Search Strategy for 2026 — AI & Legacy Tools for ROI

Below, I explore how AI is reshaping search, PPC, WordPress development and even crypto projects – and why none of these “legacy” systems are about to vanish overnight.

Evolving Search and SEO in the AI Era

Modern AI search tools (like ChatGPT-based browsers and Google’s new AI features) still rely on web content for answers, but they present it conversationally instead of as a list of links.
For now, SEO still works, but its ROI is shifting. Legacy SEO still works and will continue to work for some amount of time – you can still rank pages, but you’ll get fewer clicks on them.

In practice we’re already seeing traffic drop: organic sessions from Google are down as AI overviews and “zero-click” answers take more screen space. The writing is on the wall: ranking pages is taking a back seat to building brand trust.

“The future is not about ranking pages – it’s about creating a notable, trustworthy brand.” — Search Engine Land

However, AI also raises demand for quality content. AI models need lots of text to train on, and companies like OpenAI are licensing publisher content, doubling their data crawling.
In other words, well-optimized content is more valuable than ever.

Going forward, SEO will favor helpful, authoritative content over keyword stuffing. We’ll optimize for user intent (even conversational queries) and unique expertise, not just traffic. Technical SEO still matters – schema markup, fast pages, correct meta tags – but brand building and cross-platform content linking are now essential.

In my work (for example on House of Bitcoin or enterprise sites at Honed.), I emphasize this brand and content strategy: making sure our sites solve real problems and get cited as sources. That way, even if an AI assistant answers a query, it will often quote or link back to our authoritative resource.

PPC and AI-Driven Advertising

Paid ads are evolving similarly. AI-assisted chat tools can and will include sponsored answers: think of “AI advertising” as paid placements inside conversational replies.

Indeed, Google is already testing ads in its AI Mode, and OpenAI’s upcoming Atlas browser demo suggests ads will eventually follow. Analysts note that integrating AI chat into a browser is “a precursor for OpenAI starting to sell ads,” which could grab search ad dollars from Google.

That means savvy marketers need to be ready for shopping via chat.

For now, however, traditional PPC isn’t dead. As Coalition Agency explains, ads in AI answers will complement – not replace – search/display campaigns. We’ll still run Google Ads and Shopping ads, but also feed product data to AI channels and write content that convinces AI bots to recommend our offerings.

In practice, this might mean:

• Optimizing product feeds for AI queries
• Building up review and trust signals (so AI cites your brand)
• Prompting AI chat to mention key terms organically

The key is: ads will show up in new places (like inside ChatGPT or Google’s AI mode), but we adapt our PPC strategy rather than abandon it.

AI in Web Development and WordPress

A similar story is unfolding in web development. WordPress and web dev aren’t going away – they’re getting supercharged by AI.

Today there are hundreds of AI-powered plugins for WordPress, and developers routinely use tools like GitHub Copilot and AI code generators. AI handles boilerplate tasks: you can describe a custom plugin or theme feature in natural language and get working code back.
Studies show devs cut basic task time by 40–60% with AI assistants.

AI isn’t replacing developers – it’s making them more powerful.
As one WordPress blog notes, AI acts like “a really smart coding partner who never gets tired,” allowing devs to focus on architecture and UX.

For example, I use AI tools to auto-generate initial code or content outlines for client sites, then apply my experience to refine them.

Building websites is now faster and cheaper, but expertise still drives quality.

We still have to secure sites, optimize performance, and ensure great design. AI can help spot security flaws or suggest performance tweaks, but human oversight remains crucial – especially for SEO and UX.

In practice, a modern WordPress build might start with AI-generated templates and content, then the developer or SEO specialist polishes the details.
So websites themselves aren’t vanishing – if anything, more businesses will have websites because AI lowers the cost of building them.
But those sites will be smarter: built with AI tools, integrated chatbots, and structured data (schema/SEO) out of the box.

Bitcoin, Decentralization, and My Projects

Parallel to AI’s rise is the growth of Bitcoin and other freedom-tech.
In my work (as founder of House of Bitcoin and contributor to Bitcoin discourse), I see how these trends intersect. Bitcoin emphasizes decentralization and resilience, so fundamentals like running full nodes and ensuring uptime are crucial.

SEO and web dev play a role here too: Bitcoin education sites still rely on search traffic to reach new users. We optimize crypto content the same way as any other niche.

Moreover, I’ve worked on projects like the Overton Index, which uses AI to track tech adoption narratives. This blends old and new: leveraging machine learning to index public discourse while still needing high-quality source material (articles, whitepapers, etc.) as input.

In short, Bitcoin and web tech share a core value: open information.
Just as decentralization seeks to remove gatekeepers, AI democratizes content creation – and both benefit from reliable, authoritative online resources.

As a developer and educator, I see no conflict.
We can use AI tools to better explain Bitcoin concepts, and we still need solid websites (like House of Bitcoin) as permanent knowledge bases.

Looking at clients and collaborators over the years, I’ve found they value this blend. My agencies (Boomworks and Honed) delivered five-star results by combining technical precision (DevOps, WordPress, speed) with strategic vision (content strategy, brand building).

Today’s challenge: use AI to automate and amplify, while keeping long-term value and sovereignty front and center.

Looking Ahead: Personalization, Voice, and New Metrics

The trends above point to a clear future: search and web experiences will become more streamlined and personalized.
Voice assistants and visual search (e.g. Google Lens) are poised to become standard SEO targets. Users will ask Siri, Alexa, or a ChatGPT-powered browser to find products or local businesses — and we’ll optimize content accordingly.

In fact, tools like OpenAI’s new ChatGPT Atlas can already summarize sites or execute tasks (in a demo it fetched a recipe and added all groceries to a shopping cart). We’ll see more of that: AI agents interacting with ecommerce platforms, booking tickets, and doing research end-to-end.

To prepare, we’ll focus on:

• Structured data (schema)
• Voice-friendly FAQ content
• Robust product feeds

We’ll also track new metrics:

• Branded search volume
• Direct visits
• AI “mentions” as key indicators

Content licensing is another area to watch: AI companies may pay for high-quality content (as OpenAI already licenses news), creating new revenue streams for publishers.

Predictions

Over the next 5–10 years, expect a hybrid search ecosystem:

• Traditional search engines won’t disappear overnight
• AI-driven answers will handle more queries
• Brands that invest in trust and community will still get traffic (and AI citations)
• PPC will split between classic ad networks and emerging “AI ad” placements
• WordPress and site builders will deeply integrate generative AI
• Bitcoin and decentralized projects will continue leveraging web tech for education and growth

As a technologist who’s adapted for a decade, I’m confident the future isn’t about abandoning what we’ve built — it’s about integrating smarter tools.

We’ll build on our legacy of SEO, PPC, and development know-how, using AI and crypto as new levers — making the web faster to build, more personalized to use, and ultimately richer for everyone.