SEO isn’t what it used to be. In 2025, businesses are facing a massive shake-up: it’s no longer enough to rank on Google, you now have to be visible — and cited — in AI assistants like Gemini, Copilot, or ChatGPT.
An article from El País Profesional calls this new paradigm “AI SEO” (or GEO SEO), a hybrid strategy that mixes classic search optimization with the race to be recognized in generative AI environments.
What’s Changing, and Why It Matters
- Conversational AIs are already pulling in huge numbers: Gemini with over a million monthly queries, Copilot and Perplexity in the hundreds of thousands.
- Users don’t always click through websites anymore — they ask a question, get a direct answer, and stop there. That means less site traffic, more dependency on AI summaries and citations.
- For brands, the challenge has shifted: it’s not just about keywords or backlinks anymore, it’s about digital authority. Clear, reliable, error-free content that AI models decide is worth citing.
How Companies Are Responding
- El País Profesional itself is pushing sponsored content with the goal of being picked up and cited by AI engines, leveraging its domain authority to win visibility both in Google and in AI.
- The buzzword is “GEO SEO”: mixing traditional tactics with a new layer — fixing errors, refining keywords, structuring content in ways that AI can “read” and cite.
What Didn’t Get Said (But Should Be Noted)
My Take
I’ll be honest, this feels like a turning point. For small and mid-sized brands, it’s overwhelming — new tactics, new standards, new uncertainty. But whoever invests early in authority and credibility will be way ahead once conversational search becomes the norm.
Personally, I think AI SEO will separate the brands that focus on trust and real value from those still chasing shortcuts.
In Short
This isn’t about choosing between old-school SEO or new AI strategies. It’s about merging them. SEO is no longer “getting Google to notice you” — it’s “getting AI to read you, trust you, and cite you.”
If you’re adapting, good. If you’re not, well, don’t be surprised if you vanish from the conversation.