SEO Fundamentals: Advice from Expert Deon Malan on Ranking, AI, and B2B Strategy

In today’s AI-driven world, is keyword research still useful? What’s the role of technical SEO now that everyone can publish content instantly? In this fact-filled guide, SEO expert Deon Malan shares modern best practices for ranking high in search engines—without falling into outdated traps.

Let’s dive into six key sections from the conversation.

1. Is Great Content Enough Without Technical SEO?

“If your website isn’t crawlable by search engines, you may as well pack your bags and go home.”

Deon Malan

Before obsessing over keywords, Deon makes one thing clear: your technical SEO foundation is non-negotiable. That means your site must be:

• Crawlable
• Fast
• Mobile-friendly
• Structurally sound

Without this baseline, even the best content and cleverest SEO tricks won’t move the needle.

For more on technical SEO, check out our cheat sheet for B2B marketers.

2. Why Keyword Research Still Matters

Yes, Google’s algorithm is smarter than ever. But that doesn’t mean keywords are dead.

“People aren’t always searching in long-tail queries. Shorter keywords still live inside those queries.”

Deon explains that while AI and conversational search are rising, keywords—especially short- and mid-tail terms—still help shape URL structure, page focus, and content visibility.

3. The Key to Keyword Research

What should you focus on during keyword research? It depends on your domain authority and competitive landscape.

If you’re a newer brand:

• Go after low-volume, low-competition keywords
• Build relevance around a specific niche

If you’re established:

• You can compete for higher-volume terms, thanks to your existing trust and authority.

“If your brand isn’t ready to rank for the big stuff, don’t waste your energy—go for keywords where you can win.”

4. DIY Keyword Clustering

Keyword clustering = the strategy behind your content roadmap.

“Identify a primary topic, then group subtopics underneath it. Each subtopic supports the pillar.”

This structure helps search engines understand your authority on a subject. Plus, it makes your site easier to navigate and more valuable to users. It’s not just good for SEO—it’s great for content strategy, too.

And the best part? You can do this manually with tools like:

• Answer the Public
• Google’s “People Also Ask”
• Topic generators based on seed keywords

5. Do FAQs Help Your SEO?

Remember when everyone said FAQ sections were outdated? Not anymore.

“FAQs are making a comeback… because they serve the question-and-answer format very nicely for LLMs.”

Deon highlights how AI platforms like ChatGPT often favor direct Q&A content when surfacing results. That makes FAQs and glossary sections SEO powerhouses again—especially if you format them with:

• Specific questions users ask
• Detailed, helpful answers
• Schema markup for extra visibility

Check out Deon’s guide on how to create a B2B FAQ that performs.

6. How Keyword Research Works with AI and LLMs

The way users interact with content is changing—especially inside large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT or Claude.

“Your content needs to match the style of searching in LLMs. That usually means longer-tail keywords.”

To adapt, you should:

• Create content that mimics conversational queries
• Build out FAQ pages and glossaries with structured data
• Track how your content performs in AI platforms, not just traditional search

SEO is no longer just about Google. It’s about visibility in every kind of engine—including generative ones.

Check out Airfleet’s complete guide to Generative Engine Optimization if you’d like to optimize your website on your own or hit the easy button and request a free GEO audit here.

Final Takeaway

Modern SEO isn’t about chasing hacks—it’s about building sustainable visibility across platforms. Deon’s advice reinforces that technical SEO, keyword strategy, and content structure still matter, even in the age of AI.

Whether you’re new to SEO or refining your approach, focus on these fundamentals and adapt them to fit the new tools in play.