A New Approach to Web Search

Anyone who has searched online recently has probably noticed something different. Rather than lists of website links, they likely received AI-generated “overviews” providing responses to their queries — and they may not have clicked on anything else to find what they needed.

That difference may seem subtle, and it’s undeniably handy. But for the University, it represents a game-changing shift in how we approach websites, social media, and other digital content.

This shift is called generative engine optimization (GEO), and its impact is significant. Rather than linking users to websites based on their searches, “generative AI” engines like Google, ChatGPT, and Claude now provide answers to users directly in the search results page. They do so based on information they are able to “scrape” from online sources, including but not limited to university websites and social media channels.

“This creates two significant new realities,” says Phillip Gravely, associate vice president for marketing and digital engagement. “The first is that we, like all organizations, are seeing decreases in traffic to our websites since fewer users need to click through. The second is that we have to think differently about how we approach digital content because we now also need to ‘feed’ these engines in particular ways to make sure they deliver and prioritize what we want them to.”

The University’s web team, comprising members of University Communications and Web Services, is implementing a comprehensive plan that aims to maintain a good website experience for users who do click through while also equipping AI engines to deliver the right information to those who do not. The plan includes recommendations on content strategy, formatting, technical infrastructure, and more. The team soon will reach out to campus website editors and digital content creators to offer guidance on best practices and next steps.

Gravely adds that the proliferation of AI-driven search is far more than a trend. “It’s a sea change,” he says. “AI engines now have a lot of control over how the University is being represented to the world. We have to be proactive in helping them tell our story correctly.”