Search is shifting under our feet. A new discovery system is forming, and it looks a lot like the early days of SEO. My take is simple: those who act now on GEO and AI optimization will win outsized results. This moment rewards speed, learning, and a bias for action. Wait, and you’ll be stuck playing catch-up while others compound their gains.
“We’re in the earliest stages of a new discovery system. It’s like getting into SEO in the early twenty tens.” — Erik Huberman
My Position: Don’t Wait For Consensus
I’ve built and scaled companies by spotting channels before they went mainstream. That pattern is back. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and AI-driven discovery are the next compounding channels. Think AI answers, summaries, and chat results that decide which brands show up first across search and social. If your content isn’t optimized for these systems, you’ll be invisible, even if your traditional SEO looks great.
“If you jump in now to GEO and AI optimization, you’re gonna be so far ahead of everyone else.”
The playbook mirrors early SEO. Back then, a few smart moves created massive, durable traffic. The same edge exists now. Early movers will lock in authority signals that are hard to displace later. That’s not hype. It’s how distribution works when the rules change.
Why This Matters Right Now
AI engines favor sources they can parse and trust. They weigh clarity, structure, authority, and user intent. Winning here is less about tricks and more about serving direct, high-signal answers. Brands that adapt get surfaced in AI summaries, carousels, and chat responses. Those mentions drive awareness and revenue, even if the click goes to a smaller site or a shorter page.
Some argue we should wait for “standards” to settle. I disagree. Standards follow behavior. The engines are already learning from what we publish. The data you feed them now becomes your moat later.
What To Do This Quarter
These steps are simple to start and strong enough to move the needle.
- Rewrite key pages to answer the exact questions buyers ask in one or two short, clear paragraphs.
- Add structured data and clean headings so machines can map intent to answers fast.
- Create concise explainers and summaries for each topic, then link to deeper content.
- Publish expert-backed snippets with sources to build trust signals.
- Measure where AI summaries mention your brand or competitors and adapt topics weekly.
These moves make your content easy for AI systems to select, cite, and repeat.
Proof From The Last Cycle
I watched brands in the early 2010s triple organic traffic in months by focusing on structure, intent, and authority. I grew Ellie.com to a million dollars in four months by leaning into channels before they were crowded. The same mechanics apply here. New channels reward clarity, speed, and consistency.
“If you can get into the forefront, you can really ride this wave.”
The counterpoint says AI might replace clicks. That misses the point. Distribution drives demand. When AI mentions your brand, your authority rises. People search you directly, follow you, and buy from you. Click paths change, but demand capture stays alive for those who show up first.
The Mindset That Wins
You don’t need perfection to start. You need motion. Ship drafts. Shorten copy. Remove fluff. Build a weekly cadence and iterate based on what shows up in AI answers. Treat this like the early SEO grind, not a one-time project.
My stance is firm: GEO and AI optimization are the next compounding moves for growth-minded teams. If you act now, you’ll get a durable edge that keeps paying off.
Final Thought
We’re early. That’s the gift. Take it. Pick a few high-intent topics. Publish clean, answer-first content. Add structure. Track mentions. Improve weekly. The wave is forming, and it won’t wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is GEO and why should I care?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It helps your content get selected by AI-driven answers and summaries. That exposure builds brand demand and sales over time.
Q: How is this different from classic SEO?
SEO targets ranked pages and clicks. GEO targets AI summaries and chat responses. You optimize for concise, structured, high-trust answers that machines can lift and cite.
Q: What’s the first step to get started?
Identify your top five buyer questions. Rewrite those pages with short, direct answers, add clear headings, structured data, and a brief summary section.
Q: What metrics should I watch?
Track branded search growth, mentions in AI summaries, featured snippets, time to answer on key pages, and conversions from visitors landing on those answer-first pages.
Q: Is it too early to invest real resources?
It’s early, which is why the upside is strong. Start small, test weekly, and scale what works. Early movers lock in authority that compounds.
