SEO for artists in 2026: What music and film teams must know

In music and film, online discovery is evolving quickly. Your audience is just as likely to find answers through AI-generated overviews or chatbots as through traditional Google searches. As a result, strategies such as AEO, GEO, and LLMO are redefining what SEO means. Artists, labels, distributors and management must be ready.

The rise of AEO, GEO, and LLMO in search

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) helps your content appear as the direct answer to a user’s question. For instance, if someone searches “What time does the show start?”, a well-structured FAQ page can appear in a Google featured snippet or AI-generated result.

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) ensures your content becomes the trusted source that generative AI tools, such as Google's AI Overview, summarise and cite. This approach works best for in-depth articles, artist bios, and any content that reflects subject expertise.

Large Language Model Optimisation (LLMO) ensures that AI assistants such as ChatGPT or Gemini correctly understand and reference your artist or brand. This involves using consistent naming, metadata, and structured content that helps AI interpret your presence online.

AEO vs GEO – quick answers or trusted sources?

AEO is most effective for answering clear, specific questions. GEO helps build credibility and depth. A successful strategy blends the two. AEO captures fans’ attention quickly, while GEO ensures that your content becomes the authoritative source for broader questions.

Focusing on one alone is no longer sufficient. Today’s audience interacts with multiple search interfaces, each rewarding different types of content.

What this means for music and film promotion

Artists and managers need to think beyond traditional search rankings. AI is changing how fans discover content, whether they are searching for tour dates, film reviews, or artist bios.

AEO in Practice: When someone searches “How to get tickets to [Artist] tour”, you want your site to be the first and most direct result. Times One Hundred helped Labyrinth Events sell out a six-date music series at the Old Royal Naval College. Five of the six shows sold out within 24 hours.

GEO and LLMO in Action: When an AI is asked “What’s a must-see concert documentary?”, you want your project to be part of the answer. Our campaign for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour concert film drove hundreds of thousands of ticket checkouts at only £0.50 each, contributing to it becoming the highest-grossing concert documentary in history.

Cross-Platform Discovery: Fans are not only using Google. They are browsing on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and even asking AI assistants. Your content must be optimised across all platforms. Our work with Rough Trade achieved a 15× ROAS and generated seven-figure ecommerce revenue through a mix of SEO, content, and email automation.

AI search is evolving, but the fundamentals still matter

Although AI is reshaping search, the core of effective SEO remains the same. Content must be clear, structured, and relevant to your audience.

At Times One Hundred, we support artists and creatives through that transition. As a dedicated music and film marketing agency, we combine creativity, data and fan psychology to deliver standout campaigns. Whether we are generating 400,000 trailer views in one week (The Mountain Within Me) or outperforming sales targets for Arsène Wenger: Invincible, we match creative energy with strategic precision.

Final thoughts

Search is becoming smarter, but your goal remains unchanged: to connect with fans. By implementing AEO, GEO and LLMO techniques, you make your content more visible and more valuable. With support from experienced music marketing experts and film marketing professionals, your story can not only be found – it can be remembered.