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Classic search (SEO): Optimizing web pages to rank in Google results and drive clicks.
AI search (AEO/GEO): Large language models and answer engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google’s AI Overviews) that generate direct answers. Also called Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) or Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
ChatGPT: ~2.5 billion prompts per day (OpenAI report, Sept 2025)
Google: 14–16 billion queries per day (AI Overviews appear in 10–30% of them) (Semrush)
Smaller but fast-growing Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, and others.
Website traffic is dropping. With AI Overviews and chatbot answers, users often get what they need without clicking through. This rise in zero-click results means fewer visits land on brand websites, even when the brand is part of the conversation.
Trust in chatbots is growing. Interacting with a chatbot feels personal, like chatting with a friend, and the answers are framed as tailored. That inspires more confidence than Google’s responses, which often feel cluttered and overloaded with ads.
Note: There’s an attribution gap. Google Analytics may undercount AI’s role, but self-reports show otherwise.
Awareness at a lower cost
It takes 7–8 touchpoints before a user tests a brand (rule of thumb). Social media + AI search + word of mouth can now cover those touchpoints before a user ever clicks your site.
Easy visibility while the market is new
More people are starting discovery in chatbots, and the channel is still easy to influence. Clear structure, top-5/10/20 lists, presence on review platforms, and prompt-targeted content all work.
Outpace bigger competitors
Appearing in AI search is still achievable with simple measures. Smaller players can beat larger competitors who dominate SEO and paid search with bigger budgets.
The market is still forming, but growth is clear.
In the near term spend: 60–70% SEO / 30–40% AI search (setup, source seeding, measurement). Shift spend toward AI search as your answer share and tracked influence grow (and as AI Overviews expand).
Classic SEO focuses on ranking web pages in Google to drive clicks. AI search delivers responses directly in chatbots or overviews, so users may get the answer without visiting a website.
Brands can improve AI visibility by creating structured content (clear lists, FAQs, comparisons), ensuring presence on review platforms, and publishing prompt-targeted articles. The goal is to provide content that LLMs can easily extract, cite, and trust.
Perplexity, AthenaHQ, and Peec.io are useful for monitoring mentions in AI answers. Turbine goes deeper—providing semantic mapping, source seeding, and analytics on brand presence across ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
Currently, a balanced mix works best: spend about 60–70% on SEO and 30–40% on AI search visibility. As AI Overviews and chatbot answers expand, shift more of the budget toward AI search optimization.
