How to Do SEO with AI? 5 Practical Applications in 2026
The key differences at a glance
Without AI
With AI
Best approach
Introduction
The world of search engine optimization is changing rapidly. Where a few years ago we still had to manually analyze keywords and write texts, we can now automate a large part of the work with artificial intelligence. But how do you approach this? And especially: how do you do SEO with AI in a way that truly delivers results? In this blog, I'll take you through five practical applications you can implement right away. As the owner of SEO Report, I work with these techniques daily and I'm happy to share my experiences, supported by concrete figures from practice.
1. AI-driven keyword research: from raw data to promising topics
Keyword research is the foundation of any SEO strategy. In the past, I spent hours in tools like Google Keyword Planner to find the right terms. Nowadays, I use AI to speed up and deepen this process. The question "SEO bij AI?" is a perfect example of this. It's a long-tail search query indicating that users are looking for a combination of two topics. AI can recognize such search intentions at lightning speed and cluster them into themes.
How do I apply this?
With the keyword suggestions tool in SEO Report, I enter a seed word, for example "SEO automation". The AI then analyzes millions of search queries and groups them into categories such as:- Automating technical SEO
- Writing AI content for SEO
- Improving local visibility with AI
Practical tip
Always combine AI keyword research with data from Google Search Console. Link your account to the platform and let AI analyze the performance of existing pages. This way, you quickly discover which terms are already generating traffic but are not yet optimally utilized. Want to know more about the different types of SEO you can automate? Then read The 4 types of SEO you can automate.2. Content creation with E-E-A-T: writing for humans and machines
Content is still king, but only if it meets the E-E-A-T guidelines (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). AI can help you generate texts that not only rank but also provide value to the reader. The trick? You need to train the AI with the right context.
My approach
In SEO Report I use the AI blog generator and AI website generator for writing long, in-depth articles. I always enter a detailed prompt with:- The main keyword (e.g. "SEO bij AI?")
- The target audience (e.g. SME entrepreneurs)
- The desired tone (professional but accessible)
- Specific sources or data I want to include
Case study: E-commerce webshop
A webshop with 500+ products had no time to write unique descriptions for each product. The old content was thin and scored poorly in Google. With the AI generators we generated E-E-A-T-rich texts per product category, optimized for long-tail keywords. The results were impressive:- Organic traffic increased by 60% in 4 months.
- The average Core Web Vitals score improved after technical site audits, leading to a 35% higher click-through rate from Google.
3. Automating technical SEO: from audits to Core Web Vitals
Technical SEO is the foundation of any good ranking. Google rewards websites that load quickly, are secure and offer a good user experience. AI can play a huge role here by continuously scanning and flagging issues. The platform I use performs 24/7 automatic scans for technical SEO and rank tracking. That means I get a notification in the morning if a 404 error has occurred or if a page's load time has deteriorated.
What can you automate?
- Crawl analysis: AI identifies broken links, duplicate content and missing meta tags.
- Core Web Vitals: The tool measures LCP, FID and CLS and provides direct advice for improvement.
- Structured data: AI generates JSON-LD schemas for FAQ, products and reviews.
Practical tip
Use AI not only to find errors, but also to prioritize. The platform gives each finding an urgency score, so you know where to take action immediately. Want to get started yourself? Then check out the Step-by-step plan: automate your SEO in 5 steps.4. Optimizing local SEO with AI: more visibility in Google Maps
For businesses with a physical location, local SEO is crucial. Google Maps and the local 3-pack are often the first introduction to potential customers. AI helps streamline and improve this process. Think of generating GMB posts, analyzing reviews and optimizing business data.
How do I apply this?
With the rank tracker in SEO Report we monitor the positions for local searches daily. The AI analyzes which terms perform best and suggests new keywords. Additionally, we use the AI-driven GMB post generator to place weekly updates with offers, news or events.Case study: Regional service provider
A regional company had trouble being found in Google Maps. The Google Business Profile was not optimized and there was no structured approach to reviews and posts. Via SEO Report we:- Linked and analyzed the GMB data.
- Used AI-driven posts for weekly updates.
- Monitored popular times and route requests.
- Executed a local keyword strategy.
