Inside the Jar

Is AEO replacing SEO? Learn why both rely on the same fundamentals to help businesses earn visibility, trust, and citations in AI search.

Your customers are still searching. They are just no longer searching in one place. They may start with Google, ask ChatGPT to compare their options, watch a YouTube video, look for examples on Instagram, read reviews, or open a map to find a nearby business. This does not mean your company needs to chase every new platform. It also does not mean SEO is dead. The best response to fragmented search is to strengthen the foundation you already have. Build a clear, credible website, answer the questions your customers ask, share real expertise, and ensure your business appears consistently on the platforms that matter to your audience. AEO, or Answer Engine Optimization , is part of that approach. It helps search engines and AI tools find and understand your answers, but it works best when it is built on strong SEO . Why Are Customers Searching in So Many Different Places? Customers are searching in more places because they now have more ways to find the type of information they want. Every Monday during our BlinkJar staff meeting, each person brings an industry update to discuss. One recent conversation about artificial intelligence and its impact on search reminded me of what happened to television. Jared, my husband and BlinkJar’s founder , spent years working in television. At one time, a few broadcast networks held most of the audience. Then cable created more choices. Streaming services, YouTube, social video, and on-demand programming divided attention even further. Television did not disappear. People gained more ways to watch. Search is moving in the same direction. A prospective customer may search Google for a service, ask an AI assistant to explain the differences between providers, watch a video to see how something works, and read reviews before visiting a company’s website. The challenge is not that Google has stopped working. It is that businesses can no longer assume every customer will begin there. Does My Business Still Need SEO? Yes, your business absolutely needs SEO as it remains the foundation of being discovered online. Google continues to drive valuable, high-intent traffic for businesses. A strong website also gives AI tools, maps, social platforms, and prospective customers a reliable place to learn who you are and what you offer. Your website needs clear service pages, useful location information, simple navigation, relevant internal links, and a sound technical structure. Search engines must be able to crawl, index, and understand your pages. Traditional SEO is not being replaced. It is supporting a larger discovery ecosystem. Think of your website as your company’s home base. Social media, maps, reviews, search engines, and AI tools may help customers find you, but your website is where you control the complete story.

Kingsley Lavender shares what he learned as a marketing intern at BlinkJar Media, including SEO, website updates, content marketing, and real-world agency experience.

Artificial intelligence is changing the way businesses approach content marketing , social media marketing , and digital communications. AI can generate ideas, streamline workflows, and help marketers create content faster than ever before. At Blinkjar, we embrace AI as a powerful tool, but we also know the most impactful marketing still begins with something technology can't replicate: a genuine human connection. As a Creative Content Specialist at Blinkjar , some of my most valuable work happens away from my desk. Meeting with clients, visiting their businesses, and building real relationships gives me a deeper understanding of who they are and what makes their brands unique. Those face-to-face interactions help me create authentic content that reflects each client's personality , values, and story. Can AI Really Tell Your Brand's Story? Every business has a story worth telling . While AI can help organize information, brainstorm ideas, and improve efficiency, it can't experience a company's culture, observe customer interactions, or hear the passion behind why a business was started. That’s why every interaction matters. Whether we’re on a call, exchanging emails, meeting in person, capturing photos and videos, or simply talking through new ideas, each touchpoint helps us better understand the businesses we support. These conversations allow us to see how a brand operates, hear the stories behind the work, and uncover the details that make it unique. Those real insights often become the foundation for stronger content because they reveal perspectives that AI simply can’t generate. How Do Client Conversations Lead to Better Content Marketing? The more time I spend with the businesses we support, the better I can represent their brand. Photoshoots are one way those connections happen, but many of my strongest content ideas come from everyday conversations, planning calls, emails, meetings, and moments when a client shares something we would not have known otherwise. Those small details often become the difference between content that feels generic and content that feels true to the brand. Whether we're discussing a new project, talking through their day-to-day operations, or simply catching up, those conversations give me the context I need to write content that's accurate, authentic, and true to their voice. Instead of relying on assumptions, I can pull directly from their experiences, expertise, and personality . That's what transforms content from informative to meaningful.

