How to Master GEO in the Field – Practitioner Insights, Technical Playbooks, and What’s Actually Working

At Pepper Index’25 AI Search Conference, marketing leaders gathered to explore how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is revolutionizing search. Forefront experts Jordan Keane and Linda Kaplinger laid out what marketers need to do to succeed in this AI-powered search ecosystem. 

Speakers

Jordan Keane – Jordan is the founder of Pre-Visible and an influential voice in enterprise SEO. With experience spanning growth, technical SEO, and in-house leadership roles, he brings a hands-on perspective on how GEO is reshaping the craft and what practitioners must do differently to drive results in the AI search era.

Linda Caplinger – Linda leads SEO at NVIDIA, helping one of the world’s most innovative companies navigate visibility in an era where AI is transforming both infrastructure and discovery. Her perspective bridges enterprise execution, technical SEO, and how marketing teams can align to rapidly shifting AI-driven search systems.

Moderator: Kishan Panpalia – Kishan is part of the founding team at Pepper, where he helps shape category creation and thought leadership in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). He leads the US market at Pepper and by now, knows exactly what is working for practitioners and what is not.

The Challenge: Why Traditional SEO Isn’t Enough Anymore

• AI search engines and LLMs now synthesize data to provide users direct answers rather than lists of links.
• Traditional SEO tactics fall short under this new paradigm, causing visibility and attribution challenges.
• Teams lack skills in AI data interpretation and semantic analytics.
• Content and technical infrastructure are insufficiently optimized for AI consumption.

The Solution: Practitioner-Proven Playbooks for GEO Mastery

Team Evolution

• Integrate AI-focused roles: data analysts, technical infrastructure experts, and linguistic specialists
• Collaborate across SEO, content, IT, and brand teams to interpret AI signals and adapt strategies

Content Strategy

• Move from keyword stuffing to answering nuanced user queries
• Use AI-friendly formats: markdown, FAQs, summary blocks
• Regularly update content for relevancy and AI understanding

Technical Foundations

• Implement schema markup aggressively to clarify page structure for AI
• Optimize site speed and reliability to ensure AI can access accurate, fresh data
• Automate content refresh and semantic clustering.

Building Brand Authority

• Expand beyond backlinks: increase brand mentions, thought leadership presence, and content on AI-referenced platforms like Reddit and YouTube
• Create emotionally resonant branded experiences to build trust signals AI depends upon

Measurement and Experimentation

• Develop AI-specific dashboards tracking sentiment, share of voice, and AI user agent activity
• Experiment iteratively based on AI ranking feedback loops
• Prioritize real business metrics over vanity KPIs

Key Takeaways

• GEO requires marketers to evolve technical and analytical expertise
• Content must be deeply relevant and framed for AI consumption
• Schema and structured data remain critical but underused
• Brand reputation in AI ecosystems goes beyond traditional SEO backlinks
• Attribution in AI search is complex but measurable with the right tools
• Strategic clarity is essential to avoid falling prey to AI hype

What’s Working Now in the Field

• Brands actively managing their AI footprint prevent misinformation and improve trustworthiness in AI responses.
• Multidisciplinary teams combining marketing, data science, and technical ops deliver agile strategy adaptations.
• Automating semantic content updates enhances discoverability and conversion.
• Real-time AI signal monitoring enables swift strategic pivots.

Mastering GEO isn’t optional, it’s essential for brands competing in tomorrow’s digital economy.

Explore GEO audits, tailored playbooks, and hands-on tools at Pepper. Book a demo here or reach out today –  [email protected]