If you think your organic growth is immune to AI, consider this:
- 96% of referrals currently Google your firm before reaching out1
- 25% of traditional search traffic is expected to switch to Chatbots within 12 months2
- 30% of people already trust ChatGPT more than Google.3
By the end of the year, a solid chunk of your referrals will turn up to their first meeting having asked an AI Chatbot about your firm. Or, perhaps more alarmingly, having asked the Chatbot to compare your firm with some competitors.
That is a big shift; it could transform wealth management marketing in ways we can’t yet even predict. But what we can predict, and what we already know, is how to give your firm the upper hand in those comparisons.
The term for such AI Search soothsaying is generative engine optimization (GEO), and research from Stanford shows the right approach to it can improve your visibility in those Chatbots by 40%.4
This article explores what that approach is and gives you concrete guidance. First, though, let’s get up to scratch on what we actually mean by AI Search.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): An Overview
GEO is the AI equivalent of SEO. In addition to optimizing your content to rank on Google's first page, you're also optimizing it to appear in AI-generated responses from tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's AI Overviews.
AI search shows up in two distinct ways, and both matter for your firm's visibility:
- AI Overviews (AIOs) appear directly in Google and Bing search results. These AI-generated summaries synthesize information from multiple sources and answer user queries without requiring clicks. More than one-third of Google searches now feature these overviews, and companies across industries are reporting significant drops in organic traffic since their rollout.
- Chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity enable conversational search. Users aren't just typing keywords anymore—they're having detailed conversations with AI. Adobe reports that 77% of ChatGPT users treat it like a search engine, with 30% trusting it more than traditional platforms like Google.5
What unites them is simple: they all work differently than traditional search. AI Search engines don't just point users to websites; they synthesize information from multiple sources and deliver complete answers. That means improving your visibility and favorability involves subtly different tactics.
How GEO Differs From SEO
Early research shows that AI Search differs from traditional search in a few key ways:
- Platform fragmentation: Google once had a monopoly on search, but AI usage is split across multiple platforms. Each one has different training data and prioritizes information differently. There's no single playbook—yet.
- Complex queries: AI search encourages longer, more detailed questions. Prospects aren't searching "wealth management Boston" anymore—they're asking "What should I look for in a fee-only wealth advisor for a tech executive in their 40s planning early retirement?" That means GEO can straddle a far wider breadth and depth of target keywords than traditional SEO’s gnomic three-word riddles.
- Non-linear search: Chatbots enable back-and-forth conversations. Users ask follow-up questions, request clarifications, and refine their needs in real time. Rather than optimizing for individual searches, you need to build broader authority across entire topics.
- "Zero-click" results: AI Overviews and Chatbots often provide complete answers without driving traffic to your site. Users get what they need and move on. Measuring success becomes more complex, and driving conversions requires a more sophisticated strategy.
Those are significant differences in user experience and optimization strategy. But the really surprising thing is that GEO and SEO really don’t diverge much; about half of all pages that rank on Google's first page also appear regularly in Chatbot responses.6
Solid SEO creates a strong foundation for GEO, so you're not starting from scratch. The challenge is taking what you’ve got and optimizing for a new world of search behavior.
How GEO Drives Business for Wealth Management Firms
Wealth managers might rightly push back; is AI Search really going to change how we acquire new clients? Sure, they might use AI for basic research, but will that influence a decision as big as choosing their financial advisor?
Simple answer: yes.
But the deeper answer is that AI Search comes at a time when advisory clients:
- Have more options and access to higher-quality information than ever
- Are increasing digital-natives inheriting trillions in the coming years
- Expect more from wealth managers
Taken together, that means their online research has a higher impact on decisions than many advisors realize.
AI Search (and by extension, GEO) therefore has a measurable impact on:
1. Lead Generation
Being cited in AI-driven answers introduces your firm at the very first touchpoint of a prospect's research journey. Some users will click directly through from AI Overviews. Others won't click at all, but they'll remember your firm's name after seeing it referenced multiple times across different AI responses.
That brand awareness compounds. When prospects see your firm mentioned in an AI Overview, then again in a ChatGPT response, and again in a Perplexity search, you become top of mind. By the time they're ready to reach out, they already know who they want to talk to.
2. Reputation Building
Appearances in AI summaries signal trustworthiness and authority. When ChatGPT cites your firm's blog post about tax-loss harvesting strategies, it implicitly endorses your expertise.
The halo effect is real. Early research already shows that appearing in AI Overviews leads to 39% higher click-through rates for paid search ads.7 Why? Because prospects recognize your brand from the AI-generated summary and view you as more credible than competitors they've never heard of.
This compounds over time. Consistent visibility across AI platforms builds a reputation that extends far beyond any single search query.
