Optimizing for the Machine That Reads the Internet
AI is changing how people discover, evaluate, and trust content—marketers who adapt early will own the next era.
For as long as we’ve had the internet, we’ve had an unspoken pact with the algorithm: figure out how it works, and you can rise to the top.
For 20 years, that meant playing nice with Google. We learned to write content that matched keywords, fed the machine with metadata, backlinks, and schema, and we got rewarded with traffic. Some of us made our living that way—building content businesses, agencies, and even personal brands on the backs of search engines.
But something radical is happening.
Search is no longer a list of blue links. It’s a conversation. The algorithm doesn’t send people to your website anymore—it summarizes it, rewrites it, repackages it, and sometimes never even mentions your name. The internet is being digested by machines. And those machines are getting smarter than the search engines we’re accustomed to.
It’s not just about losing traffic. It’s about losing attribution, identity, and relevance in a world where your content is being used but not credited.
So what do you do?
If you’re like me—someone who’s spent decades helping brands find their voice—you realize that it’s still the same game — but the goalposts have moved. And now, we need to optimize not for clicks, but for comprehension.
We have to write in ways that AI understands. That means clarity, structure, truth, and real value. Not fluff. Not keyword-stuffed nonsense. The same principles I talk about when I say “relationship first” now apply to machines: don’t trick people, build trust.
Here’s the twist: the people who used to write for Google are actually well-equipped to write for AI. But only if they unlearn the tricks and start embracing honesty.
That’s what made this conversation with Eggs! The Podcast guest and business leader Avi Kumar so fascinating. As a guy who lives and breathes performance marketing, Avi sees the tectonic shift happening in real time—and he’s already adapting. He’s running experiments, testing what LLMs pick up from online content, and rethinking lead gen and ad strategy from the ground up.
And honestly? He’s got some takes that might surprise you.
Rewriting the playbook for SEO, ads, and AI-first strategy
Avi Kumar is the founder and CEO of KUWARE, a performance marketing agency helping businesses scale through PPC, SEO, and digital strategy. Originally an engineer, Avi brings an analytical rigor to marketing that few in the space can match.
He’s a data guy with a human lens—known for his blunt takes, no-nonsense growth strategies, and global approach to team-building. He’s also a serial entrepreneur, fractional CMO, and frequent contributor to marketing think tanks.
How the new rules of search are forcing a smarter kind of marketing
AI is rapidly becoming the first place people go for answers, advice, and product discovery—which means your content strategy can no longer stop at Google. Below, Avi Kumar breaks down how search is evolving, where attention is flowing, and what marketers must do right now to remain relevant.
“People aren’t saying ‘I Googled it.’ They’re saying ‘I found it on AI.’”
Insight: Treat AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity as new front doors to your brand. Start by prompting an AI with your name or company, see what it produces, and then correct or reinforce what it finds by publishing accurate, high-value content in reputable sources.
“The content that wins now is content that answers real questions clearly and completely.”
Insight: AI favors clarity and completeness over fluff. Use the “People Also Ask” section in Google or trending Reddit questions as prompts, then create thorough, well-structured answers that you publish both on your own site and on high-visibility platforms like LinkedIn or Medium.
“I can build 1,000 fake websites that say the same thing and influence AI outputs. That’s scary.”
Insight: Since bad actors can manipulate AI, your defense is authority. Strengthen your position by earning citations and backlinks from credible outlets, publishing first-party data, and being quoted in articles through services like HARO or Qwoted.
“There will always be ads. The platform will change. The principles won’t.”
Insight: Advertising isn’t going away—channels are evolving. Begin testing ads on emerging discovery platforms such as Reddit, YouTube Shorts, or TikTok search while you still have an early-mover advantage.
“Reddit is the new SEO. So is YouTube. So is ChatGPT.”
Insight: People trust platforms that sound like people. Post helpful answers in relevant subreddits and upload short explainer videos to YouTube with searchable titles so that your content is more likely to be scraped and surfaced by AI tools.
“You don’t need 100,000 people. You need 500 who care.”
Insight: First-party data is your only durable asset. Prune your email list to remove inactive subscribers, then run a re-engagement campaign with something personal—like a custom AI-generated report or a video—to deepen loyalty among those who remain.
“You don’t need to be the one running the ads or writing the copy. You need to be the one closing the deal.”
Insight: You don’t have to build every piece yourself—just orchestrate. Use white-label services and AI tools to assemble an offer, pair it with a booking link, and start closing leads without writing a line of code.
“You either control your brand’s narrative, or the algorithm does.”
Insight: AI writes about you based on what it finds. Publish a well-structured, fact-checked “About” page with your founding story, products, and press links, then replicate it across LinkedIn, Crunchbase, and other platforms so the machines get your story right.
“AI doesn’t tell you when it’s guessing.”
Insight: Incomplete or outdated content leads to hallucinations. Add structured data (schema markup) to your most important pages so AI can parse accurate information—most major CMSs have easy plugins for this.
“Google’s traffic is flat or declining. Meanwhile, people are discovering brands via AI prompts.”
Insight: AI-first SEO isn’t a future trend—it’s here. Treat your blog as a knowledge base that answers the specific, conversational queries your ideal customers are typing into AI tools, using natural language and clear links back to your products or services.
It’s Time to Start Writing for the Robots.
This isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about understanding the system.
The future of SEO isn’t stuffing in more keywords. It’s writing with clarity, authority, and value that machines want to reference. It’s about owning your narrative so that when AI summarizes you, it gets it right.
Avi’s message is clear: those who adapt early will thrive. Those who keep chasing the old rules will be invisible.
So whether you’re a business owner, a marketer, or just someone who creates on the internet — it’s time to evolve. Optimize for AI. Write like it matters. Because now, it really does.
Thanks for reading,
—Ryan
Ready for more?
Catch Avi Kumar’s interview in its entirety on Eggs! The Podcast.
Don’t miss a show! Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or really anywhere great podcasts are found.
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Reading list
If you're looking to go deeper on the themes from this week's newsletter, here are a few books that pair well with the conversation and offer a broader perspective:
“The Cold Start Problem” by Andrew Chen
A sharp exploration of how platforms grow—and why they falter. Essential reading for anyone trying to understand how Google is losing its grip and how platforms like ChatGPT and Reddit are becoming the new discovery engines.“Marketing Rebellion” by Mark Schaefer
A clear-eyed argument for why modern marketing must put humans first. If you’re trying to future-proof your brand in a world of AI summaries and content saturation, this is the strategic reset you need.“Product-Led SEO” by Eli Schwartz
A non-gimmicky, user-first approach to search strategy that aligns closely with how LLMs prioritize content. It’s not about gaming algorithms—it’s about building something that deserves to be surfaced.
More to explore
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Eggs! The Podcast: https://www.eggscast.com
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