The search game is evolving. Rapidly.

Your customers aren't just Googling anymore. 58% of users now use AI-driven tools for product and service discovery. They're asking ChatGPT for recommendations. They're getting instant answers from Perplexity. They're trusting Google's AI Overviews to guide their buying decisions.

And if your business isn't showing up in these AI responses? You're missing out on a massive opportunity.

I'm Dave McCormack, founder of Bubblehub Media. We've spent over a decade helping Irish businesses dominate search results. But here's what excites me most: traditional SEO is evolving into something even more powerful.

In just the past three months, we've seen an 800% year-over-year increase in referrals from LLMs. This isn't replacing traditional search. It's amplifying it.

The Search Evolution That's Creating New Opportunities in Ireland

Last month, something incredible happened. A luxury resort owner in Dordogne, France, asked ChatGPT: "Who's the best SEO agency for hospitality businesses?"

ChatGPT recommended Bubblehub.

That resort is now our client. They had strong Google rankings but weren't appearing in AI responses. Their competitors were getting recommended instead.

This is the new frontier. And it's built on the SEO foundations you already have.

Google's AI Overviews now appear on billions of searches every month, at least 13% of all SERPs. AI platforms in June 2025 generated over 1.13 billion referrals to the top 1,000 websites globally, up 357% year-over-year.

The best part? About 50% of sources cited in AI Overviews also rank in the top 10 results for the query. Your SEO work isn't wasted. It's the foundation for AI visibility.

Think about how you search now. Sometimes you Google. Sometimes you ask ChatGPT. Smart businesses win at both.

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The Hidden Gold Mine: Why AI Traffic Is Worth 10X More

Here's what most businesses don't realise: AI traffic isn't just growing. It's converting like crazy.

AI-sourced visitors convert at 27% compared to just 2.1% from standard search traffic. Let that sink in. AI visitors are over 10 times more likely to buy.

Why? AI referrals outperform traditional traffic in user engagement. By February 2025, these visits had a 23% lower bounce rate than all other traffic. These visits generate 12% more page views and last 41% longer than non-AI traffic.

AI traffic delivers an increase in conversion for categories that are more research-intensive, such as consumer electronics and jewellery. Survey data shows that 87% of users are more likely to leverage AI for large or complex purchases.

We're seeing this with our clients. A Dublin electronics retailer started appearing in ChatGPT recommendations. Their AI traffic is only 3% of total visits. But it generates 31% of their revenue.

These aren't random browsers. They're qualified buyers who've already done their research.

What Is Generative Engine Optimisation (And How It Builds on SEO)?

GEO is SEO's natural evolution.

GEO stands for "generative engine optimisation" which means the process of optimising your website's content to boost its visibility in AI-driven search engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot and Google AI Overviews.

Traditional SEO gets you found on Google. GEO ensures you're also recommended by AI. You need both.

Here's how they work together:

• SEO provides the foundation: Technical optimisation, quality content, authority
• GEO adds the layer: Structured answers, brand mentions, conversational optimisation

AI platforms already drive 6.5% of organic traffic and are projected to hit 14.5% within the next year. But here's the kicker: the quality difference is staggering.

The businesses winning at GEO? They're the ones with strong SEO foundations who've adapted their approach for AI consumption.

Why Your SEO Work Is More Valuable Than Ever

Here's what many don't understand: AI systems rely heavily on traditional SEO signals.

Google's AI Overviews pull primarily from pages that already rank well. ChatGPT and Perplexity favour content from authoritative, well-optimised sites. Your technical SEO, content quality, and domain authority all influence AI visibility.

In fact, studies show that sites ranking in positions 1-3 on Google are 5x more likely to be cited in AI responses than those on page two.

The difference? AI systems also look for:

• Clear, direct answers to questions
• Comprehensive topic coverage
• Strong brand signals across the web
• Structured data and semantic markup
• Conversational content patterns

This means your SEO investment isn't obsolete. It's the springboard for AI optimisation.

The Brand Mention Revolution: Your Secret Weapon

Here's the game-changer most Irish businesses miss: Brand mentions are direct signals for search engines AND AI systems about your brand. They boost semantic relevance, supporting E-E-A-T, increasing AI search visibility, and driving brand awareness.

Think backlinks matter? They do. But brand mentions are equally crucial now.

Media mentions across trusted publications. Schema-enriched pages with structured data. First-party research that establishes expertise. Expert quotes and branded citations - these are what AI systems look for.

Brand mentions have always played a meaningful role in SEO – not as spammy backlinks, but as authoritative citations that support E-E-A-T. Their influence in AI Overviews shows that brand strength is becoming even more important.

One of our clients launched a PR campaign that got them mentioned in 15 industry publications. Within six weeks, they appeared in 73% of ChatGPT responses for their category.

They didn't abandon link building. They added brand building on top.

The Bubblehub GEO Framework: Enhancing Your SEO for AI

After months of testing, we've cracked the code. Here's how to enhance your existing SEO to dominate AI responses.

1. Answer Questions First, Support With SEO Content

Your SEO content is great for rankings. Now make it AI-friendly too.

Generative AI is trained to detect and pull clear answers to specific questions. Add summary boxes or TL;DR sections that answer the primary query in 50–70 words at the top of your existing content.

Keep your comprehensive SEO content. Just add direct answers upfront.

For example, start with: "QuickBooks and Sage are the top choices for Irish SMEs. QuickBooks costs €15/month and handles VAT returns automatically."

Then use your existing SEO content to explain why.

2. Build on Your Content Authority

Your SEO content already has authority. Now structure it for AI.

77% of AI citations go to informational content. Comparative listicles dominate AI citations, representing 32.5% of all citations across platforms.

