> AEO AND GEO GEO
What is it? Simply put, GEO is an AI search, McManus says. ChatGPT is the most widely used, but other popular tools include Google Gemini, Perplexity AI, and Microsoft Copilot.
How is it different from SEO? Similar to voice search, AI search often starts with a question. A core difference is the user’s ability to refine the question to acquire a more precise answer because AI search functions as a conversation rather than a one-off. For example, if a user asks, “Where can I buy flowers?” the results may include nurseries that only
sell potted flowers. With traditional web or voice-assisted searches, the user would have to ask an entirely new question. With AI, the user can simply say, “I meant bouquets,” and the AI will refine its results. The AI will go deeper, as needed. For example: “Which ones are open right now?” or “Who accepts Apple Pay?”
How do I make it work for my business? AI’s sources are myriad, so you can’t depend solely on your website con- tent. “The information that they’re pulling on the search results are com- ing from everywhere,” Conforti says. “You just have to mass-distribute con- tent.” He recommends getting your
brand in as many places as possible so AI sees your business as one of the most relevant choices. Think social media, video-sharing platforms such as YouTube, business directories such as your local chamber of commerce or the Better Business Bureau, even press releases. “It sounds boring and repetitive, but it’s really effective,” Conforti says. Wherever you post, make sure
it would make sense to an AI search engine. Everything should be pre- sented in the same way you’d talk with a human, Sogueco says. If you only list the places where you deliver without directly indicating those are your delivery areas, AI will ignore it. Asked if it would include the “long lists of cities or ZIP codes” at the bottom of florists’ websites when searching for flower delivery options, ChatGPT replied, “I treat it as ambigu- ous and would not include that florist as a confirmed delivery option.” Other sources of information
often overlooked by AI search tools include any text in images, such as web banners promoting featured arrangements. AI can read text from images, but they usually don’t unless prompted.
Why is it important? It’s not overwhelmingly important yet, but it may well dominate the future of searches, McManus says. “The traffic source from AI to e-commerce sites is about 6% right now,” he says. “It’s a very small number, but that could easily double in a year or two.” He advises florists to implement GEO- optimizing strategies now to stay relevant as the technology evolves and grows in popularity. According to Adobe Analytics,
ATTENTION-GRABBING ANSWERS Posting questions and answers on your Google Business Profi le is an easy way to get the attention of voice search Google Assistant, found on devices such as Pixel phones, Android phones, and Google Nest.
53% of U.S. consumers plan to use AI for shopping assistance this year. Adobe’s research also indicates that shoppers who clicked through to a retailer’s website from an AI search platform had a 23% lower bounce rate compared to all other sources.
Laurie Herrera is a contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.
34 FLORAL MANAGEMENT | July/Aug 2025 |
WWW.SAFNOW.ORG
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52
