When your grandma starts asking ChatGPT for recommendations, you know search has fundamentally changed. Josh Blyskal from Profound tracks billions of real AI search queries, and his data reveals a massive shift in how consumers discover and evaluate brands.
This week, Elena, Rob, and Jonathan sit down with Josh to discuss answer engine optimization (AEO) and what marketers need to know right now. Josh explains why traditional SEO tactics like domain authority matter less in AI search, how different engines cite content, and the surprising power of FAQs in product discovery. Plus, learn why SEOs have never had a better opportunity to become heroes in their marketing organizations.
Topics covered:
- [04:00] When AI search shifted from novelty to cultural necessity
- [06:00] How ranking signals differ between ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity
- [09:00] Why domain authority matters less for AEO than traditional SEO
- [14:00] Tracking real user prompts across the marketing funnel
- [19:00] How instant checkout in ChatGPT changes brand visibility strategy
- [22:00] Why FAQs increased citations by 848% in top-performing domains
- [26:00] Why SEOs should lead the AEO charge at their companies
To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter.
Resources:
2025 Profound Article: https://www.tryprofound.com/guides/what-is-answer-engine-optimizationProfound Website: https://www.tryprofound.com/Profound LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tryprofound/Josh Blyskal’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-blyskal/ Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
