Innovations for AI-Driven Marketing Pedagogy Across Generations: Hybrid Approaches for SEO and GEO Instruction

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and the emerging practice of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) are relevant to digital marketing work yet remain unevenly integrated into marketing curricula. This study assesses students’ readiness for SEO and GEO and examines how trust, self-efficacy, and pedagogical expectations differ across age cohorts in a multigenerational classroom. Survey data were collected from undergraduate business students at a university (N = 243) and compared between younger (18–24) and older (25–54) learners. Likert-type items were summarized with cohort means and standard deviations and compared using mean comparisons, while open-ended questions (SEO skill, GEO skill, tool-choice rationale, and instructional expectations) were analyzed via inductive thematic coding with a documented codebook. Results indicate modest familiarity with SEO but uneven confidence, and low awareness and perceived readiness for GEO across both cohorts. Trust in major digital tools and self-efficacy vary and are intertwined with perceived preparedness and tool reliance. Open-ended responses highlighted instructional needs, including structured skill-building, authentic application, and guidance for verifying AI outputs. Findings support a readiness-aligned, hybrid approach that layers GEO on SEO fundamentals and blends experiential learning with scaffolded resources to meet diverse learner needs in marketing education.