You’ve probably noticed it too — SEO doesn’t feel the same anymore.
For years, we’ve been told to chase evergreen content. Write those “Ultimate Guides.” Optimize for long-term keywords. Keep updating them, and they’ll keep driving traffic forever.
Except… they don’t. Not like they used to.
The other day, I saw a post from Tim Soulo, CMO at Ahrefs, and it hit me right in the marketing gut. He said:
“The era of evergreen SEO content is over. We’re entering the era of fast SEO.”
And he’s right.
Most evergreen topics are now common knowledge — and Google’s happy to let AI handle those queries. But new ideas? Emerging trends? Google’s not ready to hand those over to a chatbot just yet. That’s where the opportunity is.
What even is “Fast SEO”?
Fast SEO isn’t about hacks or quick wins — it’s about speed and relevance.
It’s spotting what’s new in your space and getting your perspective out there while the topic’s still fresh.
It’s being early to the party instead of showing up after everyone’s gone home.
At StoryChief, we’ve been noticing this too. The content that performs best lately? It’s not the giant guides — it’s the quick, timely posts about things that just started trending. The stuff that makes people go, “Oh yeah, I’ve been wondering about that.”
Why the shift is happening (and why it’s not just hype)
- Google’s tired of déjà vu.
If everyone’s written the same post, there’s no reason for Google to show yours. AI overviews are taking over generic searches.
- The internet moves fast.
What’s hot today is irrelevant in two months. Search behavior changes constantly.
- People crave human takes.
No one wants another textbook answer. They want stories, opinions, and real experience.
- Evergreen’s crowded.
Every brand has a “10 Best Tips for XYZ” article. Fast SEO lets you explore new ground instead of recycling ideas.
How to actually do Fast SEO
1. Build your trend radar
Watch for what’s bubbling up — not what’s already boiling over.
Check Google Trends, X (Twitter), Reddit, and LinkedIn.
Or just listen to your team and your customers. If people keep asking about something new, that’s your signal.
2. Publish fast — like, newsroom fast
When you spot a fresh topic, move. Don’t wait for three rounds of approvals or the “perfect” draft.
Good enough today beats perfect next week.
(That’s where StoryChief really shines — you can draft, collaborate, and publish across all your channels in one go. No more bottlenecks.)
3. Add your own take
Fast SEO isn’t about surface-level content — it’s about being first and real.
So bring your data, your perspective, your story. Even a short blog post with a clear opinion can cut through the noise.
4. Keep it fresh
Trends evolve fast, so revisit your posts. Update examples, add new stats, change the title if needed. Fast SEO content should breathe — not just sit there.
5. Balance fast and evergreen
You don’t have to ditch evergreen content. Think of it like your base.
Fast SEO is your growth engine — the stuff that drives spikes of attention and traffic. Together, they work beautifully.
Related article: 10 Evergreen Content Ideas for Long-Term Traffic
Why this shift is actually exciting
I’ll admit — I used to dread writing “The Ultimate Guide to ___” for the fifth time.
It felt robotic. Like SEO had become a paint-by-numbers exercise.
But this new “fast SEO” era? It feels alive again.
It’s creative. It’s curious. It rewards those who notice things early and share them quickly.
As Ryan Law from Animalz (who Tim quoted in his post) said:
“Content teams should be more like newsrooms, less like libraries.”
So yeah, the era of evergreen SEO might be fading. But the new one?
It’s faster, fresher, and honestly — a lot more fun.
Final thought
The best content teams today aren’t waiting around for search trends to stabilize — they’re shaping them.
If you want to keep up, build systems that make it easy to move fast.
Tools like StoryChief can help your team spot an idea, create content, and publish it everywhere — before the moment passes.
Because in the age of fast SEO, timing is everything.
