The Wild West of Content Optimization: Why I’m All in on AEO and GEO

Over the last six months, I’ve found myself deep in what feels like the wild, wild west of content optimization: a wide-open frontier marked by rapid change, uncharted tools, and a whole lot of dust-kicking disruption. I’m talking about the new world of answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO).

Like most wild adventures, it started small: one intriguing webinar from SEMrush. Then a couple of client questions rolled in: “Hey, how do we show up in ChatGPT answers?” And before I knew it, one of our clients started showing up in AI-generated Google snippets without even ranking No. 1 in search.

Something was shifting, so I got curious — then I got strategic.

And now I can’t stop talking about it, y’all, because if you’re in content marketing, you can’t afford to ignore what’s happening in AI-powered search. Saddle up!

What Are AEO and GEO, Exactly?

If SEO is about ranking in traditional search engines, AEO and GEO are about appearing in AI search results, sometimes without a single click involved.

• AEO is about structuring content so it gets pulled into AI-generated featured snippets. Think: Google’s AI Overviews or voice search answers via Alexa or Siri.
• GEO is about becoming the source material for generative AI platforms like ChatGPT or Perplexity. When someone asks, “What’s the best boutique agency for content marketing services?” — we want our content cited in that answer.

Here’s the kicker: You don’t have to be No. 1 in Google to be featured in these answers. It’s a new frontier, folks!

From Clicks to Context: How Search Is Changing

One of the most helpful frameworks I’ve seen came from a SEMrush webinar that sparked a lot of this thinking for me. They laid out how traditional SEO funnels compare to how people are engaging with AI-powered search today — and it was like a lightbulb went off.

In the traditional SEO model, the user journey is linear:

• Search
• Click
• Explore
• Decide

But in AI search, the flow is much more fluid and cross-platform:

• Ask
• Get a summarized answer
• Validate
• Act

So instead of someone Googling “best accounting software,” clicking a link, poking around, and deciding what to do next, they might now go to ChatGPT, ask the same question, get an instant summary — and then maybe Google your brand name to double-check what they saw.

The validation phase has moved, and it’s often invisible. The impression is made long before the click — if the click happens. Of course, this isn’t just happening with AI search. It mirrors other search and funnel trends, where people see a brand on Reddit, Instagram, or another site, and then start their search from there.

The way people experience content is no longer confined to a search engine result page. It’s contextual, conversational, and increasingly zero-click.

Why This Matters for Clients (and for Us)

At BackPocket, we’ve seen firsthand how brands are getting cited in AI Overviews, even if they’re not at the top of the search engine results page (SERP). A client like enSYNC is a great example.

“A few months ago, when I was digging into enSYNC’s Search Console data, I realized their content was being featured in Google’s AI Overviews — not just because it ranked well, but because it was long-standing, well-structured, and authoritative. That kind of visibility goes way beyond traditional SEO,” says Justine Savage, Senior Digital Marketing Manager at BackPocket.

Here’s what we’re seeing:

• Their long-standing, high-authority content around nonprofit finance is being surfaced in AI answers for terms like “nonprofit sustainability.”
• It wasn’t the newest post. It wasn’t even the slickest post.
• But it was clear, specific, and deeply relevant. So the algorithm grabbed it.

This tells us two big things:

1. AI rankings aren’t tied to traditional search rankings.
2. Content quality and experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (EEAT) matter in AI search.

“What we’re doing now is taking those lessons — clarity, keyword alignment — and applying them to newer posts. The goal is to replicate that AI visibility by building with intention from the start,” Justine says.

How to Help Your Content Get Found in AI Results 

Here’s what we’re learning — and doing — to help content show up in AI results:

1. Structure Your Content Like You Mean It

Think about your content as something an AI bot can skim to summarize. Use clear headings and bullet points, and keep content direct and concise.

2. Focus on Natural Language and Intent

Ditch the keyword stuffing. Write like a human (because we all are one!). Anticipate what users are actually asking and looking for, and not just what they’re typing.

Instead of targeting a phrase like “nonprofit donor management software,” think about what people are actually asking: “How can I keep track of donors without spreadsheets?”

3. Create High-quality, Trustworthy Content

AI engines are looking for content that shows real expertise, authority, and trust, rather than surface-level summaries that users can find anywhere. That means well-researched articles, subject-matter expert quotes, original analysis, and credible sourcing. These signals, often referred to as EEAT, help AI determine whether your content is worth surfacing in an answer.

If your piece reads like it was written by someone who’s actually done the work, knows the industry, and brings useful insights, you’re on the right track.

4. Original Research Is Queen

AI models love citing hard data and new insights. So give them something worth referencing: surveys, studies, and original research.

5. Optimize Your “About Us” and Boilerplate Copy

These pages matter more than ever, as AI engines use them as context. Make sure your boilerplate is clear, specific, and consistent across press releases, your site, and external profiles.

6. Don’t Sweat the Top Rank

Google’s AI Overview doesn’t just pull from the first result. Sometimes it grabs content from further down the page. That means well-structured, relevant content can still rise, even without topping traditional SERPs.

Beyond Backlinks: Brand Mentions in All the Right Places

In this new landscape, brand mentions beat backlinks, as long as they’re in the right context.

Here’s how we’re thinking about it:

• Get your brand on authoritative lists (i.e., “best content marketing agencies for nonprofits”).
• Pitch media partners and content aggregators with AI licensing deals, like Cision.
• Encourage public reviews on well-known platforms.
• Seed your brand in Reddit conversations and community Q&As.
• Contribute to high-quality, niche blogs and trade publications.

BackPocket is even experimenting with paid syndication through platforms like Cision to test AI visibility. We’ll let you know how it goes!

A Challenge for the Team (and a Teaser for What’s Next)

I’ve challenged our team at BackPocket to take a closer look at how our clients appear in AI-powered search. Are they getting mentioned in AI Overviews? Cited in ChatGPT responses? Do they already have content that’s quietly gaining traction in this new landscape?

We’re starting to dig in, and I’m excited to share what we uncover. Stay tuned for a follow-up with insights, patterns, and examples that can help guide our next steps in AEO and GEO strategy. This isn’t a one-time play — it’s an ongoing opportunity to help our clients lead the way into the future of search.

Final Thought: This Isn’t About Gaming the System

I’m not here to chase another acronym. But AEO and GEO aren’t just buzzwords; they’re a reflection of how real people are searching and how real brands can show up with value.

As a working mom, a college football coach’s wife, and someone who’s built content in every corner of the country, I’ve learned to stay nimble. Search is changing, and so are the rules of visibility.

But at the heart of it? Great content still wins. It just needs a little structure and strategy to get found by the bots and the people.