What is SEO and how to rank in Google and AI search
Contents · 9 sections
In 2015 I wrote two articles about SEO: "What is SEO optimisation" and "How to rank first on Google: 4 good practices". Since then search has changed more than in the previous 15 years. Google shows AI-generated answers, millions of people search directly in ChatGPT, and some advice that was valid back then can hurt you today.
In this article I have merged the two into one up-to-date guide: what SEO is, how Google works in 2025, the four pillars of SEO, how to be visible in AI search and how we reached number one for one of the most competitive keywords in Bulgarian e-commerce.
What is SEO?
SEO (search engine optimisation) is the set of techniques that help a website rank higher in organic, unpaid search results. The goal is not just traffic but relevant traffic: people looking for exactly what you offer.
SEO is not a one-off task but an ongoing process. Search engines change, competitors keep working and users search in new ways. I have always recommended only "white hat" practices that follow search engine guidelines. Trying to trick the algorithm sooner or later leads to penalties.
How search changed: from 10 blue links to AI
- AI Overviews: since May 2025 AI-generated summaries appear in more than 200 countries and territories and in over 40 languages, including Bulgaria. In July 2025 Google said they had more than 2 billion monthly users.
- AI Mode: the conversational search mode launched in the US in May 2025 and expanded to more than 180 countries in August, for now in English only. It is not yet available in the EU or Bulgaria.
- ChatGPT and other assistants: ChatGPT now has close to 700 million weekly users and built-in web search. More and more people ask their questions there instead of on Google.
What does this mean for traffic? A Pew Research Center study from July 2025 shows that when an AI summary appears, users click a result link in 8% of visits, versus 15% when there is none. An Ahrefs analysis found about 34% fewer clicks to the first result on informational queries when an AI summary sits above it.
The conclusion is not that SEO is dead. It is that ranking first is no longer enough. You need to be the source AI cites and the brand people search for directly.
How Google works in 2025
- Core updates: in 2025 Google rolled out core updates in March and June, and a spam update in late August.
- Helpful content is part of the core: since March 2024 the helpful content system is built into the core algorithm. Google reported 45% less low-quality, unoriginal content in results.
- E-E-A-T: experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust. Since late 2022 Google explicitly added "experience": content written by someone who has actually done what they write about.
- New spam policies: scaled content abuse, site reputation abuse and expired domain abuse.
The four pillars of SEO
1. Technical SEO
- mobile: since July 2024 Google indexes almost entirely the mobile version of sites, so content not available on a phone may not be indexed at all;
- speed and Core Web Vitals: main content loading (LCP), layout stability (CLS) and responsiveness (INP, which replaced FID in March 2024);
- HTTPS, clean URL structure, an XML sitemap and a correct robots.txt;
- modern image formats such as WebP and AVIF instead of heavy PNG and JPG.
2. Content and on-page SEO
Back in 2015 I wrote that content must be useful and "human". That holds today, with one correction: there is no magic word count. What matters is answering the intent behind the search fully.
The tea example I used then still works. "Tea" is short, heavily searched and extremely competitive. A phrase like "herbal tea for better sleep" is searched less, but the person typing it knows exactly what they want and is much closer to buying. Start with longer, specific phrases like that.
Do not forget the basics: a unique title and meta description for every page, logical headings, internal links and structured data in JSON-LD that helps Google show extra details such as prices, reviews and FAQs. More in Content marketing.
3. Off-page SEO and links
Links from other sites remain a signal of authority, but quality matters far more than quantity. If you sell tea, a link from a healthy-living blog is valuable; a link from a car parts site with a handful of visitors a day is worth nothing.
Social media is not a direct ranking factor, but it helps your content get seen, shared and cited.
4. Local SEO
If you have a physical location, a Google Business Profile is a must: complete information, photos, opening hours and, above all, real reviews you respond to.
How to get cited by AI assistants
A new term has appeared: GEO (generative engine optimisation). A 2023 study showed certain techniques can increase visibility in AI answers by up to 40%. Google, however, is clear: to appear in AI Overviews you need nothing special, just good, normal SEO.
- give clear, direct answers to specific questions;
- back your claims with data, sources and personal experience;
- build a recognisable brand that is mentioned on other sites, media and forums;
- keep your business information consistent and current everywhere.
Case study: how fragrances.bg reached number one for "perfumes"
In 2011 we built the online store fragrances.bg for Venera Cosmetics, then a mid-sized perfume retailer from Plovdiv. By the end of 2013 the site ranked first on Google for "парфюми" (perfumes), one of the most competitive keywords in Bulgarian e-commerce, and became one of the leading online perfume stores in the country.
There was no secret formula. We worked with professional copywriters who wrote unique descriptions and useful articles, built a blog with information that was missing in Bulgarian at the time, looked after technical quality and speed and earned natural links. Almost all of that still applies.
Myths from 2015 to forget
- "Visitors must stay at least 10 seconds." There is no such rule.
- "There are 200 factors and you must think about each." Focus on usefulness, technical health and authority.
- "An article must be at least 800 words." Length is not a factor in itself.
- "Social likes push rankings up." Not directly.
- "Repeat the keyword as often as possible." That is spam and it hurts.
SEO and Google Ads together
SEO delivers long-term results but takes time. Google Ads (formerly AdWords) brings visitors immediately. The best results come when both work together: ads test which keywords drive sales, SEO builds lasting visibility for them.
Conclusion
SEO in 2025 is more complex but also fairer than ten years ago. Tricks hardly work anymore; the winners are sites that are genuinely useful, fast and trustworthy, backed by a recognisable brand.
Petar Dyaksov
Entrepreneur, investor and managing partner at SEOMAX, with more than 15 years of experience in e-commerce and digital marketing. He builds businesses in technology and e-commerce, invests in companies and supports entrepreneurs. Speaker, trainer and mentor at dozens of conferences, seminars and entrepreneurship programmes.
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