Host: Sean Barber - https://www.linkedin.com/in/seanrbarber/ - He & Him

In this episode of Search With Sean, I’m joined by Daniel Liddle, SEO Director at iCrossing UK and BrightonSEO speaker, for a wide-ranging conversation about AI, SEO, the changing search landscape and where businesses should actually be focusing their attention.

We discuss why the rush to “optimise for AI” can sometimes distract businesses from the fundamentals, why AI visibility tools need to be treated with caution, and why brands should think about search as a behaviour rather than simply a Google channel.

Daniel also shares his thoughts on AI adoption inside businesses, the difference between genuine transformation and marginal efficiency gains, the importance of keeping humans in the loop, and why critical thinking could become one of the most valuable skills marketers have.

Daniel discusses:

- Why businesses shouldn’t panic about AI visibility

- Treating search as a behaviour, not just Google SEO

- Why websites and content need to deliver genuine user value

- Where AI can genuinely transform marketing workflows

- Why mass AI-generated content isn’t the answer

- The importance of human oversight and critical thinking

- How businesses should approach AEO, GEO and AI search

- Why brand authority goes beyond backlinks

- The limitations of LLM visibility tracking

- The future role of SEO teams and agencies

Topics covered:

- iCrossing’s Search Experience and Innovation (SXI) approach

- AI search and changing user behaviour

- The “flattening” of the web and copying what already ranks

- Better UX and creating websites people actually want to use

- Transformative AI vs marginal efficiency gains

- Using AI for repetitive SEO tasks such as hreflang and alt text

- AI governance, transparency and human-in-the-loop workflows

- AI content, creativity and “AI slop”- AI costs, sustainability and its wider business impact

- AEO, GEO and holistic brand visibility

- Reddit, brand perception and real-world authority

- LLM tracking, measurement and its limitations

- The changing relationship between brands, agencies and SEO

Connect With Daniel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielliddle/

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