“Good search engine marketing is nice GEO.” That’s in line with Google’s Danny Sullivan, a director inside Google Search, and former search liaison
- Generative engine optimization (or no matter the brand new acronym is for optimizing for AI search experiences) is identical core work SEOs have at all times completed: creating distinctive, invaluable content material for folks and offering a fantastic web page expertise, he stated.
- This echoes Google’s Gary Illyes recommendation from July – that all it’s worthwhile to do is regular search engine marketing.
Why we care. You’ll be able to consider Google if you would like. However we’ve tried to persistently say that we consider GEO is an rising apply. That doesn’t imply it replaces search engine marketing right this moment or tomorrow – as a result of search engine marketing fundamentals matter and search engine marketing remains to be not lifeless. However I additionally agree with Michael King’s evaluation that search engine marketing is deprecated. The way forward for Google and conversational AI search shall be solutions, not rating, no matter what Googlers say publicly right this moment.
What he’s saying. Right here’s a few of what Sullivan stated about search engine marketing/GEO throughout his keynote at WordCamp US on Aug. 28:
- “…In the event you don’t know what GEO is, it’s like the newest acronym, however like I can’t preserve monitor every day. There’s a special one. However search engine marketing, search engine marketing; GEO, generative engine optimization.
- By the way in which, when you might dig it out once I was like in 2010, again when folks have been panicking then, I used to be like, you understand, search engine marketing doesn’t imply you get into the blue hyperlinks on Google. search engine marketing means you perceive how folks seek for content material and then you definately perceive learn how to have your content material there. And it could possibly be every little thing from folks asking a query to a voice system to folks simply opening up one thing on their telephone or no matter.
- So, the essential issues haven’t modified. Good search engine marketing is nice GEO, or AEO, AIO, LLM search engine marketing, or LMNOPO. So, they’re all high quality. What I’m attempting to say is don’t panic. What you’ve been doing for search engines like google and yahoo usually, and you could have considered search engine marketing, remains to be completely high quality and remains to be the issues that try to be doing. … Good search engine marketing is actually having good content material for folks.
- … Are you saying write issues in a transparent method that individuals can perceive? Cool. Like that’s only for folks. All proper.
- Are you saying write about issues which can be distinctive or attention-grabbing? Cool. That’s good for folks. And all we [Google] attempt to do is perceive how our indicators can align with issues which can be good for folks.”
CTR query. Throughout the viewers Q&A, blogger Angie Drake stated her natural search click-through charge has plummeted since AI Overviews launched, though impressions are up (often called the nice decouoling of search). She requested Sullivan what Google will do to compensate publishers who’re dropping clicks. Sullivan’s response:
- Google has been unapologetic about zero-click factual solutions (e.g., “What time is the Tremendous Bowl?”) as a result of customers anticipate direct details.
- Google is dedicated to rewarding distinctive, invaluable content material and supporting the open internet.
- He stated there shall be “bumps alongside the way in which,” that suggestions is heard inside Google, and “it’s nonetheless a part of what we’re going to be determining.”
Different takeaways. Another knowledge Sullivan shared:
- Google AI Overviews have led to a ten% enhance in searches within the U.S. and India.
- Google does “as much as 5,000 launches” (a.ok.a., updates) per 12 months. The final determine we had was 4,725, so not a lot has modified since 2022.
The keynote. Right here is the total video. I’ve linked to the takeaways portion of Sullivan’s presentation, the place he discusses GEO. Drake asks her CTR query beginning at 45:06.
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