In the swiftly transforming landscape of digital marketing, a monumental shift is occurring as artificial intelligence reconfigures the dynamics of consumer engagement. Claude Zdanow, the Chief Executive Officer of ONAR Holding Corporation, a marketing-technology enterprise based in Miami, recently elucidated this metamorphosis during an exclusive interview.
Zdanow posits that the traditional paradigm of search engine optimization (SEO) is yielding to a novel framework: Language Model Optimization (LMO). This evolution, spurred by the proliferation of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini, is poised to revolutionize online visibility and commerce.
Zdanow, whose organization operates a collection of performance-driven agencies, accentuated that the foremost beneficiaries of LMO strategies will be those who embrace them early.
“AI transcends mere tool status; it is evolving into the primary conduit for discovery and purchasing,” he conveyed in a dialogue with Invezz, published on August 19, 2025. He referenced a Forrester report revealing that a staggering 91% of U.S. advertising agencies are currently incorporating generative AI to augment operations and tailor campaigns.
The Ascendancy of AI-Driven Discovery
This transition from SEO to LMO arises from profound alterations in consumer behavior. An increasing number of consumers now rely on AI chatbots for inquiries, circumventing conventional search engines. Zdanow articulated that while SEO was primarily concerned with attaining high rankings in search results, LMO focuses on optimizing content for effective citation and utilization by large language models (LLMs).
“It’s about embedding your brand’s narrative within the AI’s responses,” he asserted, drawing from his keynote at GenAi Week Silicon Valley 2025, titled “From SEO to LMO: How AI Language Models Are Rewriting the Rules of AI-Driven Digital Commerce,” as reported by Seeking Alpha on July 10, 2025.
Industry data substantiates this perspective. Influential posts on X, formerly known as Twitter, by entities like a16z on May 28, 2025, elaborate on how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—an allied concept—is supplanting SEO, stressing the importance of being cited by AI rather than merely ranked in search inquiries.
Similarly, Cloudflare’s CEO Matthew Prince pointed out in a May 9, 2025, post that the downturn in website referrals is attributed to AI directly addressing queries, thereby diminishing clicks to original sources.
Strategies for Early Adopters
For enterprises, the adaptation to LMO necessitates a reevaluation of content creation strategies. Zdanow recommends concentrating on high-quality, entity-rich data that LLMs can easily interpret and reference. Under his stewardship, ONAR has been at the vanguard of these methodologies, harnessing AI to yield quantifiable outcomes for clients.
During a March 13, 2025, appearance on the “Big Biz Show,” highlighted in a PR Newswire release, Zdanow delineated his vision for seamlessly integrated AI marketing, a strategy that has catalyzed ONAR’s growth.
Those who act swiftly, he asserts, will seize substantial market share as AI platforms evolve into arbiters of information. A June 24, 2025, post by SEO expert Matt Diggity enumerates six tactics, such as entity optimization, to dominate AI-driven searches, consonant with Zdanow’s forecasts.
This sentiment resonates in a recent AiThority.com article dated August 19, 2025, wherein AI SEO consultant Olga Zarr emphasizes that while foundational principles remain critical, AI tools will constitute 10% of SEO strategies in 2025.
Challenges and Opportunities Ahead
Nevertheless, this transition entails its share of challenges. Skeptics voice concerns regarding diminished website traffic as AI provides zero-click answers—an issue highlighted in Neil Patel’s December 23, 2024, X post addressing digital marketing trends.
Conversely, Zdanow asserts that LMO unveils avenues for enhanced engagement, such as personalized recommendations that stimulate conversions directly through AI interfaces.
The trajectory of ONAR exemplifies this potential. Originating from a background in music production, Zdanow founded Stadiumred Studios, which garnered 30 Grammy nominations, as relayed in a June 10, 2025, InvestorWire profile—ONAR has emerged as a publicly traded entity (OTCQB: ONAR), positioning itself at the forefront of the marketing innovation wave.
Zdanow’s presentations, including one at NobleCon20 in December 2024, as per ONAR’s website, reinforce his stature as a thought leader.
Implications for the Broader Market
As the adoption of AI accelerates, the advantages for early LMO adopters could be significant. Zdanow foresees that by 2026, LMO will hold equal importance to SEO, akin to its stature a decade prior.
An article from July 10, 2025, on Yahoo Finance regarding his GenAi Week discourse quotes him asserting that traditional SEO is “increasingly ineffective” within an AI-transformed marketplace.
Industry experts are taking note. Recent posts on X by Outgrow and Onimod Global on August 13, 2025, herald GEO as the forthcoming standard, urging marketers to optimize for AI prominence.
This collective sentiment indicates a shared conclusion: those who pivot towards LMO now will dominate in the AI epoch, while those who hesitate risk obsolescence in an environment where discovery transpires through conversation rather than clicks.
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