I never thought I would see the day when “googling” and combing through links would be passé. But like many marketers over the last year, I’m seeing a massive shift in the way people search for brands, products and answers online.
More consumers are getting their answers directly from AI platforms like ChatGPT, and marketers are using generative search engine optimization (GEO) tactics to increase brand awareness and get cited by AI answer engines.
Not sure if GEO is worth all the hype? Don’t worry, I’ve compiled some Generative Engine Optimization stats to show you how important GEO is in modern digital marketing.
Table of contents
Why generative engine optimization is so important now
Generative search engine optimization is crucial to digital marketing today as the way consumers search for products and services has changed significantly in recent years. When I first entered the digital marketing industry, consumers typically searched for answers by typing their queries into search engines like Google.
They then searched the top links provided by Google until they found the answers they were looking for.
Now consumers ask questions of AI systems like ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity, and these systems provide direct answers instead of links that users have to search. As a result, many businesses are experiencing a decline in website traffic.
Now, to keep up with the way people discover brands and companies, marketers need to move on from optimizing for SERPs (SEO) to optimization for AI-powered response engines; in other words: General Engine Optimization (GEO).
GEO makes it possible to make content easily accessible to Large Language Models (LLMs) so that it can be summarized and cited in AI-generated answers.
Generative Engine Optimization Statistics Marketing Managers Should Know
Here are some facts I’ve gathered about the use and importance of generative engine optimization, from user adoption to SERP changes to the most commonly mentioned content formats.
User Acceptance
1. 31% Generation Z users also use AI tools in addition to traditional search engines.
2. 67% of digital marketers Let’s say GEO tracking is more complex.
Pro tip: To simplify this complexity, tools like HubSpot’s AEO Grader can help you quickly assess how well your content is optimized for AI response engines and provide actionable recommendations without a steep learning curve.
3. Early adopters say GEO-ready content has up to 100% discoverability 10x faster through generative engines compared to relying on organic SEO alone.
4. Gen AI search visitors are expected to outperform traditional search 2028.
5. Perplexity processes 780 million searches per month, up from 230 million in August 2024.
6. According to reports from Averi And DataSlayerIn October 2025, ChatGPT reached 800 million weekly active users, doubling from 400 million in February. Accordingly HubSpot’s State of AI Marketing ReportMarketers are responding to this surge by quickly adopting AI-powered tools to remain competitive in this evolving landscape.
SERP changes
7. Approximately 60% of global Google searches do not result in any clicks.
8. The September 2025 “num=100” update led to this 77% of websites are seeing a decline in overall impressions in tracking tools.
9. AI overviews now list an average of 5 sources.
10. In January 2025, 91.3% of queries that triggered an AI overview were informative. By October, this share had fallen to 57.1%, as had the share of commercial and transactional AIOs
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11. Reddit saw a 450% Increase in AI citations from March to June 2025, with the platform now accounting for 21% of Google AI Overview citations.
12. Capture the top 5 domains 38% In terms of citations, the top 10 reach 54% and the top 20 reach 66%, making it extremely difficult for smaller publishers, niche sites and emerging voices to gain AI visibility.
Behavioral changes
13. AI-related traffic rates have increased by 600% Since January 2025, there has been explosive growth in users clicking through to websites from AI platforms.
14. 39% of consumers and over half of Generation Z are already using AI for product discovery, with younger demographics leading adoption. HubSpot’s State of AI Marketing Report confirms this behavioral shift and shows that forward-thinking marketers are already restructuring their content strategies to meet consumers where they are looking.
16. 83% of users find that AI-powered search tools are more efficient than traditional search engines, indicating strong user satisfaction that leads to continued adoption.
17. The volume of ChatGPT prompts has almost skyrocketed 70% from January to June 2025, showing a rapid acceleration in AI search adoption.
18. Studies show that when AI summaries were present, users clicked on traditional search links on only 8% of visits compared to 15% when no AI summaries appeared, a 54% drop in click-through rates.
19. 80% of consumers rely on AI-written summaries for at least 40% of their searches, fundamentally changing the way people consume information online.
Most frequently cited content formats
20. Video is the most cited content format across all industries, with YouTube alone accounting for almost a quarter of all citations, making it the leading content type for AI citations.
21. FAQs are the format most commonly cited by generative AI engines because they answer specific questions directly, mirroring the way users query AI systems.
22. LLMs are 28-40% are more likely to cite content with clear formatting – hierarchical headings, bullet points, numbered lists and tables, highlighting the importance of a structured presentation. Creating this structured, cite-worthy content at scale is easier with platforms like… HubSpot’s Content Hubthat helps teams with built-in AI support create, organize, and optimize content while maintaining the quality standards that AI engines prioritize.
23. Listicles achieve a 25% The citation rate for narrative blog posts and opinion pieces is 11%, showing that structured formats significantly outperform traditional content.
24. Comparison lists, instructions and FAQs are the The most frequently cited formats across all platforms“Reply first” formatting is particularly effective.
Frequently Asked Questions about Generative Engine Optimization Statistics.
How quickly can we see impacts from GEO?
Unlike traditional SEO, which can take six to 12 months, AI visibility improvements can become apparent within weeks – especially on platforms like Perplexity, which conduct web searches in real-time. Structural tweaks like schema and formatting can impact citations within 30-60 days, while creating original research and authority signals typically takes 3-6 months.
The fastest wins come from adding specific statistics and structured answers to existing high-performing content, with tactical changes improving visibility within 30 to 45 days.
What tools do we need to implement GEO effectively?
Start by evaluating your current content HubSpot’s AEO Grader identify quick successes.
For ongoing optimization and content creation, HubSpot’s Content Hub offers AI-powered writing support with integrated structure optimization Marketing Hub provides the analytics infrastructure to track AI referral traffic and measure GEO performance alongside your traditional marketing metrics
How do we avoid quality issues when scaling AI-powered content?
Most content cited in AI overviews is at least partially AI-generated – proof that AI-powered content does not hurt rankings if it maintains quality.
The key is combining AI efficiency with human expertise: use AI to create structured frameworks, data-driven sketches, and initial drafts, but always have subject matter experts refine the content to add proprietary insights, check accuracy, and ensure it is truly citable and not just technically optimized.
Focus on extractability rather than word count – content must answer questions directly in 40-60 word chunks with clear attribution to sources.
When should you prioritize GEO over traditional SEO projects?
Prioritize GEO if your audience has high AI search rates (particularly B2B buyers, Generation Z, or technical audiences), if you operate in industries where informational queries dominate and 60% of searches end without clicks, or if your competitors are already receiving AI citations.
With 99% of AI reviews citing pages in the organic top 10, after establishing strong traditional SEO foundations, focus on GEO – think of it as “SEO Plus,” not a replacement. The highest ROI comes from optimizing content that is already ranking well but is not yet receiving AI citations.
How do we report GEO results to executives?
Track five core metrics: citation frequency (how often your brand appears in AI responses to target queries), brand visibility score (your citation rate compared to competitors), AI share of voice (your percentage of all mentions in the category), quote sentiment (positive/neutral/negative), and conversion rates from AI traffic.
Present the business case clearly: AI search visitors convert at 4.4x the rate of traditional organic search, making each AI citation significantly more valuable than traditional traffic metrics.
Incorporate competitive benchmarking that shows how often competitors perform compared to your brand and demonstrate progress in monthly citation growth on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.