In recent years, building an AI-ready SEO team has become less of an option and more of a necessity for businesses trying to stay competitive online. When search engines prioritize content that AI can easily synthesize and reference, failing to adapt can leave your business invisible. Coming from my experience as a serial entrepreneur passionate about technology and education, I believe the key to navigating this shift is to balance strategy with execution while fostering adaptability within your team.
Let’s explore how to build an AI-ready SEO team effectively, why it matters, and how to avoid common pitfalls.
Key Changes in SEO You Can’t Ignore
Traditional SEO focused heavily on ranking through keywords, backlinks, and performance on Google alone. The landscape has shifted to include AI engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude, which extract and present snippets of information rather than sending traffic to websites directly. This means your SEO efforts need to focus not just on ranking but making your content ready for AI interpretation.
Data to Consider
- Share of Voice: Businesses’ visibility in AI responses versus competitors has become a measurable metric.
- Citation Patterns: Platforms like ChatGPT reference sources from YouTube, high-authority blogs, and even social media forums. Understanding which formats are preferred ensures proper optimization.
- Zero-click activity: AI answers often don’t redirect users to your site, so showcasing expertise in a way that builds authority is essential.
The best way to set a foundation for this transformation is to build a team that can handle these nuances competently.
How to Build an AI-Ready SEO Team
Step 1: Identify Core Roles
Start by understanding that the roles in your SEO team will likely evolve or expand. Here’s the setup I recommend:
- Technical SEO Expert , This role focuses on schema markup and site structure for AI crawlability.
- Content Strategist , Writing AI-friendly content with scannable sections and concise answers.
- Data Analyst , Tracks AI citation frequency, Share of Voice, and sentiment analysis.
- PR Manager or Reputation Specialist , Ensures brand visibility across platforms like Reddit or niche forums frequently used by AI bots.
- AI Trend Scout , Keeps the team up-to-date on changes to AI algorithms and citation methods.
Step 2: Focus on Key Skills
Invest in training your team members in writing for AI extraction, understanding query intent, and analyzing off-site signals. Teams should also be tech-savvy enough to implement schema, JSON-LD markup, and structured FAQs.
I suggest starting with free resources like Semrush’s AI Toolkit or downloading an AI SEO Checklist for hands-on practice.
Step 3: Develop Clear Workflows
Make your workflows adaptable and collaborative. For instance:
- Writers should structure content in standalone passages with embedded links and citations.
- Analysts track visibility metrics monthly, sharing dashboards widely within the team.
- Technical SEO professionals monitor crawlability using robots.txt settings and tools like Common Crawl.
Most Common Pitfalls
Mistake 1: Over-reliance on AI Predictions
While AI tools can offer suggestions, nothing replaces strategic input from a skilled team. Balance automation with human-driven analysis.
Mistake 2: Ignoring Off-Site Signals
AI platforms cite external sources such as Reddit, Crunchbase, and forums. Neglecting reputation management outside your website can be a notable gap.
Mistake 3: Not Updating Content
Content freshness is critical, especially for topics that evolve. Review high-traffic pages quarterly to keep them relevant.
Mistake 4: Weak Intent Mapping
AI queries are conversational. Your team must understand “why” users are asking questions to deliver aligned content.
How to Track Progress
Tracking metrics that reflect AI performance is necessary. Some effective ways to do this include:
- Use AI Visibility Tracking Tools , For example, Semrush now offers an AI Toolkit that tracks brand mentions and sentiment in AI-generated outputs.
- Monitor Platform-Specific Patterns , Analyze frequently cited sources across platforms like Google’s SGE or ChatGPT.
- Evaluate Your Share of Voice , Calculate your percentage of citations versus competitors in AI responses.
- Target Metrics Beyond Traffic , Invest in metrics like perceived authority or direct citations in AI engines.
Insights from My Entrepreneurial Journey
Over the years, I’ve seen firsthand how easily teams can underestimate the subtleties required to adapt to new trends. From the early days of building CADChain to launching Fe/male Switch, staying ahead of technological shifts taught me the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Combining linguistics, data science, and marketing skills into one cohesive effort has been transformational.
For small businesses or startups, outsourcing may be tempting when resources are tight. But I recommend starting by upskilling your core team to instill expertise internally. Outsourcing can work well for short-term fixes but won’t give you the long-term agility needed to adapt to AI’s rapid progression.
Conclusion
Building an AI-ready SEO team isn’t a short-term project. It’s a deliberate shift in how your business approaches digital visibility. By focusing on adaptable workflows, upskilling your current team, and ensuring AI-readiness across roles, you give your business the best chance of thriving in this new era of search.
Remember, the tools and frameworks are there, but the strength of your strategy lies in how well your team understands and applies them consistently over time. Whether you start from scratch or refocus an existing team, take it step by step, and don’t forget to measure your progress. This is how you build both visibility and sustainable expertise.
For deeper insights, explore Semrush’s AI Visibility Toolkit or the AI-ready SEO resources at Backlinko. If you're ready to dive in, get started today!
FAQ on Building an AI-Ready SEO Team
1. Why is building an AI-ready SEO team important?
AI-powered search platforms like ChatGPT, Google SGE, and Perplexity are transforming digital visibility by extracting and synthesizing content without always driving traffic to websites. Adapting your SEO strategy ensures relevance and competitiveness in this new environment. Read about AI SEO transformation
2. Which key roles are needed in an AI-ready SEO team?
Core roles include a Technical SEO Expert, Content Strategist, Data Analyst, PR Manager, and AI Trend Scout, each focusing on specific aspects like schema markup, content optimization, data tracking, reputation management, and AI updates. Discover how to structure your SEO team
3. What new skills should SEO professionals develop for AI readiness?
Key skills include writing for AI extraction, implementing structured data (schema markup), analyzing AI visibility, and tracking off-site signals like mentions on Reddit and forums. Explore AI SEO skill development
4. How does AI search differ from traditional search engines like Google?
AI searches focus on extracting concise, standalone answers from trusted sources rather than listing links. This shift requires SEO strategies that optimize for citations and zero-click answers. Learn about optimizing for AI search
5. What are common mistakes SEO teams should avoid in the AI era?
Avoid over-reliance on AI predictions, ignoring off-site signals on community forums, neglecting content updates, and failing to align content with users' conversational intent. Understand AI SEO pitfalls
6. What strategies can improve visibility in AI engine results?
Using schema markup, optimizing for entity recognition, maintaining content freshness, and fostering strong external references improve your visibility in AI-driven platforms. Check out AI search strategies
7. Why is off-site reputation management critical for AI SEO?
AI platforms often reference sources from social forums, reviews, and niche discussions like Reddit or Crunchbase. Managing your brand’s off-site presence boosts recognition and credibility. Learn about off-site reputation management
8. How can progress in AI SEO be tracked effectively?
Track metrics like AI citation frequency, sentiment analysis, platform-specific appearances, and Share of Voice to measure SEO success in AI results. Tools like Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit are essential for this. Explore AI performance tracking tools
9. Should small businesses outsource or build an AI-ready SEO team internally?
Small businesses may focus on upskilling their core team to instill expertise internally, balancing insourcing with short-term outsourcing for specific challenges. Read more about team building options
10. What is the timeline for building an AI-ready SEO team?
Building an effective team involves three phases: Foundation (0, 3 months), Acceleration (3, 6 months), and Scale (6, 12+ months), with startups potentially completing this faster. Follow the AI SEO roadmap
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.