AI vs SEO: What B2B Marketers Still Don’t Understand

Is SEO Dead… or Just Growing Up? Everyone’s asking if SEO still matters in the age of AI, but that question misses the bigger shift. In this episode of Marketing in the Raw, Adam sits down with Ryan Brock to go beyond the “SEO vs AI” debate and unpack how search, content, and buyer behavior have been evolving for years and why most marketers are still thinking about it wrong. We explore Ryan’s journey from storyteller to agency owner during SEO’s wild west, and what he learned watching the industry move from hacks to something far more sophisticated. Because the real question isn’t about traffic, it’s this: If AI is reshaping discovery and tech is no longer a moat… what actually makes a brand win today? This conversation breaks down why trust, structure, and real market understanding are now the competitive edge and why content is no longer just marketing… It’s part of the product itself. This episode is for you if: You’re wondering whether SEO is still worth investing in You feel like AI is changing the rules, but no one can clearly explain how You’ve relied on tactics in the past and are starting to question what actually works long-term You want to understand how to show up in both search and AI-driven discovery You’re trying to build a marketing strategy that won’t break every time the algorithm changes 00:45 Bald Guy Banter 02:35 From Art To Marketing 04:49 First Paid Writing Gigs 07:17 Learning Marketing Fast 11:37 SEO Arms Race Era 13:52 Panda Update Fallout 15:39 Modern SEO Context Shift 16:51 DemandJump And Pillars 21:57 Book Relevance And GEO 24:24 Links Matter Less 25:07 Pillar Content Wins AI 28:28 SEO Still Worth It 29:02 Agentic AI Wave 30:26 New Moats Trust 33:21 Market Research Content 36:45 Website Role Shifts 38:46 COVID Testing Case Study 45:23 Agency Buying Changes 51:51 Where To Find Ryan 52:50 Final Wrap Up 53:14 Welcome to Marketing in the Raw Connect with Ryan Brock Website: https://pillar-and-co.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-m-brock/ Connect with Adam: Twitter: /adamhelweh LinkedIn: /adamhelweh Instagram: /adamhelweh YouTube: /adamhelweh Learn more about my digital marketing agency, Secret Sushi: https://secretsushi.com/