Why AEO is Overhyped

Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Need marketing help? Visit: https://www.singlegrain.com/ and https://npdigital.com/ Want to recruit great marketers? Find them here: https://marketingschool.io/hire In this episode, Neil and Eric debate whether answer engine optimization AEO is overhyped, breaking down Ahrefs data on ChatGPT vs Google traffic, why search still drives most discovery, and how to think about AI search optimization across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and more. They share real AI ROI examples from Goldman Sachs research, talk LLM use cases for marketing, sales, and ops, discuss AI's impact on jobs, and reveal their favorite AI stocks and winning marketing formula heading into 2026. Key takeaways: • AEO vs SEO, why AI search is overhyped now but essential long term. • Real-world AI ROI from JP Morgan, UPS, Target, Chipotle, and more. • How Neil and Eric use ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other LLMs to scale marketing. Chapters: 00:00 AEO vs SEO hype 01:02 ChatGPT vs Google traffic share 02:40 AEO short-term vs. long-term 05:55 LLM platform use cases 08:47 Real AI ROI case studies 11:02 AI, jobs, and 2027 outlook 12:59 Favorite AI stocks to watch 15:02 Hiring AI native marketers 17:16 2026 marketing experimentation playbook 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗟 Welcome to Marketing School, one of the top business podcasts with over 61 million downloads. Each episode delivers actionable marketing tips and strategies from two entrepreneurs who truly practice what they preach. The show is hosted by Eric Siu, founder of Leveling Up and Single Grain, and Neil Patel, co-founder of Neil Patel Digital and recognized by Forbes as a Top 10 Marketer. 🎙️ Learn More About the Hosts Eric Siu – Leveling Up: https://www.youtube.com/@LevelingUpOfficial Neil Patel: https://www.youtube.com/@neilpatel 📩 Free Resources Growth Newsletter: https://levelingup.beehiiv.com/subscribe Ubersuggest: https://www.ubersuggest.com/ Answer The Public: https://www.answerthepublic.com/ ✅ Subscribe for Daily Marketing Insights!