E963: I sit down with TJ Robertson to discuss how AI search experiences are influencing SEO strategy, content creation, and brand visibility.

This conversation looks at how large language models, AI Overviews, and conversational search interfaces are becoming an additional layer of discovery that SEOs and founders need to understand.

We break down practical tactics, areas of disagreement, real experiments, and the difference between being cited by AI systems and actually being recommended within responses.

The discussion covers both opportunities and limitations, where AI introduces new dynamics, and how teams are adapting workflows.

Topics covered:
- The difference between ranking in search results and appearing inside AI-generated responses
- Whether AI search experiences will complement or change traditional search behavior
- Hyper-specific content and how AI systems interpret granular queries
- The relationship between classic SEO fundamentals and generative engine optimization
- Citation vs recommendation and why that distinction matters for conversions
- Bottom-of-funnel content strategies that perform across both search and AI contexts
- Parasite properties, secondary sites, and long-term visibility assets
- Tracking prompts vs tracking keywords and the current limitations of measurement
- Using branded content, FAQs, and reviews to shape how AI systems understand a company
- Content templates that tend to get surfaced inside AI responses
- Claude workflows and building a structured brand knowledge base for content creation
- The role of directories, foundational links, and early authority when starting from zero
- Where social platforms influence AI visibility and where they appear to have little impact
- Publisher monetization challenges and potential adaptations as AI summaries become more common
- Common misconceptions and speculative GEO advice circulating in the industry

We also discuss failures, experiments that did not work, and areas where the industry still lacks clarity - including how much training data matters compared to real-time search retrieval.

If you work in SEO, content, SaaS, or growth, this episode offers a practical look at what the generative engine optimization landscape looks like as it continues to evolve.

If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe and follow the show. New episodes are published daily.

⭐️ TJ Robertson on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tj-robertson-seo/
⭐️ TJ Robertson on 𝕏 - https://x.com/SeoRobertson/
⭐️ TJ Robertson on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TJRobertsonDigital
⭐️ TJ Robertson on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/tjrobertsondigital/
⭐️ TJ Robertson on TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@tjrobertson52
⭐️ TJ Robertson's Agency - https://tjrobertson.com/

💎 Compact Keywords - My SEO Course - Get paying customers through SEO - Clear step-by-step video breakdowns - SEO templates to be copied and adapted for your products and services: https://compactkeywords.com/

00:00 17 Years in SEO
00:29 Starting an AI-First SEO Agency
01:35 SEO vs GEO
03:20 Ranking in AI
04:54 How Fast to Publish
07:03 180-Day Playbook
09:15 Tracking LLM Visibility
10:09 Biggest LLM Citation Mistake
13:16 Parasite Properties & Second Sites
16:42 Content Templates That Win in LLMs
19:13 Fact Density, Brand Voice, & Brand Ambassadors
32:22 Reviews, Press Releases, and Branded Content
40:19 Branded FAQs
42:08 FAQ Hub Pages to Control the Narrative
44:02 AI SEO Opportunity
44:50 Setting Up Claude as a Brand Ambassador
46:50 Claude AI SEO Content Workflow
49:27 Images That Convert
54:20 Opus 4.6, Claude Cowork, and AI Agents
56:29 Vibe-Coded SaaS Strategy
59:36 The Skill SEOs Need
01:02:05 GEO Hot Takes: Schema Hype, "Post Everywhere," and Citation Obsession
01:05:31 Zero-Click Search
01:08:59 Rebuilding Visibility from Zero
01:13:22 Biggest SEO Failures & GEO Wins
01:19:41 Training Data vs Query Fan-Out
01:21:26 Wrap-Up

The Edward Show. The #1 search engine optimization podcast: https://edwardsturm.com/the-edward-show/

#generativeengineoptimization #answerengineoptimization #searchengineoptimization #digitalmarketing