What Happened
Search Engine Journal published a framework from Hethr Campbell that gives marketers a structured way to decide whether to invest in AI search visibility or stick with traditional SEO. The article cuts through the hype with diagnostic questions that help you evaluate where AI search actually fits in your customer journey.
The framework walks through three key decisions: First, assess whether AI search even matters for your business model — a local dental practice in London, Ontario has different exposure than a SaaS company. Second, run a content readiness audit to see if your site can support AI-driven visibility (structured data, clear entity definitions, concise answers). Third, decide on budget allocation based on data, not FOMO.
The core argument: most businesses should be investing 80-90% of their digital budget in proven SEO fundamentals and 10-20% in AI visibility experiments. Not the other way around.
Key Takeaways
- Assess the impact of AI on your SEO strategy and whether to reallocate budget towards AI content experiments.
- Utilize diagnostic questions to evaluate the necessity of investing in AI visibility based on your business model and customer journey.
- Conduct a content readiness audit to determine your website's capacity to support AI-driven visibility.
The ONmetrics Take
This is the article we've been waiting for — a framework that tells you when to chase AI and, more importantly, when not to.
For London, Ontario businesses, here's the honest breakdown:
Local service businesses (dental, legal, home services): AI search is a low priority right now. Your customers are Googling "dentist near me" and clicking the top 3 results. That's not changing this year. Invest in GBP, reviews, and local SEO.
Ecommerce and SaaS: You should be experimenting with AI visibility — structured data, FAQ content, and concise answers that AI agents can parse. But don't gut your SEO budget to fund it.
The 80/20 rule: Campbell's framework essentially validates what data-driven marketers already know. Put 80% of your budget behind what's proven (organic search, GBP, content that ranks) and 20% toward testing AI visibility. Track results. Adjust quarterly.
What London, Ontario businesses should do right now:
1. Run the diagnostic — Does your customer journey even touch AI search? Be honest. 2. Audit your content readiness — Can AI agents parse your pages? Structured data and clear headings matter. 3. Don't reallocate until you have data — If 95% of your conversions come from Google Search, your budget should reflect that.
We've been tracking AI search impact across our client base. The pattern is consistent: search drives revenue, AI drives awareness. Both matter, but they're not interchangeable.