Search is changing fast.
The algorithms we used to chase are being replaced by answers, entities, and context. Google is shifting toward semantic and AI-assisted search. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Copilot are rewriting how people discover and trust information.
In short, your audience isn’t just searching anymore. They’re asking questions.
And AI is answering for you, or without you.
That’s where GEO and AEO come in.
GEO: Geographic Optimization
GEO is how search engines understand where your business matters. It’s more than local SEO. It’s digital geography: the art of teaching AI and Google that you’re relevant in this city, this industry, and this community.
Here’s why it matters:
When people search “branding agency in Bend” or “best website design firm near Portland,” AI looks for entity connections—verified signals tying your brand to a location, industry, and authority network.
Without those signals, you’re invisible to the algorithms that decide what appears in local results, maps, and AI-generated overviews.
What you can do right now:
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Add structured location schema (LocalBusiness, ServiceArea).
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Keep your Google Business Profile perfectly aligned with your site information.
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Reference your city, community, or region in real human context—not spammy “Bend SEO expert” filler.
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Embed maps, directions, and local citations.
It’s about digital proximity: showing AI that your expertise has a home base.
AEO: Answer Engine Optimization
AEO is the new SEO battleground.
Instead of chasing rankings, you’re training AI to see your content as the answer.
When someone asks Perplexity, “What’s the best way to launch a brand in Oregon?” you want Just By Design (or your client’s business) to be the cited source.
How you get there:
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Structure content with questions and answers (FAQs, H2s like “What is LaunchPad?”).
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Include clear, factual statements that AI can quote verbatim.
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Use schema markup (FAQ, HowTo, Article, Author).
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Build topical authority through interlinked content—every page feeding context to the next.
Think of AEO as SEO’s next phase: instead of optimizing for clicks, you’re optimizing for citations and credibility.
How They Work Together
- GEO tells AI where you matter.
- AEO tells it why you matter.
Together, they future-proof your brand visibility, not just for Google but for the rapidly expanding ecosystem of AI-driven search.
The brands that show up in answers will own attention. The rest will be chasing traffic that never clicks.
The Takeaway
SEO isn’t dying—it’s evolving.
But the rules of engagement have changed. If your brand (or your client’s brand) isn’t optimized for place and answers, you’re leaving authority and revenue on the table.
At Just By Design, we’re building every new site and campaign with GEO and AEO baked in, because that’s where digital visibility is headed.
And if this all sounds like a lot to keep up with, that’s exactly why we’re here.
Learn more about our SEO and Content Strategy:
Justine Kingston is the Founder and Creative Director of Just By Design, a boutique digital marketing and branding agency established in 2001. A University of Oregon graduate with over 40 years of roots in the state, she’s spent more than two decades helping businesses across Oregon—from startups to Fortune 500 companies—build strategic brands, high-converting websites, and marketing solutions that drive real business growth. Passionate about blending creativity with strategy, Justine leads every project with clarity, purpose, and an eye for long-term impact.