Lately, my feed is flooded with posts, tools, and “thought leadership” around GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — the supposed new frontier of SEO. But if you look past the buzzwords and into the actual data, one thing becomes obvious:
👉 GEO is not a thing.
Here’s why.
1. AI Overviews Have Visibility in Just Under 12% of Google Searches
Yes, AI Overviews (AIOs) exist. Yes, they show up in search results.
But their reach is tiny — less than 12% of searches, and even then, that’s visibility, not traffic. It’s easy to overstate their importance when you look at percentage growth without considering absolute volume.
2. That’s Pretty Big, But It’s Still Google
Even if AIOs grow, they still operate within Google’s ecosystem. SEO already is optimizing for Google. Pretending GEO is a distinct discipline ignores that simple truth.
3. AIOs Affect Long-Tail, Low-Value, Informational Searches
AI Overviews tend to show up for long-tail, low commercial intent queries — the ones that don’t usually drive conversions or sales.
So even if you “rank” in an AIO snippet, it’s not exactly a revenue driver.
4. Perplexity Is Utterly Insignificant as a Search Proposition
Perplexity is smart and interesting — but as a search engine, it’s microscopic.
With under 30 million monthly users, it’s so small that it’s already abandoned its ad play. Calling it a search disruptor is like calling DuckDuckGo a Google killer. It’s not happening.
5. ChatGPT Hardly Sends Any Traffic
ChatGPT is powerful, but when it comes to referral traffic, it’s negligible — usually under 2% for most sites.
It’s great for answers, summaries, and ideas — not for sending clicks to your website.
GEO
6. Bing Sends More Traffic Than ChatGPT
If you’re not optimising for Bing (which still sends more traffic than ChatGPT), why would you suddenly optimise for LLMs?
It’s classic shiny-object syndrome — chasing trends that don’t translate to business outcomes.
7. Visibility ≠ Trackable Value
Even if your brand or site appears in an AI response, you can’t track it.
There’s no analytics, no CTR, no conversion data.
So what’s the value? “Appearing” in an LLM is not a strategy — it’s a vanity metric.
8. Every LLM Referral Graph Looks the Same
Every chart, every conference slide, every LinkedIn post about LLM traffic shows the same story: tiny, almost invisible traffic lines.
Social media sends more traffic. Email newsletters send more traffic. Let’s stay grounded.
9. There’s No Difference Between SEO and GEO
The fundamentals haven’t changed.
Good content. Technical SEO. Links. Experience. Authority. Relevance.
Whether it’s Google’s AI Overviews or ChatGPT browsing, the same principles apply. GEO is just SEO — with a rebrand.
10. GEO Is a Bubble Built by Software Companies and Agencies
Let’s call it what it is: a marketing play.
Software companies need a new “growth” category. Agencies need a new pitch.
But in reality? GEO, AIO, “LLM optimization” — all still tiny in real-world impact.
Final Thoughts
The current wave of “GEO” hype feels like déjà vu — remember “voice search optimization”?
Just like that fad, this too will fade once the numbers settle and marketers realise there’s no new playbook here.
Until then, let’s focus on what’s real: solid, data-driven SEO that drives measurable results — not imaginary visibility in untrackable AI summaries.