Two-thirds of SEO professionals say original content creation is their secret weapon, but there’s a problem nobody talks about.
While content creation drives the best results, it’s also the hardest thing to scale. Over 40% of professionals say it takes more time than any other SEO task.
Our fifth annual State of SEO report shares insights from 371 SEO professionals in 52 countries. It highlights what’s working in SEO today and where the industry is headed.
Find out how professionals are responding to AI disruption, which tactics are most effective, and where teams plan to invest resources. Most respondents have four or more years of experience, so these insights come from people who have lived through many changes in the industry.
Download the report to learn about:
- Which SEO activities deliver the strongest return on investment (ROI) right now.
- How teams are using AI in their workflows.
- The biggest challenges holding SEO back.
- Investment priorities.
- Why professionals are concerned about AI but stay optimistic about budgets.
Get the information you need to plan your SEO strategy for 2026.
Three Paths Are Emerging In SEO
As teams navigate AI disruption, the data reveals three distinct strategies forming across the industry:
- AI-Heavy Adopters (22%) are betting on scale through automation.
- Authority Builders (49%) are doubling down on E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) and human expertise.
- Hybrid Strategists (58%) are finding the middle ground, using AI to enhance human-created content.
Each path has merit, but the data shows clear patterns about what’s working now.
Original Content Creation Still Drives SEO Success
When we asked what had the most positive impact this year, original content creation topped the list at 66%. Content updates came second at 42.6%. Technical SEO improvements were close behind at 42.3%.
This shows that original content remains key to SEO success. However, as stated earlier, it takes significant time.
The industry has found a solution. Most teams (the 58% Hybrid Strategists) plan to create human-written content with AI support. They want quality over quantity, using AI to save time while maintaining human oversight.
Interestingly, cross-department collaboration currently shows the lowest impact at just 9%, yet 37% of companies plan to increase it. This gap represents a major opportunity for teams willing to break down silos.
Download the full State of SEO 2026 report to see how successful teams manage their content work.
AI Tools Are A Competitive Necessity And Threat
The tools data tells us a lot about how SEO has changed. Analytics and reporting tools are most popular with respondents, leading at 56%. AI writing assistants have jumped to fourth place at 42.3%. That’s the same use as technical SEO tools.
Cross-functional platforms also scored high at 51.2%. Teams want all-in-one solutions instead of many separate tools.
While teams use AI, it also concerns them. A…
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