What Is Agentic SEO?
Agentic SEO is an SEO strategy that uses AI agents to automate SEO tasks that would normally be executed by one or more human experts.
An AI agent is a software program that can autonomously perform SEO tasks, such as keyword research, content optimization, and linkbuilding. It can also review the performance of its SEO techniques, and then optimize it based on its findings.
The AI agents used for agentic SEO are powered by large language models (LLMs) such as GPT, Gemini, and other proprietary artificial intelligence models.
With that said, agentic SEO does not necessarily replace a human. However, it can reduce human input to the minimum or only to areas where it is necessary.
In this article, we’ll cover:
How Agentic SEO Differs from Traditional SEO
Agentic SEO differs from traditional SEO primarily in how decisions are made and tasks are executed.
In traditional SEO, human SEO specialists handle every aspect of SEO. These people may make use of specialized SEO tools but they typically need to manually configure these tools to uncover the data they need.
In contrast, autonomous AI agents handle a good part of the SEO tasks in agentic SEO. They can access multiple SEO tools using APIs, extract the data that they need, and then use the data to execute SEO techniques.
These AI agents can also make SEO decisions independently. This means they can analyze performance data to understand the results of the changes they applied and then modify their SEO strategy in response, all without human input.
This allows agentic SEO to scale faster than traditional SEO. It is also more efficient, data-driven, scalable, and error-proof compared to traditional SEO.
Meanwhile, traditional SEO is largely manual, time-consuming, and heavily depends on the experience , expertise, and judgment of the SEO professional. Improvements and updates in traditional SEO are not instant either, as human SEOs have to manually monitor results and implement improvements.
Agentic SEO vs SEO Agency
There are considerations that agentic SEO will replace SEO agencies. These concerns arose because agentic SEO automates many of the SEO tasks that are ordinarily handled by the SEO experts at an SEO agency (or even by an in-house SEO team).
On top of that, agentic AI can also work at scale. That is, a single AI agent can handle hundreds of accounts and websites.
Meanwhile, an SEO agency is limited by the number of SEOs on its team. These SEOs can only manage a fixed number of sites before the agency has to recruit new experts or reject additional work.
Overall, the consensus is that agentic SEO will complement SEO agencies, but will not replace them. Instead, AI agents will take over low-level, automatable, and time-consuming tasks and shift SEOs to high-level roles that require considerable human intelligence.
Characteristics of Agentic SEO
Agentic SEO offers multiple features and benefits that differentiate it from traditional SEO and position it as an improvement. Let us address some of them below.
1 It Automates Multiple SEO Tasks
Agentic SEO automates multiple SEO tasks and even related activities such as data analysis and decision making. This means it can execute its own SEO strategies, analyze the performance of its optimizations, and decide on additional improvements to implement on the webpage.
2 It Is Heavily Data-Driven
Agentic SEO relies on large amounts of data from websites, competitors, search trends, and SEO tools. It identifies patterns and insights from these sources, and uses the data to create and improve its SEO strategies.
3 It Learns from Its Results
The AI agents used for agentic SEO learn from the results of their SEO techniques. They then adjust their SEO strategy based on what they learned.
4 It Is Easy to Scale
AI agents can manage multiple websites at once. This makes agentic SEO easier to scale and maintain without the proportional increase in human resources that would be required by a traditional SEO agency.
5 It Monitors Performance in Real-Time
AI agents track SEO and website performance metrics in real-time. This allows them to detect and respond to issues and opportunities as they arise.
6 It Integrates with Multiple SEO Tools and Platforms
AI agents can connect with multiple SEO tools, analytics platforms, and content management systems (CMS) systems. This allows the AI agent to automatically gather data and implement changes without relying on human input.
Limitations of Agentic SEO
Agentic SEO shares many issues common to artificial intelligence, such as having limited originality and a tendency to confidently make mistakes. However, it also has some limitations that are unique to it.
1 It Heavily Relies on Quality data
AI agents completely rely on the data they receive to make decisions. This means poor, incomplete, outdated, inaccurate, or misleading data can lead to ineffective or harmful actions that will negatively impact search rankings and user experience.
2 It Is Vulnerable to Technical Errors and Malfunctions
AI agents can experience software bugs, algorithmic errors, and integration issues. These can cause technical problems that prevent it from completing its SEO tasks or cause it to return unintended results.
3 It May Not Adapt to Unexpected Situations
AI agents may not handle unexpected changes as well as a human would. For example, unexpected algorithm updates, unusual trends, or the introduction of a new SEO metric or removal of an existing one can lead to unexpected results.
4 It May Violate Search Engine Guidelines
AI agents may easily violate Basisbeginselen van Google Zoeken guidelines when it is not properly configured, implemented, or monitored. For example, it can generate spammy content and engage in black hat SEO techniques, such as automated link building, unnatural links, en keyword stuffing.
Agentic SEO Best Practices
Agentic SEO is an emerging field and is expected to become more mainstream as artificial intelligence grows in popularity and accessibility. Here are some best practices to keep in mind when getting started.
1 Balance Automation with Human Input
AI agents cannot replace human judgment, experience, expertise, critical thinking, or strategic planning. They also lack creativity, intuition, and originality, which are all qualities that a human naturally possesses.
To get the most out of agentic SEO, it is recommended to combine it with human input and overview. This can be handled by a human SEO expert who will review suggestions and improvements, set priorities, ensure quality control, and provide strategic direction.
2 Set Clear Goals and Constraints for AI Agents
Ensure to set clear goals and objectives for your AI agent. You should also set constraints and boundaries to limit the actions it can take.
This controls the behavior of your AI agent and ensures it can focus on techniques and practices that aligns with your SEO strategy. It also avoids irrelevant and risky optimizations that can hurt your rankings and user experience.
3 Regularly Monitor and Validate the AI’s Output
AI agents can make errors or misinterpret data. They may also be fed with inaccurate or incomplete data, all of which can impact their behavior. To avoid these issues, make sure to consistently monitor and review your AI agent and data sources for unexpected changes.
4 Update AI Agents with the Latest SEO Guidelines
Search engines frequently update their algorithms. They may also update their guidelines to inform on new black hat SEO techniques or provide clarifications on controversial SEO practices.
It is good practice to inform your AI agent of these changes. This ensures they are able to comply with search engine guidelines and SEO best practices, which reduces your chances of being issued a handmatige actie straf.