We’re digging into a topic ETF marketers can’t afford to ignore: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Learn what GEO is, why it matters, and how early adopters are using it to boost discoverability and build lasting visibility in the AI era. Beyond GEO, we’re also bringing you a Q&A with ETF Express Editor-in-Chief Beverly Chandler on how she sees ETF coverage evolving, plus a breakdown of WealthManagement.com’s feature on the rise of RIAs launching their own ETFs.
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GEO Is the New SEO for ETF Marketers
By Mark Grandstaff, Director of Content Strategy, Financial Services
What is your plan to guide investors and advisors to your fund, if they no longer click on links to get their information?
Generative AI is changing the way people hunt for information on the internet. This, in turn, changes the strategy for ETF issuers who wish to be found. GEO, short for “generative engine optimization,” aims to increase the likelihood your fund will show up in the answers that generative AI tools like Google’s AI-generated summaries, ChatGPT, or Claude provide. Because these summaries are physically higher on the page than the traditional ten blue links, people tend to read the summary instead of clicking around.
Traditional SEO still matters for your marketing efforts, but AI opens up a whole new front to break out of a crowded ETF marketplace. The first step is to understand how large language models work and what they prioritize.
The non-deterministic results of generative searches are one of the biggest hurdles to cross. In other words, you can ask the exact same question to the same AI tool and get a slightly different response. And each platform may return a different answer, based on the way it was created or the media partnerships it has in place.
Learn How AI Learns
Muckrack’s Generative Pulse 2025 study shows just how much opportunity there is for ETF marketers. Across all topics, more than 95% of AI-cited links are non-paid, and over 89% are earned media. Roughly 27% of all citations are journalism, but in finance and insurance, that number jumps to 37%. This is one of the few sectors where independent, credible coverage is even more influential in shaping AI answers.
Recency also matters, especially for OpenAI models like ChatGPT. When journalism is cited, OpenAI pulls 56% of those articles from the past 12 months, compared to just 36% for Anthropic’s Claude. That’s a flashing neon sign for ETF marketers: keep a regular cadence of launch announcements, fee updates, rebalancing news, and monthly flows.
Fresh coverage is the raw material AI models use to talk about you.
Owned And Earned Content Matter
What does that mean for your website and owned-channel content? We looked more closely into Muckrack’s 89% earned media figure, and it turns out that sufficiently authoritative, regularly-updated business websites count as media outlets for the purposes of generative search. If you run your owned channel like a newsroom, AI searches will notice.
Generative search is still small compared to traditional search, but it’s growing fast. Similarweb counted about 1.3 billion AI chatbot referrals to the open web in May 2025, up 357% year-over-year. Traditional web search (and let’s be honest, we’re talking about Google here) is still huge by comparison. Again, traditional SEO should absolutely remain a part of your digital marketing strategy. But the brands building their GEO muscle now will gain a real edge over those that do not.
For ETF marketers, the takeaway is clear: if you want to shape how AI answers questions about your space, you need to feed it timely, credible, niche-relevant coverage. That means keeping your owned content fresh and quotable, and making sure you’re part of the recent, reputable source material these models are trained to pull from.
Q&A with Beverly Chandler, Managing Editor at ETF Express
By Amisha Mehta, Associate Director
We sat down with Beverly Chandler, a journalist who’s been chronicling the ETF industry for well over a decade. As Managing Editor of ETF Express, she has a front-row seat to the stories shaping the sector, from innovative product launches to shifting investor behaviours. We asked Beverly about what makes ETF news stand out, how issuers can better tell their stories, and the trends she’s watching most closely in the months ahead.
You’ve been covering the ETF industry for years through ETF Express. What’s the most interesting shift you’ve seen in the ETF landscape recently – from either an innovation or investor behaviour perspective?
The rise in appetite for active investment in an ETF format is really interesting. I started writing about ETFs in 2010 but before that I covered and worked in the hedge fund industry so seeing hedge fund strategies appearing in ETFs is fascinating.
From your vantage point as a journalist, what makes an ETF story stand out to you? What makes a launch or issuer newsworthy enough for coverage?
We try to cover all ETF launches that we can find. Launches that might then get a follow-up interview are ones that are doing something new, or reflect a change in trends or a rising story driven by external events such as defence or gold.
ETF issuers are competing not just on products but also on storytelling. In your experience, what separates the issuers who cut through the noise from those who don’t?
Issuers with strong stories to tell will always make better stories in their own right – or in podcast conversations which we also offer. The launch of bitcoin ETFs in the US earlier this year was a good case in point as the story grew on the back of investor interest.
Looking ahead, are there any trends or themes you think ETF marketers and issuers should be preparing for?
I think active investing within ETFs is going to continue to grow and the ageing population, hunting for income in retirement, is going to continue to drive the growth of defined outcome products. I also think we will see a rise in products based on private markets as issuers try to find new ways to create alpha, even within an ETF format.
Storytelling Success: Three ETF Clients, One Big Media Win
By Kathleen Elicker, Account Director
ETF issuers each have their own story, but shared themes can tie them together. As PR pros, we look for those connections and can use them to amplify multiple voices at once. That’s exactly what happened when a WealthManagement.com feature on RIAs launching their own ETFs became an opportunity for three of our clients in one story.
The piece explored why more advisory firms are launching their own ETF products, and three of our clients shared their unique insights. David Nicholas, Founder and President of XFUNDS described launching his first ETF, FIAX, out of necessity to help clients combat inflation while preserving income potential. Tidal Financial Group CIO Mike Venuto explained how RIAs are recognizing the business and tax efficiency advantages of ETFs versus separately managed accounts and how 351 conversions can unlock those benefits. Richard Tomney, Managing Director and Head of Wealth Advisor Solutions at Little Harbor Advisors highlighted how ETF launches can drive transparency for clients and boost firm valuations, while also sharing best practices for seeding a new fund.
Why it worked: By aligning three distinct perspectives under one timely industry trend, we reinforced each client’s expertise while showcasing the breadth of our ETF roster. The result was a single feature that showcased multiple industry perspectives in a high-value outlet.