Chat With Sean - Part 2: Eli Schwartz On AI Search, SEO, And Mid-Funnel Strategies

In this episode of Chat With Sean, I’m joined once again by Eli Schwartz - growth advisor, SEO strategist, and author of Product-Led SEO—to dive deeper into how search is evolving with AI.

We explore why top-of-funnel SEO is on the decline and how mid-funnel search is emerging as the most valuable battleground for brands. Eli explains why AI isn’t killing SEO, but instead, it’s removing low-value content and forcing businesses to focus on real signals like trust, reputation, customer experience, and genuine demand.

We also discuss the evolving role of Reddit and social media in AI search, and why SEO teams shouldn’t always own those channels. Eli shares his thoughts on Meta as a competitor to Google in the AI search space, and how AI visibility is shaping SEO strategies for the future.

Topics covered include:

- Why AI search is reshaping SEO, not destroying it

- The decline of top-of-funnel SEO and the rise of mid-funnel strategies

- Why brands need to focus on trust and reputation, not just rankings

- The importance of E-E-A-T and why authority can’t be faked

- How AI evaluates authority like a human would

- The role of Reddit, social media, and brand visibility in AI search

- Meta's growing role in AI search and its competition with Google

- Understanding AI visibility, SEO responsibility, and collaboration

- The future of prompt tracking and AI-driven workflows