Will GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) replace SEO as the number one traffic source?

With the rise of generative AIs and their use for searches, a new source of traffic for websites is gaining attention: ChatGPT and its competitors. This observation puts SEO (Search Engine Optimization), known as the most cost-effective acquisition lever in digital marketing, back into heated discussions. 

After more than 15 years as the number one source of traffic, is SEO traffic today threatened by the rise of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?

That’s the question we will attempt to answer today.

1. Introduction

"Generative AI, AI, AI Gen.” The generative artificial intelligence market is rapidly expanding, and everyone is talking about it. In 2024, it’s simple: AI is everywhere. This rapid expansion and adoption are well illustrated by ChatGPT (OpenAI), one of its leaders.

Launched in November 2022, ChatGPT reached 100 million monthly active users in just two months. By comparison, platforms like TikTok took nine months to reach that figure. Since then, its growth has not slowed.

By August 2024, ChatGPT exceeded 200 million weekly active users, recording a 100% growth over two years, confirming its massive adoption.

And these numbers should not stop there, as forecasts and reports all indicate the same trend: the demand for AI is constantly increasing. Here are two examples:

1. AI stands out as a priority investment for marketing teams in a study surveying over 500 marketing leaders in 2025 (Source Webflow The State of the Website)
2. The site Statista anticipates an average annual growth of 24% for AI between 2023 and 2030, aiming to reach over 200 billion euros in revenue by the end of the decade. (Source, Statista) 

Logically, many companies are now looking to invest in AI and have likely already pivoted their business models to adapt (for example, the rebranding and AI pivot of Zoom Video, which became Zoom Communication, or Relume, which transitioned from a web agency to an AI-driven web design tool).

However, generative AI is rapidly evolving, along with its use cases. Initially primarily used for content creation or image generation, it is now capable of performing internet searches, citing sources, and driving targeted traffic to websites. This acquisition source conceptually resembles SEO and gives rise to a new model: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).

2. Definitions of Key Concepts

But before diving deeper, let’s quickly redefine the important terms of the topic: what is SEO and GEO?

• SEO (Search Engine Optimization): A set of techniques aimed at optimizing a website's visibility in the results of traditional search engines, like Google, to position it at the top of the first page results.

Organic search has been the number one source of traffic to websites for over 15 years, since the early 2000s, when search engines like Google became the main tools for accessing information online.

• GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): An emerging term that refers to optimization strategies adapted to generative AI engines such as ChatGPT, Gemini (e.g., Bard from Google), or Bing Chat. Although it is not an official or standardized term, it represents a concept that is still being defined and adopted in the fields of digital marketing and SEO.

However, unlike SEO, which is already well-documented, there are still few resources on how GEO works. That is why we explored, tested, and tried to answer the question: how does GEO work?

3. How Generative AIs Work and Their Implications for SEO

How do generative AIs function in searches? In five steps, here’s their process. 

3.1 The 5 Steps of How Generative AIs Work in Searches:

1. Understanding the query: The AI analyzes what the user is asking by interpreting keywords, context, and the intent behind the query (for example, seeking information, making a purchase, or answering a specific question).
2. Data exploration: It navigates a vast database (the internet or specific sources) to find relevant information that answers the request.
3. Processing and synthesis: The AI combines the gathered data, removes duplicates or irrelevant information, and selects what is most useful and coherent.
4. Producing the response: Finally, it generates a clear and concise answer in natural language (like a sentence or a paragraph), often optimized for easy comprehension.
5. Continuous improvement: The AI continually learns from interactions with users, enabling it to better understand future questions and improve over time.

3.2 Key Differences from a Search Engine like Google

‍Google presents all users with the same list of identical results for a query, based on keywords. In contrast, a generative AI produces a unique and personalized response for each query (prompt), generating unique content instead of just a list of links.

Another notable difference is that with SEO, you directly control how your site appears in results through title and meta-description tags (though Google may sometimes rewrite them). However, with a generative AI, you do not fully control what it will say, as it takes into account numerous parameters. However, you can guide its responses by providing structured, reliable, and optimized data to clarify its understanding and output. (More information in section 6 of the article)

Thus, while traditional search engines index and retrieve existing information, generative AIs create new answers tailored to each specific request. This evolution in search methods changes how: 

1. Information is sought, emphasizing the importance of knowing how to ‘prompt’. Similar to the past, knowing how to research correctly with the right keywords on Google is still necessary.

2. Content is consumed online. With AI, users receive direct, concise answers that combine information from various sources (more practical and quicker than traditional search engines, without needing to scroll through 3 to 4 ADS).

3.3 Comparison of Advantages/Disadvantages of Searching on Google vs Chat-GPT

The arguments, which on paper, explain why AI is increasingly utilized. However, there is still a long way to go before AI research replaces SEO traffic. Here’s why.

4. Two Major Challenges to the Widespread Adoption of Generative AIs

4.1 Changing User Habits:

1. “Old habits die hard”: Deeply ingrained habits are difficult to change. Users are accustomed to traditional search engines and may hesitate to adopt new search methods based on generative AI.

2. Trust in Responses: Generative AIs always provide an answer, even in the absence of precise information on a topic, which can lead to misinformation. This tendency may raise doubts about the reliability of the data provided by the AI. (In the era of fake news, how can we be sure that information is relevant and verified (and not manipulated) if based solely on a single answer and not a set of sources)

3. Political and Ethical Concerns: The use of generative AIs raises questions related to data privacy, intellectual property, and the transparency of algorithms. Sometimes even to global security. These concerns may hinder the adoption of these technologies and face restrictions from certain countries.

