SEO Isn’t Dead

We can't even begin to count how many times we've heard: “I just need SEO. SEO is going to save my brand.” And honestly? That mindset is outdated.

Once upon a time, SEO really did feel like a magic wand. You picked your keywords, plugged them into a blog, sprinkled them across your site, and boom; you could ride the wave of traffic straight to growth. But those days are gone. The internet has matured, audiences are sharper, and search engines have evolved.

SEO used to be the holy grail of growth. But now it’s been demoted.

The game has changed. A lot.

Search engines aren’t what they used to be. Content saturation is real. And Google’s algorithm now prioritizes actual value over keyword stuffing and even that is being disrupted by AI-generated summaries, zero-click results, and shifting user behavior.

So no, SEO isn’t dead. But if you’re still approaching it like it’s 2013?You need to rethink your priorities.
‍

‍
SEO Is Still Part of the Puzzle. It’s Just Not the First Piece

‍
Once upon a time, SEO was about gaming the system. Pick your keywords. Cram them in. Land on page one. Win.Now? The algorithm’s smarter than that. Google doesn’t want your keyword soup. It wants content that’s actually helpful, written by real people, for other real people.

In 2023 and 2024 Google’s core updates took a clear stance: Helpful, people-first content wins. Not keyword banks. Not generic explainers. Not articles written for robots.

And now with the rise of AI overviews (formerly SGE), Google is answering people’s questions directly, before they even click through. That means you're not just competing with other brands for visibility… you’re competing with Google itself.

We’re not saying SEO is irrelevant. We’re saying it’s not the foundation.

Here’s what we believe:

• Clarity before clicks. If your audience lands on your site and still doesn’t know what you do or why it matters? SEO didn’t fail, your messaging did.
• Voice before volume. If your content ranks but it reads like ChatGPT ghostwrote it in a fugue state? That traffic’s not converting.
• Brand before backlinks. People don’t just search for information, they search for brands they trust. And that trust is built through story, consistency, and experience not just metadata.

Translation? You can’t just write for search engines anymore.You have to write for actual humans.

The ENC POV: Rank after You Resonate

We help clients get found, but not through empty optimization. We build brands that say something real. Brands with magnetic messaging, strategic content, and a voice people actually want to hear from, on or off a search results page.

So no, we don’t start with keywords. We start with clarity.Because nobody’s Googling you if they don’t know why you matter.
‍

‍

TL;DR – What to Focus on First

• Nail your positioning before you worry about page rank
• Speak to humans, not just the algorithm
• Build a brand that people search by name
• Let SEO support your strategy, not define it

Search is evolving. So should your brand strategy. If your content still reads like it’s waiting for a green Yoast light, it’s time for something different.

‍