The Truth About AI Search — Should Not-for-Profits Be Worried?

With the rise of AI-driven tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, or Gemini — many not-for-profits are asking: Is Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) dead? Will our audience’s use of AI tools reduce website traffic? What should we be doing about Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

These are valid concerns. After all, search traffic is a key driver of brand awareness, engagement, customer acquisition, or donations for your charity. 

But rather than seeing AI search as a threat, not-for-profits have an opportunity to adapt and strengthen their digital presence. Because we all know change on digital is inevitable!

Understanding both types of AI Search

Before we jump in, let’s talk about the two ways AI is reshaping how people find you online:

AI Conversational Search: 

ChatGPT - An example of AI conversational search

Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity act as search engine alternatives, giving direct answers instead of showing a list of links. Most bypass traditional search engines entirely — except Gemini, which also powers Google’s AI Overviews. This means your audience may find answers about your cause without ever visiting your site. However a recent study shows that user generated content (UGC) and high-quality trusted sources do show up as citations in AI Conversational Search results. 

The future of search is still evolving, and we’re keeping a close eye on how platforms like Google will adapt long-term. Meanwhile, it’s clear that to stay visible, diversifying your content strategy is crucial. Use channels like social media, email marketing, and paid advertising to actively push your content to audiences, rather than fully relying on them to search for it.

AI-Augmented Search: 

AI Overview - An example of AI augmented search

This is where traditional search engines (like Google and Bing) use AI to enhance results with summaries and answers up top — but they still pull from and link to websites that follow good SEO practices.

This article focuses on AI-Augmented Search, how it’s evolving with audience behaviour — and what your not-for-profit can do to stay visible to new audiences.

1. AI-Augmented Search amplifies — not replaces — your website

As mentioned earlier, AI-Augmented Search isn’t making traditional search obsolete. Firstly, Google Search is still widely used among94% of Australians, still use Google Search, and as of January 2025, AI Overviews only appear in 30% of queries. 

AI-Augmented Search relies on existing content, meaning it can boost your visibility if your content is seen as trustworthy and authoritative. The real risk? Not being part of the conversation at all.

To stay visible, focus on high-quality, authoritative content that answers relevant queries, backed by data and real-world insights. Keep your content fresh, optimised for SEO and GEO, and earn reputable backlinks — all of which help position you as a trusted source in AI-generated results.

2. How people use search is changing — and you can adapt

Search behavior is evolving and so search tools are designed to keep up. AI-Augmented Search favors natural language queries and context-rich responses, meaning content strategies must shift. To future-proof your brand on digital, we recommend creating content with both SEO and GEO in mind.

Traditional SEO remains important, but should now focus more on long-tail keywords, audience intent, and structured content. Meanwhile, GEO is a newer approach that ensures AI tools recognise your content as credible and nuanced.

Here are some examples of the differences and how to optimise for each — starting with thinking of your audience’s intent. 

To create content that ranks well for both SEO and GEO and engages your audience, focus on these three key things:

• Match user intent – Understand why people are searching and write content that directly answers their questions. Use natural language and long-tail keywords to make it easy to find.

• Make it easy to read – Structure content with headings and bullet points so readers can quickly find what they need. Clear, concise writing keeps them on the page longer.

• Build authority – Back up your points with data and insights, and work on earning high-quality backlinks and social signals (like shares). A solid content distribution strategy increases your content’s trustworthiness and helps it perform better on search engines and AI tools.

3. There’s opportunity in low-volume search topics

Many NFPs avoid creating content for low-search-volume topics, assuming it’s not worth the effort — but AI-Augmented Search changes that.

As we saw with the GEO example, people rarely search “donate to climate action” — but they do search “how to help with climate change.” AI-Augmented Search fills in those knowledge gaps, giving your content a chance to build trust and influence action over time.

Bonus tip: Optimise for features such as Google My Business, People Also Ask, and Featured Snippets. With AI surfacing only a handful of trusted sources, competition for clicks will get tougher — making strong SEO essential for both visibility and traffic.

TLDR: AI-Augmented search isn’t a threat — it’s an opportunity.

To future-proof your brand and content in an AI-driven search world, you must create content that AI-Augmented Search tools trust — well-structured, factual, and transparent. Using data-driven insights to identify content gaps and regularly conducting SEO audits ensures your brand and content stays visible in AI-generated search results. As we’ve seen, prioritising depth and credibility is crucial because AI favors comprehensive, nuanced insights. 

Not-for-profits that move towards creating content which is optimised for AI-Augmented search will stand out and stay ahead of the curve. The key takeaway: invest in strategic content and optimise for both SEO and GEO to future-proof your not-for-profit on digital.