The eighth edition of the SEO and GEO Summit concluded at Disneyland Paris on October 16, drawing 793 attendees. Co-founder Elliott Bobiet noted that while traditional search engine optimization techniques remain active, the mechanics of how prospective clients discover brands have shifted toward generative AI engines.
The Bottom Line
- Acquisition Diversification: Acquisition strategies now span SEA, social ads, and CRM alongside traditional search to capture visibility in AI models.
- Generative Compression: Generative AI engines like ChatGPT and Google AI Overview compress recommendations down to just two or three visible brand citations.
- Traffic Volatility: Referral traffic has dropped significantly, with Pew Research Center data showing traditional link clicks falling to 8% when AI summaries appear.
Multichannel Integration at the Disneyland Paris Summit
The event marked a distinct pivot toward a broad acquisition mix. Co-founded by Elliott Bobiet, the summit addressed how traditional search engine optimization alone no longer guarantees brand visibility. Program schedules incorporated search engine advertising, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, organic social media content, and email marketing.
This multichannel expansion reflects the probabilistic nature of generative models. Rather than operating on deterministic index rankings, these systems synthesize information continuously across the web. Bobiet emphasized that brand visibility inside generative engines depends heavily on repetition and cross-channel presence.
When users query an AI model, the system processes multiple queries simultaneously. Brands appearing consistently across diverse index formats and digital channels capture higher citation rates. Consequently, marketing departments are breaking down traditional silos between public relations, influencer outreach, and digital campaigns.
Generative Engines and the Contraction of Referral Traffic
The shift from blue links to direct generative answers has altered performance metrics. Traditional search engines provided broad benchmark lists and high traffic volumes. In contrast, generative engines deliver direct recommendations.
Research published by the Pew Research Center in July 2025 highlights this divergence. When Google generates an AI summary, click-through rates on traditional links drop to 8%, compared to 15% without a summary. Brands face an environment where traffic serves less as a primary performance indicator and citation presence takes precedence.
Furthermore, the competitive landscape has concentrated. While users previously evaluated ten or fifteen search results, generative platforms typically recommend only two or three brands. This dynamic increases the stakes for companies seeking placement within AI summaries and generative responses.
Infrastructure and Index Dependency in Generative Search
Generative platforms do not operate entirely independently of established search indexes. Models like ChatGPT rely on external web scraping to gather information. Because major search engines protect their data from unverified scraping, platforms often utilize alternatives such as Brave’s API.
Meanwhile, Google’s AI Overview utilizes its established index directly.
For B2B companies operating in highly specialized sectors, the mechanics remain identical to consumer markets. As acquisition strategies adapt, visibility requires harmonizing messaging across all digital touchpoints to satisfy complex prompt architectures.
