The complete guide to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Grok are becoming default entry points for information and decision-making. But here's the challenge: in AI search, users often get their answer before they ever click a link.
Malte Landwehr, CPO & CMO of Peec AI, recently shared his industry insights in a webinar with Search Engine Journal about this change we’re seeing. His experience helping idealo outrank Amazon in ChatGPT traffic proves that traffic from AI search is possible and it's already happening at scale.
Use this guide to implement GEO strategies that capture valuable traffic from AI search engines for your business.
The search shift that affects your business
Your potential customers are increasingly getting answers from AI before they ever see your website. Here's what that means in practice:
With Google's traditional search, about 60 out of every 100 searches end without someone clicking to a website. Instead, they get their answer directly from Google or search again. With AI search engines, this number jumps dramatically.
Early data suggests that for Google’s AI Mode, 95 out of 100 queries end without a click. For ChatGPT, between 78-99 queries out of 100 never send traffic to any website.
But traffic is still happening. In Germany alone, ChatGPT sends 12 million clicks per month to websites. Malte’s former company, idealo, captured 2% of those clicks, and was the most visible e-commerce destination in ChatGPT in the first half of 2025 - ahead of giants like Amazon and ebay (Source: SimilarWeb).
Your traffic potential isn't disappearing but it's simply shifting to fewer, higher-intent visitors. You need a new framework to capture it: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
Cold email 101:
Your potential customers are increasingly getting answers from AI before they ever see your website. Here's what that means in practice:
With Google's traditional search, about 60 out of every 100 searches end without someone clicking to a website. Instead, they get their answer directly from Google or search again. With AI search engines, this number jumps dramatically.
Early data suggests that for Google’s AI Mode, 95 out of 100 queries end without a click. For ChatGPT, between 78-99 queries out of 100 never send traffic to any website.
But traffic is still happening. In Germany alone, ChatGPT sends 12 million clicks per month to websites. Malte’s former company, idealo, captured 2% of those clicks, and was the most visible e-commerce destination in ChatGPT in the first half of 2025 - ahead of giants like Amazon and ebay (Source: SimilarWeb).
Your traffic potential isn't disappearing but it's simply shifting to fewer, higher-intent visitors. You need a new framework to capture it: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
How cold email works
Your potential customers are increasingly getting answers from AI before they ever see your website. Here's what that means in practice:
With Google's traditional search, about 60 out of every 100 searches end without someone clicking to a website. Instead, they get their answer directly from Google or search again. With AI search engines, this number jumps dramatically.
Early data suggests that for Google’s AI Mode, 95 out of 100 queries end without a click. For ChatGPT, between 78-99 queries out of 100 never send traffic to any website.
But traffic is still happening. In Germany alone, ChatGPT sends 12 million clicks per month to websites. Malte’s former company, idealo, captured 2% of those clicks, and was the most visible e-commerce destination in ChatGPT in the first half of 2025 - ahead of giants like Amazon and ebay (Source: SimilarWeb).
Your traffic potential isn't disappearing but it's simply shifting to fewer, higher-intent visitors. You need a new framework to capture it: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
How it affects your business?
Your potential customers are increasingly getting answers from AI before they ever see your website. Here's what that means in practice:
With Google's traditional search, about 60 out of every 100 searches end without someone clicking to a website. Instead, they get their answer directly from Google or search again. With AI search engines, this number jumps dramatically.
Early data suggests that for Google’s AI Mode, 95 out of 100 queries end without a click. For ChatGPT, between 78-99 queries out of 100 never send traffic to any website.
But traffic is still happening. In Germany alone, ChatGPT sends 12 million clicks per month to websites. Malte’s former company, idealo, captured 2% of those clicks, and was the most visible e-commerce destination in ChatGPT in the first half of 2025 - ahead of giants like Amazon and ebay (Source: SimilarWeb).
Your traffic potential isn't disappearing but it's simply shifting to fewer, higher-intent visitors. You need a new framework to capture it: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
