Future of Search
Jun 5, 2025
5 mins

The Death of Traditional SEO: How NLWeb Prepares You for What’s Next

By
Sana Shaik

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At a Glance:

  • Traditional SEO is losing relevance as AI-driven tools like ChatGPT and Claude take over.
  • LLM SEO or AEO is the future now that optimizes content for context and user intent rather than keywords.
  • Microsoft has launched an open project called NLWeb that adds natural language interfaces to websites. 
  • Instead of relying on search bars or clicks, NLWeb lets users interact with a site using conversational queries. 
  • NLWeb is free, open-source, and easy to integrate with a simple setup.

SEO, as we know it, is evolving fast. The old tactics, like keyword stuffing, backlinks, and ranking strategies, are being replaced by AI-powered approaches. With tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, users now expect conversational, personalized answers instead of just link lists.

This shift demands a new strategy: LLM SEO, where large language models provide context-rich responses tailored to each query. Enter NLWeb, an open-source project built specifically for this new wave of search. It lets businesses add natural language interfaces to their websites, allowing users to interact through chat-like queries instead of old-school navigation and search bars.

And the change isn't theoretical anymore. Gartner predicts organic search traffic will drop by 50% by 2028 as AI transforms how people search and consume information. Consumers are increasingly trusting AI-generated answers, making it essential for businesses to adapt.

So, why is traditional SEO losing ground? And how can NLWeb help you thrive in this new AI-driven search era? Keep reading to know.

Meet NLWeb: Your Website's AI Conversation Partner 

NLWeb, an open-source project by Microsoft, lets you embed a custom conversational AI, like ChatGPT, but trained on your own website’s data, directly into your site.

Users simply ask questions in plain language and get answers instantly, without digging through menus or scrolling through product pages. It's like having an AI assistant that you can talk to, asking questions just like you would to a person. 

For example, instead of scrolling through numerous product listings, users can simply ask,  "Find me a laptop under $1000 for graphic design."

NLWeb quickly understands what your visitors want and gives them personalized answers, making your website feel like a friendly AI assistant. This shift reflects the larger change in search, moving from traditional results pages to smart, chat-based AI.

Let’s explore this evolution from classic search engine results pages (SERPs) to the power of large language models (LLMs).

From SERPs to LLMs: The SEO Shift

For years, SEO was all about one goal: ranking on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). But that’s rapidly changing. People aren’t just searching anymore—they’re asking questions and getting instant, AI-generated answers at the top of the page.

Here’s what’s happening:

  • Zero-Click Searches Are Taking Over: More users get answers right on the search page without clicking through. Bain reports that 80% of consumers rely on zero-click results for almost half their searches, which reduces traditional SEO's impact.
  • User Intent is Changing: LLMs are better at handling conversational, complex, and multi-step questions and provide personalized answers. Google's classic search results can't always keep up.
  • Content Quality Beats Keywords: AI values well-written, authoritative content over keyword-stuffed pages. That means your SEO-optimized content might not get seen if it doesn’t deliver real value.
  • AI Interfaces Replace Browsers: Apps like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot are becoming primary ways people get information, without visiting websites.
  • Google is Adapting Too: Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) uses AI to provide instant summaries, which further decreases organic traffic to traditional websites.

This isn’t a minor change; it’s a full-blown shift in how users discover and interact with content. To understand how this shift is impacting businesses, let's look at a real-life example of Hubspot. 

Adapting to AI Search: HubSpot’s Strategy Uncovered

Even the biggest players are feeling the impact.

HubSpot, one of the biggest names in SEO and content marketing, recently experienced a massive dip in organic search traffic, from about 13.5 million visits in November 2024 down to 8.6 million in December. For a company built on content-driven SEO, this was a clear wake-up call. But HubSpot’s experience signals a broader shift affecting the entire industry.

So, What Went Wrong?

HubSpot’s decline wasn’t due to a single factor but a combination of internal missteps and a rapidly changing search environment.