However, where these barriers are often the main obstacles to the adoption of new software by users, generative AI actually faces a second and much more significant barrier: energy.

4.2 Exceptional Energy Requirements

"To illustrate the scale of this consumption, a single ChatGPT request consumes about 2.9 watt-hours of electricity, compared to a Google search that uses 0.3 watt-hour."
‍_{Source: Trust My Science}

Generative AIs, like ChatGPT, consume up to 10 times more energy than a traditional Google search, posing significant environmental challenges long-term, as well as technological ones. Because, for instance, if we wanted to replace all our Google searches with GPT searches simultaneously, that would currently be “simply” impossible from a technical standpoint.

And their impact is already clearly measurable:

• Microsoft: +29.1% carbon emissions in 2023 compared to 2022 (Microsoft 2024 Environmental Sustainability Report) to meet the needs related to AI (industrial needs related to construction, maintenance of data centers, and their use by clients).
• Google: Increase of 13% in total GHG emissions in 2023, attributed to the growth of the technical infrastructure necessary for AI and +17% electricity consumption by data centers in 2023. However, this consumption is fully offset by the use of renewable energies. (Google Sustainability Report 2024).

These needs push the giants to invest and act, ensuring they have the resources necessary to support the AI revolution.

5. Challenges Driving Giants to Invest and Act

In light of their increasing energy consumption and to anticipate future needs, tech giants and nations are heavily investing in energy, essential for AI competitiveness. In the absence of breakthrough innovation, nuclear energy currently emerges as the preferred solution to balance performance and environmental commitments.

5.1 Tech Giants and Nations: Massive Investments in Nuclear Energy

Tech Giants:

• ‍Amazon: In October 2024, Amazon announced a partnership with X-energy to invest in small modular reactors (SMR) intended to power its data centers (Le Figaro)‍
• Google: That same year, Google signed an agreement with Kairos Power to develop SMRs providing low-carbon energy to its infrastructures (The Guardian).‍
• Microsoft: Although details remain confidential, Microsoft is also exploring the use of nuclear energy to support its operations (Usine Digitale).

Nations:

• ‍France: The programme France 2030 plans nearly one billion euros to fund next-generation nuclear reactors, including the NUWARD project (SMR).‍
• China: With 30 reactors under construction, China shows an aggressive strategy to strengthen its nuclear fleet.‍
• European Union: European countries are exploring collaborations to harmonize nuclear production and secure a sustainable and decarbonized energy mix.

And when money, technology, and nations move in the same direction, it inspires optimism!

5.2 Investments that Inspire Optimism

These investments give us hope regarding the chances of success for AI in the coming years. For the more optimistic among us, we might even anticipate technological advancements (new energy sources/energy revolution) that allow for the massive deployment of AI without harming our planet.

And if AI is already adopted by over 200 million users and is likely to continue its development, it could also become one of the main sources of traffic for your website tomorrow. So, how can you adapt your web strategy to align with the era of GEO?

6. Recommendations for Adapting to the Era of GEO

As we’ve seen, with AI, users are getting used to receiving instantaneous, synthesized, and personalized answers, which indeed reduces traffic to traditional websites. However, websites are not dead and remain a key destination, especially if AI mentions you. Therefore, we recommend:

6.1 Adopt a Hybrid Strategy

Combine traditional SEO techniques with GEO strategies to maximize visibility on both traditional search engines and generative AIs. 

For example, track your performance; you can easily start tracking your traffic from ChatGPT since GPT adds UTM parameters that you can analyze directly through your tracking tools like Google Analytics.

6.2 Optimize Content for Generative AIs: Create structured, relevant, and high-quality content using schema.org tags and citing reliable sources to increase your chances of being referenced by AIs.

How? We asked GPT itself and, as we can see, optimization practices remain similar to those recommended for traditional SEO.

In the end, the fundamentals of SEO remain essential. To optimize your content for integration into generative AI responses, it is crucial to provide clear, precise, and high-quality information while highlighting your expertise (E-A-T). The main goal is to respond relevantly to the user’s search intent.

6.3 Don't Rely on a Single Acquisition Channel

Diversify channels by duplicating your content on social media and other platforms to expand your audience and ensure a multichannel presence with links to your site.

Conclusion

• SEO remains a fundamental base: Although GEO is gaining importance, SEO is an indispensable foundation to feed AIs with relevant and structured data.
• Challenges Still to Overcome: The obstacles to the widespread adoption of generative AIs—whether technological, energy-related, or cultural—indicate that these tools are not yet ready to fully replace traditional search engines.
• A Hybrid Strategy to Maximize Your Visibility: Integrating AI into your acquisition strategy doesn’t mean abandoning SEO, but rather complementing it with adapted GEO practices. This combination can open new opportunities for capturing traffic.

Two Lines of Thought...

1. Towards an Expanding GEO Ecosystem? The likely emergence of new tools and practices dedicated to GEO optimization could change the current standards of digital marketing.‍
2. Towards a Transformation of the Online User Experience? The rise of GEO could also reshape the structure and user experience of websites, responding to the growing need to “quickly find information,” but with more reliability through verified data from reputable sites, as illustrated by the example of Ask Edgar Allan.

In short, exciting times! As always, we don’t get bored in tech, and it’s essential to stay alert, train, and adapt to remain competitive.