AI Didn't Kill SEO—It Made Excellence in Fundamentals More Important Than Ever

Data Collected:
Tracked performance metrics for tens of thousands of keywords from 2022–2025 using BrightEdge SearchIQ to analyze how top-ranking pages evolved across:

• On-page optimization
• Schema implementation
• Technical performance

Key Finding:
Top-ranking pages doubled schema usage when ChatGPT launched, improved performance scores by 20% despite pages becoming 43% heavier, and achieved 97% schema adoption by 2025—proving SEO fundamentals matter more than ever in the AI era.

The Big Numbers

• 97% of top results now use schema markup (up from 93%)
• 2X increase in structured data usage (9.6 → 18.5 schemas per SERP)
• 20% improvement in performance scores
• 50% faster interactivity (FID)
• 32% improvement in server response times

The Evolution Timeline

2022: The Baseline

• Pre-ChatGPT era
• Avg. 9.6 schemas per SERP
• SEO Score: 0.89
• Performance Score: 0.426

2023: The Explosion

• ChatGPT goes mainstream (Nov 2022)
• Schema usage nearly doubles overnight
• First signs of content evolution

2024: The Refinement

• Google AI Overviews launch (May)
• Technical optimization accelerates

2025: The New Normal

• 97% schema adoption
• SEO Score: 0.92
• Performance Score: 0.512

Takeaways from Data

1. Structured Data Became Non-Negotiable
   When ChatGPT launched in late 2022, schema markup usage nearly doubled within months. Top pages now average 17+ schema types vs. just 9 in 2022. This isn’t coincidence—it’s adaptation.
2. Technical Excellence Drives Rankings
   Despite pages becoming 43% heavier, performance scores improved 20%. Server response times improved 32%, interactivity improved 50%, and Core Web Vitals became a competitive differentiator.
3. Quality Beats Quantity
   Content got 13% shorter while SEO scores improved. Pages grew 18% larger in file size while reducing word count. The message: focused, structured, technically excellent content outperforms long-form keyword stuffing.