Internal Challenges: Content Strategy and Execution

  • Thin and Off-Topic Content: Shallow articles and posts that drifted from HubSpot’s core expertise diluted topical authority and failed to meet today’s search quality standards.
  • Quantity Over Quality: Publishing content at scale without maintaining quality led to reduced trust and weaker performance.
  • Lack of Topical Depth: Covering many topics superficially rather than focusing deeply on key areas lowered HubSpot’s relevance in Google’s eyes.

External Challenges: The New AI-Driven Search Environment

  • Zero-Click, AI-First Results: Tools like Google’s AI Overviews and ChatGPT deliver direct, conversational answers, reducing user clicks to websites.
  • Changing User Habits: Increasing reliance on AI for fast, personalized responses is shifting users away from traditional keyword-based searches.
  • Google Algorithm Updates: New updates emphasize E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), penalizing generic or surface-level content.

How HubSpot Is Adapting

To respond to this new AI-driven search environment, HubSpot has revamped its SEO strategy with focused initiatives:

  • AI Integration: Leveraging AI tools to improve content creation and SEO optimization.
  • AI Search Grader: Launching a dedicated tool to monitor and track brand visibility across AI-powered search platforms.
  • Content Strategy Shift: Prioritizing content that aligns with AI’s understanding of user intent and context.
  • Content Pruning: Removing or redirecting off-topic and low-value articles to strengthen topical authority.
  • AI & Snippet Optimization: Using schema markup and clear answers to boost chances of featured snippets and AI-friendly results.
  • Predictive SEO: Proactively monitoring keywords to identify risks and prevent ranking drops before they happen.

Clearly, traditional SEO isn't dead, but it is evolving. HubSpot's story proves that even the biggest players need to rethink how they show up in search. 

If you want your content to stand out in this new AI-powered world, it has to be authoritative, relevant, and built to connect with both your audience and AI tools. Let’s see how LLM-powered SEO is shaping the future of search in 2025 and beyond.

Why LLM SEO is the Next Growth Lever

As the web shifts from search engines to smart assistants, LLM SEO, also known as Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), is becoming the next big opportunity for growth.

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking in Google's SERPs, LLM SEO helps your content get discovered, understood, and referenced by AI models like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.

It's not about chasing algorithms anymore, but about making your content useful and accessible to the AI tools that people are turning to every day.

Done right, LLM SEO provides:

  • Zero ad spend, high-intent visibility
  • Organic brand mentions inside AI-generated responses
  • Deeper engagement through conversational interfaces

Instead of being just a clickable link, your content becomes the actual answer.

Here’s how LLMs work: 

1. Intent Over Keywords: 

Forget keyword stuffing. LLMs focus on meaning and context, not exact phrases.

  • AI models prioritize user intent, not keyword density.
  • They generate responses from context-rich, structured data.

2. Semantic Search Reigns

LLMs understand conceptual relationships between topics.

  • They connect ideas, phrases, and associations.
  • It’s less about matching words and more about matching meaning.

3. Conversational Interfaces Are the New Search

Users aren't typing search phrases; they're having natural language conversations.

  • LLM SEO helps your content become part of these natural language conversations.
  • This means more intuitive, context-aware visibility for your brand.

Of course, LLMs are not perfect. They can sometimes hallucinate—make up facts or misquote sources. That’s why trustworthy, well-sourced content is more important than ever. Businesses must ensure content is accurate and sourced from reliable references. 

The better your data, the better the AI-generated answers, and the more likely your brand becomes the go-to source. Let’s see how NLWeb is changing how websites interact with AI and users.

NLWeb’s Core Capabilities

NLWeb provides powerful, easy-to-use features that help improve your website’s AI-driven experience. Here are the main features: 

  • Open & Flexible: Free, open-source, and compatible with any AI model (e.g., GPT-4, Claude, LLaMA), allowing full customization to fit your needs.
  • Smart API: Provides an easy-to-use API that lets AI agents communicate naturally with your site’s data, creating smooth, human-like conversations.
  • Natural Language Interface: Visitors can ask questions in everyday language, which leads to better engagement and encourages return visits.
  • Works with Existing Data: No need to rebuild your entire website. NLWeb integrates with your current data, making it easy to optimize your existing content for AI interactions.
  • Easy to Set Up: Setting up NLWeb is quick and simple. Just a few lines of code and you're good to go.
  • Data Control & Privacy: You control exactly what information is shared, keeping your data secure and compliant with privacy standards.
  • Visibility Benchmarking: Track your content’s performance on AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude.
  • AI-Optimized Content Engine: Organizes your content in an entity-first structure that improves AI understanding and boosts your visibility in AI-driven search results.

