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Should you skip SEO and go straight to AI search? In 2026, the short answer is no—and the longer answer reveals why SEO is actually doing more work than ever, just quietly underneath every AI-generated answer.

In this UPDATE to one of Found in AI's most downloaded episodes, Cassie revisits the SEO, AEO, and GEO conversation she had with Ioana Wilkinson back in August—and unpacks what's changed in the eight months since. From Bing's new AI Performance dashboard to Yahoo Scout's quiet launch on Bing's grounding API, the AI search ecosystem now runs on infrastructure that rewards SEO fundamentals more than ever.

The episode walks through the FSA Framework—Freshness, Structure, and Authority—as a practical system for showing up in AI-generated answers, and closes the loop on a real-world experiment updating a HubSpot bio to shift how LLMs describe a brand.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why SEO is the foundation every AI engine retrieves from
• Which AI answer engines actually run on Bing's index (it's more than you think)
• What Yahoo Scout is and why marketers should pay attention
• How AEO and GEO fit together as layers on top of SEO
• The FSA Framework: Freshness, Structure, and Authority explained
• Results from a real experiment using off-site authority signals to change how LLMs describe a brand
• What to fix first when AI engines describe your brand wrong (hint: it's almost never your website)

If you've been wondering whether SEO still matters in an AI-first world, or where to start with AI search optimization, this episode connects the dots and gives you a clear next step.

Resources:

Should You Skip SEO and Go Straight to AEO for AI Search (OG)

What's the Difference Between SEO, AEO, and GEO in AI Search? (OG)

Let’s connect:

LinkedIn → Cassie Clark | Fractional Content Strategist
Website → https://cassieclarkmarketing.com

Download Freshness, Structure, Authority: The Framework for AI Search Visibility:

Amazon

P.S. Is your brand losing its "Answer Authority"?

Most series A/B and enterprise brands are being "nudged" out of AI search results because of entity gaps and "stale" content. I am opening a limited number of specialized audit slots to help you reclaim your Share of Voice using the FSA Framework (Freshness, Structure, Authority).

Request your 7-Day AI Search Visibility Audit: https://cassieclarkmarketing.com/ai-search-visibility-audit/