BrightonSEO San Diego 2025: Upskilling SEOs for Success in the Age of AI

Transcript

1. Upskilling SEOs for Success in the Age of AI Natasha Burtenshaw-deVries FLYWHEEL DIGITAL Speakerdeck.com/natasha_bd natashaburtenshawdevries/ @natasha_bd
2. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO AI:‌ AI:‌
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4. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO User experience Decreased traffic Attribution Job losses The Focus
5. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO User experience Decreased traffic Attribution Job losses Evolving roles and career progression Soft skills needed for AI success Training and upskilling impacts The Focus What’s Missing
6. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Director of Organic Growth at Flywheel Digital Natasha Burtenshaw-deVries Lives In: Hamilton (Toronto), Canada Working in SEO Since: 2018 Students Taught: 200+
7. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO 86% of survey respondents stated they have integrated AI technologies or tools into their SEO strategy. Source: seoClarity
8. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO 86% of survey respondents stated they have integrated AI technologies or tools into their SEO strategy. Only 4% didn’t believe generative AI could enhance SEO in any way. Source: seoClarity
9. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Source: SurveyMonkey 56% of marketers say their company is taking an active role in implementing and using AI.
10. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Source: SurveyMonkey 56% of marketers say their company is taking an active role in implementing and using AI. And 48% say increasing AI adoption is a top goal.
11. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO 84% 16% Source: 2025 Previsible State of SEO Jobs Report Businesses Seeking SEOs With AI Skills in 2024 Q1 2024
12. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO 84% 16% 79% 21% Source: 2025 Previsible State of SEO Jobs Report Businesses Seeking SEOs With AI Skills in 2024 Q1 2024 Q4 2024
13. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO 70% of marketers surveyed reported their employer does not provide generative AI training. Source: SurveyMonkey
14. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Source: Experiences in SEO Training Survey 56% of SEOs said they learned the most from on-the-job training. On-the-job training 56.1% Online articles 12.6% Online videos 9% Unaccredited asynchronous course 7.3% Other 6% Mentoring 5.5% Unaccredited synchronous course 3.6%
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20. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO A Skills Shift
21. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO A Skills Shift A Mindset Shift
22. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO A Skills Shift A Training Shift A Mindset Shift
23. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO The Skills Shift
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25. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Automation of Manual and Repetitive Tasks Is Now an Expectation—Not a Bonus More time for high-impact work Needs to be part of onboarding But not without guardrails!
26. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Prompt Engineering Is Now a Core Skill
27. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Prompt Engineering Is Now a Core Skill Provide good context Provide clear direction Ask good questions Give good feedback
28. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Use Generative AI Beyond the Interface Interface is the launching point Leverage integrations APIs are your friend
29. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO But it’s not just about building AI competency.
30. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO QAing and Fact Checking Are Critical Skills From Day 1 The stakes are higher Don’t assume competency Push responsibility for this down
31. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Data and Information Security is a Shared Responsibility Understand LLMs to understand the risks Ground it in policy Vibe code with caution
32. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO The Mindset Shift
33. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Be an Architect, Not a Carpenter Set the direction Empower the execution
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35. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Be Mindful of Bias, Especially Automation Bias “Automation bias refers to our tendency to favor suggestions from automated decision-making systems and to ignore contradictory information made without automation, even if it is correct. “ Source: Forbes
36. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Follow the 80% Rule Sweet Spot Not enough human oversight Need better prompting
37. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Death to Checklist SEO Please, it’s time AI will only compound its issues Power tools are dangerous without the right training
38. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Be Brand Marketers, Not Just Website Marketers It’s not just what others say about you...it’s what LLMs will say about you.
39. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO The Training Shift
40. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Teach People How LLMs Actually Work Just like search engine algorithms, social media best practices or brand guidelilnes
41. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO It’s Okay to Be Old School AI doesn’t belong everywhere Walk to run faster later Guardrails are good
42. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Embrace AI as Part of the Process “Can you show me the prompt you used?”
43. Summary @natasha_bd #brightonSEO
44. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO 2025 has left me exhausted.
45. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO 2025 has left me exhausted. But also more energized than ever.
46. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO
47. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO A Skills Shift
48. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO A Skills Shift A Mindset Shift
49. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO A Skills Shift A Training Shift A Mindset Shift
50. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO
51. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO Can You Make One Commitment as You Head Home? Enroll in a course Buy a ticket to an upcoming event Host a lunch and learn Test an AI integration Plan an innovation session
52. @natasha_bd #brightonSEO speakerdeck.com/natasha_bd Thank You! @natasha_bd https://flywheel.digital