Your customers are changing how they search for information online. Many are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to ask questions instead of using traditional search engines.
HubSpot and SEMrush estimate that by 2028 most website searches will take place through an AI tool rather than a search engine.
This shift in customer behaviour is already visible. AI use is rising while search volumes continue to soften. As a marketing agency, we can see these changes across many of the businesses we support.
If the online world feels hard to keep up with, this blog will help explain why things feel different and what is coming next.
What is GEO?
GEO or Generative Engine Optimisation is a new area of online visibility. It’s so new that the industry has not agreed on a single name for it. The most common terms are GEO or AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation).
Whatever name you prefer, the goal is the same. GEO helps your business appear when someone asks an AI tool a question. These tools read information across the internet, decide what they trust, and summarise it for the user.
If your business is not included in those answers, you miss out on potential customers. This makes GEO an area that you cannot ignore.
What the trends show
- Organic search is losing space: The search results page is now crowded. Organic listings take up a smaller share of the page while AI Overviews, frequently asked questions, social posts, videos and forums take a growing portion. This makes it harder for any business to rely on Google alone for visibility.
- Use of AI tools keeps rising: Visits to AI platforms are growing every month. Existing users are also using them more often. They now rely on AI for everyday tasks, product research, and planning..
- AI will overtake search: HubSpot projects AI tools will pass traditional search traffic by 2028. This signals a major shift in how customers discover and compare businesses.
- AI-driven visitors convert well: People who arrive on your site after reading an AI-generated answer often take action faster. They feel informed, and move from research to decision-making more quickly.
SEMrush reports these visits convert 4.4x higher than organic search results.
Why small business owners need to pay attention
- Customers may not find you: More people ask AI tools for help before they search online. If your business is not included in those answers, it may not be considered.
- Reputation carries more weight: Answer engines rely on real feedback. They read reviews, forum posts and social content. Strong, recent feedback improves your chances of being mentioned.
- Competitors may move faster: If another business in your space gets picked up by AI tools, they become the default suggestion. Even if you offer a better service, you may never be seen.
- This shift is here to stay: AI tools are being built into phones, browsers and software. GEO will soon sit alongside SEO as a normal part of online visibility. It is something that businesses need to seriously think about.
What this means for your business
GEO helps you stay visible in a world where customers expect clear and direct answers. It supports long term growth and protects you from changes in how people search..
You do not need to change everything at once. You only need to understand how these tools shape customer decisions. When you are ready, we can step you through the practical actions to help your business prepare.