Is SEO really dead? And what is GEO?
- Aug 5, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 4, 2025
And killer Q: what does it mean for how you get found online?
If you’re a service-based business owner who’s quietly wondering:
Is SEO still worth it in 2025?
Should I be doing something different now AI’s taken over?
Why does it feel like no one’s finding my website anymore?
You’re not alone. And no, you’re not imagining things. The way people search online has changed a lot.
And the way things are going, it’ll probably continue to change, so get ready to get agile, my friends!
But first, I’m going to walk you through what SEO, AEO and GEO actually mean (minus the tech headache), how they’re connected, and – most importantly – what this all means for your content and visibility.
Because no, SEO isn’t dead.
But yes, it is evolving. Fast.
Basics. What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is how your website gets discovered on Google (or any search engine).
In the old days (read: 2021), this meant:
Keywords in the right places
Headings formatted properly
Links and meta descriptions
Blogs optimised for search volume
Backlinks, if you were a real keeno
But the goal was always the same: to show up on Page 1 of Google when someone typed in a relevant search term.
Nowadays that list still matters, but the search engine itself is acting differently. Enter stage left: AEO and GEO.
Oooook, so what is AEO?
Answer Engine Optimisation.
Google isn’t just a search engine anymore. It’s now an answer engine. Which means, more and more often, people aren’t clicking through 10 different links to find their answers, they’re asking full, conversational style questions and expecting instant answers.
Think of how you search now:
What’s a good CRM for coaches that isn’t annoying?
Best email providers for newsletters 2025
How to write a great about page without sounding cringey
And then Google gives you a big, bold answer at the top of the page. That’s Google’s AI-generated summary (a.k.a. AI Overviews) pulling info from top-performing content across the web.
To get featured there your content needs to be structured like an expert answer.
You need to become the top-performing content.
That’s AEO. And it’s now a massive part of visibility.
And GEO?
Generative Engine Optimisation is a broader term that includes any kind of optimisation for AI-generated search results.
Think:
Google’s AI Overviews
ChatGPT
Bing Chat and other AI search tools
It’s not just about keywords anymore, it’s about how your content performs in conversation-like searches, often happening outside your website.
GEO is the catch-all for this next chapter of search.
So, what does the future look like for small businesses like yours?
If your website was built to ‘rank on Google,’ it’s time to go deeper than SEO checklists.
Because you’re no longer just trying to rank.
You’re trying to answer, connect, convert and contribute to the search ecosystem in a way that gets you seen as the expert.
The good news? If you’re already creating smart, human-first, strategic content, you’re halfway there.
But there are some important shifts to make.
How to stay visible in 2025 (without selling your soul to the algorithm)
Here’s what I’m recommending to my clients right now:
Are you just blogging for the sake of it? Or do you know what questions your audience is really asking?
Think clarity, not cleverness. Format your posts so they’re easy for both humans and AI to scan. Use subheads, bulleted lists, clear takeaways.
Use Voice-of-Customer research (always)The more your content reflects real language, the more it joins the conversation. Not just for connection, but for discoverability.
Optimise your content hub
That means interlinking blog posts, structuring your website clearly, and building out strong internal architecture (so Google understands what you’re about and where to send people).
Think beyond traffic
You want the right people to find you and stick around. That means copy that resonates, a message that makes sense, and a website that works hard for you. (Hi 👋 I help with all of this.)
SEO isn't dead. It's just growing up.
You don’t need to know all the acronyms.
But you do need to care about:
Answering questions your audience is actually asking
Structuring content that can be picked up by both AI and humans
Creating messages that sound like you and land like them
Because in a sea of AI vomit, what stands out? Not you, that’s for sure. (No, really, ironically AI favours human-led content over spammy, generic sludge.)
Real voices dishing out real expertise.
That’s what gets remembered. And shared. And searched for again.
So yeah, that’s what gets found!
And if you’re struggling to show up with sticky messaging that doesn’t sound like you swallowed a robot, then get help. From me, obvs.
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