For Over Two Decades, Google Has Reigned—But Now AI Is Changing the Game
For more than twenty years, Google has been the undisputed king of search engines. During that time, search algorithms have evolved continuously, and now we’re standing at the threshold of a new era. Artificial intelligence has already changed the way people search for information, and this shift is also impacting search engine optimization (SEO) and marketing strategies.
GEO – Generative Engine Optimization
Google remains a crucial tool for information retrieval, but new tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and other large language models (LLMs) have risen alongside it. Even Google now often provides AI-generated answers (AI Overview) to many search queries. All of this is reshaping how people search for information and could change the rules for business visibility online.
Many marketers and business owners are undoubtedly wondering how to keep up with these changes. How can you make sure your company remains discoverable—not only in traditional Google search but also through AI-driven tools?
The answer lies in GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization. GEO is closely related to traditional SEO, but there are some important differences in focus and practice.
High-Quality Content Still Reigns in Both Google and AI
Well-crafted content has always been at the core of SEO—and the same goes for AI optimization. Both traditional search engines and LLMs like ChatGPT rely on high-quality, contextually relevant written content as their “fuel.” That’s why businesses should consistently produce strong content not only for their own websites but also for other relevant platforms and media. It’s essential for a company to be visible in the right contexts.
One of the biggest differences between SEO and GEO lies in how authority is measured. In SEO, authority is conveyed through backlinks. In contrast, LLMs derive authority from brand mentions—not links. Still, visibility in both arenas is largely built in similar ways: through press releases, native advertising, and various types of blog content. These build brand awareness, increase mentions, and can also lead to valuable backlinks.
According to one study, more than half of business-related information processed by language models is based on editorial content. That’s why companies should invest in their own content creation and media visibility. These efforts benefit both SEO and AI visibility.
Technical Optimization Matters
Much of what matters in GEO also falls under the umbrella of traditional SEO. Technical aspects like page load speed and crawlability are just as relevant in the AI era. If your site’s SEO foundations are strong, you’re already off to a good start with GEO.
One particularly important point is to ensure that language model bots can freely access and read your site’s content. If access is blocked, visibility in LLMs can suffer greatly. Another crucial technical pillar for both SEO and GEO is the use of structured data. Schema markup helps search bots understand the meaning of your content and the relationships between different elements. This improves comprehension by both traditional search engines and AI tools.
How Will Traffic Change in the Age of AI?
Google says the number of searches hasn’t declined yet, but it’s clear that information retrieval is undergoing a transformation. AI-based LLMs are starting to capture a share of search traffic, although that share is still relatively small.
More people are turning to AI for direct answers instead of browsing through Google results. It’s easy to ask an AI a specific question and receive a concise answer. Google, on the other hand, still excels when it comes to product and service searches that require local options, broader context, or user reviews.
Google’s AI Overview feature, now also available in Finland, functions similarly to LLMs: it gives a direct answer on the search results page. As a result, users may not even need to click through to a website. This naturally reduces organic traffic to company sites. However, this shouldn’t be a cause for concern—especially if your business doesn’t rely on ad revenue or high visitor numbers. People will still search for products and services, but the paths they take to find them will change.
While overall traffic might drop, the quality of traffic is likely to improve. There will be fewer “tire-kickers” and more visitors with genuine purchase intent. This increases the value of each individual visitor. Therefore, site performance metrics should be reevaluated: rather than focusing solely on total visitors, consider what actions those visitors are taking—are they buying, booking, or reaching out?
The landscape of search is fragmenting, and not everything flows through Google anymore. This opens up new opportunities, especially for smaller, more agile companies. When information is no longer centralized in one place, smaller players can gain visibility in the right contexts—provided their content and technical foundations are in order.
eLuotsi Finland Helps Boost Visibility in the AI Era
eLuotsi Finland Ltd provides services such as search engine optimization, content creation, and native advertising—helping clients build strong visibility that supports their business goals. eLuotsi has been working toward better AI visibility for its clients long before ChatGPT and other LLMs even existed. For instance, schema markup, FAQ sections, and brand presence through press releases and native advertising have all been part of their systematic strategy for years. These efforts are beneficial for both SEO and GEO.
Using their own tools, eLuotsi has also uncovered technical bottlenecks that hindered AI visibility. In one case, a client’s hosting provider had blocked ChatGPT’s bot to reduce server load. But it’s crucial to let bots freely read the site. Fortunately, the issue was spotted and quickly resolved.
From an AI optimization perspective, eLuotsi’s clients are already in a strong position. The company has always pursued its own clear strategy—one that supports both search engine and AI visibility. Their holistic approach goes beyond the client’s own website, including efforts to secure backlinks and brand mentions from other sources. eLuotsi continues to focus on content production, structured data, and brand visibility across the web to ensure clients are ready for the future of search.
