Our team analyzed the top generative engine optimization and AI search experts from February 2024 – August 2025, evaluating 47 thought leaders and practitioners in this emerging field. We assessed them based on the following criteria:
- Industry Influence Score (30%): Speaking engagements, conference keynotes, and advisory positions
- Client Results (15%): Documented success in improving AI search visibility for brands
- Technical Expertise (22%): Background in LLMs, RAG systems, and AI architecture
- Social Media Following (10%): LinkedIn, Twitter/X engagement and thought leadership reach
- Media References (10%): Approximate number of citations in industry publications
- Years in AI and Search Optimization (8%): Combined experience in SEO and AI optimization
- Specialty (5%): Unique area of expertise within GEO/AI search
Our team rank-ordered all the experts and selected the highest scoring ones to include in the table below. Below the table, we provide an in-depth analysis of each expert along with a summary of their contributions to the field.
The Top GEO / AI Search Experts
In the table below, we present the leading generative engine optimization experts based on our comprehensive evaluation criteria.
The Top GEO / AI Search Experts of 2025
| Rank | Expert | Industry Influence | Client Results | Technical Expertise | Social Following | Media References | Years in AI and Search Optimization | Specialty |
| 1 | Evan Bailyn | Original founder of GEO marketing | GEO wins for Salesforce, Microsoft, Chanel | Advanced Generative Engine Optimization | 32K LinkedIn | ~2,400 | 22+ years | Lead generation & brand building through GEO |
| 2 | Aleyda Solís | International Expert | Global enterprise SEO / GEO success | Multilingual AI | 52K LinkedIn | ~1,680 | 14 years | International & multilingual GEO |
| 3 | Lily Ray | VP SEO Strategy | Algorithm consulting for Fortune 500s | AI Quality Signals | 29K LinkedIn | ~890 | 11 years | Search quality & AI trustworthiness |
| 4 | Kevin Indig | Growth Advisor | Wins with G2, Atlassian | LLM Traffic Patterns | 31K LinkedIn | ~1,250 | 13 years | AI search metrics & business impact |
| 5 | Jason Barnard | AEO Pioneer (2018) | Knowledge Panel Optimization wins | Knowledge Graphs | 45K LinkedIn | ~1,950 | 12 years | Entity optimization & answer engines |
| 6 | Ross Simmonds | GEO Conference Speaker | Success with Jobber, Procore | Distribution Strategy | 38K LinkedIn | ~1,100 | 10 years | Content distribution for AI visibility |
| 7 | Mike King | iPullRank CEO | Successful enterprise technical audits | Technical SEO/AI | 18K LinkedIn | ~720 | 12 years | Technical GEO implementation |
Evan Bailyn – Founder of Generative Engine Optimization Marketing
As the founder of this marketing genre and creator of most of the tactics used by GEO specialists below, Evan Bailyn is easily the top of this list. As a keynote speaker at over 30 major conferences, Bailyn has shaped industry understanding of how Fortune 500 companies should approach AI visibility. His 35+ published articles on GEO strategy provide actionable frameworks that CMOs use to navigate the transition from traditional search to AI-powered discovery.
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Years of Experience: 22+
- Known For: Is the founder of GEO as a marketing discipline, SEO excellence
- Consultation Focus: B2B SaaS, Healthcare, Financial Services
| Summary of Reviews |
| Industry peers describe Bailyn as “the architect of modern GEO strategy” with frameworks that are “immediately actionable for enterprises”; some note his “premium pricing” reflects the high-touch nature of his approach. |
Aleyda Solís – International & Multilingual GEO
Aleyda Solís has emerged as the definitive expert on international and multilingual generative engine optimization, addressing the complex challenges of optimizing for AI systems across different languages and regions. Through her consultancy Orainti, her 20+ frameworks for international GEO help global brands navigate how AI models behave differently across markets. Solís’s research reveals that AI systems trained primarily on English data can produce biased results in other languages, making her an expert on international visibility.
- Location: Spain
- Years of Experience: 14
- Known For: Awarded European Search Personality of the Year 2018
- Consultation Focus: International & Multilingual GEO
| Summary of Reviews |
| International brands praise Solís’s “unmatched global expertise” and “practical multilingual frameworks”; US-only companies may find her “international focus” less directly applicable. |
Lily Ray – Search Quality & AI Trustworthiness
Lily Ray’s expertise in E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has become even more critical as AI systems prioritize credible sources for their responses. As VP of SEO Strategy at Amsive Digital, her 25+ research papers on search quality and AI trustworthiness signals provide the foundation for how brands establish authority with LLMs. Ray’s analysis of Google’s AI Overviews and quality guidelines offers actionable insights for maintaining visibility as AI systems become more sophisticated at evaluating source credibility.
