Marketing is Returning to 2005.

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Marketing is Returning to 2005.

How you drive revenue is going to change forever.

SEO in the 2000s created a $100 billion industry. It changed online marketing forever.

Now, a new industry is forming: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). This time, it’s going from $100 billion to $1 trillion.

GEO is to AI search what SEO was to Google. It’s reshaping how customers discover brands, and it’s built on signals you can’t fake.

From SEO to GEO

• SEO ranked keywords and backlinks.

• GEO ranks user intent and brand credibility.

Instead of keyword stuffing and link farms, AI search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity look for:

• Relevance to the user’s actual intent.

• Third-party mentions that validate your brand.

• Real proof you solve the customer’s problem.

Why Brand Mentions Matter

AI search engines don’t reward spammy high-domain-rating links anymore. They reward credible, relevant voices talking about you.

• A review in a respected industry blog matters.

• A customer story in a case study matters.

• An authentic event recap or panel mention matters.

The more real people cite you, the stronger your presence becomes.

Marketing Feels Like 2005 Again

What does “returning to 2005” mean?

• You need people to talk about you organically.

• Live events and in-person credibility are back.

• Genuine value exchange drives attention.

• Shortcuts and hacks no longer work.

This isn’t nostalgia. It’s how AI search engines measure trust.

The Funnel Is Disappearing

Traditional funnels relied on clear attribution. A user Googled, clicked, downloaded, got nurtured, then converted.

AI search breaks that.

A customer can ask ChatGPT dozens of private questions, learn about you, and return weeks later ready to buy. You never see the original touch.

Attribution is fuzzy. But credibility and brand presence are sharper than ever.

The Takeaway

A new trillion-dollar industry is forming. GEO is the next great shift in marketing.

If 2015 was the decade of gaming the system, 2025 is the decade of trust.

Marketing really has returned to 2005.

Jason Patel
Co-founder & CEO, Open Forge AI
We help your business get seen, cited, and selected by AI search engines.

Answer Engine Optimization Strategies

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