AI, GEO, and SEO: The Playbook for Acquisition Product Managers
In the digital marketplace, where organic acquisition plays a critical role in customer growth, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a well-established pillar of success. However, as search engines evolve into generative engines — leveraging AI to curate and deliver personalized, context-aware results — Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) has emerged as an essential complement to traditional SEO strategies. For acquisition-focused Product Managers in both B2B and B2C spaces, failing to integrate AI-driven content generation tactics means missing out on high-intent audiences actively searching for solutions in new ways.
Having worked across industries where user acquisition was a key metric — whether in higher education marketplaces, SaaS, or e-commerce — I’ve consistently seen the impact of AI-driven initiatives in amplifying acquisition efforts. This blog explores the rationale for blending GEO and SEO strategies and provides actionable insights to make it a winning combination.
Why GEO-Oriented Initiatives Should Be in Your Acquisition Strategy
1. Search Engines Are Becoming Generative
Traditional SEO captures broad search intent, but AI-driven search engines, such as Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Microsoft’s Bing AI, now generate summarized results, reducing reliance on traditional keyword-based search rankings. Optimizing for generative search requires a shift in strategy to provide structured, high-quality, and AI-friendly content.
For B2C businesses, such as retail and entertainment services, this means ensuring product pages, FAQs, and customer testimonials are optimized for AI summarization. In the B2B space, SaaS providers and service-based companies need to adapt by providing structured industry insights, case studies, and thought leadership content that AI models can pull from.
Fact: According to a stats collected by WordPress SEO, tool AIOSEO, in 2025, the top three disruptions in SEO performance are expected from Generative AI, Google E-E-A-T, and zero click searches. Source
If your acquisition strategy doesn’t account for these AI-driven searches, you may be missing a substantial portion of organic traffic.
2. Higher Conversion Rates with AI-Optimized Content
AI-generated search summaries highlight relevant content directly on search pages, reducing clicks to traditional listings. Businesses that structure their content to be AI-friendly — by providing clear, concise, and semantically rich information — stand a higher chance of being featured in AI-generated results.
At Open Universities Australia, experimenting with structured content optimized for AI search engines significantly improved visibility and conversion rates. Similarly, at TheFunPad, AI-driven personalization helped tailor booking recommendations, reducing customer acquisition as well as operating costs.
For B2B organizations, GEO enables better visibility for solution-based content, ensuring AI-driven search engines surface whitepapers, reports, and industry trends to decision-makers.
At TheFunPad, AI-driven personalization helped tailor content recommendations, reducing customer acquisition costs while improving engagement. For instance, users searching for “Affordable mobile gaming solutions for events in Melbourne” or “How does TheFunPad compare to traditional arcade rentals?” are more likely to engage with AI-optimized content that provides relevant, contextual information.
Similarly, at MYOB, where I worked on B2B solutions for accountants, there are potential opportunities for GEO optimization to improve visibility for B2B-focused queries such as “Best AI-driven accounting software for small businesses” and “How MYOB could leverage AI to automate bookkeeping and compliance.” Implementing structured, AI-optimized content could help MYOB ensure that decision-makers in the accounting industry can access relevant insights tailored to their business needs.
Fact: HubSpot reports that AI-personalized content increases conversion rates by up to 30% due to improved relevance and user experience. Source
3. GEO Initiatives Improve Content Discovery and Personalization
With AI-powered search, user queries are now more contextual. AI-driven search engines consider multiple sources, summarizing the most relevant insights rather than just displaying ranked pages. GEO ensures that your content is discoverable and recommended by these AI-driven systems.
For B2C businesses, this means ensuring product descriptions and reviews are optimized for AI-driven recommendations. B2B companies, on the other hand, should focus on structuring content for AI models to surface in industry research and vendor comparison queries.
Fact: A report from Gartner predicts that by 2026, 80% of digital businesses will use AI-generated search summaries to drive discovery and engagement. Source
4. Better Performance in Conversational and Voice Search
With the rise of generative AI and voice-based assistants, search queries have become more conversational. Users now ask, “What are the best UX design courses tailored for Australian professionals?” instead of “Best UX courses.” Similarly, for TheFunPad, users might search for “What are the best mobile gaming party options for kids in Melbourne?” or “How does TheFunPad compare to other playcentres?” GEO ensures that content is structured for AI-driven responses, improving overall discoverability and making businesses like TheFunPad more accessible to their target audiences.
