Threats & Opportunities: Battling Bot Traffic While Winning with GEO

On this episode we highlight how the digital landscape is evolving and creating new challenges, leaving cross-functional teams the responsibility to ensure campaign quality and performance stay intact. We also cover how to take your optimization strategy into the AI era, starting with some GEO tips!

In this episode of The MarketingEdge Podcast, we explore how non-human traffic is quietly skewing marketing performance metrics and what teams can do to protect data integrity and ROI. From email security bots inflating open and click-through rates to malicious bots committing ad fraud, we break down what marketing leaders need to know about bot-driven activity.

The episode also dives into the evolution of search with a practical introduction to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), explaining how brands can remain discoverable as AI-powered tools increasingly replace traditional search behaviors.

Key Topics Covered
- The Reality of Bot Traffic in Marketing
- Security Bots and Email Marketing Metrics
- Why Blocking Bots Isn’t Simple
- How Marketing and IT Can Work Together
- How to Identify Bot Activity in Analytics

The Shift From SEO to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
- What Is GEO?
- Why GEO Matters
- SEO vs GEO vs AEO
- How to Optimize Content for Generative AI
- Suggested AI Prompts for Marketers
- SEO & GEO Optimization

Additional Resources
AEO Resource Guide for B2B Marketers in an AI-First World
Article on AI Prompt Building by Alexis Kukowski

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Contributors:

About the Author

Raissa Rocha

Raissa Rocha

Contributor

Raissa Rocha is Director of Custom Content, Content Studio at EndeavorB2B and has extensive B2B experience in editorial, custom media, sponsored content and marketing solutions. At EB2B she manages content development across all of Endeavor’s markets, working with brand teams and the SME network to produce high-quality, engaging content for clients. Previously Raissa served as Director of Nimble Thinkers, the in-house marketing agency at Scranton Gillette Communications, which was acquired by Endeavor in 2024. At Nimble, Raissa managed the agency’s operations and top clients, ideating and pitching campaign proposals as well as project managing all aspects of client programs from storyboarding and planning to execution and reporting.

A former editor, Raissa was part of the 2014 Neal Award-winning team at Building Design+Construction prior to moving over into marketing. She has worked on several association publications, including stints as managing editor for Chicago Architect, the official publication of AIA Chicago, and Environmental Connection, the magazine of the International Erosion Control Association. In addition to over a decade of B2B editorial and marketing experience in the residential and commercial construction industry, Raissa has worked in a variety of markets including horticulture, water and wastewater, infrastructure, health information technology, lighting and more.

Erin Hallstrom 

Erin Hallstrom 

Contributor

Erin Hallstrom is the Director of Content Operations and Visibility for EndeavorB2B, where she works with more than 150 trade journalists across 90+ brands to implement search engine optimization (SEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO) best practices. She’s been a featured speaker at the News and Editorial SEO Summit (NESS) and headlines ASBPE’s SEO for B2B Media Playbook education series. 

In addition to optimization strategy, Erin is responsible for Endeavor's metrics reporting, where she uses her expertise in website analytics to help teams understand their data to make informed content decisions. Erin holds multiple technical certifications in Google Analytics and also trains audience and marketing groups how best to utilize SEO and GEO tactics for enhanced content marketing performance. 

Connect with Erin on LinkedIn

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