3. Influence During the Consideration Phase
Chatbots are increasingly used to evaluate products and services—including wealth management firms. Prospects provide highly detailed information about their financial situation and goals, then ask which local firms best meet their needs.
This isn't hypothetical. It's happening every day.
Imagine a prospect in their 50s planning for retirement. They don't just search "financial advisor near me" anymore. Instead, they have a detailed conversation with ChatGPT:
"I'm 53, have $2.3M in assets, plan to retire at 60, and want to minimize taxes while transitioning to a more conservative portfolio. I also need estate planning guidance. Which wealth management firms in Denver specialize in this type of situation?"—Your Ideal Prospect (Probably)
If your firm's content doesn't appear in that response, you don't exist in their consideration set.
This goes for inorganic growth, too. Advisors also use AI to evaluate their RIA options, build succession plans, and work through business decisions. So your GEO strategy could influence AUM growth across all areas of your firm—making it mission-critical to get a head start.
5 Ways Your Firm Can Appear in More AI Responses
Our SEO experts are studying the emergence of GEO. They read the latest research; they test the latest tools. When asked what wealth management firms should do today, they gave us five evidence-based recommendations:
1. Publish Verifiable, Citation-Ready Content
AI engines prioritize content they can verify and cite with confidence. Your goal is to become a "machine-trusted source."
- Start articles with factual summaries and exact definitions. AI models scan for authoritative statements they can quote directly. Lead with clarity and precision—avoid vague introductions that bury your expertise.
- Anchor every claim in evidence. Use primary sources, academic research, and reputable references. Link to original data whenever possible—it signals credibility to both machines and humans.
- Make citation easy for AI systems. Structure content so key facts and statistics stand alone. Clear attributions and well-formatted data points increase the likelihood that AI engines will reference your work.
2. Structure Content for Machine Parsing
How you organize information matters as much as what you say. AI models parse content differently than human readers—optimize for both.
- Format for scannability. Use Q&A sections, bullet points, comparison tables, and FAQ blocks. These structures align with how AI systems extract and present information.
- Match conversational search patterns. People ask AI longer, more specific questions than they type into traditional search. Structure content to answer these detailed, natural-language queries like "How should a 45-year-old tech executive with RSUs plan for retirement?" rather than just "retirement planning."
- Implement schema markup. Structured data helps AI engines understand your content's context and hierarchy. This makes it easier to surface in relevant responses.
3. Build Strong Authority Signals
AI systems evaluate trust before featuring content. Strengthen your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) signals across your entire site.
- Make expertise visible. Use detailed bylines with author credentials. Display editorial standards and fact-checking processes. Show readers—and AI—why your content deserves trust.
- Optimize "About" pages strategically. These pages are critical trust anchors. Pack them with proof points: credentials, awards, certifications, years in business, notable clients, and media mentions.
- Cite consistently throughout your content. References signal thoroughness and accountability—traits AI models reward when selecting sources.
4. Maintain Strong Reviews and Directory Profiles
Local and industry-specific visibility depends on consistent, well-maintained profiles across the web.
- Keep information uniform. Ensure your firm name, address, contact details, and service descriptions match exactly across all directories and platforms.
- Prioritize reviews and testimonials. Client feedback is critical for AI-driven discovery, especially in local searches. Actively encourage satisfied clients to leave reviews.
- Stay compliant with regulations. Recent changes to FTC guidelines around reviews and testimonials require careful attention. Navigate these rules while building social proof that both protects your practice and strengthens your reputation.
5. Execute a Strategic Backlink and Brand Mention Strategy
Off-site signals remain essential for both traditional SEO and GEO. Quality matters more than ever.
- Prioritize high-authority backlinks. Research shows that strong backlink profiles improve rankings for informational searches—exactly the queries AI engines handle most. Focus on fewer, higher-quality links from authoritative domains.
- Generate brand mentions beyond traditional links. AI models track where brands appear across the web. Cultivate mentions on YouTube, LinkedIn, podcasts, industry forums, and niche communities.
- Think distribution, not just links. Every platform where your brand appears adds to your digital footprint. Strategic content distribution amplifies both your authority and your discoverability in AI-powered search.
Future-Proof Your Digital Presence With Our AI Visibility Package
ProperExpression is monitoring the evolving GEO landscape—and building repeatable processes to help wealth managers adapt. Our new AI Findability package gives you an early advantage in the race to rank within Chatbots and AIOs:
- Proven tactics we’ve already seen produce measurable AI Search visibility gains
- Done-for-you execution, so AI Search doesn’t force you to work over the weekends
- Strategic guidance to stay on top of emerging trends
Don’t become invisible to your ideal prospects.
4.https://arxiv.org/pdf/2311.09735
6.https://www.semrush.com/blog/is-seo-dead/#
7.https://ppc.land/google-ai-search-features-drive-click-rates-to-historic-lows/
