By Hezron Ochiel
With Artificial Intelligence (AI) now shaping how people search for information, many voices have started to say that Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has lost its place. Some suggest that digital marketers should shift their energy toward Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). This discussion has become active in marketing circles, and to understand what is really happening, we need to look closely at how search is changing and what that means for content creators, businesses, and communication professionals.
What SEO and GEO Mean
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the process of improving a website so that it can be found by search engines such as Google. It involves refining a site’s structure, improving its speed, creating content that answers users’ queries, and helping search systems interpret content, measure its relevance, and determine whether users find it helpful. The fundamentals of SEO have always been about discoverability and trust.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is about preparing content for AI-powered systems such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. These systems list websites, read their content, summarize it, present information in complete sentences, and choose which sites to cite. Research by Search Engine Land describes this shift as moving from ranking webpages to being selected by AI answers.
In simple terms, SEO connects people to websites while GEO helps AI systems decide which websites to reference. Both follow the same guiding principles of accuracy, clarity, and authority.
Studying how GEO works
Over the last months, I have been studying how GEO works in real search situations. My goal was to understand how AI systems decide which websites to trust when answering questions.
To begin, I asked ChatGPT a simple question:
“Give me marketing tips from authoritative sources and provide links to your references.”
ChatGPT provided links to well-known and highly credible marketing platforms such as HubSpot, Harvard Business Review (HBR), and Park University. These sources are respected across marketing, strategy, and content research for their evidence-based insights and industry leadership.
To test the level of trust these sites hold in the digital ecosystem, I ran each website through Moz and Ahrefs, two leading tools for measuring Domain Authority (DA). Domain Authority predicts how likely a website is to appear near the top of search results. It ranges from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate stronger reputation, credibility, and influence within its industry.
Here are the results:
| Website | Domain Authority (DA) | Source |
| HubSpot.com | 93 | Ahrefs |
| Hbr.org (Harvard Business Review) | 92 | Ahrefs |
| Park.edu | 71 | Ahrefs |
Each of these websites scored well above average, showing that AI systems like ChatGPT naturally prioritize high-authority, trusted domains when selecting references. The results reinforce how AI-driven search models lean heavily on content from established websites with a history of accuracy, editorial consistency, and strong backlink networks.
Building such domain authority is a long-term process that depends on consistent publication of quality content, credible citations, and organic engagement from other trusted websites.
Understanding Domain Authority
Domain Authority is built through consistent effort. It reflects how well a website is structured, how many reliable sites link to it, and how often users engage with its content.
Websites with high authority usually have:
- Quality backlinks from trusted sources.
- Regularly updated information.
- Clear design and fast load speed.
- Well-researched and factual content.
Domain authority remains one of the most important indicators of reliability. It signals to both search engines and AI systems that the content is trustworthy and accurate.
How SEO professionals build authority
Professionals working in SEO build web authority through steady and deliberate effort. Their key tasks include:
1. Publishing quality content
They write articles that are accurate, useful, and relevant to their readers’ questions.
2. Earning backlinks
When other respected sites refer to your work, it signals credibility and strengthens your reputation.
3. Improving user experience
Websites that load quickly, are easy to read, and are intuitive for visitors retain more engagement and build trust.
4. Using keywords thoughtfully
Keywords help search engines recognize what a page is about, but they should be used naturally and reflect user intent.
5. Keeping information current
Regularly updating content shows that a website is active, reliable, and informed.
As Brian Dean of Backlinko notes, websites with authority are built through patience and consistent value creation. My findings show that AI systems appear to favor these qualities when choosing sources.
What AI means for SEO work
Artificial intelligence has expanded the scope of what SEO professionals must do. Content now has to serve both human readers and AI systems.
Search Engine Land reports that AI-powered search systems prioritize well-structured data and reliable sources. What matters now is whether a website’s information is clear, accurate, and easy for machines to interpret.
This means success depends on how easily AI can understand, summarize, and cite your content while human readers find it engaging and easy to navigate. SEO now prepares content for visibility in both traditional search results and AI-generated answers.
The Move from keywords to context
Earlier forms of SEO focused heavily on keywords. Today, visibility depends on meaning and relationships between ideas. AI systems look for content that explains topics thoroughly and coherently.
For example, if you write about emotional intelligence, AI also expects related ideas such as self-awareness, empathy, and communication skills. When these ideas appear together clearly, the content feels more useful. Google’s Search Generative Experience applies this reasoning and rewards articles that answer questions carefully and maintain a natural human tone.
Insights from experts
- Search Engine Journal explains that AI is encouraging SEO professionals to think like educators and storytellers.
- Moz highlights that search engines now value the credibility of the author and the authenticity of their voice as key measures of content quality.
- HubSpot advises marketers to optimize for “answer engines” because users now expect ready solutions rather than long lists of links.
These expert insights align with my findings. AI systems frequently reference websites that combine strong authority, clear structure, and genuine expertise.
Why this matters for content creators
If you manage a website, publish blogs, or work in digital communication, this shift affects you. Your content must now serve both people and intelligent search systems.
High-quality writing, accurate data, reliable references, and simple structure now play equal roles in building visibility. Each of these elements helps strengthen trust and relevance in a rapidly changing online environment. This approach is referred to as “dual optimization,” meaning creating content that readers enjoy and that AI systems can interpret accurately.
Final thoughts
After months of testing and analysis, one conclusion stands clear. Artificial intelligence has transformed the role of SEO and deepened our understanding of quality online.
SEO now focuses on clarity, trust, and value. GEO adds another layer by ensuring that AI systems recognize and recommend credible information. Both approaches depend on patience, consistency, and meaningful insight.
The guiding principle remains constant. The internet rewards value, trust, and steady effort.
Writers, marketers, and organizations that continue to create reliable, well-structured, and thoughtful content will remain visible in both traditional search and the emerging world of generative search.
The writer is a Strategic Communications Expert with KMTC, a best-selling author, and the Founder of Hezron Insights. His work focuses on leadership, resilience, and storytelling, reaching audiences across Africa and beyond.