If you are a Santa Clarita based business you need to begin your shift from seo to aeo!
The Great Shift from SEO to AEO and GEO: A 2025 Survival Guide for Santa Clarita Businesses and Realtors
By Connor MacIvor (Connor with Honor) The AI Growth Architect | Honorably Retired LAPD | Santa Clarita Realtor since 1998
If you were around before 2007, you probably remember the Thomas Guide.
It was that very thick, spiral-bound book organized by county. You’d buy them at the big office supply stores or Costco (or Price Club, if you go back far enough). It had maps of all the streets in Los Angeles County, Orange County, and beyond.
In the police department, when I first started, we had a similar evolution. Some training officers used Thomas Guides, but as a brand new boot, you were required to use an RD Map (Reporting District). You had to know your grid.
Both of those mapping systems changed instantly with the advancement of technology. GPS arrived. Now, police have better sources to get from Point A to Point B when a "Hot Call" or Code 3 drops.
Why do I bring this up?
Because we are standing at that exact same precipice right now in the world of digital marketing and real estate. We have just transitioned from the world of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to AEO (Artificial Intelligence Optimization).
This shift is going to change how you publish content. If you are still doing it the old way—or if you are outsourcing to vendors who are still playing by 2015 rules—you are invisible.
The New Landscape: Beyond Google
For the last 20 years, we optimized for Google. We wanted "Page 1" rankings. But the game has changed. Now, people aren't just using Google; they are using Large Language Models (LLMs) to find answers.
You have:
ChatGPT (OpenAI)
Grok (Elon Musk/xAI)
Claude (Anthropic)
Gemini (Google)
Co-Pilot (Microsoft)
These systems have been educated to give specific types of responses. And importantly, when a user asks a question, they don't want a list of links. They want an Answer.
From Keywords to Q&A: The "Answer Engine" Strategy
When people search for a local business now—whether it's a real estate agent, a plumber, or a hair salon—they are asking questions.
"How do I get pre-approved for a home in Santa Clarita?"
"Should I hire a specific inspector for a pool?"
"When should I meet my neighbors after buying a house?"
To be found, your content must shift from "Keywords" to "Q&A" (Question and Answer).
If you are a real estate agent, you need to answer the specific fears and questions buyers have.
What happens if the neighbor has a large tree encroaching on the yard?
What is the inspection process for a roof in Canyon Country?
If you simply write a generic blog post, the AI will ignore you. If you write a post that explicitly asks and answers these questions, the AI sees you as the Resource.
AEO, GEO, and the "Vowel Song"
We are hearing new acronyms every day. First, it was SEO. Now we have AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).
It sounds like we are doing the vowel song—A, E, I, O, U—but this is serious business.
AEO is about structuring your content so an AI can read it and speak it back to a user. GEO is about creating enough "Brand Signals" online that the AI trusts you enough to recommend you.
If you are just posting generic updates, you are failing both.
The Audit: Where Do You Stand?
I talk about this in my new book, The AI Growth Architect. You need to audit your business.
When I work with local businesses in Santa Clarita, I perform a "Digital Perimeter Check." I look at where they are positioned and how we can improve their standing in the AI search space.
This isn't just about having a website. It's about:
Learning the Content: Understanding which AI system creates the best images (Nano Banana? Gemini? OpenAI?) and which creates the best text.
Positioning the Brand: Ensuring that when someone asks Gemini, "Who is the best Realtor in Santa Clarita?", your name is part of the answer.
The Warning: Be Wary of the Algorithm
While these tools are incredible—giving us "30 to 50 IQ points" for $20 a month—we have to be mindful. AI is very convincing. It knows how to sell to you. It knows how to influence you.
If you have kids, or if you spend hours scrolling on social media, understand that the feed is curated by AI to keep you stuck. As business owners, we need to be the Producers of the algorithm, not the Consumers.
Don't let hours go by watching YouTube without producing something productive.
Next Steps
The train has left the station. You can stick with your Thomas Guide, or you can learn to use the GPS.
If you want the full blueprint on how to build this architecture for your business, pick up my book. It’s a field manual, not a theoretical essay.
Get the Book:
And if you want a free audit of your business's AI readiness, visit my agency at HonorElevate.com or check out our local resources at SantaClaritaArtificialIntelligence.com.
Be well. Be good to each other. And always run with Honor.
