How Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Rewrites the Rules of Search | Andreess

Andreess argues that generative engine optimization (GEO) is replacing traditional SEO, with visibility now meaning whether a brand is cited in the answers that language models generate rather than where it ranks on a results page. The article says ChatGPT already drives referral traffic to tens of thousands of distinct domains, and that Guillermo Rauch reported ChatGPT referring 10% of new Vercel signups. It names Profound, Goodie, Daydream, Ahrefs' Brand Radar and Semrush's AI toolkit as tools for tracking brand mentions in AI outputs, and says Canada Goose used one such tool to see whether models mentioned the brand unprompted. The article also describes GEO as still experimental and suggests that platforms able to act on those insights could become central to brand marketing.