GEO Is All Grown Up: Winning AI Search Takes Far More Than SEO

I came across some data recently that stopped me in my tracks.

BrightEdge — the SEO and search marketing company — surveyed over 750 people working in search, content, and digital marketing. They asked them one question: AI search is here. How are you responding?

The answers surprised me — and didn't, at the same time.

SEO Teams Are on the Front Lines — But Fighting Alone

54% of companies say AI search falls under their SEO or digital marketing department.

Think about that. More than half. More than every other department combined.

Does that make sense?

It does. SEO teams know search better than anyone. Keyword selection, content structure, how crawlers work — they've been doing this for years. When AI search arrives, the first instinct is naturally: get the SEO people.

But here's the problem.

SEO teams understand search, but they don't understand PR, they don't understand product, they don't know what's on executives' minds. Even the best solo player needs backup. Search optimization expertise has hit a wall — the wall of cross-functional collaboration.

According to BrightEdge's data, the companies doing it best don't necessarily have the strongest SEO. But they've brought in PR, content, product, and even executives. What they've built is a full cross-functional GEO strategy, not a one-person hero act.

What exactly is GEO?

Generative Engine Optimization. Simply put, it's not just about letting Google's crawlers find you — it's about making sure ChatGPT, Perplexity, and every other AI engine mentions you when they answer users' questions.

This is an entirely new battlefield. And many companies are still treating it as an SEO side project.

68% Are Already Moving — 57% Say They Still Don't Get It

These two numbers, sitting side by side, are fascinating.

68% of marketers are already adapting for AI search. But 57% say they're still figuring it out.

What does that mean?

It means most people are doing something — but most people also don't know if they're doing it right.

And that's not a bad thing. Quite the opposite. It signals a "learn by doing" mindset that's spreading. Shoot first, aim later. Just try it first.

What's more, most people aren't winning big or losing big right now. They're probing, testing, iterating in small steps. Nobody has cracked the full playbook yet. Everyone is still on the same starting line.

That's actually good news. Because on the starting line, the gap hasn't widened yet. If you start now, there's still time.

AI Search Isn't Just Google Anymore

This deserves a callout.

Nearly half of the marketers already taking action aren't just watching one engine. 27% are simultaneously optimizing for Google's AI Overviews and ChatGPT. Another 18% are even keeping tabs on Perplexity and Claude.

What does this tell us?

AI search is no longer a one-platform game.

In the old days of SEO, watching Google was enough — maybe Baidu too, as a second one, and you were set. Now? When users ask a question, they might ask Google, they might ask ChatGPT, they might ask Perplexity, or even Claude. The models behind each engine are different, the way they understand questions is different, and the answers they give you are different.

If you're only watching one, you might have no idea what the others are saying when they mention your name.

Try to be everywhere, and you might end up nowhere.

The 32% Who Haven't Acted — I'm Worried for You

BrightEdge's data shows that 32% of companies haven't done a single thing yet.

I get it. Something new comes along, you wait and see, you watch what others do first. That's human nature. In business, playing it safe isn't wrong.

But this is different.

68% of people have already moved. Every bit of experience they accumulate, every data point, every trial-and-error — it's all turning into a moat. By the time you figure it out and step into the game, they've already got a half-lap on you.

Multi-engine optimization in particular — the earlier you start, the sooner you learn each engine's personality. That advantage is built by time. You can't buy it.

Advice for Three Kinds of People

If you're a marketing leader, get your SEO team some backup — now. Give them a framework, give them cross-functional resources, give them real clout with leadership. AI search has never been a single-department affair.

If you're in SEO, you're already ahead of the curve — but don't carry it alone. Go find the PR people, the content people, the product people, and pull them in. What you can do alone versus what a whole team can do are on completely different scales.

If you're still on the fence — stop watching, start doing.

BrightEdge has a tool of its own called AI Catalyst. It can simultaneously monitor how your brand performs across AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other engines — showing you what users are searching for when they mention you, and what each engine's attitude toward your brand looks like. Going from playing defense to playing offense depends on tools like this.

At the end of the day, GEO isn't about technology. It's about mindset.

If you treat AI search as an upgraded version of SEO, you'll reach for the old SEO playbook — and then wonder why nothing works. If you treat AI search as something entirely new — multi-engine, multi-model, cross-functional — you'll switch to a different mindset and rethink it from scratch.

The rules of search have changed. And the people changing the rules won't wait for you.