Is SEO dead or dying?

SEO is not dying; it's evolving, just as it always has and will continue to do and its our job to adapt/adjust accordingly.

Here´s the truth:

• The global search engine optimization (SEO) market is valued at $74 billion and is expected to reach $129 billion by 2030 (30% of that is coming from the US alone) - Source 1 Source 2
  • That´s an average CAGR of 8.3% from 2024 to 2030.
• Mobile, a subset of the SEO market, is expected to grow at a 10.0% CAGR by 2030 - Source

And I can share a dozen other sources showcasing similar numbers.

I don´t think asking whether or not SEO is dead or dying should be the main concern here because it is clearly NOT dying. What should be the main concern for many is how the current and future state of SEO is impacting businesses all over the world given the drastic drop in clicks/traffic and how that translate into conversions.

Note: Gartner predicts that search engine volume will drop 25% by 2026 because of generative A - Source

Those saying SEO is dead and making a case for it are just people who are still expecting to implement tactics from 10 or even 5 years ago and getting the same results for their clients and/or aren´t capable of sustaining their current results.

SEMrush published a Small Business Content Marketing in 2024 report earlier this year, containing data about a study they conducted. Some of the results presented in that report that caught my eye were:

• 67% of small businesses are already using AI for content creation and SEO.
• Among the more than 2,600 businesses surveyed, 65% report better SEO results because of AI.
• 61% of marketers using AI for ranking and attracting organic traffic say they are “effective” or “very effective.”

So, to sum it up, for me personally at least:

• SEO is NOT dying, it's evolving
• Our ability to properly and effectively adapt/adjust our strategy is critical

Cheers!