Google’s organic traffic is declining for many websites, and AI-powered search engines are reshaping how users find answers. Our team is actively retooling client strategies around generative engine Optimisation (GEO)—the practice of making websites visible not just in traditional search results but inside AI-generated responses from ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and others. Here’s what we’re doing right now, and what every business owner needs to know.

Key Takeaways

• New websites need a structured 90-day SEO sequencing plan that accounts for AI Search from day one.
• Organic traffic from Google is falling; diversifying traffic sources is no longer optional.
• Schema markup gives AI systems the explicit, structured data they need to recommend your brand.
• Website marketing strategies must now build the kind of credibility AI platforms use to select sources.
• Dedicated GEO tools are maturing fast, giving agencies real data on LLM mentions and AI search performance.

Sequencing SEO for New Websites With AI in Mind

Launching a new site without a phased SEO plan is a waste of budget. We follow a strict 90-day sequencing approach that covers technical foundations before launch, content deployment in the first weeks, and authority-building activities through month three. The critical addition now is optimising for AI answers from the start—structuring content so large language models can parse, cite, and recommend it. We’ve aligned our new-build processes with this sequencing guide for new website SEO, which maps out pre-launch and post-launch priorities in the right order.

Addressing the Reality of Declining Google Traffic

We’re seeing it across client dashboards: traditional Google clicks are softening. AI Overviews, zero-click results, and users going directly to ChatGPT for answers all contribute. Panic isn’t the right response. Diversification is.

Our team is shifting client budgets toward owned channels—email lists, community platforms, direct engagement—while simultaneously optimising content for AI citation. The brands that treat their website as the single hub feeding multiple distribution channels will hold up. We’ve been applying the practical framework outlined in this analysis of marketing success in the age of AI to stress-test every client’s traffic mix.

Schema Markup Is Now a Non-Negotiable

Schema markup has always been good practice. In 2025, it’s essential infrastructure. AI systems rely on structured data to understand what a page is about, who wrote it, what product it describes, and whether it’s trustworthy. Without schema, you’re making LLMs guess—and they’ll pick a competitor who made it easy.

We’ve integrated schema audits into every client maintenance cycle. FAQ schema, organisation schema, product schema, and author schema are the minimum. Our technical team follows the implementation standards detailed in this comprehensive guide to schema markup to ensure clean, validated deployment across all client sites.

Building the Credibility AI Systems Reward

AI platforms don’t just scrape content—they evaluate credibility signals. Consistent brand mentions across authoritative sources, clear author credentials, genuine reviews, and topical depth all feed into whether an AI system will recommend your business. This changes how we approach website marketing entirely.

We now treat every client’s digital footprint as a credibility portfolio. PR mentions, directory listings, expert-authored content, and social proof all contribute. Our strategic framework draws directly from this guide to website marketing in the AI search era, which maps out exactly which credibility factors matter most.

GEO Tools Are Giving Us Real Competitive Data

Six months ago, tracking AI search visibility was guesswork. That’s changed. A new generation of GEO tools now lets us monitor how often a client’s brand appears in LLM-generated answers, benchmark against competitors, and identify content gaps that AI systems are filling with other sources. We’ve been evaluating the options covered in this roundup of the best generative engine optimisation tools for 2026 and have already integrated several into our reporting stack.

The shift toward AI-driven search is not a future event—it’s the current operating environment. Every week we delay adapting a client’s strategy is a week their competitors gain ground in AI recommendations. Our focus through the rest of 2025 and into 2026 is clear: structured data, credibility-first marketing, diversified traffic, and measurable GEO performance. The agencies and businesses that move now will own the visibility that matters most.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

GEO is the practice of optimising your website and digital presence so AI-powered search engines—like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity—cite and recommend your brand in their generated answers. It builds on traditional SEO but focuses on structured data, credibility signals, and content that large language models can easily parse.

How do web designers make a new site visible in AI search results?

Start with a sequenced 90-day plan that covers technical SEO, schema markup, and content structured for AI readability before and after launch. Prioritise clear entity data, author credentials, and FAQ content that directly answers the questions AI systems are trained to respond to.

Why does schema markup matter more now than ever?

AI systems depend on structured data to understand page content, verify authorship, and assess trustworthiness. Without properly implemented schema, your site is effectively invisible to the AI platforms that are increasingly replacing traditional search clicks.

What should businesses do if their Google traffic is dropping?

Diversify immediately into owned channels like email and community platforms, and begin optimising content for AI citation alongside traditional rankings. Audit your brand’s credibility signals across the web, because AI systems use those signals to decide which sources to recommend.