The SEO Game Just Changed: What Forbes Says You Need To Win In 2026
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In a December 2025 Forbes article, "Why Your SEO Stopped Working And The Exact Moves To Fix It In 2026," contributor Jodie Cook interviewed SEO expert Julian Goldie about the seismic shift happening in search. The findings are stark - and surprisingly, we're already implementing most of the solutions at TGVBrands.
📖 Read the original Forbes article: Why Your SEO Stopped Working And The Exact Moves To Fix It In 2026
🚨 The Problem: Your Traffic Is Tanking (And It's Not Your Fault)
"Your traffic is about to tank. Maybe it already has," Cook writes. "Your rankings haven't changed but your clicks have dropped. You're doing everything right and getting worse results."
The culprit? Google's AI Overviews now appear in roughly 58% of informational searches. Here's the kicker: around 60% of those searches end without a click to any website. As Cook puts it: "You could rank number one and still get zero traffic. Google takes your information, shows it in their AI answer, and nobody visits your site."
Publishers are furious. The News/Media Alliance called Google's AI Mode "theft." But complaining won't bring your traffic back. The entrepreneurs who win in 2026 will be the ones who stopped mourning the old system and started building for the new one.
✅ Strategy #1: "Every Page Needs To Answer One Thing"
Goldie's advice is direct: "Every page on your site needs to answer one thing. One clear thing. Not five things, not ten things. One thing. And it needs to answer it in the first hundred words, maybe fewer."
The reason? Google's AI reads your content and decides whether to pull from it. If your page rambles or tries to cover everything, the AI skips you.
How TGVBrands implements this: Our FAQ integration B5P (Buggy 5 Master Prompt Protocol) creates focused Q&A pairs that answer one specific question per section. Product FAQs address individual item concerns. Collection FAQs tackle broader category questions. Each creates a clear, scannable answer that AI can reference - exactly what Goldie recommends.
🎯 Strategy #2: Match What Google Thinks People Want
"Search intent matters more than keywords now," Goldie explains. "If someone searches 'best running shoes', Google knows they want to buy. If someone searches 'how do running shoes work,' Google knows they want to learn. Your content has to match what people actually want."
Cook adds: "Look at what's ranking. If Google shows lists, write a list. If Google shows how-to guides, write a how-to guide. Match the intent."
How TGVBrands implements this: The Buggy Five Master Prompt Protocol (B5P) uses five category-specific approaches. Jewelry descriptions focus on occasions and gifting (buying intent). Outdoor gear emphasizes performance specs (research and buying intent). Electronics highlight compatibility and features (comparison intent). Each protocol naturally matches the search intent for that product type.
💪 Strategy #3: Show You've Actually Done The Thing
Goldie calls this the real differentiator: "Google wants to know that you actually know what you're talking about. That you've done the thing. That you're not just writing about it."
His framework: "AI can write the basic steps. But you need to add what AI doesn't know. The mistakes you made. The things that surprised you. The specific problems you solved. That's your unfair advantage."
How TGVBrands implements this: The Buggy Five Protocol wasn't theorized - it was built through 1,500+ product optimizations across multiple categories. The YouTube content shows the actual work: mistakes, corrections, schema failures, and protocol refinements. It's not polished tutorials - it's real expertise documented in real time.
🏆 Strategy #4: Build Brand Awareness For Zero-Click Searches
Here's where it gets interesting. "Unlinked mentions are the new backlinks," Goldie insists. "The more authoritative mentions of your brand across the internet, the more AI summaries you'll appear in for related searches."
Cook explains the shift: "While your site might get less traffic, if Google references your website as its primary source, you'll quickly build a reputation. If it mentions your brand in its summary; you win."
Goldie adds: "If people see your content in AI overviews, they become aware of your brand. They might not click today, but they'll remember you. Next time they need something, they'll search for you directly. And branded search is how you win in 2026."
How TGVBrands implements this: Consistent brand formatting (TGVBrands in formal contexts, TGV conversationally) creates recognizable mentions. FAQ sections provide multiple opportunities for AI to reference the brand. Product descriptions, collection content, blog posts, and YouTube videos all build brand authority signals across platforms.
📹 Strategy #5: Video Is Non-Negotiable
Goldie is clear: "YouTube is the second biggest search engine and Google loves showing videos in search results. If you're not making videos, you're missing out."
You don't need fancy equipment. "Answer questions. Show people how to do things. That's it," he says. Google owns YouTube, so if you embed YouTube videos on your website, Google rewards that.
How TGVBrands implements this: Hours of optimization footage on YouTube create multiple search entry points. Each video targets terms like "product optimization," "SEO descriptions," and "online store setup." The rough, unpolished format actually strengthens credibility - it's real work, not staged content.
💡 The New Metric That Matters
Cook's conclusion hits hard: "Stop chasing traffic and start chasing leads. Track conversions, email signups, and revenue from the traffic you still get. Old SEO measured sessions. New SEO measures sales."
The Buggy Five Master Prompt Protocol (B5P) was never about gaming algorithms. It's about creating professional, conversion-focused content that works whether customers find you through AI overviews, direct search, or traditional rankings.
We didn't set out to build a "2026-proof SEO strategy." We just wanted product descriptions that didn't sound like generic supplier garbage. Turns out, focusing on clear answers, matching customer intent, demonstrating real expertise, building brand consistency, and creating video documentation is exactly what the experts now say you need.
Sometimes the best strategy is just doing good work and being honest about the process.
Article Reference: "Why Your SEO Stopped Working And The Exact Moves To Fix It In 2026" by Jodie Cook, Forbes Senior Contributor, published December 8, 2025. Cook covers AI, marketing, and LinkedIn for coaches and entrepreneurs. The article features insights from Julian Goldie, SEO entrepreneur and founder of Goldie Agency, who has over 300,000 YouTube subscribers.
