The Media Leader Podcast
One of the fastest moving parts of the marketing industry is GEO, or generative engine optimisation.
As AI search proliferates on Google, on ChatGPT, on Claude, brands are wanting to influence how results related to them are shown to users. For Google and ChatGPT, that could include through paid advertising, but the organic effort is seemingly just as important, much in the same way that search engine optimisation (SEO) has been.
GEO presents a unique challenge, however. There is currently a relative lack of data flowing from AI companies to brands and agencies; it’s not always clear why and how a large language model decides to reference or pull in information about brands; meanwhile, AI search has led to a decline in clickthrough rates not only to publishers, but also to brand websites, vastly changing the online consumer journey and making it harder to prove exactly how GEO is working.
Amy Banks was recently promoted at Havas Media Network UK to become head of both SEO and GEO.
She spoke to host Jack Benjamin about how she’s developing strategies in GEO for clients and whether or not consumers can really trust what they see in AI search if marketing teams are constantly trying to influence it.
Listen now by hitting the play button or use the appropriate entry point into Spotify, Apple or Google Podcasts:
Highlights
4:02: The evolution of GEO and why data is a limiting factor
9:00: Who is winning the AI search market?
19:25: How GEO is linking with paid search, social and PR
21:38: The impact of declining referral traffic to brand websites
24:47: Does GEO undermine consumer trust in AI search?
Related articles
AI search is reducing traffic to brand websites — but not sales
Who owns GEO? That’s the wrong question
GEO is an e-bike, not a spaceship
Latest episodes
How SPUR is building an economic model for publishers – with technical lead Alex Springer
The future of media research and JICs – with the IPA’s Dan Flynn and Graeme Griffiths
What is the future of freesheets? With Metro’s Deborah Arthurs and Jo Mazenko
