The State of AEO/GEO in 2026: CMO Investment ReportFeaturing insights from:Aleyda SolísFounder & International SEO Consultant, OraintiEli SchwartzAuthor of “Product Led SEO” and ConsultantLindsay Boyajian HaganVP of Marketing & Co-Head of Revenue at Conductor Greg DiMedioHead of SEO & AI Search Strategy and Digital Marketing Manager at Taylor Corporation
Table of Contents● Executive Summary● Methodology● AEO/GEO Investments● AEO/GEO Technology● AEO/GEO Strategy● Future State: AEO/GEO in 2026● Summary
Executive Summary
Understanding the Impact of AEO/GEO on digital discoverabilityGenerative AI and answer engines have fundamentally redefined how customers discover, evaluate, and build trust in brands, creating a new reality for organizations that rely on digital channels for growth. As a result, answer engines have quickly become a critical performance channel, signaling which brands AI systems view as credible enough to be included in responses.Investments are accelerating fast. In 2025, enterprises allocated an average of 12% of their digital budgets to AEO/GEO, and those with high AEO/GEO maturity plan to increase spending at nearly twice the rate of brands with lower maturity in 2026. The message for executives is clear: If you aren’t investing now, you’re already behind. The good news is brands can still make up ground in AI market share by ramping investments now, but the window is closing fast. The adoption of AI visibility measurement is rising, but enterprises report that data quality is the top AEO/GEO technology pain point. Scraping-based approaches—fragile, non-compliant, and limited in scope—can’t keep pace as answer engines evolve behind closed interfaces. Enterprises require API-based monitoring that reflects how modern LLMs actually surface information and deliver accurate visibility and ROI attribution.AEO/GEO isn’t just gaining traction; it’s now the #1 strategic priority for 2026, outpacing paid channels. Forward-thinking executives are leaning in because AI-driven visitors convert at higher rates and in fewer sessions, validating AEO’s impact on revenue. As traditional traffic metrics lose relevance, conversions and revenue attributed to AI visibility are becoming the new primary KPIs. To help leaders navigate this shift, we surveyed over 250 executives and digital decision-makers to uncover actionable insights, emerging trends, and the investments required to stay competitive in 2026 and beyond. Executive Summary
Top TakeawaysExecutive SummaryOn AEO/GEO investment:● In 2025, enterprises allocated an average of 12% of digital marketing budgets to AEO/GEO.● 56% of organizations reported a high or significant AEO/GEO investment in 2025, and 94% plan to increase investments again in 2026.● High-maturity organizations are the most aggressive, planning to significantly increase AEO/GEO spend at nearly twice the rate of medium-maturit...
