Search is not dying. It is fragmenting — and the data proves it.
Over the past 12 months, we have tracked how search demand around AI search optimisation is forming across the United Kingdom and United States. Not opinion. Not conference speculation. Actual keyword-level demand data from Google Keyword Planner, January to December 2026.
What the data reveals is more nuanced — and more commercially significant — than most commentary suggests.
This is not a hype piece. It is a measured reading of a category being born in real time.
What We Analysed and How
Using Google Keyword Planner (Jan–Dec 2026), we compared UK and US search demand across more than 120 keyword variations spanning:
- AI SEO (the commercial umbrella)
- GEO — Generative Engine Optimisation
- AEO — Answer Engine Optimisation
- AIO — AI Overview Optimisation / AI Optimisation
- LLM Optimisation — Large Language Model Optimisation
- Platform-specific terms — ChatGPT SEO, Gemini SEO, Perplexity SEO
- Service and tool variations — agency, consultant, services, tracking, tools
For each term, we examined average monthly search volume, three-month trend change, year-over-year growth, competition level, and top-of-page bid ranges (CPC). This combination allows us to distinguish between four stages of demand maturity: curiosity, education, emerging commercial intent, and established buying behaviour.
Why this matters for methodology: Year-over-year growth shows trajectory. Three-month change reveals volatility and hype cycles. CPC data exposes where real money is being spent. Competition level indicates how many advertisers are actively bidding. Together, these tell a far more complete story than volume alone.
1. AI SEO Is the Dominant Commercial Term — and It Is Not Close
In both markets, “AI SEO” commands the highest volume and the clearest commercial intent.
United States:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | Competition | CPC (High) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ai seo | 8,100 | +84% | Medium | £16.05 |
| ai seo services | 880 | +324% | Low | £19.51 |
| ai seo agency | 590 | +51% | Low | £20.71 |
| ai search optimization | 720 | +555% | Medium | £16.88 |
| ai seo company | 390 | +133% | Low | £25.05 |
| ai seo consultant | 50 | +∞ | Low | £65.50 |
United Kingdom:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | Competition | CPC (High) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ai seo | 1,900 | 0% | Medium | £25.20 |
| ai seo services | 320 | +967% | Low | £24.45 |
| ai seo agency | 320 | +550% | Medium | £8.04 |
| ai search optimisation | 90 | +450% | Low | £45.88 |
| ai seo company | 110 | +800% | Low | £11.69 |
| ai seo consultant | 20 | +∞ | Low | £4.04 |
The headline numbers are clear enough. But look deeper.
“AI SEO” in the US sits at 8,100 monthly searches — that is meaningful category-level demand, comparable to established marketing terms. UK volume at 1,900 represents roughly 23% of US demand, which is actually proportionally higher than many emerging digital marketing categories typically show at this stage.
More revealing: the CPC signals tell a different story to the volume. In the UK, “ai search optimisation” carries a £45.88 top-of-page bid despite only 90 monthly searches. That is an extraordinarily high CPC for a low-volume term. It means the small number of people searching are being aggressively competed for. This is not curiosity. This is procurement behaviour.
Similarly, “ai seo consultant” in the US shows a £65.50 CPC on just 50 searches per month. Someone is paying serious money to appear for that query. That tells us enterprise buyers are already searching — they are just doing so quietly.
2. GEO Is Accelerating Faster Than Most Anticipated
Generative Engine Optimisation is the growth story in this dataset.
United States:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | Competition | CPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| generative engine optimization | 3,600 | +309% | Medium | £14.94 |
| geo optimization | 720 | +1,660% | High | £14.91 |
| geo agency | 210 | +1,850% | Low | £8.98 |
| geo consultant | 140 | +27% | Low | — |
United Kingdom:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | Competition | CPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| generative engine optimisation | 480 | +189% | Medium | £9.35 |
| generative engine optimization | 880 | — | High | £7.66 |
| geo optimisation | 170 | +1,600% | High | £7.71 |
| geo agency | 170 | +1,300% | — | — |
| geo consultant | 40 | +33% | Low | £7.60 |
The year-over-year growth percentages here are remarkable. GEO-related terms are showing +1,300% to +1,850% growth in both markets. While some of that reflects low base numbers inflating percentages, the direction is unmistakable.