For B2B product managers, optimizing thought leadership content and solutions-based articles for AI-driven voice search ensures that business decision-makers can find relevant insights when they ask, “What is the best AI-powered HR software?” or “How can automation improve supply chain logistics?”
Fact: Aweb digital estimates that 55% of all searches are now voice-based, and optimizing for AI-driven responses is critical for future-proofing search visibility. Source
Step-by-Step Guide to Incorporating GEO in Your Strategy
1. Understand AI-Driven Search Trends
Start by analyzing how generative AI is changing search behavior in your industry. Identify the most common AI-generated queries and summaries relevant to your business, whether B2B or B2C.
2. Optimize Content for AI Summarization
Ensure your website content is structured, concise, and semantically rich. Use structured data markup, schema, and clear headings to improve visibility in AI-driven search results.
3. Collaborate with Marketing and Content Teams
Work closely with marketing and content teams to align messaging and content formats with AI search trends. Ensure content teams produce high-quality, AI-optimized articles, FAQs, and whitepapers that cater to generative search experiences.
4. Enhance Personalization and User Engagement
Use AI-driven personalization tools to serve dynamic, relevant content to users based on their location, behaviour, and intent. Implement recommendation engines that adjust based on real-time interactions.
5. Monitor Performance and Iterate
Continuously track how AI-driven searches are impacting your traffic and conversion rates. Use analytics tools to identify gaps and refine your content strategy to stay ahead of evolving search trends.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the process of optimizing content for AI-driven search engines that generate summarized, context-aware results instead of traditional ranked listings.
How does GEO impact SEO and AI-driven search?
GEO enhances SEO by ensuring content is structured and optimized for AI-generated summaries, voice search, and AI-powered recommendations, improving search visibility and user engagement.
How are Australian businesses using GEO strategies?
Many Australian businesses are leveraging GEO to improve search visibility:
- Retail and E-commerce: Companies like Woolworths and Coles personalize product recommendations and optimize search rankings with AI-driven GEO strategies.
- EdTech: Open Universities Australia and Go1 enhance course discovery with personalized recommendations and AI-generated search results based on student’s goals, background search behaviour, academic.
- Healthcare: Platforms like HotDoc use AI to connect patients with doctors based on search behaviour, improving local healthcare discovery.
How can B2B and B2C companies implement GEO effectively?
B2B companies can optimize thought leadership content, case studies, and structured data to ensure their solutions appear in AI-driven search results. B2C companies should enhance product descriptions, user reviews, and dynamic personalization to align with AI-driven recommendations.
What are the benefits of AI-driven personalization for product managers?
AI-driven personalization improves engagement by serving relevant content based on user behaviour, location, and intent, increasing conversion rates and reducing customer acquisition costs.
Final Thoughts
The integration of GEO is another step in accelerating product discovery, a topic I explored in-depth in my previous blog, ‘Accelerating Product Discovery: A Structured Approach for Product Managers’. Just as structured discovery processes help uncover the right opportunities, leveraging AI-driven search optimization ensures that your product is found at the right moment by the right users. Together, these strategies create a powerful acquisition framework for modern product managers.
As search engines transition into generative engines, blending Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) with SEO is no longer optional — it’s a competitive necessity. By optimizing for AI-generated search results, leveraging AI-powered personalization, and structuring content for AI-driven discovery, Product Managers — whether in B2C or B2B — can significantly enhance lead quality and conversion rates.
Having worked across marketplace, education, accounting and SaaS domains, I’ve seen first-hand how AI-driven approaches reduce CAC while improving customer engagement. As search trends continue shifting towards AI-generated results and conversational search, adopting a GEO+SEO strategy is a forward-thinking move to future-proof your acquisition funnel.
Are you leveraging GEO strategies in your acquisition efforts? I’d love to hear your experiences!
