The Fake ‘GEO’ Movement: How SEO Disinfo Campaigns Target Creators

About this video

• Video Title: The Fake ‘GEO’ Movement: How SEO Disinfo Campaigns Target Creators
• Channel: Edward Sturm
• Speakers: Edward Sturm
• Duration: 00:08:39

Overview

This video discusses a disinformation campaign targeting SEO creators, where companies are offering paid partnerships to promote the idea that traditional SEO is dead and that their "GEO" tools are the future. The speaker shares an example of such an outreach email and expresses concern about the misleading nature of these campaigns, emphasizing that good SEO practices remain effective for both search engines and AI.

Key takeaways

• Disinformation Campaign: A coordinated effort is underway to convince SEO creators that traditional SEO is obsolete and to promote "GEO" (Generative Engine Optimization) tools as the new standard.
• Creator Outreach: Companies are sending paid partnership offers to creators, including potential equity in exchange for promoting specific narratives about AI and SEO.
• Misleading Messaging: The core message of these campaigns is that AI-generated search results and LLMs require a new approach, rendering traditional SEO ineffective.
• Speaker's Stance: The speaker rejects sponsored content unless it's for tools they genuinely use and love. They also highlight that good SEO practices, such as creating comprehensive content and targeting purchase intent keywords, are still relevant for AI tools.
• Effective AI SEO: To appear in AI tools, creators should focus on solid SEO fundamentals, including using press releases to influence AI mentions, targeting individual purchase intent keywords, and ensuring their site is well-indexed by search engines.