#126 20 Urgent SEO Actions for the AI Summaries Era, GEO, Content & Authority

Welcome to this urgent and timely update. With the rise of AI-powered search engines like Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, traditional SEO practices are no longer sufficient. In this special episode, Jonny Ross and Pascal Fintoni provide 20 actionable strategies to help your brand stay visible, relevant, and competitive in the AI summaries era.Key Context: The AI Search RevolutionThe search landscape has fundamentally shifted:November 2022: ChatGPT launchedMay 2024: Google AI Overviews became visible on SERPs, causing click-through rates to drop by 34%May 2025: Google launched AI Mode fully for the USACurrent State: Zero-click searches have risen from 56% (May 2024) to 69% (May 2025)Traditional search queries averaged 2 words in 2020, but now average 23 words in 2025. Search is evolving from simple keywords to complex, conversational prompts.00:10:30 - Part 1: GEO & The New Rules of Visibility (Actions 1-6)Johnny's Essential Actions:Prepare for AI Crawlers - Create an experimental llms.txt file to signpost your best content to AI search enginesTrack AI Citations, Not Just Traffic - Monitor brand mentions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google SGE using tools like RightsonicAdopt GEO Thinking - Understand Generative Engine Optimisation as an expansion of SEO, focusing on AI models as new browsersPascal's Essential Actions:Add TL;DR or Key Takeaways Sections - Create scannable summary boxes at the start of your content, similar to news websitesWrite 'AI-Quotable' Content - Break content into self-contained paragraphs that can be extracted independentlyPublish Content Authored by You - Maintain consistent voice and authority, as AI summaries deprioritise purely AI-generated content00:17:15 - Part 2: Onsite Optimisation for AI Summaries (Actions 7-12)Johnny's Technical Optimisations:Use Structured Data (Schema Markup) - Implement FAQ, How-To, and Organisation schemas with enhanced properties like "Same As," "Known For," and "Area Served"Update Metadata with AI-First Formatting - Include location terms (UK-wide, nationwide) in headings and bold key phrasesEnsure Semantic Structure & Speed - Optimise for AI crawlers with fast loading times, proper HTML structure, and ensure AI bots aren't blocked by CloudflarePascal's Content Strategies:Write With AI Follow-ups in Mind - Use "People Also Ask" suggestions to create supplementary content that follows AI conversation patternsRethink Your 'About Us' Section - Transform it into a Q&A format as if being interviewed by a journalist, including location-specific informationCreate Evergreen Authority Clusters - Organise content into thematic hubs with strong internal linking between related pages00:26:23 - Part 3: Offsite Authority & Strategic Adaptation (Actions 13-18)Johnny's Reputation Building:Monitor Brand Mentions Across the Web - Track citations using tools like Brand24, SEMrush, or Mention, focusing on partnerships rather than just backlinksEngage in AI-Indexed Communities - Participate on Reddit, Quora, and YouTube, as these platforms provide significant citations to AI engines (Reddit accounts for 21% of Google AI citations, 47% of Perplexity citations)Adapt to the Visitorless Web - Reduce dependence on website visitors and rethink your website's role in the customer journeyPascal's Trust Network Strategy:Complete the 'Business Investigation' Activity - Map your customers' current trust network and identify platforms they already use for informationCreate and Offer Quora-Style Q&A Content - Develop Reddit/Quora-style answer content to gift to relevant platform managers and editorsEncourage User-Generated Reviews - Enhance Google Business Profile and sector-specific directories like Trustpilot, Checkatrade00:35:26 - Bonus Actions (19-20)Johnny's Citation Hub Strategy:19. Build an Internal "Citation Hub" Page - Create comprehensive landing pages consolidating authoritative content, statistics, awards, press mentions, and original insights with strong internal linkingPascal's Multimedia Approach:20. Turn Every Article into Short-Form Video or Audio - Repurpose long-form content into 60-second video or audio summaries to provide multimedia options for searchersKey Statistics MentionedOrganic traffic dropping by up to 65% on some websites due to AI search changesReddit is the second most cited source by ChatGPT after Wikipedia47% of Perplexity citations come from RedditAI traffic converts three times better than traditional Google trafficTwo-thirds of people now get answers from Google without clicking through to websitesActionable TakeawaysThe shift to AI search requires expanding rather than replacing traditional SEO practices. Focus on:Being mentioned and cited, not just clickedCreating comprehensive, quotable content clustersBuilding authority through diverse platform engagementPreparing for a future where websites serve different purposes in the customer journeyNext StepsDownload the complete 20-action checklist https://90daymarketingmastery.com/ai-geo-generative-engine-optimisation-checklist/ Start with the essential actions that align with your current SEO foundationGradually implement onsite and offsite optimisationsMonitor AI citations alongside traditional metricsAdapt your success measurements for the AI era🔎 SEO Keywords & Tags:AI summaries SEO, generative engine optimisation (GEO), answer engine optimisation (AEO), Google AI overviews, zero-click search strategies, LLMS.txt file setup, structured data schema SEO, long-form content SEO, TL;DR content boxes, Q&A blog format, author authority signals, brand mentions monitoring, Reddit SEO strategy, Google Business Profile SEO, AI citation hubs--👉 Subscribe to the 90-Day Website Mastery Podcast for more expert insights on SEO, content marketing, and website growth.👉 Leave us a review — your feedback helps others discover the show!👉 Book a discovery call: 90daymarketingmastery.com👉 check our book "WebProud" on Amazon for more website mastery strategies👉 Connect with us on LinkedIn:Jonny RossPascal FintoniAbout the HostsJonny Ross is a leading digital marketing consultant and SEO strategist with decades of experience helping businesses transform their online presence.Pascal Fintoni is a digital skills trainer and video marketing expert, known for making complex tech topics accessible and actionable.