If you're navigating the ever-shifting landscape of digital visibility, you've likely heard buzz about AI changing everything for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). New terms like Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) have sparked excitement and confusion. As an SEO expert, I’m here to cut through the noise: the core of SEO hasn’t changed, even with Artificial Intelligence (AI) shaping tools like Google AI Overviews. Let’s explore why sticking to SEO fundamentals remains your best bet, with insights straight from Google’s own voices, including John Mueller and Danny Sullivan. Whether you’re a business owner or a marketer seeking clarity, this guide will help you focus on what truly drives results in Google Search and beyond.
New Acronyms, Same Old Optimizations
Over the past year, especially with the rollout of Google AI Overviews in 2025, the industry has been flooded with concepts like GEO and AEO. These ideas promised a revolution in how we approach visibility, suggesting that AI-driven search, powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), demanded entirely new strategies. Consultants pitched complex tactics like splitting content for AI parsing or embedding magic prompts in markup. However, as noted in the Search Off the Record podcast, Danny Sullivan clarified that these are merely subsets of traditional SEO, not separate disciplines. The panic around zero-click searches and traffic loss echoed past overreactions to Mobilegeddon or keyword stuffing fads, reminding us that fear often outpaces reality.
AEO and GEO: Different Names, Same Game
Despite the buzz, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) are not new disciplines separate from SEO. As Danny Sullivan and John Mueller stated clearly in the December 17, 2025, Search Off the Record podcast, these terms describe subsets of traditional SEO at best. Google’s AI features draw from the same index and reward the same signals: helpful, authentic content created for humans. The “revolutionary” tactics often promoted under these labels—special reformatting or AI-specific prompts—have no basis in Google’s documented processes and are unlikely to deliver lasting value.
Structured Data: The Real (and Only) Overlap Worth Focusing On
Where AEO and GEO advocates do occasionally land on something useful, it’s when they emphasize structured data. Comprehensive Schema.org markup has always been a powerful SEO signal, and it remains one of the best ways to help both traditional search and AI systems understand your content accurately.
Most sites either ignore schema or implement the bare minimum. That’s a missed opportunity. Instead:
- Choose the most specific schema types available.
- Include all required properties and as many recommended ones as reasonably apply.
This isn’t “AI optimization”—it’s just thorough SEO. Robust structured data improves entity understanding, rich results eligibility, and contextual relevance across formats, aligning perfectly with Google’s long-standing advice.
Google’s Take: SEO Fundamentals Win Every Time
Straight from the source, Google’s experts have debunked the need for drastic shifts. In the December 17, 2025, episode of Search Off the Record, John Mueller and Danny Sullivan emphasized that SEO for AI is just SEO. Sullivan’s words ring clear: Google aims to reward content made for humans, not algorithms or LLMs. This aligns with guidance from Google Search Central, which states no special markup or files are needed for AI Overviews; existing Structured Data and crawlability are enough. Historical parallels, like the rise of Featured Snippets or voice search, show this pattern. Each time, the advice stayed consistent: prioritize Content Quality over gimmicks, whether you’re optimizing for Bing, Yahoo, or Google Search.4
Why AI-Specific Optimization Falls Short
Chasing short-term AI hacks is a losing game. LLMs rely on existing parsers and standards, not custom page-by-page analysis, making specialized tweaks inefficient. As Sullivan pointed out in discussions covered by Search Engine Land, systems evolve quickly, rendering narrow optimizations obsolete, much like old black-hat tactics such as keyword stuffing. Commodity content, like generic Super Bowl start times, is easily handled by AI, but unique, Authentic Content with a distinct voice stands out. Whether it’s insights from Wikipedia-style factual pages or original takes on Amazon product trends, Original Content remains king over fleeting AI trends.
Maybe an example would be better... Let's see if I can do this without making it a call-out. There's a certain SEO news website that breaks one of the fundamental rules set by Google - they offer different content based on the request. If you visit with a browser - you get HTML, but if you send an AI agent (in my case, an n8n HTTP request) - you get a very strange JSON structure in response. The structure based on any kind of standard - it's a hack, a hack that will, at best do nothing, at worst likely backfire at some point.
