Love this Why People Buy pyramid.

It aligns with a messaging framework I like to use for clients.

The best marketing has messaging for each level, acknowledging that people are looking for different things at different times.

Developing this for your brand would not be a waste of time.

SEO 4 AI is the buzzy topic of the moment (with the acronym collection to prove it). But is it any different from normal SEO?

Nope!

Thanks for reading…

In case that’s not enough for you, here’s what a founder in the space has to say about it.

But first!

Why listen to what I’m about to copy-paste below? These are the reasons why Lorelight shut down.

What is Lorelight?
According to its about page:

a generative engine optimization (GEO) platform to help businesses track their brand mentions in AI search engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity.

Back to the point of all this, SEO 4 AI is just SEO.

Straight from the Lorelight shut down post (bolding is mine):

After analyzing hundreds of queries across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, I found that brands with high AI search visibility all had the same characteristics:

• Quality content that genuinely helped people
• Mentions in authoritative publications
• Strong reputation in their space
• Genuine expertise and thought leadership

Sound familiar?

It should. Because it’s the exact same stuff that’s always worked for SEO, PR, and brand building.

There was no secret formula. No hidden hack. No special optimization technique that only applied to AI.

The AI models are trained on the same content that builds your brand everywhere else. They cite the same authoritative sources. They reference the same trusted publications.

There’s no such thing as “GEO strategy” or “AI optimization” separate from brand building. At least not for the vast majority of brands.

Focusing on AI tactics or SEO tactics or social algorithm hacks is a distraction. You’re building on rented land with a lease that can change at a moment’s notice.

Focus on what you can control and own.
Your brand.
Your channels.
Your story.

Everything else is an amplifier. Amps need inputs.

The internet is word of mouth with a steroid problem.

Co-create your brand with your audience.

Don’t sell the product first, sell the reason someone should care.

When people are scrolling, they want to be informed or entertained. Not sold to.

The “sponsored content” tag doesn’t exempt you from this fact. It means you have to work even harder to make people care.

via DTC Daily

What people think and feel is more important than what is “true.”

Shoppers don’t care what the indicators say about the strength of the economy or buying power. They care about how it feels to watch the numbers tally up at checkout.

Vibecessions feel worse than recessions.

via EMARKETER