The rules just changed. Again.
For the past two decades, we’ve all been playing the same game. Optimize for keywords. Build backlinks. Dance with Google’s algorithm updates. Chase those precious blue links at the top of search results. Success meant clicks.
But here’s the thing about shifts in consumer behavior: they don’t ask permission.
The numbers don’t lie. Google AI Overviews now appear in 43% of all search results—that’s nearly half of all searches. ChatGPT hit 4.7 billion monthly visits in 2024, growing 67% year-over-year. And here’s the kicker: 67% of people say they’d choose ChatGPT over Google for certain queries.
While we’ve been perfecting our SEO playbooks, consumers have been quietly moving to a completely different playing field. They’re not scrolling through ten blue links anymore. They’re asking ChatGPT for restaurant recommendations. They’re getting product suggestions from Google’s AI summaries. They’re trusting Perplexity to synthesize the best answers from across the web.
This isn’t just another platform update you can ignore. This is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and it’s the difference between being cited as an authority and being completely invisible.
The Game Has Changed. Have You?
Traditional SEO was about climbing a ladder. You optimized, you ranked, you got the click. GEO is about becoming part of the answer itself. When someone asks an AI for “the best project management software for creative teams,” you don’t want to be buried on page two of search results. You want the AI to confidently recommend your brand in its response.
Here’s what most marketing leaders are missing: consumer search behavior has fundamentally shifted. When 18% of all Google searches now trigger an AI Overview, and longer, conversational queries (10+ words) generate AI summaries 53% of the time, people aren’t just searching anymore—they’re conversing. They’re asking complex, multi-part questions and expecting nuanced, synthesized answers. And if your brand isn’t part of that conversation, you’ve already lost.
The brands winning this new game aren’t just optimizing for search engines. They’re optimizing for AI engines that are reshaping how millions of people discover products and services every day.
The Risks Are Real. So Are the Opportunities.
The data is brutal. When Google’s AI Overviews appear, click-through rates to websites plummet by 35% on average. Top-ranking websites that once enjoyed a 7.3% click-through rate are now seeing just 2.6%. That’s not a dip—that’s digital quicksand.
Ignoring GEO isn’t just leaving money on the table—it’s handing your competitors a microphone while you’re stuck in the back row. Without a proactive strategy, you risk having AI systems spread outdated information about your brand, cite your competitors instead of you, or worse—never mention you at all.
But here’s the exciting part: we’re still in the first inning. Google search volume actually grew 21% in 2024, even as AI adoption accelerated. The brands that invest in GEO now aren’t just adapting to change—they’re positioning themselves as definitive authorities in their space. They’re becoming the sources that AI systems trust and recommend.
Here’s what smart brands know: When your brand does get cited in an AI Overview, click-through rates actually increase by 19% on average. The winners in this new landscape aren’t just competing for traffic—they’re becoming part of the answer itself.
The brands that understand GEO will have access to visibility opportunities that didn’t exist six months ago. This isn’t just about keeping up with trends. This is about becoming foundational to how your customers discover and evaluate solutions.
Your Next Move
The shift from SEO to GEO isn’t optional. It’s inevitable. The question isn’t whether consumer search behavior will continue evolving—it’s whether you’ll be positioned to benefit when it does.
At Bigeye, we’ve developed a comprehensive GEO service that helps brands transition from being findable to being citable. Our approach combines technical optimization with strategic content positioning to ensure your brand becomes a trusted source for AI-powered search platforms.
We’ve spent 20+ years studying how consumers actually discover brands. Now we’re applying that expertise to help our clients win in the age of AI-powered search.
Ready to future-proof your brand’s visibility? Let’s talk about how GEO can transform your search strategy.
