GEO over SEO? a16z on Why Founders Need to Rethink Discovery in the LLM Era

GEO over SEO? a16z on Why Founders Need to Rethink Discovery in the LLM Era
Google’s not dying — but it’s no longer the only gatekeeper to discovery.

In this sharp and timely piece from a16z, Zach Cohen and Seema Amble introduce GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) — a new way to think about how people find answers through tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude.

📖 Read the full piece

For founders used to chasing SEO rankings and keyword hacks, this shift is massive. GEO reframes the game: your startup won’t win by being on page 1 of Google — you’ll win by being the cited answer inside an AI output.

Some standout insights:

  • The average ChatGPT query is just 5.7 words. This isn’t long-tail SEO — it’s intent compression.

  • More than 700 unique domains are now getting referral traffic from ChatGPT — often without users ever clicking to a site.

  • LLMs are not listing options; they’re choosing answers. Your content strategy needs to train the AI, not just target the user.

  • There’s an emerging GEO tool stack — from prompt-based analytics to citation tracking — and it’s a space ripe for startups to build.

Why this matters now:

 The LLM layer is becoming the new frontend of the internet. Whether you’re building a B2B product, a consumer app, or a media brand — your visibility increasingly depends on how these engines perceive and reference your work.

This read helped me realize: distribution isn’t just about reach anymore. It’s about relevance in the eyes of machines.

Curious to hear: how are you adapting your content, product, or growth strategy for the GEO era?
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