Your CMO Just Read About the End of SEO

‍“Should we be optimizing for AI search?”

That’s the kind of question your CMO is probably asking right now.

And if they’re not saying it out loud, they’re thinking it.

They’ve seen the flood of updates from Google I/O. They’ve read about:

• GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
  
  
• AIO (AI Optimization)
  
  
• LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization)
  
  
• And the usual doomsday takes about SEO being replaced
  
  

They’re wondering if your strategy is outdated.

Or worse, if your team is flying blind.

The Shift Is Real, But the Panic Is Misplaced

AI summaries are changing how people see your brand.

Search isn’t just ten blue links anymore. It’s AI-generated answers, side panels, TikTok videos, Reddit threads, and product comparisons across platforms.

But the fundamentals haven’t changed:

• You still need to show up where your buyers are
  
  
• You still need to be referenced, trusted, and clicked on
  
  
• You still need to drive growth, not just traffic
  
  

What’s changed is how you prove it to leadership.

Your Role: Translate SEO Hype Into Strategy That Wins

If you’re leading content, managing dev priorities, or trying to justify SEO to your VP of Growth, now’s the time to step up.

Not with trend-chasing. With clarity.

Ask and answer the questions your CMO is secretly thinking:

• What do AI search engines say about our brand, product, or category?
  
  
• Are we producing content people trust, or just padding traffic?
  
  
• Where are we losing visibility to players with less authority but better positioning?
  
  
• Are we prioritizing conversion content, or stuck measuring rankings?
  
  

If you can’t answer these, someone else will.

Probably a consultant with a deck full of buzzwords and zero commercial sense.

The Smart Move Isn’t “More SEO.” It’s Smarter SEO.

Your job now is to:

• Audit your current visibility across AI and human-driven discovery channels
  
  
• Kill vanity work and focus on revenue-linked opportunities
  
  
• Make SEO understandable and valuable in a boardroom context
  
  
• Build a roadmap that adapts to changes without chasing every trend
  
  

The future of search isn’t just a technical shift.

It’s a positioning shift. And you need to lead that shift internally.

Want Help Leading the Conversation?

I work with CMOs, Heads of Growth, and content leaders who need clarity, not chaos.

Whether you’re rethinking strategy or just need to sharpen your case internally, I can help.

🧠 Book a coaching session

📈 Request a strategy review

🤝 Or just reach out to align your SEO with what leadership cares about most