External source
According to Google Search Central, it is important to create content that truly helps people. AI can support this, but the human touch remains essential.
5. Rank tracking and reporting: making data-driven decisions
SEO is an ongoing process. You need to know what works and what doesn't. AI makes it possible to automate rank tracking and generate reports that provide direct insight into performance. The platform offers more than 30 tools for SEO research, rank tracking, AI content and reporting. This allows me to monitor daily without manual work.
What does it deliver?
- Daily position updates: You see immediately if a page rises or falls.
- Competitor analysis: AI compares your performance with competitors.
- Automatic reports: Weekly or monthly PDFs with recommendations.
Practical tip
Always link your rank tracking to Google Search Console and Google Analytics. This gives you a complete picture of traffic, positions and user behavior. Want to know the costs of automated SEO? Then read How much does automatic SEO cost per month.Cost comparison: free vs. paid
A frequently asked question is whether you can do SEO with AI without paying. The answer is: partly. Free tools like Google Search Console and Google Analytics provide basic insights, but for advanced features you need a professional platform. Below is an overview of the costs.
| Component | Free platform | Professional (SEO Report) |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | €15/year | €15/year |
| Hosting | From €60/year | From €60/year |
| Maintenance | Do it yourself (time) | Automatic (included in subscription) |
| SEO tools | Limited (Google Search Console) | 30+ tools, AI generators, 24/7 scans |
| Advertisements | N/A | N/A |
| Own email | From €12/year | Included with hosting |
| Total per year | From €87 (excl. time) | From €180 (all-in-one) |
Note: the biggest hidden costs are time and missed revenue. If you do SEO manually, you can easily spend 10-20 hours per month. With a professional platform, you save that time and see results faster. Moreover, you can try the platform for free for 14 days without obligation, so you can experience for yourself what it delivers.
Conclusion
SEO with AI is not a hype, but a necessary evolution. Whether you do keyword research, write content, perform technical audits or improve local visibility, AI can speed up and improve your processes. The key to success lies in the combination of technology and human expertise. You remain the expert who directs, checks and provides E-E-A-T value to the AI.
My advice: start small. Choose one application, such as AI-driven keyword research or generating GMB posts, and implement it in your workflow. Monitor the results with rank tracking and adjust your strategy. Within a few months, you will see that you not only rank higher, but also become better visible in AI search results.
Want to know more about how to do SEO yourself with AI? Then read Can you do SEO yourself or discover What is automatic SEO and how does it work.
Guide
Practical example: Improved local visibility with GMB optimization
Industry: Local service provision
Challenge: A regional company had trouble being found in Google Maps and local searches. The Google Business Profile was not optimized and there was no structured approach to reviews and posts.
Solution: Via SEO Report we linked the GMB data, used an AI-driven GMB post generator for weekly updates and analyzed the popular times and route requests. In addition, a local keyword strategy was executed with the rank tracker.
Result: Within 3 months, the number of route requests increased by 40% and the number of Google reviews increased by 25%. The average position in local searches improved from 8th to 3rd place.
Guide
Practical example: AI content strategy for an e-commerce webshop
Industry: E-commerce
Challenge: A webshop with 500+ products had no time to write unique, SEO-optimized descriptions for each product. The old content was thin and scored poorly in Google.
Solution: With the AI blog generator and AI website generator from SEO Report, E-E-A-T-rich texts were generated per product category. The content was optimized for long-tail keywords from the keyword suggestions tool and linked to Search Console data for performance analysis.
Result: Organic traffic increased by 60% in 4 months. The average Core Web Vitals score improved after technical site audits, leading to a 35% higher click-through rate from Google.
Guide
About the author
Virgil Harbers — Owner & SEO strategist (6+ years experience)
Technical SEO, AI content strategy, Local SEO, Google Search Console, Rank Tracking, Social Media Marketing, E-E-A-T optimization
As owner of SEO Report, I help companies increase their online visibility with an all-in-one SEO platform. With 30+ tools, 5 AI generators and direct Google integrations, I enable entrepreneurs to make data-driven choices themselves. My focus is on combining technical analyses with AI content that meets the latest E-E-A-T guidelines, so that clients not only rank higher in Google, but are also better visible in AI search results.