OK, the last one is a red herring and comes from a children’s’ song (can you name it below?).
The other 3: AEO, GEO, SEO? We need to pay attention folks as they’re becoming increasingly important for your company’s online marketing strategy.
You see, your LinkedIn strategy isn’t just about LinkedIn anymore, it’s far far wider than that. So read on dear friend to see how you can increase the visibility of your brand by doing the right thing JUST on LinkedIn.
SEO – Search Engine Optimisation
We know about this one. It’s about the keywords and key phrases that you use in your online presence. The keywords that people type into Google when they’re looking for your goods or services.
For example, if you’re a family lawyer, your keywords could include: divorce, financial settlement, conditional order, and your key phrases could include: Telling the children about your divorce, filling out a form D8, What is a ‘no-fault’ divorce.
If you’re using the right keywords and phrases in your LinkedIn presence, you have a chance of coming up in those searches on Google and you have a chance of your content being chosen.
I’ve been saying for YEARS that SEO also applies to LinkedIn. You will get found on LinkedIn AND ALSO ON GOOGLE for the keywords and phrases you use in your personal profile, your company page, your content and, since recent LinkedIn algorithm changes, in your comments too.
Since June 2025 LinkedIn are putting far more emphasis on comments on other people’s posts. The algorithm changes are significant, and people are noticing a huge shift in the results they’re getting for reach and engagement of posts and comments. This means that we need to change the way that we now use the platform. I have more coming on this soon. Just subscribe to this newsletter to be notified when it lands.
AEO – Answer Engine Optimisation
People are using Google and other online searches in a very different way today. People aren’t just searching anymore; they’re asking questions. I bet you’re doing it too. Think about the most recent times you’ve dived into Google or Bing. What did you type or say? My guess is that you asked a question.
“Where can I find…?”
“How do I…?”
“Where is a good place to eat in…?”
“What time is it in…?”
I mentioned what you ‘say’ when you approach a google search. Voice search is being used more and more instead of keyboard search. What is also different is that when we use our voices for a command, we use conversational language. We’re more likely to say ‘Siri, find me a Chinese restaurant in WB4’. If we type this into our phones or computers, we’re likely to use shorter language, i.e. ‘chinese restaurant WB4’.
In return, the answers we get from AI are more conversational than those we get from a search engine.
Whether it’s Google, AI tools, or LinkedIn itself, the results being shown depend on how clearly you answer what people are asking.
Here is something you may not have thought of: your LinkedIn ‘About’ section is prime AEO territory.
It’s no longer enough to list what you do.
You need to write your profile in a way that answers people’s questions.
Think about what your potential client might type into Google.
Here’s a simple example for an accountant:
“Who can help me set up a company tax strategy?”
If your about section subtly answers that question in a natural, conversational way that sounds human, not robotic, you stand a really good chance of coming up in that person’s search.
You’ve seen it, the AI prompt at the top of google. It’s so much easier to click on there for the answer to your question than it is to:
1. Scroll down to the website options
2. Try to determine which one will give you the best answer
3. Click on that link, go to the website
4. Navigate the website to find the right answer.
What a process!
The AI search is also a moving image so it’s much more eye-catching and believe me, people are using it more and more to find information online.
GEO – Generative Engine Optimisation
I’ve been talking about ‘Google searches’ – it’s almost become a household phrase. ‘To Google’ is now being used as an adjective. Yes, there are other search engines but, let’s face it, they haven’t come close to taking over Google.
Until now.
Chat GPT is Google’s biggest rival in terms of search. It’s growing, and it’s growing fast. Google search, watch out. Yes, people are increasingly turning to Chat GPT to answer their problems. Have you tried it? It’s very efficient and pretty accurate – and it’s getting better and more accurate day by day.
Where does Chat GPT get its information?
Chat GPT doesn’t generate it’s own information, AI does not work like a computer programme. AI scrapes online to get it’s information. It scrapes from websites, social media and, of course, LinkedIn. In short, what you write on LinkedIn (again, on your personal profiles, your company pages, your posts and now, also your comments), will start to come up in searches in Chat GPT.
So, what can you do to help yourself get found in SEO, AEO and GEO searches?
1. Fully complete your personal profile – including the services section and the experience sections. Don’t leave these parts unearthed. People may never read them, but as long as you’re aware that Chat GPT and Google ‘read’ them AND that you can come up in searches on LinkedIn for what’s written in those sections, do NOT underestimate their value and relevance to your online marketing strategy.
2. Use language which is conversational and, if you can make it work, question and answer style language. Don’t just list what you do as this will be taken out of context and is less likely to be used by AI. What AI wants is complete sentences in a conversational style. AI ‘thinks’ very differently and what we see all the time is that AI uses language which we use when we speak, not when we write. So by using that language when you write, you’re helping AI use your content.
3. Create relevant content which answers your audiences’ questions and solves their problems. For years, we’ve been telling people to do this on LinkedIn. This will not only help you engage more closely with your audience; it will help place you as someone with authority and someone who can help them.
It’s more important than ever to solve peoples’ problems with your posts, as creating ‘helpful’ and ‘problem centric’ content will help you come up in relevant online searches.
4. Join conversations in other people’s posts which talk about what you do. These people may well be your competitors, that’s fine! If they come up in searches, you may too.
There are other reasons for engaging on competitors’ content – I’ll cover that in another newsletter, so please hit ‘subscribe’ at the top so you’re notified!
So, folks, there you have it, LinkedIn updates and search engine updates all rolled into one newsletter.
If you’ve found value in this newsletter, please hit ‘subscribe’ at the top and please add your comment below. Even if it’s only to answer the question at the top – ei ei o.
Sarah ????
