Why SEO Clients Now Demand AI Expertise: The Rise of AEO, AIO & GEO

Image Source: Designed by Martech Scholars using Canva Pro_AI SEO buzzwords dominate client conversations in 2025 marketing strategies.

The Game Has Changed.

A growing number of SEO professionals are waking up to a harsh new reality: clients are prioritizing AI visibility strategies over traditional SEO expertise. A recent Reddit post and a viral rant on Bluesky have reignited the debate—is AI just hype, or is it becoming the new SEO standard?

It started with a frustrated SEO professional who spent months nurturing a lead. After three months of Q&As, scope calls, and even design collaboration, the client ghosted him. Why? Because another marketer swooped in with buzzwords like AI optimization and schema embeddings—and closed the deal.

Hustle Bros & Social Credibility

The Redditor wasn’t alone. Another post criticized so-called “hustle bros” who flaunt performance charts—many allegedly downloaded from Google Images. These individuals present themselves as thought leaders while offering cookie-cutter advice and AI fluff.

John Mueller of Google chimed in with a reflective comment:

“I wonder if it has changed over the years, or if it’s just our perception.”

Mueller’s observation touches on a larger issue: visibility. Social platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, and even Facebook groups have allowed charismatic but potentially shallow SEO influencers to overshadow seasoned pros with in-depth knowledge—but less flash.

AI Buzzwords: The New Client Magnet?

So what exactly are clients falling for?

Terms like AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), AIO (AI Optimization), and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) are suddenly must-haves in every pitch. But are they delivering real results—or just inflating expectations?

A Reddit user put it sarcastically:

“Maybe we’ll include schema embeddings analysis in your migration project plan so AI bots can read your site.”

While the sarcasm is evident, clients are clearly buying into the terminology—even if they don’t fully understand it. And that’s a wake-up call for every SEO.

1. Is AI the New EEAT?

In 2022, EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) took center stage in Google’s ranking playbook. SEOs rushed to align with it—even if its exact impact remained ambiguous.

Now in 2025, AI-related buzzwords seem to have taken its place.

A Reddit moderator summarized it perfectly:

“People buy what sounds sensible, even when they don’t understand SEO.”

The shift toward AI isn’t about replacing SEO—it’s about integrating AI-aware strategies into client conversations. That means understanding how AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews might interact with websites.

2. AI Search Is Real—And Clients Know It

Whether you’re prepared or not, clients are now asking about AI’s impact on search and visibility. And saying “no one knows” is no longer a valid answer.

A Redditor added:

“Clients are asking questions about AI’s impact. You need to be able to tell them something—even if it’s just ‘good SEO practices help AI too.’”

3. SEOs Need To Address AEO, AIO, and GEO—Now

Another user emphasized that AI-driven search visibility is becoming standard:

“Battling AIO, GEO, and AEO may seem like snake oil to some—but it’s where we’re headed.”

Just like the early days of SEO, experimentation is driving discovery. From optimizing content for AI crawlers to embedding structured data more effectively, marketers are doing more than just chasing rankings—they’re preparing for how AI search engines will interpret content.

Staying on top means reading, testing, analyzing—after work, on weekends, whenever possible. It’s not optional anymore. This is the new competitive edge.

Are We in an SEO Hype Cycle?

It’s tempting to dismiss the buzz as a hype cycle. But there’s substance underneath the fluff.

Some marketers are now actively encouraging users to prompt AI chatbots with their brand names, effectively using share buttons to manipulate AI responses. Others are building AI-aware content strategies to appear in summaries and citations generated by language models.

This is not unlike the early 2000s SEO era, when metadata, keyword stuffing, and link farms were fair game until they weren’t.

While we wait for AI search to standardize, those who experiment responsibly will likely find the sweet spot between traditional SEO and future-forward visibility.

Give Clients What They Want—But Guide Them

One of the final points made by the original SEO Redditor hits hard:

“It’s tempting to give clients what they want, but if you have doubts—share them.”

Client education is part of your job. Balancing what they want to hear with what they need to know is where trust and long-term relationships are built.

Don’t sell snake oil. Instead, show clients the real role of AI in SEO—and how you’re using it to future-proof their strategy.

Final Thoughts: The Future Belongs to Adaptable SEOs

AI isn’t replacing SEO—it’s reshaping it. And that reshaping is already visible in client expectations, sales calls, and proposal requests.

Clients want AI-savvy marketers. And those who adapt—by learning, experimenting, and integrating AI visibility into their skillset—will lead the next generation of SEO.

The rest may be left wondering why a flashier, less experienced marketer keeps closing their leads.

Subscribe to our newsletter