As audiences grow sceptical of clickbait content and empty promises, British entrepreneur and investor Matt Haycox believes digital marketing is entering a reset period. The founder of marketing agency Dominate Online and an active mentor to founders across the world, Haycox sees artificial intelligence as both the disruptor and the cure. He argues that the era of Intelligent SEO, where trust, authority and data ethics shape visibility, is already here. ‘AI has made manipulation impossible,’ he says. ‘Now, the brands that win will be the ones people actually believe.’
From Manipulation to Meaning
The early days of SEO rewarded those who gamed algorithms. But as machine learning systems refine search quality, authenticity has replaced optimisation tricks. The 2025 Adobe Digital Trends Report shows that 67% of consumers now expect brands to provide evidence-based, transparent communication. Haycox believes this shift demands a mindset change: ‘SEO is no longer about getting seen; it’s about being credible when you are seen.’ His marketing consulting work helps founders reposition their content strategies around clarity and trust, using data to inform storytelling rather than replace it.
The Return of Credibility as a Ranking Factor
Search engines are becoming reputation engines. According to the 2024 Trustpilot Brand Confidence Study, 59% of purchase decisions are influenced by perceived brand integrity. Haycox views this as the logical evolution of digital ecosystems flooded with noise. ‘People are tired of automated fluff,’ he says. ‘Google’s AI now filters for depth, not just density.’ Dominate Online’s work focuses on weaving credibility into content strategy through verified author profiles, consistent tone and meaningful audience engagement.
Intelligent SEO and the Power of Intent Data
AI is giving marketers unprecedented insight into what audiences actually care about. Intelligent SEO, Haycox’s preferred term, uses intent modelling, sentiment analysis and behavioural forecasting to connect brands with genuine demand. His agency’s Dominate Visibility Tool exemplifies this approach, combining search trend data with audience emotion mapping to forecast relevance. The 2025 Forrester Data Innovation Index found that intent-based campaigns achieved 52% higher engagement than static keyword targeting. For Haycox, this proves the new hierarchy of SEO is built on empathy as much as data.
AI Transparency and Ethical Optimisation
While AI improves performance, it also introduces accountability. The 2025 Accenture Marketing Ethics Report warns that 61% of consumers distrust automated advertising that feels manipulative or invasive. Haycox believes transparency will define which agencies survive. ‘If your audience doesn’t know who’s behind the content, they won’t trust the message,’ he says. His consulting frameworks teach brands how to use AI responsibly, training models on real customer feedback, not scraped data, to maintain authenticity and fairness.
Relevance, Not Reach, Builds Long-Term Equity
Gone are the days when volume alone guaranteed success. Haycox argues that sustainable visibility relies on relevance, content that matches audience context and search intent precisely. The 2024 Nielsen Marketing Outcomes Report revealed that relevance outperformed reach by 38% when predicting long-term brand growth. His team at Dominate Online focuses on quality interaction signals such as dwell time and repeat visits rather than vanity metrics. ‘Every view should be earned,’ he notes. ‘That’s the foundation of digital trust.’
The Future: Intelligent SEO as a Business Philosophy
For Haycox, Intelligent SEO extends beyond marketing, it’s a way of operating. Businesses that align truth, data and customer empathy will dominate search and reputation alike. His approach blends AI precision with human judgement, restoring credibility to an industry that has long prized clicks over connection.
Matt Haycox’s vision marks a turning point for digital marketing. In an industry increasingly shaped by algorithms and automation, he champions a human-first strategy: one where transparency drives discovery and intelligence builds trust. As AI reshapes how audiences find and evaluate brands, his message is clear: success now belongs to those who use technology not to manipulate visibility, but to earn it.
