Two Dashboard team members recently attended a webinar hosted by Search Engine Journal. One of the presenters described ChatGPT as “Google in a raincoat,” and it’s been the phrase of the day around here.
Why? Because it does describe ChatGPT to a T. ChatGPT is Google search, hidden in what appears to be a conversational, ‘answer this for me’ platform.
And Google has recently introduced “AI Mode” search powered by its Gemini AI model. It’s a conversation-based search model that enables you to deeply explore a topic. You can switch to traditional search or explore links to the source information, which are displayed in the right-hand margin of a desktop browser.
With all of these new tools and platforms emerging as potential competition for search engine traffic, should businesses give up their traditional SEO marketing tactics? What about AEO, AI engine optimization? Should your business now include AEO as part of its marketing strategy?
The Dashboard Team continues to monitor this new and emerging field. Here’s what we currently recommend to clients. Now, please be aware that these recommendations may change—as we said, this is a new and rapidly developing field. Given the current marketing environment and tools available, this is what we believe is the smartest course of action.
Focus on Evergreen SEO Best Practices
Google reiterated after its major core update in May 2026, that the basics of SEO have not changed. Businesses should consistently focus on:
- Building, maintaining, and updating websites so that they meet Google’s technical requirements. This means sites should be easily read by search engines, render quickly (within seconds on mobile devices), and have a logical, clearly delineated pathway of links to the main pages and the most important content.
- Writing high-quality content—blog posts, articles, web pages, and useful downloads—for customers first, search engines second. When you focus on your customers’ wants and needs, and write in a way that’s easily understandable to them, you’ll naturally write well for search engines, too.
- Avoiding spammy actions and policy violations that can get you in trouble with Google. What NOT to do is a long list, but the ones that small business owners may inadvertently do include participating in paid link programs or link exchanges, publishing thin and low-quality content, or publishing keyword-stuffed articles to try to manipulate search engine visibility. All of these continue to be no-nos with Google and are considered bad SEO practices.
AEO Is SEO with a Twist
AI engine optimization is very similar to search engine optimization, and in fact, the major search engines do not provide specific changes to make in your SEO to help your site become a citation or mention in AI-based responses. Instead, they recommend focusing on the evergreen SEO best practices mentioned above and adding a few simple steps.
First, interact with communities outside of your website. This means participating in social media discussions on platforms your customers visit, such as LinkedIn or Facebook.
If you can naturally (and not in a spammy way) engage in discussions on Reddit or Quora and mention your brand name, that’s valuable, too. Discussion groups continue to be a source that AI platforms cite, likely because they offer a large volume of natural, human-generated responses for AI tools to draw on. One important thing to note, however, is that Reddit requires a delicate touch. This is not the place to be spammy or self-promoting; Redditors (people who frequent Reddit) have a very low tolerance for self-promotion and will blast you publicly if you get too heavy-handed with brand mentions. Answering questions on both Reddit and Quora is generally a safe way to get your knowledge out there without others perceiving you as self-serving.
Brand Discovery: Pinball Instead of a Funnel
Another point mentioned in the Search Engine Journal webinar and by a growing body of marketers online is how AI is reshaping brand discoverability.
Marketers used to describe lead generation as a funnel: lots of customers go into the top of the funnel, and as time goes by, a few end up as leads or sales at the bottom of the funnel.
However, the changing nature of search and the increasing use of AI platforms is making brand discoverability feel more like a pinball machine than a funnel. If you have ever played pinball, you know how the game goes: the ball shoots out from the bottom, hits the top, then bounces around wildly, hitting various objects and bumpers until it finally returns to the bottom.
Customers are increasingly going to multiple places to discover brands. Instead of a straight line from their favorite search tool to click through to your website to explore products and services, they’re bouncing to social media, asking communities on Reddit or other forums, diving into their favorite AI tools, reading a bunch of comparison articles, listening to podcasts and videos, and then landing on a website.
Multi-Channel Marketing
What does this mean for business owners? It means that it’s important now more than ever to build brand visibility in the age of SEO and AEO. Instead of focusing extensively on one lead development channel, companies must maintain active presences on multiple platforms to enhance discoverability. This includes continuing SEO and content marketing on their own websites, maintaining at least one active social media channel, running paid ads, and many other tactics, as suggested during a competitive, data analysis, and strategy-building session.
It’s complicated. It’s changing. But with the right partner by your side and a focused approach, you can continue to gain leads and sales in this ever-evolving world of digital marketing.
Contact Dashboard Interactive Marketing at 763-242-2454, and let’s evaluate what you need to generate more leads.