Rebel, if you’re still hunting for the one magic keyword, you’re playing yesterday’s game. Gordon Meagher, VP of SEO Strategy at uSERP, breaks down why modern SEO is about topics and intent, not individual search terms, and how AI fits into that shift without replacing your judgment.
About Gordon Meagher
Gordon is the VP of SEO Strategy at uSERP, bringing over 10 years of experience at the cutting edge of SEO in highly competitive markets.
- Free SEO courses: via uSERP Skool
Think In Topics, Not Just Keywords
Search engines (and humans) want thorough coverage of a subject, not a single clever phrase. Gordon’s shift: map 3 core topics your audience cares about, then brainstorm supporting subtopics for each.
“When we say keywords, I think it limits people’s understanding. Keywords are tied to topics. So really what you’re looking at is topic research.”
Gordon Meagher
- Outline 3 core topics your audience cares about, then list 5 supporting subtopics for each
- Prompt yourself: “What questions, problems, and how-to’s does my ideal customer have around this topic?”
- Don’t dismiss zero-search-volume terms, they can still drive real, targeted traffic if they match genuine intent
Let AI Co-Pilot Your Research, Not Drive It
AI tools are brilliant for clustering and ideating fast, but they don’t know real search volume or ranking difficulty. Use them to spot gaps and generate ideas, then verify with proper SEO tools.
- Use ChatGPT to group your existing keyword lists into topic clusters or personas, then check actual volume and difficulty in Ahrefs or Semrush
- Have AI surface “zero volume” queries tools overlook, then test a piece of content on one this week
- Bring your own creativity and lived experience to the data, that’s what turns numbers into something useful
Build Quality Links, Not Just More Links
A link is a vote of confidence, but Google can tell the difference between earned trust and gamed volume. Relevance and natural variation matter more than raw quantity.
- Audit your last 20 backlinks: are your anchor texts overly repetitive? Mix branded, generic, and partial-match phrasing
- Reach out to one relevant site (not just industry twins) for a natural guest post or resource link this week
- Avoid buying or mass-placing identical links, scale and variation signal quality to Google
For more on where SEO is headed, listen to the most impactful way AI is changing SEO forever.
You don’t need to be an SEO wizard. Build your strategy around your audience’s real questions, use AI as a brainstorming partner rather than a boss, and let quality do the work.