Written by Paolo Gorgazzi
Index
Honesty as a starting point
Today, as SEO consultants, we cannot “sell” certainties to our clients. The constant changes brought about by the rise of artificial intelligence and new search formats are something nobody fully understands (anyone who says otherwise is lying!). AI Overviews and AI Mode on Google, Microsoft Pilot on Bing, or AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity are changing the rules on the fly every day and, honestly, nobody truly knows what the landscape will look like a few months from now.
What we do know is that users around the world will continue asking questions, seeking answers, and looking for information to meet their needs. That doesn’t change. For these reasons, part of our work as SEO consultants is to inform, explain, and guide our clients with sincerity and clarity so they can quickly adapt to what’s coming.
What we do know is that we must keep striving to understand the search intent behind each query. We know that original content that provides value and user experience contributes to a brand’s or company’s authority.
What we are still unsure of is how AI-generated responses will affect traffic, rankings, or how users interact with search results.
Honestly admitting that we don’t know everything makes us stronger and is part of our professional ethics. It forces us to stay humble and work with real data and testing, not with assumptions or empty promises.
At Human Level, we read, test, analyze, and share with our consulting team everything we learn daily. This “always learning” mindset is what allows us to stay ahead of the changes and prepare our clients for what’s coming.
Answering “I don’t know” to a client’s question is hard, but it’s necessary. That’s why, when we talk to our clients, we explain what we know, what we’re learning, and what remains a mystery to us.
We understand that this attitude builds trust, because the client sees that we’re not selling smoke, but being honest and transparent. Additionally, wherever possible, we invite them to be part of the process so they understand that together we are exploring a new reality.
The communication skills a good translator of technological change must have
In this new role we’ve had to assume as SEO consultants, communication is without a doubt the most powerful tool we have. Translating a reality full of complex technical changes into clear, simple, and client-adapted language in real-time is essential for ensuring the message gets through and is understood.
These are the communication skills that, from our humble perspective, we must have as SEO consultants in these times:
- Active listening: most importantly, we must know how to listen. Understanding each client’s concerns or doubts allows us to adapt our communication to what they truly need.
- Explaining complex concepts in simple terms, without unnecessary technical jargon, helps the client feel comfortable and understand the real value of our recommendations.
- Putting ourselves in the client’s shoes, acknowledging their fears or frustrations, and conveying that we’re here to help is key to building strong relationships and trust.
- Explaining the “why” and the “how” behind the recommendations we give helps foster client trust in us.
- Handling doubts: knowing how to communicate that some things can’t yet be explained, without creating distrust, requires tact and experience.
While data is essential, so is understanding the client’s emotional side. We must understand that clients may feel insecure or worried amidst so much uncertainty. Explaining how we research, make decisions, and adapt to everyday realities makes the process more human and approachable (that’s why we’re Human Level 😜).
All of this helps clients not feel alone and trust that we are working to understand new scenarios and find the best solutions.
Specialization: essential for leading change
The deeper our understanding of new AI technologies as a specialized SEO agency (or rather, in findability), the more value we can bring to our clients’ projects. Specialization allows us to dedicate time and resources to understanding these changes, analyzing complex data, and sharing insights.
At Human Level, we launched our AI Lab some time ago, an R&D lab to research the innovations of the reality we’re living in. The knowledge we gain ensures that our recommendations are data-based and that our clients can make better-informed decisions.
Keys to moving forward: telling the truth and knowing what you’re talking about
Ultimately, it’s not just about what and how we do things, but especially about how we communicate them to our clients. Sharing clear, data- and test-based processes—and acknowledging what we don’t yet know—helps us build strong, long-lasting relationships.
We’re living through an exciting and unique moment in SEO. Even though the landscape is unclear, the need for information hasn’t gone away. Our value lies in being honest, tirelessly researching, and adapting quickly.