There is a growing misconception online that AI is replacing SEO. That is not really what is happening. AI still relies heavily on websites and traditional SEO fundamentals. What is changing is how authority is measured. Technical SEO, content structure, local optimization, and keyword relevance still matter deeply.

Should you use Google Ads Auto-Apply Recommendations? Learn how automated campaign changes can impact targeting, keywords, lead quality, and overall Google Ads performance over time.

Why do Google Ads campaigns fluctuate even when no changes are made? Learn how competition, search behavior, seasonality, and auction dynamics can impact performance and what you can do about it.

Explore key takeaways from a marketing internship at BlinkJar Media, including hands-on experience in SEO, content creation, and digital strategy. See how an integrated, results-driven approach helps businesses increase visibility, engagement, and conversions.

Your blog post has more potential than a single publish. Discover 10 ways to repurpose blog content and stay visible everywhere your audience is looking.

Hey everyone. It's Jared. I want to talk about digital advertising , which is one of my favorite topics. Advertising inside ChatGPT is no longer theoretical. It has begun. Confirmed reports show ads now appearing for some signed-in desktop users in the United States. Even more surprising, they are triggering on the very first prompt. That detail alone changes the conversation. For the first time, brands are appearing directly inside AI-generated answers at the exact moment someone asks a question, compares options, or evaluates a decision. That is fundamentally different from search engines or social feeds. And it signals a meaningful shift in how digital advertising will work moving forward.

Search engine optimization is a marathon, not a sprint. First page rankings do not happen overnight. Promises like ranking multiple keywords in days or guaranteeing first page results are rarely realistic. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Here are the Duda updates from 2025 that had the biggest impact on how we build client sites at BlinkJar Media, and why they position Duda to lead the CMS space into 2026.

Struggling with Google Ads performance? Inaccurate conversion tracking may be the issue. See how tracking affects results and optimization.

Stay ahead of SEO in 2026 with must-know trends, practical examples, and a fresh look at how AI, local search, UX, and content depth shape visibility.

Strong ad metrics don’t always equal strong sales. Learn why Meta Lead Form campaign results can be misleading, and how deeper analysis beyond CPR, click-through rates, and submissions reveals what truly drives performance.

Static, link-driven posts are losing traction because platforms no longer rewarded that type of content. Find out how to keep users engaged with storytelling through short-form video.

Hey everyone, it’s Rikki here! I like to write blogs based on real questions from our clients. Recently, we launched two brand-new websites on fresh domains. Everything about the design, development, and launch went smoothly, but once the sites were live, both clients asked the same question: “Why can’t I find my site on Google yet? Launching a new website is exciting. After weeks (sometimes months) of planning and building, the site is finally live. Naturally, the next step is to open Google, type in one of your main keywords, and expect to see your business right at the top. But here’s the reality: search engines don’t work like flipping a light switch. It’s completely normal (although frustrating) for brand-new websites to take time before appearing in Google search results . How Google Finds and Ranks Websites When your new site goes live, Google has to: Crawl – Send its “bots” to scan and read the site. Index – Store those pages in Google’s database. Rank – Decide where your site belongs in the search results compared to competitors. Submitting a sitemap and setting up Google Search Console helps Google know your site exists. But discovery doesn’t mean instant visibility; it just means the process has started.

Explore how SEO and AEO strategies work together to enhance visibility, engage users, and drive meaningful business results.

Website traffic down? Learn how zero-click search and AI Overviews are shifting behavior and creating new opportunities for stronger, high-intent leads.

Learn the pros and cons of running Google Performance Max campaigns without Search ads. Discover strategies to make PMax work with only video and display placements.

Discover how AI and the future of search are reshaping how customers find businesses. Learn why adapting early to AI-powered search is key to staying visible and competitive.

For small to medium-sized businesses, a website can attract new customers or lose them to competitors. An outdated, slow, or confusing website indicates it’s time for a modern redesign.

Performance Max transformed our Google Ads results, doubling leads in a week. Learn from our test and discover how it could grow your campaigns too.