As we approach the start of 2026, the changing search landscape is creating uncertainty among businesses, retailers, and SEO experts. For those still hoping that the bubble will burst and the impact of AI search will not be as significant, the answer is: it will be bigger than we most likely expect. Traditional search, as we know it, will shift entirely to AI-driven queries and answers. The slower rollout of Google’s Gemini AI mode in Chrome is likely a well-calculated step to preserve the platform’s strength and create an environment where advertisers feel equally comfortable. ChatGPT showed incredible AI Search market dominance with 800 million weekly active users (WAU) as of September 2025. The latest news about the dominance of Gemini’s 3 quality over GPT5 will make OpenAI pause new development and focus on the core. This will benefit the end user, and it will delay ChatGPT’s entry into paid advertising. But where does the small business land that used to entirely rely on its unshaken local organic position, and didn’t require a large marketing budget? There will be a need for adjustment, but traditional SEO principles and a strong online presence will help with inclusion in AI Search, just in a very different way from traditional search.
AI Search Optimization Basics
A lot of unknown surrounds the new AI search principles and how the data is pulled into the LLMs’ results. Several things have been established, and we can confidently share that the basic SEO principles are still relevant and are an important part of AI optimization. Here are the three terms you should be familiar with when looking at complete AI optimization.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Traditional SEO focuses on optimizing websites for search engines like Google or Bing, using keyword targeting, backlinks, metadata, and structured content to rank higher in search results. It’s an important base for AI Optimization.
- Meta information matters.
- Use proper heading (H) structure.
- Create valuable, user-focused content.
- Avoid over-reliance on AI-generated content; prioritize human-reviewed, original material.
- Focus on increasing visits and organic traffic.
- Original content (added value) enhances visibility and presence.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
AEO adapts these principles to AI-driven search environments (e.g., ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity), where responses are conversational and context-aware. The emphasis shifts toward semantic clarity, factual accuracy, and authority signals that AI models can understand and trust.
- Use a question–answer structure.
- Maintain high content originality.
- Earn mentions and citations from credible sources.
- Ensure content clarity and context.
- Provide concise summaries or step-by-step guides.
GEO strategies for brands
GEO goes further by optimizing for AI-generated responses and summaries — ensuring brand and content visibility within AI answers, not just in the source links. Structured content, entity recognition, and reputation signals become critical.
- Content strategy.
- Brand authority building.
- More siloed – each search is treated independently, and previous search performance has limited influence.
- Testimonials and Reviews.
- Quotations and Statistics.
- Unique content structure.
- Brand results and citations.
New and original content that goes beyond what has already been produced helps with visibility. Continue creating content with strict topical relevance to create authority. Blogs, case studies, and FAQs will play an important role. PDFs can be easily read by AI and become a valuable resource in deep search.
- Additional content improves your rankings across all engines.
- Create white papers, resource libraries, and case studies.
- Structure your content for easy AI parsing and adaptability.
- Aim to deliver unique, added value.
As AI continues to reshape the search landscape, businesses will need to adapt. Traditional SEO isn’t disappearing; it’s evolving into a foundation for AEO and GEO strategies that prioritize clarity, authority, and structured, meaningful content. Those who invest early in a strong digital presence, original content, and an AI-friendly structure will remain visible and competitive in this new search era.