With these features, NLWeb transforms your website into an AI-ready platform that speaks your users' language, making your content easier to find, understand, and interact with. Let's see how exactly NLWeb works to optimize your site for AI-driven search.

How NLWeb Works & Helps You Optimize for LLM SEO

NLWeb improves your website's visibility to AI models by structuring content for better interaction with LLMs (like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini) and AI-powered platforms. Here's how it works:

  1. Structured Data: NLWeb uses formats like Schema.org and RSS to neatly organize your website’s content. This makes it easier for AI systems to crawl, index, and grasp what your site is about.
  2. Semantic Search: Instead of focusing on keyword frequency, NLWeb stores and searches your content in vector databases that prioritize meaning and context. This helps deliver more accurate, relevant answers to users’ questions.
  3. AI Model Connectors: NLWeb links directly with popular LLMs such as ChatGPT and Claude to process user queries and generate smart, relevant responses from your own content.
  4. Model Context Protocol (MCP): Think of this as a bridge. It lets AI agents and tools access your site’s content easily, so users can ask questions and get instant, AI-powered answers.

Plus, NLWeb is modular and flexible, letting you customize it with your own retrieval systems and APIs to fit your needs perfectly. With that in mind, let’s look at how companies can take advantage of it 

What’s In It For Your Business?

Although new, NLWeb offers immense benefits that help businesses adapt to the AI-driven web:

  • Better Customer Support: NLWeb can instantly answer common questions, reducing the need for a large support team and making customer service faster and smoother.
  • More Conversions: When visitors find what they need fast, they’re more likely to buy or sign up. NLWeb smooths the path to that info.
  • Improved Content Visibility: Your content becomes easier to discover through AI-powered search and chat, helping you shine in the new AI-first world.
  • Personalized Experiences: By truly understanding what users want, NLWeb offers tailored recommendations and content, making visitors feel valued and understood.
  • Faster Implementation: NLWeb is easy to set up and adds smart, conversational features to your website without major changes, so you can get started quickly.
  • Stay Ahead of Competitors: Using LLM SEO and AI tools like NLWeb gives your business a clear edge by meeting the growing demand for interactive, personalized online experiences.

If you're ready to take the next step and leverage these benefits, let’s dive into how you can integrate NLWeb into your website.

How do I Get Started With NLweb?

If you're a developer, getting started with NLWeb is easy. Simply head over to the NLWeb GitHub repository, where you’ll find everything needed to plug it into your website:

  • Core Service Code: Lightweight code that handles natural language queries, with documentation on extending and customizing it.
  • Connectors: Pre-built connectors for popular AI models and vector databases, plus guides on adding other models of your choice.
  • Data Tools: Tools for adding your data in formats like Schema.org, JSONL, and RSS to your preferred vector database.
  • Web Server Frontend: A simple UI and web server frontend that lets users send queries to the web server.

With these resources, you can set up NLWeb fast and create a smooth conversational AI experience on your site.

Does NLWeb Require a Subscription?

Nope! NLWeb is completely free and open-source. You don’t have to pay to use the core software at all. However, if you connect NLWeb to commercial AI models or cloud services, those providers might charge fees. But the NLWeb framework itself is free to download, use, and modify as you like.

Final Thoughts

The end of traditional SEO isn't really an end—it's a shift toward a more user-focused, AI-powered way of reaching your audience. Whether you call it SEO, AISEO, or AIO, the key remains the same: understanding people, data, algorithms, and platforms.

As AI search tools become the new norm, your website must be ready for this shift to avoid losing visibility. Adopting LLM SEO today gives your business an edge in capturing the attention of both users and AI agents.

NLWeb, with its LLM integration, semantic search, and structured prompts, is leading the way in this shift. Now is the time to optimize for LLM SEO to make sure your content engages real users and AI agents alike.

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