What makes this particularly interesting is the competition level. Several GEO terms already show “High” competition — meaning multiple advertisers are actively bidding. For a term most marketers had not heard of 18 months ago, that is rapid commercial adoption. If you are evaluating providers in this space, our guide on how to choose a GEO agency breaks down what to look for.
There is also an important UK anomaly: “generative engine optimization” (American spelling) shows 880 monthly searches in the UK, compared to 480 for the British spelling “optimisation.” This likely reflects UK searchers encountering the US-origin term in articles and conference content and searching it verbatim. It suggests the UK market is being shaped by US thought leadership — which has implications for content strategy.
3. AEO and AIO Exist — But the Vocabulary Has Not Stabilised
Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and AI Overview / AI Optimisation (AIO) both register measurable demand, but with significant fragmentation.
United States:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | Competition | CPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aeo optimization | 320 | +860% | High | £19.27 |
| aio agency | 110 | +2,500% | Low | £19.20 |
| aeo agency | 210 | +23% | Low | £18.95 |
| aio optimization | 90 | +600% | Low | £8.91 |
United Kingdom:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | Competition | CPC |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| aeo optimisation | 30 | +100% | Medium | £13.00 |
| aeo agency | 70 | +75% | Medium | £13.95 |
| aio agency | 30 | +100% | Medium | £7.90 |
| aeo optimization | 30 | +300% | High | £8.73 |
The pattern here is instructive. AEO and AIO terms show real demand and meaningful CPCs — particularly in the US where “aeo optimization” carries a £19.27 CPC and “High” competition. These are not vanity terms. Buyers are searching them.
However, the vocabulary is visibly unstable. Spelling variations (optimisation vs optimization), overlapping acronyms (AEO vs AIO), and competing definitions create fragmentation. In the UK, the spread is even thinner — most terms sit at 30–70 monthly searches with inconsistent growth patterns.
This fragmentation is characteristic of early-stage category formation. The terminology has not yet consolidated. Historically, markets resolve this by settling on one or two dominant labels within 12–24 months. Right now, the evidence suggests “AI SEO” will remain the mass-market commercial term, while GEO is gaining traction as the preferred strategic framing. We explored this dynamic in depth in our piece on SEO vs GEO — the honest comparison.
4. The CPC Story Reveals More Than Volume Alone
One of the most underappreciated signals in this data is the relationship between volume and cost-per-click. Several terms show a pattern of low volume but high CPCs — which indicates serious commercial intent from a small number of buyers.
Highest CPCs in the dataset:
| Keyword | Market | Searches | CPC (High) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ai seo consultant | US | 50 | £65.50 |
| ai search optimisation | UK | 90 | £45.88 |
| ai search optimisation | UK | 140 | £28.07 |
| ai answer optimization | US | 10 | £27.96 |
| ai seo company | US | 390 | £25.05 |
| ai seo | UK | 1,900 | £25.20 |
| ai seo services | UK | 320 | £24.45 |
| ai visibility tracking | US | 260 | £21.35 |
| ai seo agency | US | 590 | £20.71 |
When someone is paying £65.50 per click for “ai seo consultant”, they are not researching. They are buying. These CPC signals are arguably more commercially meaningful than raw volume, because they represent where actual advertising budgets are being deployed.
The implication: even in the UK where volumes are lower, the commercial infrastructure is forming. Businesses are beginning to allocate budget to AI search visibility — they just have not yet settled on what to call it.
5. Three-Month Declines Do Not Mean the Category Is Stalling
A surface reading of the data might cause concern. Many high-growth terms show negative three-month trends despite strong year-over-year growth.
Examples of YoY growth with 3-month decline:
| Keyword | Market | YoY | 3-Month |
|---|---|---|---|
| ai seo | UK | 0% | -32% |
| generative engine optimisation | UK | +189% | -46% |
| ai seo company | UK | +800% | -57% |
| ai seo agency | US | +51% | 0% |
| generative engine optimization | US | +309% | -33% |
This pattern is characteristic of category formation, not decline. What we are likely observing is:
Post-awareness normalisation. Many of these terms spiked when Google AI Overviews launched or when major publications covered the topic. The initial surge attracts curious searchers. As the novelty fades, the audience narrows to commercially motivated searchers — which is actually healthier demand.
Seasonal patterns. The Jan–Dec 2026 window captures a full cycle. Many marketing terms show Q4 dips as budgets are locked and attention shifts to execution over exploration.
