranks #1 in ChatGPT queries because they wrote an article listing the "5 Best Apps" (including their rivals).
- The Payoff: By being the source of the comparison, you control the narrative. If you don't write the comparison, the AI will pull it from G2 or a competitor's blog, and you will be invisible.
4. Trusting API Data (The "Happy Chart" Trap)
Marketing tools are selling you expensive dashboards showing your "AI Ranking" based on API data. It is a lie.
Research shows a massive disconnect between API Responses and Real User Web Responses.
- The API might say you are cited.
- The real user on ChatGPT web might see a completely different result. Strategy: Use tools that scrape the actual web interface, not just the API. Don't let a "Happy Chart" lull you into false confidence.
5. Asking AI How to Rank in AI (The Hallucination Loop)
I see people typing into ChatGPT: "How do I get my brand to rank #1 in ChatGPT?" This is absurd. LLMs are Next-Token Predictors. They do not know their own ranking algorithm. They are just guessing the next word based on training data from 2025. They will give you outdated SEO advice from 3-5 years ago. Strategy: Do not ask the oracle how the oracle works. Test it yourself.
Conclusion: SEO is GEO
To win in the AI era, you don't need "Black Magic." You need to execute the fundamentals flawlessly:
- Semantic Keyword Strategy (Topic Clusters).
- Comprehensive Content (Include Competitors).
- Authority Building (Backlinks).
Think of SEO as the lens through which AI sees the world. If the lens is clear, the AI sees you. If the lens is cracked, you are invisible.
Do the work once, get traffic twice (Google + AI). That is the only smart play.
Mercury Technology Solutions: Accelerate Digitality.
