The fundamentals of SEO remain valid: technical optimization, content structure, and on-page best practices. These continue to work. This isn't an argument against them.
The argument is about where competitive advantage now resides.
A well-structured, keyword-optimized, comprehensive article used to represent significant investment. Now it can be generated in seconds. Any organization with LLM access can produce content that satisfies traditional optimization criteria.
This shifts the question from "is this content optimized?" to "why should this content exist?"
Technical SEO enables ranking.
Differentiated content justifies ranking.
The Two Layers
This is not an argument against technical SEO. A site that is slow, poorly structured, or not crawlable will not rank regardless of content quality. The foundation is necessary.
Foundation Layer
- — Technical SEO fundamentals
- — Site performance
- — Content structure
- — Internal linking
- — Mobile experience
- — Schema markup
Differentiation Layer
- → Proprietary data
- → Original research
- → Documented expertise
- → Clear perspective
- → Specific case studies
- → Industry relationships
The first column represents necessary conditions. The second represents sufficient conditions for differentiation.
Assessing Content Differentiation
Before publishing, consider: could this content be generated by an LLM with a single prompt and access to public information?
If yes, it serves a coverage function but won't create competitive advantage.
If no, because it requires proprietary data, specific access, or genuine expertise, that's where differentiation exists.
Here's a framework to evaluate content before publishing:
Select the most accurate description for each dimension
Most content audits score 2-4. That's the gap between table stakes and differentiation.
Decision Framework
Not every piece needs to score high. The goal is intentionality about what you're publishing and why.
The decision tree above addresses individual content pieces. But there's a broader strategic question: how do different types of differentiation compare in terms of long-term defensibility?
Not all advantages are equal. Some compound over time. Others erode as competitors gain access to the same information or capabilities.
Defensibility Over Time
Content built on relationships and earned reputation is hardest to replicate. Content built on technical optimization alone is easiest. Most organizations over-invest at the bottom of this hierarchy and under-invest at the top.
Implementation
Content with internal data: Analysis built on proprietary metrics, customer research, or operational data that external parties cannot access.
Multi-channel reinforcement: Content strategy that combines search optimization with earned media, speaking, and community presence to create compounding signals.
Expertise-first approach: Beginning with "what do we know that others don't?" rather than "what keywords should we target?" The latter becomes a distribution mechanism for the former.
Observation: When content is differentiated by genuine expertise or proprietary information, ranking signals tend to follow. Google's algorithm is designed to surface quality. Focusing on substance rather than optimization often produces better optimization outcomes as a byproduct.
Summary
Technical SEO remains necessary but is no longer sufficient for competitive advantage. The baseline has risen. Differentiation now requires content that depends on proprietary information, specific access, or genuine expertise. Organizations should invest in both layers: a solid technical foundation, and a content strategy built on assets that cannot be easily replicated.
Yuval Halevi
Yuval, an expert in SEO with over a decade of experience, helps startups simplify their digital marketing strategies. With a focus on practical solutions and a track record of success as a digital nomad and successful company builder, he drives growth through effective SEO, growth hacking, and creative marketing.