Vocabulary consolidation. As searchers settle on preferred terminology, some variants naturally decline while others concentrate. This is the “language war” in action — demand is not disappearing, it is migrating between terms.
The sustained high CPCs across these terms confirm that commercial activity remains strong even where volume has softened.
6. ChatGPT SEO Is Bridge Language — and It Matters
Brand-led search queries are a reliable indicator of how mainstream audiences first encounter new categories.
United States:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | CPC |
|---|---|---|---|
| chatgpt seo | 480 | +24% | £14.29 |
| how to rank in chatgpt | 140 | +67% | £7.62 |
| chatgpt optimization | 140 | +250% | £7.45 |
United Kingdom:
| Keyword | Monthly Searches | YoY Change | CPC |
|---|---|---|---|
| chatgpt seo | 140 | +80% | £8.59 |
| how to rank in chatgpt | 30 | 0% | £5.19 |
| chatgpt optimisation | 10 | +∞ | £4.03 |
People are not yet searching for “LLM optimisation.” They are searching for “ChatGPT SEO.” That is cognitively simpler — it maps the new behaviour to a known brand.
This follows a well-established pattern in digital marketing: “Facebook marketing” preceded “social media marketing.” “Google Ads” preceded “PPC management.” The brand-specific query comes first; the category-level abstraction follows once the concept becomes normalised.
Gemini SEO and Perplexity SEO show similar early signals (30–50 monthly searches in the US, 30 in the UK). These are small numbers, but they confirm that the public is beginning to think about search visibility across multiple AI platforms — not just Google. Understanding how AI citations and mentions work across these platforms is becoming increasingly important.
7. LLM Optimisation Remains Technical and Niche — For Now
LLM optimisation terms show almost no measurable search demand in either market. Nearly every variation — “llm optimisation agency,” “llm optimisation consultant,” “llm optimisation tool” — returns zero or negligible volume.
The exceptions:
| Keyword | Market | Searches | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| what is llm optimisation | UK | 10 | Emerging awareness |
| what is llm optimization | UK | 10 | — |
| what is llm optimization | US | 40 | +300% YoY |
This tells us something important: LLM optimisation is industry language, not buyer language. Practitioners use it. Conference speakers use it. The market does not — yet.
However, we expect this to change as enterprise buyers become more sophisticated. LLM optimisation maps naturally to governance, brand representation, and citation accuracy concerns that matter deeply to larger organisations. It is likely to emerge as the premium, enterprise-tier framing of AI search visibility work.
8. The Tool Layer Is Premature — Services Lead
Most tool-related keywords return negligible or zero volume:
- ai search ranking tracker — negligible in both markets
- llm optimisation tool — zero
- chatgpt citation tracking — zero
- ai overview ranking tool — zero
- generative search analytics — zero
- llm citation tracker — zero
The one notable exception is “ai visibility tracking” at 260 monthly searches in the US (+∞ YoY) and 90 in the UK (+∞ YoY). That term appears to be the early signal that measurement demand is forming — we cover the emerging landscape in our AI visibility and citation tracking overview.
The pattern is clear: services are leading, tools are lagging. This is typical of early-stage markets. Businesses first hire expertise to understand and execute. Only once the work becomes repeatable do they seek tools to measure and automate it.
We would expect the tool category to accelerate once agencies begin productising their approaches and clients start demanding standardised reporting. That is likely 12–18 months away in the UK and 6–12 months in the US.
9. The UK Is Not Simply “Behind” the US
The default narrative is that the UK lags the US by 6–12 months and simply follows suit. The data complicates that story.
Where the UK genuinely trails:
- Absolute volume (UK is roughly 20–25% of US across most terms)
- Service-level diversity (fewer variations showing demand)
- CPC maturity on some terms
Where the UK matches or exceeds:
- Year-over-year growth rates on several terms outpace US equivalents
- GEO-related growth in the UK (+1,300% to +1,600%) is proportionally comparable to US
- “AI SEO services” in the UK shows +967% YoY — far exceeding the US equivalent’s +324%
- Some UK CPCs (£45.88 for “ai search optimisation”) exceed US equivalents, suggesting acute buyer competition
The UK market also has structural differences that affect adoption curves. Smaller average marketing budgets mean businesses are more cautious but also more reliant on consultants rather than building internal capability. Google AI Overviews rolled out on a different timeline in the UK. And the UK SEO industry has historically been more consultant-led where the US is more agency-dominated.
