Google’s John Mueller on SEO vs GEO

TL;DR: According to Google’s John Muller on Reddit:

SEO still drives leads and revenue and AI isn’t going away anytime soon.

But “GEO” is mostly a label.

The real job is tracking how your audience actually discovers you (Search vs AI vs social) and prioritising your digital marketing efforts based on real usage/discovery and outcomes.

SEO vs GEO – What John Mueller Actually Said

Google Search Advocate John Mueller responded to a Reddit question asking whether SEO is still “enough” or whether marketers now need to invest in “generative engine optimisation” (GEO) for tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.

The Question: SEO is still important, but it’s not the whole picture anymore. Ranking on Google doesn’t guarantee your brand will show up in AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity. Is SEO still enough, or do we need to start thinking about GEO too?

John’s Answer:

“If you have an online business that makes money from referred traffic, it’s definitely a good idea to consider the full picture, and prioritize accordingly. What you call it doesn’t matter, but ‘AI’ is not going away, but thinking about how your site’s value works in a world where ‘AI’ is available is worth the time. Also, be realistic and look at actual usage metrics and understand your audience (what % is using ‘AI’? what % is using Facebook? what does it mean for where you spend your time?).” – John Mueller on Reddit.

His position was fairly straightforward: labels matter less than reality.

If your business relies on referred traffic, you should consider the full picture and prioritise accordingly.

AI Isn’t Going Anywhere But Don’t Get Stuck on Semantics

Mueller didn’t try to validate GEO as a separate discipline. He didn’t debate definitions. He made a more practical point: AI is not going away, and it’s worth thinking about how your site’s value works in a world where AI tools are widely available.

In other words, you don’t need a new acronym to justify sensible marketing strategy. You need to understand how discovery is changing and adapt without falling for hype.

The Only Move That Makes Sense Is To Follow Audience Behaviour

Mueller’s main advice was to be realistic and base decisions on actual usage metrics instead of falling into the trap of making assumptions.

Ask questions like:

• What % of your audience is using AI tools to find answers?
• How does that compare with Google Search, Facebook, Instagram, email, or referrals?
• What does that mean for where you invest time and resources?

If AI is a tiny slice of your current customer journey, it doesn’t make sense to gut your SEO strategy chasing “AI visibility”.

If AI starts showing up as a meaningful driver of awareness or leads in your market, then it earns a bigger share of attention.

Why This Matters for SEO Strategy

SEO still matters, but there’s a nuance marketers need to accept:

Ranking in Google does not guarantee your brand will be mentioned inside AI answers 100% of the time.

There’s overlap between what works for search and what gets surfaced in AI, but it’s not a perfect one-to-one relationship. That’s why “good SEO” is still the baseline, but measurement and prioritisation decide what comes next.

Practical Takeaways

• Keep doing SEO – It still drives the majority of high-intent traffic for most businesses.
• Track AI exposure – Watch for brand mentions, referral traffic, and assisted conversions where possible.
• Prioritise by impact – Invest where the audience already is, and expand when the data supports it.
• Avoid ‘Shiny Object Syndrome’ – Don’t chase fancy acronyms because strategy beats semantics.

Mueller’s Message Was One Of Hope

Mueller’s message wasn’t “ignore AI” and it certainly wasn’t “SEO is dead”.

It was: look at the full picture, understand your audience, and prioritise based on real behaviour.

For businesses operating in Western Australia, these prioritisation decisions matter even more in competitive local markets. MSWD is proud to be the most affordable SEO company Perth so that your small business can compete in the organic search results.

A focused approach to SEO services in Perth helps ensure effort is concentrated on the pages, keywords, and authority signals most likely to drive enquiries, rather than spreading resources thin across low-impact tactics.

AI will keep growing, but the smart move is to follow what actually drives traffic and revenue for your business – not whatever label the industry is pushing this month.