The Search Session How Publishers Can Survive (and Thrive) in the Age of AI Search | Lily Ray
Is SEO still about ranking web pages—or is it time to start thinking brand-first?
In this episode of The Search Session, host Gianluca Fiorelli is joined by Lily Ray, VP of SEO Strategy & Research at Amsive, to explore how AI Overviews, AI Mode, and LLMs are reshaping the way people interact with search—and what that means for publishers, marketers, and the future of organic visibility.
Lily explains why SEO success today extends beyond traffic and clicks, emphasizing the importance of building brand equity across platforms and collaborating across marketing channels. From stakeholder education to long-term loyalty in an AI-first world, this conversation is packed with insights on adapting your strategy in a rapidly evolving search landscape.
This is the 16th episode of the series:
Watch the full playlist on YouTube
Here's what you'll learn in this episode:
- (00:06) Meet Our Guest: Lily Ray
- (02:16) Surviving Google’s AI Overviews & AI Mode: Strategies for Independent Publishers
- (06:06) How Publishers Can Leverage Google’s Move Toward Hyper-Personalisation
- (07:51) SERPs as Billboards and Zero-Click Marketing
- (11:39) The Challenge of Reporting AI Search Success
- (16:08) Impact of LLMs in the Publishing Niche
- (20:12) Adapting E-E-A-T Concepts and Framework to AI Search
- (24:47) Fighting Spam and the Ethics of SEO
- (30:04) Lily's Encouragement for SEOs Facing Burnout and Declining Traffic
- (33:35) The Cross-Channel Future of SEO
- (39:48) Quick-Fire Personal Questions
Where to find Lily Ray:
LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Website
Where to find Gianluca Fiorelli:
LinkedIn | X (Twitter) | Bluesky | Website
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