The more accurate framing: the UK is in early commercial formation — not passive imitation of the US, but parallel emergence with its own dynamics.
10. Zero-Volume Terms Are the Biggest Strategic Signal
Perhaps the most revealing finding is what is not being searched.
Nearly every location-modified service term returns zero volume in both markets:
- geo agency uk — zero
- geo agency london — zero
- aeo consultant uk — zero
- aeo consultant london — zero
- llm optimisation agency uk — zero
- llm optimisation consultant london — zero
- ai seo consultant uk — zero
- aio agency london — zero
Similarly, most “consultancy” and “services” variations across GEO, AEO, AIO, and LLM optimisation return nothing.
This is not a problem. This is a window.
In established categories, location-modified terms develop once the category itself becomes normalised. “SEO agency London” has volume because people know what SEO is and want a local provider. “GEO agency London” has no volume because most buyers do not yet have the vocabulary.
That vocabulary will come. And when it does, whoever has already established authority around these terms will have a significant structural advantage. This is how category-defining positions are built — not by chasing existing demand, but by being present before it arrives.
What This Means for Businesses
Three practical implications emerge from this data.
Search visibility is no longer one-dimensional. Optimising for traditional blue-link rankings remains important but is now incomplete. Businesses need to consider how they appear across AI-generated summaries, entity-based citation patterns, conversational answer layers, and platform-specific retrieval. The terminology varies — AI SEO, GEO, AEO, AIO, LLM optimisation — but the underlying shift is consistent: search is becoming an answer-layer distribution system.
Terminology will consolidate, and early clarity will be rewarded. The data shows a category with real demand but unstable vocabulary. Over the next 12–24 months, we expect AI SEO to remain the dominant commercial umbrella, GEO to strengthen as the preferred strategic term, and LLM optimisation to gain traction in enterprise contexts. Organisations that develop a clear understanding of how these concepts relate — rather than treating them as separate disciplines — will be better positioned as the market matures.
Measurement will become the differentiator. Right now, most businesses are still at the stage of asking “what is AI SEO?” The next stage — “how do we measure our AI search visibility?” — is where real competitive advantage will emerge. A comprehensive search visibility audit is a practical starting point. The near-absence of tool-related search demand confirms we are early, but the rapid growth of “ai visibility tracking” suggests the shift is beginning.
Looking Ahead: What to Expect Over 12–24 Months
Based on the patterns in this data and historical precedent from similar category formations:
“AI SEO” will remain the mass-market entry point. It is commercially sticky, easy to understand, and maps to existing buying behaviour. Even as the category matures, most buyers will continue to use this term as their starting point.
GEO will establish itself as the strategic-level framing. Its growth trajectory and the speed of advertiser adoption suggest it will become the preferred term among more sophisticated marketers and enterprise buyers.
AEO will likely merge into broader AI visibility conversations rather than sustaining as a standalone label. The vocabulary overlap with AI SEO is too significant for both to coexist independently at scale.
LLM optimisation will carve out a distinct enterprise niche, particularly around brand governance, citation accuracy, and cross-platform AI representation.
Platform-specific terms (ChatGPT SEO, Gemini SEO, Perplexity SEO) will grow as bridge language before consolidating into category-level terminology.
The tool ecosystem will mature rapidly once services become standardised enough to measure. Expect significant growth in AI visibility tracking and citation analytics within 12–18 months.
For UK businesses specifically, the window for early authority positioning is open but narrowing. The growth rates suggest commercial demand is forming faster than most realise, and the absence of established players in location-modified terms creates a rare opportunity to define the category locally before competition intensifies. If you are considering your next steps, get in touch — we are already deep in this work with enterprise clients across the UK.
Methodology
Data source: Google Keyword Planner
Period: January–December 2026
Markets: United Kingdom, United States
Search engine: Google
Languages: All languages
Metrics analysed: Average monthly searches, three-month change, year-over-year change, competition level, top-of-page bid (high range)
Keywords examined: 120+ variations across AI SEO, GEO, AEO, AIO, LLM optimisation, and related commercial, educational, and tool-layer terms
Spelling variations: Both British (-isation) and American (-ization) spellings were included to capture cross-market search behaviour
This analysis represents a snapshot of category-forming demand. Search volumes and trends are inherently dynamic and should be monitored on an ongoing basis as the market matures.
