Winning the AI Search Game

David

Alright, welcome back to AI for Small Business! I’m David, and as always, I’ve got Kevin here with me. Today, we’re diving into something that’s honestly flipping the whole search game on its head—Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO. Kevin, you ready for this?

Kevin 2

Oh, absolutely. I mean, I’ve been itching to talk about this. GEO is, like, the new kid on the block, but it’s already shaking things up for small businesses. You know, it’s wild—just a couple years ago, everyone was obsessed with SEO, right? Keywords, backlinks, all that jazz. But now, with AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity... it’s a whole new ballgame.

David

Yeah, and it’s not just hype. I mean, we’re seeing people skip Google entirely and just ask their AI assistant for answers. No more scrolling through ten blue links. It’s like, “Hey, ChatGPT, where’s the best pizza near me?” and boom, you get a direct answer. That’s where GEO comes in—making sure your business is the one those AIs mention.

Kevin 2

Exactly. And, you know, I had a client—small accounting firm—who called me in a panic. Their website traffic just tanked out of nowhere. Turns out, their customers were getting answers straight from AI assistants instead of clicking through search results. It’s not that people stopped searching, it’s that the way they search changed. And if your business isn’t showing up in those AI-generated answers, you’re basically invisible.

David

That’s such a good point. And honestly, it’s not just about being online anymore—it’s about being in the answer. GEO is all about making your content easy for these AI models to find, understand, and trust. It’s a big shift, but it’s also a huge opportunity, especially for small businesses that can move fast.

Kevin 2

So, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. How do you actually show up in these AI answers? First off, it’s about targeting those niche keywords. Not just “bakery,” but “gluten-free cupcakes near me” or “vegan birthday cakes in Oceanside.” The more specific you get, the better your chances.

David

Yeah, and it’s not just about keywords anymore. It’s about context. You want to create content that actually answers the questions your customers are asking. Like, if someone’s wondering, “What’s the best way to store gluten-free cupcakes?”—write a post about that. The AI is looking for clear, direct answers it can pull from.

Kevin 2

And don’t forget structured data. Schema markup might sound like techy mumbo-jumbo, but it’s basically a way to tell AI, “Hey, this is my business address, these are my hours, here’s my menu.” It makes it way easier for generative engines to grab your info and include you in their answers.

David

Totally. I’ve got a great example—a local bakery we worked with. They were struggling to get noticed, but once they focused on GEO, targeting “gluten-free cupcakes near me” and adding schema markup for their products, they started popping up in AI answers. Suddenly, people were walking in saying, “Hey, ChatGPT told me you had the best gluten-free cupcakes.” That’s the power of this stuff.

Kevin 2

And the best part? It’s not just for bakeries. Any small business—plumbers, accountants, yoga studios—can use these tactics. It’s about being intentional with your content and making it easy for AI to find and trust you.

David

Alright, so we’ve talked about getting noticed, but let’s talk about staying noticed. That’s where E-E-A-T comes in—Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trustworthiness. If your content shows you know your stuff, AI engines are way more likely to reference you in their answers.

Kevin 2

Yeah, and I know E-E-A-T sounds like a mouthful, but it’s really just about being real and reliable. Share your story, show your credentials, get those customer reviews. The more you can prove you’re legit, the more the AI trusts you. And honestly, automation helps a ton here. At MissionServ, we use AI tools to help clients create content that’s both authentic and consistent. It cuts down on manual work, but we always make sure it still sounds like them—not some robot.

David

That’s key. Automation isn’t about churning out generic blog posts. It’s about using AI to handle the grunt work—like formatting, scheduling, even suggesting topics—so you can focus on sharing your real expertise. And when you combine that with GEO, you’re not just saving time, you’re actually boosting your ROI. Less busywork, more results.

Kevin 2

Exactly. And, you know, building on what we talked about in our last episode—just like with Shadow AI and data privacy, it’s all about being proactive. If you start thinking about GEO and E-E-A-T now, you’re setting yourself up to win as search keeps evolving.

David

Couldn’t have said it better. Alright, that’s a wrap for today’s episode. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, don’t worry—we’ll keep breaking this stuff down in future episodes. Kevin, always a pleasure.

Kevin 2

Right back at you, David. Thanks everyone for tuning in. Go try out some GEO tactics, and let us know how it goes. See you next time!

David

Take care, folks. See you soon!