As an SEO agency owner, I get asked a lot of big picture questions by clients. The most persistent in the past year has to be “are we optimizing for AI search?”
I chuckle – at least internally – when I hear this. Not because there’s anything wrong with the question, but really because this is a non-question.
You see, folks who ask this question fancy themselves as forward-thinking execs who want to stay ahead of the technology curve. To them, SEO is getting more passé by the day and drastic new moves have to be made to stay at the forefront of digital marketing trends.
On paper, it makes sense. But there’s only one problem: Google and other LLM companies have explicitly stated that traditional SEO practices are the bedrock of generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
In fact, Google has gone out of its way to clarify that there is no “new” SEO playbook for AI. The fundamentals haven’t changed.
Danny Sullivan, Google’s Search Liaison, put it plainly: “Write for humans, not for ranking systems — whether those systems are traditional search or LLM-powered experiences.”
“Build great sites with great content,” adds Nick Fox, Google’s SVP of Knowledge and Information, echoed the same on a recent podcast. “The way to optimize for AI search is the same as how to perform well in traditional search.”
So no, you don’t need to launch an “AI SEO” division or pay your agency double so it can imagine an AI SEO strategy with superfluous tasks. What you do need is a renewed commitment to quality content, technical excellence, and user-first thinking.
Core Principles of GEO
GEO isn’t a new rulebook. It’s simply a new context in which the long-standing principles of SEO continue to apply. The tactics may evolve, and the presentation of search results may shift, but the underlying strategy remains the same: create great content, on a great site, for real people.
1. Create human-first, high-value content
AI-generated results are built to summarize and synthesize the best available information. That means if your content just echoes what’s already out there, it’s less likely to be cited or surfaced. The content that performs best adds something original, whether it’s practical insight, unique experience, or a fresh perspective.
If you’re producing content that people actually want to read, you’ll already be ahead of most.
2. Demonstrate real experience and authority
Generic content is increasingly easy to identify and ignore. Google’s systems, including AI features, reward signals of authenticity. That includes real authors with proven backgrounds, firsthand knowledge, and a history of publishing useful, credible material.
Trust is the differentiator. Without it, no amount of SEO polish will carry your content far.
3. Use structured data, but don’t depend on it
Structured data helps Google and other platforms understand your content more efficiently. It improves how your content can be presented across different search features, including AI-generated formats. But it only works when the content itself is worth showing.
Schema enhances clarity, but it doesn’t replace substance.
4. Add visual and multimedia support when useful
In many queries, users expect more than just text. Visuals can improve understanding and make your content more engaging. When relevant, consider using images, short videos, or visual explanations to help communicate your message clearly.
This also increases your chance of appearing in rich and multimodal AI results, which pull from more than just written copy.
5. Build off-site authority through signals
Search engines, including AI systems, rely on off-site signals to assess your credibility. That includes backlinks from authoritative domains, digital PR coverage, consistent brand mentions, and proper attribution from external sources.
These signals confirm that others trust your content enough to reference it. That trust is a key currency in AI-generated summaries and citations.
6. Measure outcomes, not just clicks
The goal of SEO has never been traffic for its own sake. Google has made it clear that what matters is engagement and value. This means tracking conversions, actions taken, and real business results—not just the number of visitors or keyword rankings.
AI-driven clicks may be fewer, but they are often more qualified. Success means defining what matters to your business and optimizing toward that, not vanity metrics.
Take a Long, Satisfying Piss and Relax on GEO
Let’s be honest. GEO is everywhere in SEO headlines right now, and if you read enough of them, you’d think the entire web is being swallowed by LLMs. But here’s the truth: for most websites, traffic from AI-generated search experiences is still a rounding error compared to traditional sources.
Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT browsing, Perplexity, and other LLM-powered engines may be flashy, but they’re not driving significant volume—yet. The majority of real user sessions still begin and end with classic search: a typed query, a set of blue links, and a click to a well-structured website. That’s still where the action is.
If you’re already running a robust SEO program built on strong content, sound technical foundations, and genuine user value, then GEO is not a fire to put out. It’s a minor weather report at best. The fundamentals you’ve mastered are exactly what Google is looking to elevate in these new formats. There’s no need to panic, pivot your entire strategy, or start rewriting content with LLMs in mind.
Obsession with GEO too early could even backfire. Chasing visibility in a space with immature traffic patterns, no proven conversion data, and opaque attribution is a great way to waste resources. Worse, it could pull your team’s attention away from what’s already working.
This isn’t a call to ignore the rise of AI search. It’s a reminder to stay grounded. Keep an eye on the shifts, but don’t throw out a winning playbook because someone yelled “new acronym” on LinkedIn.
Your SEO strategy isn’t outdated. It’s built for long-term success. GEO is not a revolution—it’s just the next phase of evolution.