Take your existing service pages and blog posts. Add:

• Comparison tables
• Step-by-step guides
• FAQ sections
• Pros and cons lists

We helped a Cork furniture store enhance their existing product pages with detailed measurement guides. Their organic traffic stayed strong. AI mentions went up 400%.

3. Expand Your Keyword Strategy

Don't replace your keywords. Expand them.

Your current keywords like "coffee maker" still matter for Google. Now also target "What coffee maker should I buy for my small office in Dublin under €300?"

Perplexity's CEO notes queries on AI platforms now average 10-11 words, up from 2-3 on Google.

Keep your core SEO keywords. Add conversational variations. You'll rank on Google AND appear in AI responses.

4. Combine Link Building With Brand Building

Links still matter. But now you need brand mentions too.

ChatGPT shows a clear preference for Wikipedia, which accounts for nearly half (47.9%) of its top citations. But Wikipedia links to authoritative sources - sources with strong SEO.

Your link building + brand mention strategy:

• Continue building quality backlinks (crucial for rankings)
• Add PR and media mentions (crucial for AI)
• Contribute to Reddit and industry forums
• Create research that gets cited
• Partner with complementary businesses

Both strategies reinforce each other. Strong SEO helps you get media coverage. Media coverage strengthens your SEO.

5. Enhance Your Technical SEO for AI

Your technical SEO is the foundation. Now optimise it for AI crawlers too.

AI tools need:

• Fast page speeds (same as Google)
• Mobile optimisation (same as Google)
• Clear site structure (same as Google)
• PLUS: Enhanced schema markup
• PLUS: Structured FAQ sections
• PLUS: Clear content hierarchy

You're not starting over. You're building on what works.

The Irish Advantage You're Not Using

Irish businesses have a secret weapon: local SEO that translates perfectly to AI.

Your Google My Business optimisation? It helps with AI too. Your local citations? They build brand signals. Your Irish-focused content? AI loves local relevance.

Enhance your local SEO with:

• More specific local content
• Irish regulatory information
• Euro pricing clearly marked
• Local case studies and testimonials
• Partnerships with other Irish businesses

We helped a Galway plumber enhance their already-strong local SEO for AI. Result? They maintained their Google rankings AND now appear in 73% of AI responses for plumbing queries in Galway.

Your Competition Is Already Evolving (And Here's The Proof)

Three months ago, only 5% of our clients asked about AI optimisation.

Today? It's 45%.

Smart businesses aren't abandoning SEO. They're enhancing it. Some niche sites have seen AI traffic increases of up to 2000% with the right optimisations.

Gartner predicts that by 2028, up to 25% of searches will involve generative engines. But that means 75% will still involve traditional search. You need both.

Every day you wait is a day your competitors get ahead in this new channel while you rely only on traditional rankings.

SEO + GEO: The Winning Combination

Here's the truth: SEO isn't dead. It's more important than ever.

A study found that about 50% of sources cited in AI Overviews also rank in the top 10 results for the query. Strong SEO fundamentals directly increase your likelihood of appearing in AI results.

AI tools crawl websites using similar signals to Google. They evaluate content quality, technical performance, and authority - all traditional SEO factors.

The difference? They also need:

• Conversational content
• Direct answers
• Brand mentions
• Structured data

Think of GEO as SEO 2.0. Not a replacement. An enhancement.

The Metrics That Matter Now

Keep tracking your SEO metrics. Add these AI-specific ones:

Traditional SEO metrics (still crucial):

• Organic rankings
• Organic traffic
• Domain authority
• Backlink profile

New GEO metrics (equally important):

• AI overview appearances
• Brand mentions in AI responses
• AI referral traffic
• AI referral conversion rates (remember, they're 10x higher!)
• Revenue from AI sources

Tools like SEMrush now track both. Monitor your traditional SEO performance while building AI visibility.

What Happens If You Don't Evolve?

Let me be clear.

Businesses that ignore GEO won't disappear overnight. But they'll miss massive opportunities.

Studies show AI Overviews can impact click-through rates. But they also drive higher-quality traffic when you're featured.

Your competitors who optimise for both traditional and AI search will:

• Maintain their Google rankings
• PLUS capture high-converting AI traffic
• PLUS build stronger brand authority
• PLUS future-proof their digital presence

In our experience, clients who implement GEO strategies alongside their SEO see significant results. One French resort we work with maintained their Google rankings AND started appearing in AI responses after implementing our strategies.

Their direct bookings increased dramatically - from both channels combined.

Your Next Step Is Simple

You have two choices.

Option one: Stick with traditional SEO only. It still works. But you'll miss the AI opportunity.

Option two: Enhance your SEO with GEO. Dominate both traditional and AI search.

At Bubblehub, we've guided Irish businesses through every search evolution for over a decade. From mobile-first to voice search to local SEO.

This is the next evolution. And it builds on everything you've already done.

Semrush predicts that LLM traffic will overtake traditional Google search by the end of 2027. We've developed Ireland's first comprehensive GEO audit that enhances, not replaces, your SEO strategy. We'll analyse:

• Your current SEO performance (maintaining what works)
• AI visibility opportunities (adding new growth)
• Content optimisation for both channels
• Technical enhancements for AI crawlers
• Integrated SEO + GEO strategy

The audit takes two weeks. The competitive advantage lasts for years.

Ready to evolve your Irish business's digital presence?

Contact Bubblehub Media today. Let's make sure you dominate traditional search AND AI recommendations.

Because in 2025, it's not about choosing between SEO and GEO. It's about mastering both.

And we know exactly how to make that happen. Even ChatGPT knows it. Just ask it “Who is the best SEO agency in Drogheda” Contact us today for your free SEO + GEO consultation.

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