(2025-07-09) Vohra Seo Is Dead Long Live Geo

Gaurav Vohra: SEO is Dead. Long Live GEO. The ground has shifted. ChatGPT hit 500 million monthly active users in May 2025.

This was the same month that Google announced AI Mode, their version of ChatGPT, directly within Google search:

This is the defining moment. Google is admitting that LLMs are the search interface of the future.

Every brand is noticing the open-mouth “alligator effect” in their SEO metrics:
Impressions are up, and clicks are down. And AI is to thank — or blame, depending on how salty it makes you feel.

What should you do about it?

Debunking common GEO misconceptions

Misconception 1: GEO is still small

Misconception 2: GEO is the same as SEO

Difference 1: Words per query
The average traditional search is 3-5 words.
The average LLM search is extremely detailed and nuanced at 20+ words, not counting follow-ups. In traditional SEO, they would be “long tail searches”.

A traditional search strategy might manufacture content aimed at winning clicks for high-volume but low-signal traffic, like “AI notetaker”.

An LLM search strategy needs to maximize chances of being cited in a long tail search like “List the top 10 AI notetakers and give me their cost, pros, and cons”.

Difference 2: User results
LLMs provide one answer composed of many different sources, aiming to fully answer your question. You likely will not click through to multiple sites.

LLM traffic that does click through tends to convert extremely well. For example, Ahrefs sees LLMs represent only 0.5% of visitors but over 12% of signups. LLM search converts 12x better than traditional search.

*Difference 3: Ranking factors
SEO factors like backlinks, keywords, and total traffic were not significantly correlated with LLM citations.

Instead, LLMs pay attention to factors like domain authority, content comprehensiveness, and readability.*

How to determine GEO priority

ask:

• How fast are your customers adopting AI to search?
• How do customers currently find you?

Action plan for GEO

• 1. Audit your foundations
  Run a full technical GEO and SEO audit.
  Learn the rules. For example, see Step 8 in Aleyda Solis’ guide here.

• 2. Nail your brand positioning
  Mixed messaging confuses AI and users.
  Clarify what you stand for. Define your core message and tone.

• 3. Identify and answer top customer questions
  Answer questions early to win AI citations.
  Learn from sales, support, and search forums what questions customers ask before buying.
  Answer them better than anyone else.

4. Refresh existing content
Turn old pages into new growth drivers.
Audit old posts: Update statistics, fix links, and add depth.
Update language to be more precise and descriptive to help AI.

5. Create new authoritative content
Be the best answer on the internet.
Publish detailed landing pages, competitor comparisons, how-to guides, and answers to top questions.
Include real statistics, unique insights from subject-matter experts, and compelling case studies.

6. Go beyond your website
Build an AI-friendly footprint across the internet.
Profound studied the top domains per LLM from 30M citations. The top 5 sources for ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews were Wikipedia, YouTube, Reddit, Quora, and LinkedIn. Beyond this, high-trust sites like Forbes, G2, and Gartner feature heavily.
Build a web of content that features across these sites

7. Monitor, measure, and optimize
Search is a compounding game.
Track LLM visibility, share of voice, sentiment, clicks, and HDYHAU.
Fill gaps with frequent new content and technical tune-ups.