As we approach the halfway point in 2025, the SEO scene seems both familiar and fundamentally different. Terms such as AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), AIO (AI Optimization), and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) dominate the airwaves. Clients ask not only about rankings — but about visibility in AI-generated summaries, chat responses, and search less discovery.

But with this progression there is a tension: are agencies remaining rooted in SEO basics, or running to the latest big thing in hopes of wowing?

Hype vs. Reality in the SEO Pitch Room

An example of a recent Search Engine Journal feature was a telling anecdote: An SEO expert lost a client after building weeks of strategic groundwork. Why? A rival agency impressed the client with esoteric, AI-infused hype — ”semantic graph indexing” and “schema embeddings,” to be precise, with not much explained. The client, impressed by the space-age jargon, changed sides.

This situation illustrates a general problem: too many companies these days are deciding based on what sounds trendy, even if it isn’t supported by successful outcomes.

AI Search Is Not Just a Trend — It’s a Disruptor

AI-provided search summaries are quickly becoming ubiquitous elements of the user experience. Bain & Company reports that 80% of users depend on AI-powered solutions for at least 40% of their searches, and these summaries answer user questions on their own without one click 60% of the time. ( Bain.com )That’s a huge departure from the traditional click-through search model.

Additionally, recent Semrush data indicates that AI Overviews now appear in 13% of Google searches — twice what they were only two months ago. Such features are particularly prevalent in information articles, further elevating the incidence of zero-click results.

Briefly, AI search isn’t replacing SEO — but it is reshaping what visibility means.

Are Clients Buying Strategy or Just AI Jargon?

Others within the SEO space have posited that customers are more intimidated by complexity and confidence than by clarity. One Redditor bluntly explained how their crew lost a small business pitch for offering months of preparation and good strategy.
Though anecdotal, stories like these show a genuine dilemma: are clients concerned with long-term SEO health, or short-term buzz alone?

So, What Should Real SEO Pros Be Focused On?

Beneath the din, solid SEO professionals still have the advantage — if they adapt well. Here’s what is important now:

1. Remain Rooted in Fundamentals
John Mueller from Google again said this year that sites remain the backbone of all online visibility. AI summaries draw from web content — so fast-loading sites, clear structure, and authoritative content remain as important as ever.

Structured data, internal linking, and topical authority now double their purpose: aiding both classic rankings and AI answer accuracy.

2. Teach Your Clients
Most companies aren’t seeking magic — they’re seeking outcomes. Clients want to have straightforward, honest discussions about how SEO intersects with AI search. Rather than promising tricks, describe the way well-crafted content, schema markup, and E-E-A-T signals can get their brand in front of AI summaries.

Even “Good SEO makes AI quote your content more accurately” is often more effective than saying nothing.

3. Test with AI Search — but Don’t Overpromise
SEO experts ought to experiment with the way content behaves within generative search contexts. Products such as Google Search Labs, Bing Copilot results, and You.com summaries provide a glimpse of what search could become.

But be honest: nobody knows everything yet. Claiming unproven strategies as breakthroughs only results in churn and distrust.

4. Optimize for Answer Engine Visibility
With the growing idiom that zero-click is the new normal, it is time to make AI visibility a priority.

Include short, factual summaries close to the top of the page.
Include structured data including FAQ and How-To schema.
Include first-party research and original data to boost credibility and authority.
Optimize for Featured Snippet and People Also Ask.
Strengthen the content with expert commentary and citations.

These tactics help not just with traditional SERPs but with visibility when AI is sourcing responses.

5. Establish Long-Term Trust
The best sustainable SEO tactics are still about value. Clients gain trust when they witness consistency, performance, and a partner who refuses to bow to every fad.

That involves reporting useful metrics, establishing expectations, and remaining flexible — without succumbing to the alphabet soup of GEO, AIO, and AEO.

What If AI Lowers Traffic?

There is no sugarcoating it: Seer Interactive and Botify say AI summaries have lowered click-through rates by 20–40% in some search topics. ( Search Engine Journal seer interactive ) As more people receive answers right from search interfaces, fewer people click on websites.

But this is not the demise of SEO — it’s merely a new chapter. Brands that evolve by creating quote-worthy content — transparent, organized, and helpful — will continue to appear in these summaries.

Final Thoughts

Yes, search is being transformed by AI. And yes, tech speak such as AEO and AIO gets in the way sometimes. But good SEO remains about the same things it has always been about:

Know your people
Write good, useful content
Be seen by being in sync with how users search now

Don’t follow buzz. Lead with clarity.

Credit Source: https://bit.ly/45jiSCa

The Rise of AI SEO Fluff and What Ethical SEOs Can Do Differently