Reddit's bad week says it plainly: GEO is here to stay
Whether we like it or not, GEO is here to stay for a while. So stop leaning on one channel. Build a mix, and give every channel its own job.
Here's my take, up front. Whether we like it or not, GEO is here to stay for a while. GEO, or generative engine optimization, just means making sure your brand shows up, and shows up accurately, when people ask an AI tool instead of clicking through a list of links. The smart response isn't to chase it alone. It's to diversify, and give every channel a clear job.
Reddit just showed why.
The click economy is breaking
On October 30, Reddit shares fell about 29%, its worst day since going public in 2024, even though revenue grew 53% to $895 million. The problem was traffic. Reddit said search referrals dropped by more than 1 million a week on average in October, per its shareholder letter.
The part that stuck with me came from CEO Steve Huffman. Google is "crawling us as hard as ever," he said, and people still search for Reddit by name, The Verge reported. But "AI Mode does not drive traffic." So the content is still being read. The answer just gets served on Google's page, and the visit never happens.
That's the old deal breaking. For years, you gave search engines great content and they sent you people. Now your content can shape the answer without anyone clicking through.
And it isn't shrinking. Google says its query growth was the highest in five years, and AI Mode queries run about three times longer than regular searches, per Search Engine Land. People are asking more, and asking in more detail. They're just getting their answers in a different place.
Why GEO matters now
If the answer happens before the click, being cited is the new being found. When someone asks an AI tool which agency, app or skincare brand to try, you either show up in that answer or you don't exist in that moment.
In my opinion, being cited takes three things. Clear, consistent facts about what you do, the same everywhere. Other people talking about you, in reviews, press and communities, because these tools lean on what others say, not only what you say. And a brand people already ask for by name, which is the one kind of demand no platform can take from you.
It also changes what to measure. Clicks alone will undercount you. I'd track how often your brand appears in AI answers for the questions your customers ask, how many people search for you by name, and how many come back on their own.
Every channel needs a job
GEO matters, but betting everything on it just swaps one front door for another. Here's how I'd split the work:
Search and GEO: be found and cited
Social: reach and culture
Email and community: repeat visits and loyalty
Creators and PR: trust
Events: depth
None of them has to be huge. Each one just needs a clear objective. Reddit is moving the same way, putting logged in users first, TechCrunch reported, because those are the people who come back without Google's help.
Prepared, not perfect
When I run trail races, it's never about weight or how I look. It's about being the most prepared. I carry carbs in a few forms, chews, drinks and real food, plus electrolytes from salt tabs or a drink mix. Every one of them gets tested before race day, so I know what works.
Channels are the same. Different ones for different jobs, each tested before you depend on it.
GEO is here to stay. Get cited, spread your bets, and give every channel a job.
FAQ
What is GEO?
Generative engine optimization: making sure your brand shows up, accurately, in answers from AI tools like Google AI Mode.
Why did Reddit's stock drop?
Reddit gave weaker Q4 guidance and said Google search referrals fell by more than 1 million a week in October. Shares fell about 29% on October 30, 2026, its worst day since its 2024 IPO.
Is Google AI Mode reducing website traffic?
Reddit's CEO says AI Mode does not drive traffic. Google says most AI Mode queries are additional searches, and that AI Mode currently earns less from ads.
What should brands measure beyond clicks?
How often the brand appears in AI answers for customer questions, how many people search for it by name, and how many visitors come back on their own.
What should brands do?
Treat GEO as a core channel, and build a diversified mix where each channel has its own objective, tested before you depend on it.
Related reading and work
Cliff
Writes The Monthly Ramble on AI, creativity, brand and social.
