Continuing my thoughts from last week about agent-mediated discovery and the evolving digital landscape. After exploring how businesses might need to adapt to AI agents increasingly influencing consumer decisions, I wanted to reflect on who might be well-positioned to lead this transformation.

SEO professionals appear to sit at an interesting intersection of technical expertise and marketing strategy that could prepare them for this evolution. This likely isn’t a replacement of SEO – it seems more like a potential progression.

For years, SEO specialists have worked on optimizing for algorithms while maintaining human appeal. Many have developed skills that could prove valuable for agent optimization:

• Experience translating business value into discoverable attributes
• Familiarity with structured data and schema markup
• Practice balancing technical requirements with compelling content
• Knowledge of measuring and optimizing visibility across platforms

What might make SEO professionals suited for this transition is their existing role as connectors. They often bridge technical implementation with business outcomes, explaining complex concepts to stakeholders while collaborating with developers and content creators.

The shift from keyword optimization to more comprehensive data structuring could be a natural progression for SEO specialists who understand both the technical aspects of digital visibility and the strategic business implications of discovery.

As we look to the future, the channel we currently call “SEO” might evolve into something more comprehensive – perhaps “Agent Experience Optimization” or “Structured Discovery Management.” Whatever its name, the fundamental skills remain similar: understanding how machines interpret information and optimizing digital assets to be discoverable through increasingly sophisticated intermediaries.

This evolving channel will likely encompass not just search engines but all AI-mediated discovery paths that connect businesses with potential customers.

Organizations that recognize this channel evolution may find that their SEO investments and capabilities provide a solid foundation for creating agent-ready digital experiences that AI systems can easily navigate and recommend.

WillDoSEO.com