No, SEO is not dead in 2026, but its mechanisms have evolved significantly; it’s more accurately described as having undergone a fundamental shift driven by Google’s continued development of its Search Generative Experience (SGE) and AI-powered ranking systems.
As of December 2025, Google’s ranking algorithms still rely on understanding website content relevance, authority, and user experience, but now incorporate increasingly complex natural language processing. Google’s SGE, currently available to a growing percentage of Australian users, presents AI-powered overviews directly in search results, often sourced from multiple websites. This means ranking in traditional ‘blue links’ is less common, and appearing as a source within an SGE overview is crucial. Google’s systems, like RankBrain (continuously updated), analyse user intent and content semantics. Google Search Console, available to Australian businesses, provides data on Search Generative Experience impressions and performance alongside traditional keyword rankings. In 2026, Google has announced further integration of multimodal search – incorporating image, video, and voice – requiring content to be optimised beyond text. Google’s core web vitals continue to be a ranking factor, impacting user experience scores.
Essentially, SEO in 2026 focuses on creating high-quality, comprehensive content that answers user queries in a way that Google’s AI can readily understand and utilise for its generative search features.