Core SEO Strategies for 2025 and Beyond
So, what works in this AI era? The answer lies in SEO fundamentals. Focus on creating people-first content that answers real user questions, as reinforced by insights in SERoundtable. Technical SEO, now often handled by modern platforms like WordPress or Wix, takes a backseat to Content Strategy. Use tools like Search Console to track performance, but measure success through User Engagement and Conversions, not just clicks. Sullivan noted that AI formats often drive higher-quality traffic due to better contextual matching via mechanisms like Query Fan Out, where multiple related searches are synthesized into one response.
Embracing Multimodal Content for Wider Reach
One evolving aspect of SEO is the push toward Multimodal Content. Sullivan, despite disliking the term, highlighted its value in the podcast, as reported by Whole Whale. Users search across formats, from text to video, often preferring visual answers for how-to queries. Integrating images, videos, and even podcast snippets alongside text can boost visibility, whether on Google, YouTube, or emerging platforms. Leverage Schema.org markup to help systems like Google or even Open Text successors understand your content’s structure, ensuring it’s surfaced across diverse search experiences without reinventing your Digital Marketing approach.
Opportunities in AI Search: Quality Over Quantity
AI search isn’t a threat; it’s an opportunity if approached with the right Content Marketing mindset. AI formats, as Sullivan explained, enhance contextual awareness, leading to more engaged visitors who spend longer on-site, a trend measurable via Analytics. This isn’t new; it mirrors past shifts with AltaVista, Lycos, or WebCrawler, where pioneers like Brian Pinkerton envisioned search as a conversation. Today, Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning power that vision, but the goal remains: satisfy user intent. Focus on conversions over raw traffic, and don’t chase the next buzzword, be it AEO or something else. Authenticity, backed by data from high-authority sources, can’t be faked, ensuring visibility in Google AI Overviews or any future format.
Stick to Basics for Lasting Success
As we move deeper into 2025, the message from Google’s Danny Sullivan and John Mueller is clear: SEO in the age of AI isn’t a reinvention, it’s a reaffirmation of what’s always worked. Ignore the hype around new acronyms and tools promising quick wins. Instead, invest in content that delights humans, using proven strategies from Technical SEO to crafting Original Content. Whether you’re optimizing for Google Search, Bing, or emerging AI-driven platforms, the north star remains the same. Need help navigating this? As SEO experts, we’re here to guide you through both traditional and AI-enhanced search landscapes. Let’s build visibility that lasts, no matter what comes next.
No, AI search does not require a completely new SEO strategy. According to Google's Danny Sullivan and John Mueller, SEO for AI is fundamentally the same as traditional SEO. The focus should remain on creating content for humans, not algorithms or AI systems, ensuring long-term success despite evolving formats. SEO fundamentals remain important because they focus on creating high-quality, human-first content that meets user needs, which is what Google continues to reward. Danny Sullivan emphasizes that Google's goal is to prioritize content made for people, not tailored specifically for AI or algorithms, ensuring these basics stay relevant. Focusing on AI-specific SEO tactics risks becoming outdated quickly as AI systems evolve. Such narrow optimizations can be inefficient since AI relies on existing standards and parsers, not custom tweaks. Long-term strategies rooted in traditional SEO are more sustainable and effective. Multimodal content, which includes text, images, videos, and audio, can improve SEO by catering to diverse user search preferences. Users often seek visual or auditory answers, and integrating various formats increases visibility across platforms and enhances user engagement in AI-driven search results. When measuring success in AI search formats, the focus should be on quality clicks and conversions rather than just raw traffic. AI results often lead to more engaged users who spend longer on-site due to better contextual matching, making engagement metrics more meaningful.Frequently Asked Questions:
Does AI search require a completely new SEO strategy?
Why are SEO fundamentals still important in the age of AI?
What is the risk of focusing on AI-specific SEO tactics?
How can multimodal content improve SEO in the AI era?
What should be the focus when measuring success in AI search formats?
