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This article was comprehensively updated on March 28, 2026. First published: December 15, 2025.
37 percent of searchers now begin their queries with AI tools – not Google. Google AI Overviews appear in up to 60 percent of all searches. When they do, click-through rates plummet by 61 percent. For companies offering complex or explanatory products and services, this means: If you don’t appear as a cited source in AI-generated answers, you lose visibility – regardless of your Google ranking. The new rules of the game are GEO and AEO.
TL;DR
- 37-38 percent of searchers use AI tools instead of traditional search engines for their initial queries (Search Engine Land, 2025)
- Google AI Overviews appear in 48-60 percent of all search queries – and in 99.9 percent of informational queries (especially relevant for B2B)
- Click-through rates collapse: from 1.76 percent to 0.61 percent when AI Overviews are shown; 80 percent of users click nothing at all
- 97 percent of enterprises report positive ROI from GEO/AEO initiatives. 94 percent plan to increase their GEO budget in 2026 (Conductor CMO Survey)
- Gartner forecasts: a 25 percent decline in search engine volume by 2026 due to AI chatbots and virtual agents
The Numbers Behind the Shift
ChatGPT processes 2.5 billion prompts per day. 900 million people use it weekly. Perplexity doubled its user base – from 22 million to 45 million – in just twelve months and now answers 780 million queries per month. Since January 2026, Perplexity has been integrated into Snapchat, potentially extending its reach to one billion additional users through that partnership.
But the real disruption isn’t coming from startups – it’s coming from Google itself. AI Overviews – the AI-generated answer boxes appearing above organic results – are now visible in 48 to 60 percent of all search queries. For informational queries (the kind most critical to B2B companies), that figure jumps to 99.9 percent. Since February 2025, AI Overviews have grown by 58 percent.
The consequence is stark: Four out of five users no longer click any result when an AI Overview delivers their answer. They get what they need directly from Google – and never leave the search page. For publishers and businesses, this means organic traffic from Google is falling – even if rankings remain unchanged.
“Success still hinges on timeless SEO fundamentals: quality, clarity, and credibility. The smartest approach isn’t choosing AEO/GEO over SEO – but adopting a user-centric strategy that serves both.”
Lily Ray, Principal Strategist at HubSpot, MozCon 2025 (paraphrased)
What’s Changing in Search – Right Now
Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT with browsing, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot – the list of AI-powered search environments grows every month. All share three defining traits:
- They synthesize answers instead of listing links. Users receive a finished response – not ten blue links.
- They favor structured, authoritative sources – content with clear hierarchy, schema markup, and demonstrable expertise.
- They cite sources selectively. Only those deemed credible enough to serve as references get linked. Everyone else vanishes from view.
For IT decision-makers and marketing leaders, this means classic SEO tactics – keyword targeting, backlinks, meta tags – are no longer sufficient. You need an expanded framework: Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO.
Rand Fishkin (SparkToro) offers a sobering insight: In his joint analysis with Datos, he found fewer than 1 in 100 AI search queries return identical brand recommendations – and fewer than 1 in 1,000 return them in the same order. AI search isn’t just different from Google – it’s significantly less predictable.
GEO vs. SEO: What’s the Difference?
SEO optimizes content for search engine crawlers. GEO optimizes content for AI models that generate answers. Here are the key distinctions:
| Criterion | Classic SEO | GEO / AEO |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Top-10 Google ranking | Being cited as a source in AI-generated answers |
| Optimized for | Crawlers & algorithms | LLMs & retrieval-augmented generation |
| Content structure | H1-H3 headings, keywords, meta tags | Clear definitions, Q&A format, entity-rich text |
| Authority signals | Backlinks, domain authority | E-E-A-T, authorship, citability |
| Success metrics | Rankings, CTR, traffic | Citations, brand mentions, share of voice |
Important: GEO does not replace SEO. The two disciplines complement each other. Strong SEO foundations make you better positioned for GEO – but GEO demands additional, specific actions.
The 7 Most Critical GEO Actions for Enterprises
1. Structure content as direct answers
AI models seek passages they can lift verbatim into responses. That means every section should answer a single, clear question – without requiring readers to scroll through an entire article. Lead with definitions; add context afterward.
2. Implement schema markup consistently
JSON-LD structured data helps AI systems correctly interpret your content. Prioritize: FAQPage, HowTo, Article (with author details), and Organization markup. If you publish technical or industry-specific content, schema markup is non-negotiable.
3. Strengthen E-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness – Google and AI systems increasingly weigh who writes something. Concrete steps: author profiles with verifiable credentials, editorial team pages, and transparent sourcing. Anonymous content or generic “Editorial Team” bylines carry diminishing weight.
