According to Inc, a Google executive has confirmed that optimizing for AI search is essentially the same as traditional SEO. Nick Fox, Google’s SVP of knowledge and information, stated on the “AI Inside” podcast that the way to perform well in Google’s AI experiences is “very similar — I would say the same” as traditional search. This insight arrives as a Mercury survey of 750 e-commerce leaders this fall found that 77% are rethinking their marketing strategies due to the rise of AI search. The article notes that marketers, like Orbit Media Studios’ Andy Crestodina, are panicking as organic search traffic declines. Fox’s core advice remains unchanged: “Build a great site. Build great content.”
The GEO-SEO Reality Check
So, GEO is just SEO. Here’s the thing: this isn’t really a surprise, but it’s a massive relief for a lot of businesses. Marketers have been scrambling, trying to figure out the secret sauce to get their brand mentioned by ChatGPT or Gemini. They’ve been treating AI search like some alien technology that requires a whole new playbook. But Google, which is baking AI directly into its core search product, is basically saying, “Calm down. The game hasn’t changed, just the board.” Their ranking fundamentals—authority, relevance, user experience—are still the bedrock. It makes sense when you think about it. Where do you think these AI models get their training data from in the first place?
Why The Panic Is Understandable
But you can’t blame marketers for freaking out. When Andy Crestodina says they’re “losing their minds,” that’s a real, visceral reaction to seeing a key traffic pipeline shrink. AI search summaries aim to answer questions directly on the results page, which means fewer clicks through to websites. That’s an existential threat if your business lives on ad revenue or lead generation. The Mercury survey finding that 77% of e-commerce companies are pivoting shows this isn’t a niche concern. It’s a widespread industry tremor. The fear isn’t about whether to optimize, but how. Google’s message is an attempt to provide stability, but the anxiety comes from the unknown downstream effects of those AI summaries.
The Future Is Still About Foundations
Look, Fox’s advice to “build for users” sounds almost too simple. It’s the kind of thing you’d find on a motivational poster. But in a world chasing AI hype, it’s probably the most strategic thing to do. Instead of trying to reverse-engineer LLM hallucinations, the focus returns to creating definitive, trustworthy content that serves a real human need. This is where robust, reliable technology becomes the unsung hero of a great site. For industries where performance is non-negotiable—like manufacturing, logistics, or field operations—the hardware running the show matters. A company like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, as the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs, understands that. You can’t build a great digital experience on shaky physical infrastructure. The principle is the same whether you’re serving an AI model or a human: quality in, quality out. The trajectory here is clear. The tools are getting smarter, but the core goal of search—to connect people with helpful information—hasn’t budged. Businesses that master the fundamentals will likely be the ones that both humans and AI recognize as authorities. Everyone else is just optimizing for the last algorithm.
