The new rules of search in an AI world

LLM-based search is the new mental availability engine, but success requires deep understanding of how a category is bought, thought and talked about. Shane O'Leary (Zoetis) and Gemma Spence (VML) join WARC's Lena Roland to discuss best practices for generative engine optimization.

Chapters:

Here are 20 SEO-optimized chapter headings with timestamps you can use for YouTube and to help Google AI Overviews understand the episode:

[00:08] – Intro: How AI Is Transforming Search
[01:23] – Meet the Guests: Shane O’Leary & Gemma Spence
[02:21] – What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)? Definitions & Acronyms (LLMO, AEO)
[03:35] – GEO vs SEO: From Engineering Algorithms to Brand- and Content-Led Search
[04:48] – Paradigm Shift: From 10 Blue Links to Conversational AI Search (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude)
[05:00] – LLM-Powered Search Everywhere: Google AI Overviews, Amazon, Meta, X and More
[06:03] – What LLMs Cite: Reddit, Wikipedia, YouTube, Yelp, TripAdvisor and “Human” Content
[07:31] – How Big Is AI Search? Usage Stats, Consumer Behavior and Priority Categories
[09:50] – High-Consideration Categories: Travel, Finance, Health, Pet Care
[12:23] – Category Entry Points: Using CEPs to Win GEO Queries and Mental Availability
[14:37] – Do Big Brands Have an Edge—or Does GEO Favour Disruptors and Creators?
[18:43] – Reddit’s Rise: Why Forums Drive GEO, Google AI Overviews and Brand Discovery
[20:28] – Rethinking Paid, Owned, Earned Media for GEO and AI-First Search
[22:26] – Creators, Influencers and PR: Building Trust Signals LLMs Actually Rank
[28:34] – Trust vs AI Slop: Authoritative Sources, Paywalls and the Fight for Quality Content
[31:47] – New GEO Metrics: Share of Model, Citation Rate, Sentiment and Category Entry Points
[34:45] – Collapsing the Marketing Funnel: From Keyword Search to Answer-Led Journeys
[41:43] – Agentic AI Explained: AI Shopping Assistants, Retail Integrations and Commerce
[43:52] – Strategic GEO Takeaways for Marketers

For 40 years, WARC has been providing the marketing industry with rigorous, unbiased evidence and expert effectiveness guidance. The WARC Podcast publishes a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday.

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