15+ years at the forefront of digital search.
I'm Jo Anna Barker — a digital marketing expert, speaker and advisor with over 15 years of experience helping businesses get found online. My focus is the new era of search: SEO, AEO and GEO.
I work across industries, which means I've seen what works — and what doesn't — across every kind of business and audience. That perspective shapes everything I write, teach and speak about.
My background
I've spent over 15 years working in and around digital marketing — long enough to have seen search evolve from simple keyword stuffing to the sophisticated, AI-driven landscape it is today. I've worked across a huge range of industries, which has given me a rare breadth of perspective on what genuinely drives visibility and growth online.
That cross-industry experience is something I consider a superpower. When you've seen search strategy applied to e-commerce, professional services, B2B, hospitality, retail and more, you start to see the universal principles beneath the tactics — and that's where the real insight lives.
"Search is not a channel. It's a reflection of how well you understand your audience and how clearly you communicate your value to the world."
Why SEO, AEO & GEO
Most marketers still think of search as Google. But the reality in 2026 is that search is fragmented across dozens of surfaces — traditional search engines, AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, voice assistants, and generative AI that synthesises answers from across the web.
SEO remains the foundation — it's how you build the authority and structure that every other discipline depends on. AEO — Answer Engine Optimisation — is how you ensure your brand is the answer AI tools give when your customers ask questions. And GEO — Generative Engine Optimisation — is the emerging discipline of making sure large language models cite, recommend and reference your brand.
Together, these three disciplines represent the complete picture of modern search visibility. My mission is to make that picture clear — and actionable — for anyone willing to learn.
My approach
I believe the best SEO is just good communication. When you truly understand what your audience is searching for and you create content that genuinely answers those needs — clearly, authoritatively, and consistently — the rankings follow. The tactics matter, but they're in service of something deeper.
That's the lens I bring to everything I write, teach and advise on. No smoke and mirrors. No algorithm-chasing. Just a clear-eyed view of what search visibility actually requires — and how to build it in a way that lasts.
What I do today
Today I channel my experience into content, speaking and advisory work — translating complex search strategy into insight that marketers, business owners and brands can actually use. Through my weekly newsletter, articles, videos and speaking appearances, I'm building the most practical, forward-thinking resource on SEO, AEO and GEO available anywhere.
I also work selectively with organisations and leaders who want direct advisory support — helping them build search visibility strategies that are built for where search is heading, not just where it has been.
What I know inside out.
Search Engine Optimisation
Technical SEO, content strategy, on-page optimisation, link building, site architecture and the fundamentals that make everything else work.
Answer Engine Optimisation
Structuring content for AI-generated answers, featured snippets, voice search and the emerging wave of answer-first search behaviour.
Generative Engine Optimisation
Building brand authority that large language models recognise and cite — the newest and most misunderstood discipline in modern search.
Content strategy
Building content ecosystems that serve real audience needs, establish topical authority and compound in value over time.
Search analytics & measurement
Knowing what's working, why it's working and how to use data to make smarter decisions about where to invest your visibility efforts.
Teaching & communication
Taking complex search concepts and making them genuinely accessible — through writing, video, speaking and one-to-one advisory work.
Bringing the new era of search to your stage or podcast.
I speak at conferences, corporate events and on podcasts — translating the fast-moving world of SEO, AEO and GEO into clear, compelling insight that audiences can act on immediately.
Enquire about speakingThe future of search: SEO, AEO & GEO explained
A comprehensive overview of where search is heading and what every marketer needs to know right now.
How to get your brand cited by AI
A practical session on AEO and GEO — the strategies that make AI tools recommend your brand.
Content strategy for the AI search era
How to create content that ranks on Google, answers AI queries and builds lasting authority.
Search visibility from scratch
A beginner-friendly session for business owners and non-technical marketers who want to understand SEO properly.
Strategic search advisory for organisations ready to lead.
I work selectively with organisations and senior leaders who want direct, expert guidance on building search visibility that's built for the future — not patched together from outdated playbooks.
This isn't agency work. It's senior advisory — working alongside your team to shape strategy, sharpen thinking and make sure your approach to SEO, AEO and GEO is genuinely fit for where search is heading.
- Search visibility strategy and auditing
- AEO and GEO framework development
- Content strategy and topical authority planning
- Team training and capability building
- Senior marketing advisory and thought partnership
Work with Jo Anna
Advisory engagements are taken on selectively and tailored to each organisation's needs. Get in touch to start a conversation about whether we're a good fit.
Send an enquiry Follow my work first