The SEO conference circuit in 2026 is one long argument about what comes next

MozCon's inclusion of a session titled "Preparing for the Death of the Open Web" by Mike King, founder of iPullRank, marks a significant shift in the SEO conference circuit's focus towards the potential demise of the open web. This session's focus on the open web's potential death has significant implications for website owners, as it may indicate a future where search engine optimization (SEO) strategies need to adapt to a more restricted online environment. If the open web were to decline, website owners might need to rely more heavily on alternative platforms or strategies to reach their audiences, potentially altering the way they approach SEO and content creation. To prepare for this potential shift, website owners can take actionable steps such as monitoring AI bot traffic to their sites, updating their llms.txt files to reflect changing content policies, and diversifying their online presence to include platforms that may be less affected by the decline of the open web. By taking these steps, website owners can better position themselves for success in a potentially changing online landscape.