Rebecca Sentance

Rebecca Sentance

Experienced digital journalist and editor specialising in marketing, emerging technology, search, and ecommerce. Currently Deputy Editor at Econsultancy.

Econsultancy •

AI search optimisation: How to adapt, measure success, and stay customer-centric

Recently, we looked at the debate around whether ‘SEO’ needs a rebrand to reflect the increasing emphasis on AI-generated answers that is shifting how users approach search and, as a result, how marketers approach optimisation. In this follow-up, we’re going to dig deeper into the question of how to optimise for the changes in search behaviour that have emerged as a result of the new paradigm, and how marketers can gauge the success of their efforts.
Econsultancy •

GEO, AEO, SEO: What’s in a name, and how are strategies evolving?

The introduction of generative AI summaries and answers to search, as well as the popularisation of tools like ChatGPT, has rapidly accelerated a shift towards searchers receiving a single, definitive answer to their questions. With that acceleration comes a debate from search specialists about whether we’re now dealing with something fundamentally different to ‘SEO’ (search engine optimisation). Many marketers have started to talk instead about ‘GEO’ (generative engine optimisation) or ‘AEO’ (a...
Econsultancy •

Video, social, and generative AI: How to optimise for search in 2025

The many LinkedIn posts about SEO’s death have been greatly exaggerated. That was one of the key takeaways from day one of Brighton SEO’s annual gathering of search experts. The conclusion was not that any one factor (say, GenAI, or TikTok) has single-handedly ‘upended’ search as we know it. Rather, the reality of what it means to optimise for search now is much more nuanced – and interesting – than that. Here’s why, and how to go about it.
Econsultancy •

Despite advances in conversational search, SEOs still don’t need a voice strategy

With search seemingly moving in a more conversational direction, voice search is experiencing something of a revival of interest, with some speculating that searchers will be more likely to speak queries aloud now that their search engine can also give a conversational reply. So, should brands optimise for voice to get ahead? Although the voice experience is definitely improving with the introduction of generative AI, when it comes to optimising for voice search, voice suffers from the same problem it has always had – a lack of reporting.
Econsultancy •

The future of visual search: smart glasses, AR and retail opportunity

Over the next two decades, I believe that we’ll see search develop in two key directions. First of all, we’ll see voice search take off in a meaningful way – something that, despite the considerable hype surrounding voice search, we haven’t yet seen. And secondly, we’ll see the rise of visual search, alongside the development of technologies like smart glasses and augmented reality.
Econsultancy •

Why we need to stop repeating the “50% by 2020” voice search prediction

It appears on everything from presentation slides to thinkpieces: the ultimate justification for prioritising voice search; the ultimate proof that soon, we’ll be living in a much more vocal world. The thing about statistics is that so often, as they’re cited and re-cited, their context is lost. And sometimes, that context can be very important to understanding what a statistic actually means.
Search Engine Watch •

Why accessibility is key for search and visibility

If you’re involved with SEO, you’ve no doubt thought about all sorts of ways and means to boost your site in the search rankings. But if your site isn’t web accessible, your efforts will be in vain for 1/5 of your potential visitors. Web accessibility is the name given to making websites and online materials usable to people with disabilities, removing barriers to the way they experience the internet.