4. Build topic clusters – not isolated articles
AI systems recognize thematic authority. One standalone article on “cloud costs” carries less weight than a coordinated cluster covering FinOps strategies, cloud cost optimization, and SaaS cost management. Interlinking signals deep domain knowledge.
5. Update content regularly
AI models favor fresh material. A 2023 article is cited less often than an identical 2026 version – even if the core information hasn’t changed. Refresh existing content at least annually, ideally with a visible “Last updated” date.
6. Create multimodal content
Tables, bullet lists, infographics, and structured comparisons are processed more reliably by AI than dense paragraphs. The comparison table above is a case in point: It delivers a compact, machine-readable side-by-side that an LLM can plug directly into a response.
7. Think strategically about distribution
Content must be visible where AI systems source their training data and retrieval inputs. That includes trade publications, established industry media, LinkedIn thought leadership, and structured data repositories. Rand Fishkin’s data further shows: Strong Google rankings strongly correlate with visibility in ChatGPT and Perplexity. If you rank on page one of Google, your odds improve significantly in AI search too.
“Fewer than 1 in 100 AI search queries return identical brand recommendations – and fewer than 1 in 1,000 return them in the same order. AI search is markedly less predictable than Google.”
Rand Fishkin, SparkToro, based on analysis with Datos (paraphrased)
Which Companies Must Act Now?
Organizations with complex, explanatory products and services are most affected – precisely the IT, SaaS, and cloud sectors. When a CIO types “Which cloud strategy fits my mid-sized business?” into ChatGPT, the quality and structure of available content determines whether – or not – a vendor appears as a recommendation.
This applies equally to direct vendors and their service providers and system integrators. Publishing expertise in respected trade media builds exactly the kind of authority AI systems treat as a quality signal. No wonder 97 percent of enterprise CMOs surveyed by Conductor invest in GEO/AEO – and 94 percent are increasing that investment in 2026.
Checklist: Assess Your GEO Readiness in 5 Minutes
- Does ChatGPT mention us when answering questions about our core topic?
- Do our technical articles include schema markup (FAQPage, Article, Organization)?
- Are author profiles linked and backed by verifiable expertise?
- Is content updated regularly (at least annually)?
- Do we publish topic clusters – not just isolated articles?
- Are our insights published in citable, reputable industry media?
- Do we have an
llms.txtfile on our domain?
Fewer than four “yes” answers? Your GEO strategy needs expansion – and time is running short.
Conclusion: Visibility Has Become an Architectural Challenge
The shift from traditional search to AI-powered answers isn’t a passing trend – it’s a structural transformation. Gartner predicted in 2024 that search engine volume would fall 25 percent by 2026. So far, organic traffic declines average around 2.5 percent – but CTR drops tell the starker story: minus 61 percent when AI Overviews appear.
The good news: Most GEO actions also boost classic SEO performance. Structured content, strong author profiles, and thematic clusters are universal quality signals. Investing now delivers dual benefits. Waiting risks a visibility gap – one that traditional SEO alone can no longer close.
Header Image Source: Unsplash / Emiliano Vittoriosi
Frequently Asked Questions
What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?
GEO is the optimization of content for AI-powered search systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Its goal is to be cited as a source in AI-generated answers – not just to rank in traditional search results. GEO complements SEO; it does not replace it.
How do I check whether my company appears in AI search results?
Enter typical customer questions about your core topic into ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google. If your company or content doesn’t appear as a cited source, your GEO optimization is incomplete. Tools like Brand24 or Mention help monitor AI citations over time.
What’s the difference between GEO and AEO?
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) are often used interchangeably. AEO focuses on featured snippets and direct answers within Google. GEO goes further – optimizing for all generative AI systems, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Copilot.
What role does schema markup play in AI visibility?
Schema markup (JSON-LD) helps AI systems correctly classify content: Who wrote the article? Which organization stands behind it? Which questions does it answer? FAQPage, Article, Person, and Organization schemas are especially critical.
Is classic SEO obsolete now?
No. SEO remains foundational – Rand Fishkin’s data confirms strong Google rankings correlate closely with visibility in ChatGPT and Perplexity. GEO builds on SEO, adding AI-specific tactics like structured answers, entity optimization, and author authority.
How much budget should I allocate to GEO/AEO?
According to the Conductor CMO Survey, enterprises allocate an average of 12 percent of their digital marketing budget to GEO/AEO. Fifty-six percent had already invested significantly in 2025. But entry is possible even on a tight budget: Schema markup, author profiles, and structured content require time – not money.
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