For years, we’ve been told that search engine optimization (SEO) is the key to getting found online. And while SEO is still critical, I believe we’re on the cusp of the biggest shift in search behavior since Google became a household name. More and more people are no longer typing their questions into a search engine, they’re asking an AI assistant.
At GK3 Capital, we’ve seen this play out firsthand. Over the last few months, I’ve had countless conversations with people who tell me they found GK3 not through Google, but because ChatGPT, Perplexity, or another AI platform mentioned us. That’s a testament to the commitment we’ve made to creating consistent, high-quality content across formats: blog, video, social media, website, and ads. But it also signals something much bigger: the era of AI-driven search is here, and it’s going to grow exponentially.
Traditional search engines are designed to point you toward resources. You enter a query, and the engine returns a list of links. But AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, or Perplexity don’t just return links, they synthesize an answer. And increasingly, people prefer that. Why sift through ten links when you can get a concise, well-structured response immediately?
As this field develops, different terms are emerging:
Personally, I think AEO and GEO are the terms gaining the most traction. Regardless of what you call it, the principle is the same: if you want AI platforms to surface your brand, you need to publish content that is trusted, authoritative, and structured in a way that AI models can understand and cite.
AI doesn’t “crawl” the web in the same way a search engine does. Instead, large language models are trained on massive datasets and then updated with more current sources. So how do they decide what content to reference?
It comes down to signals of authority and trust.
In short, keyword stuffing doesn’t work here. What works is creating content that educates, informs, and builds trust.
I’m not suggesting SEO is dead. Far from it. Traditional SEO remains a critical foundation. But if you’re only optimizing for Google, you’re missing half the picture. The future belongs to companies who optimize for both search engines and AI platforms.
I mentioned earlier that prospects are increasingly finding GK3 because an AI platform suggested us. This isn’t luck, it’s strategy.
For years, we’ve invested in creating and repurposing content across every platform our audience uses. We write in-depth blogs. We share insights on social. We produce video explainers. We run ads. By showing up consistently and in multiple formats, we create the signals that AI models look for when deciding which brands to include in their synthesized answers.
The result? We’re being surfaced by AI platforms, without asking, without gaming the system, and without waiting for someone to click through a long list of links. That’s the power of content done right in the age of AI.
In fact, this very blog article is an example of how to structure content for AEO and GEO. With clear headers, direct answers, and actionable insights, it not only educates readers but also provides the kind of structured, authoritative information that AI models are most likely to recognize and cite.
So what can you do right now to adapt your strategy? Here are a few practical steps:
AI is changing search forever. The way people find answers is no longer limited to Google, and if you don’t adjust, you risk losing visibility where it matters most.
At GK3, we’ve proven that when you commit to publishing high-quality, consistent, multi-format content, AI platforms will find you and recommend you. That’s not theory, it’s what’s happening for us right now.
If you’re ready to expand your content strategy beyond SEO and into AI-driven discovery, download our free ebook on Creating Award-Winning Content and learn how to position your brand for success in the new era of search.