- Location: New York, NY
- Years of Experience: 11
- Known For: E-E-A-T, Search Quality, Algorithm Analysis
- Consultation Focus: AI trustworthiness signals and quality guidelines
| Summary of Reviews |
| SEO professionals praise Ray’s “deep quality insights” and “practical E-E-A-T guidance”; some find her approach “conservative” for experimental GEO tactics. |
Kevin Indig – AI Search Metrics & Business Impact
Kevin Indig’s analytical approach to GEO has established new frameworks for measuring AI search performance beyond traditional SEO metrics. As a growth advisor to major tech companies including Shopify and G2, his 30+ published analyses reveal how AI traffic patterns differ from traditional search, helping brands adapt their measurement strategies. Indig’s research on the “decoupling of clicks from impact” has fundamentally changed how marketers evaluate GEO success.
- Location: San Francisco, CA
- Years of Experience: 13
- Known For: AI search metrics and KPI frameworks
- Consultation Focus: Connecting GEO to business outcomes
| Summary of Reviews |
| Growth leaders appreciate Indig’s “metrics-focused approach” and “business-first perspective”; purists sometimes find him “too revenue-obsessed” for technical GEO. |
Jason Barnard – Entity Optimization & Answer Engines
Jason Barnard’s coining of “Answer Engine Optimization” established him as a pioneer in what would become generative engine optimization. Through his company Kalicube, Barnard has developed comprehensive systems for making brands understandable to AI systems through entity optimization and knowledge graph management. His 35+ published guides on entity SEO and brand SERP optimization have are excellent foundational guides for understanding how modern GEO has evolved from earlier search optimization strategies.
- Location: France
- Years of Experience: 12
- Known For: Coined “Answer Engine Optimization” (AEO) in 2018
- Consultation Focus: Knowledge Panels, Entity Optimization
| Summary of Reviews |
| Experts praise Barnard’s “pioneering vision” and “systematic approach to entities”; critics sometimes find his focus “too specialized” for broader GEO needs. |
Ross Simmonds – Content Distribution for AI Visibility
Ross Simmonds has revolutionized how brands approach AI visibility through his “Create Once, Distribute Forever” philosophy, proving that content distribution is as crucial as optimization for GEO success. As CEO of Foundation Marketing, his 40+ published case studies demonstrate a consistent 40% boost in AI citation rates through strategic content distribution across platforms that AI systems crawl. His frameworks for multi-channel distribution ensure content reaches the sources that LLMs prioritize when generating responses.
- Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia
- Years of Experience: 10
- Known For: “Create Once, Distribute Forever” philosophy
- Consultation Focus: B2B SaaS, Content Distribution Strategy
| Summary of Reviews |
| Marketers value Simmonds’ “practical distribution frameworks” and “data-backed strategies”; some wish he provided “more technical GEO guidance” beyond distribution. |
Mike King – Technical GEO Implementation
Mike King’s deep technical expertise as CEO of iPullRank has produced some of the most rigorous studies on how AI search actually works versus industry assumptions. His 15+ published studies include detailed analyses of AI search user behavior, showing that early versions of Google’s AI had low repeat usage rates. King’s technical background allows him to bridge the gap between engineering requirements and marketing objectives in GEO implementation.
- Location: New York, NY
- Years of Experience: 12
- Known For: Studies on AI search user behavior
- Consultation Focus: Implementation frameworks, data analysis
| Summary of Reviews |
| Technical teams value King’s “rigorous methodology” and “myth-busting analyses”; marketers sometimes find his approach “overly technical” for strategic planning. |
The Top GEO / AI Search Experts by Specialty
We further broke down our data to estimate the top experts by GEO specialty.
Top 5 for Enterprise GEO Strategy:
- Evan Bailyn
- Kevin Indig
- Jason Barnard
- Ross Simmonds
- Aleyda Solís
Top 5 for Lead Generation:
- Evan Bailyn
- Lily Ray
- Aleyda Solís
- Ross Simmonds
- Jason Barnard
Top 5 for Technical Implementation:
- Mike King
- Evan Bailyn
- Jason Barnard
- Kevin Indig
- Aleyda Solís
