Summary of "Book Discoverability In An Age Of AI. GEO For Authors With Thomas Umstattd Jr." – The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

Episode Release Date: June 13, 2025
Hosts: Joanna Penn and Thomas Umstattd Jr.

Introduction

In episode 813 of The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers, host Joanna Penn engages in an insightful conversation with Thomas Umstattd Jr., CEO of AuthorMedia.com and host of the Novel Marketing Podcast. The discussion centers around the evolving landscape of book discoverability in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), introducing the concept of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) tailored for authors.

AI's Impact on Author Productivity

Thomas Umstattd Jr. shares his personal journey with AI, highlighting how it has revolutionized his workflow. He explains, “AI has boosted my productivity so much that we've been able to launch a new podcast, a whole additional podcast called Author Update” (04:15). By leveraging AI tools for tasks such as transcribing episodes, generating blog posts, creating YouTube timestamps, thumbnails, and titles, Thomas has significantly expanded his content offerings without the proportional increase in workload.

Additionally, AI has enabled Thomas to revive his Books and Travel podcast, overcoming previous challenges related to managing diverse accents in transcriptions. “...the speech to text transcription previously has been very good with American men, but it hasn't been so good with British women or anyone else of any nationality speaking English. But now I find it's all very good” (04:53).

Evolution and Improvement of AI Models

The conversation delves into the rapid advancements in AI models since Thomas began using ChatGPT in late 2022. He notes that early experiences with AI might have left some authors skeptical, but continuous improvements are changing perceptions. “Almost every 10 days, almost every episode of Author Update, we're like, and there's a new AI model on the top of the benchmarks and it's like they all take turns and now they're starting to snipe each other” (05:44).

Thomas compares various AI models, praising ChatGPT for its multimodal capabilities while expressing reservations about others like Llama and Claude. “...Grok has deep search functionality... and so for doing research on basically any topic, GROK has won in every test that I've done” (06:32).

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) vs. SEO

Transitioning from traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the discussion emphasizes the shifting paradigms in how authors can enhance their book's visibility. Thomas states, “Google search traffic is way too down. People are moving that kind of big questions of their life conversation away from traditional search engines and towards AI interactions” (02:25).

He underscores the renewed importance of author websites, which allow full control over content and metadata, essential for training Language Learning Models (LLMs). “Your website is your primary way of influencing large language models that train on the open web” (10:00).

Importance of Author Websites and Goodreads

Thomas advises authors to optimize their websites to cater to both readers and AI models. “One really easy change that many of you listening can do right now is you just create a new page for each book and you copy and paste the content from your books page into each individual's book page” (12:13). He advocates for rich content such as sample chapters, discussion questions, and high-resolution maps for fantasy novels to enhance both reader engagement and AI comprehension.

Moreover, the significance of Goodreads is highlighted as a crucial platform for metadata and relational context. “Goodreads has become incredibly important because Goodreads is one of the only places on the Internet that has schema.org information on books” (24:29). Thomas recommends starting with Goodreads optimization before delving into website enhancements, noting its extensive reach among avid readers.

Enhancing Website Content for AI

To further assist in optimizing author websites for AI, Thomas suggests several actionable steps:

• Individual Book Pages: Allocate separate pages for each book to provide detailed information and prevent dilution of content. “Create a new page for each book... and make your books page just a bunch of thumbnails for your covers” (12:13).

• Rich Content: Incorporate elements like discussion questions, sample chapters, and high-resolution images. “Put discussion questions, have sample chapters, have your audiobook resources” (13:30).

• Descriptive Alt Text: Enhance image descriptions to aid LLMs in understanding visual content. “Adding some descriptive alt text could help before is understanding the image” (15:59).

Thomas also mentions leveraging AI tools like NotebookLM to generate frequently asked questions, further enriching website content for both users and AI algorithms.

AI in Book Marketing

Blogging remains a powerful tool for authors to establish relational context and engage with readers. Thomas emphasizes, “Blogging is really powerful... you can guide that with a blog post” (20:32). By writing posts that connect their work to broader topics or other authors, writers can enhance discoverability through AI recommendations.

For nonfiction authors, blogging can effectively address specific reader inquiries, thereby populating the author's website with valuable, AI-friendly content. “For nonfiction... people will ask questions about that” (23:16).

Considerations on Robots.txt and AI

Addressing concerns about AI scraping and data privacy, Thomas debates the efficacy of using robots.txt files to block AI bots. “I don't think the alternate files, no robots or LLMs are going to take off” (29:12). He argues that fully blocking AI could inadvertently limit discoverability, urging authors to embrace GEO strategies instead.

Amazon's AI Developments

Thomas critiques Amazon's AI initiatives, particularly the Rufus shopping bot, highlighting its current limitations and inaccuracies. “In my tests is somewhat better than just a pure review search... it's not where the other AIs are at yet” (34:11). However, he acknowledges Amazon's recent licensing deal with The New York Times, which may enhance the quality of Amazon's AI data sources.

Future of AI in Marketing and Agents

Exploring the future trajectory of AI, Thomas envisions AI agents handling complex tasks beyond simple assistance, moving towards "zero-click" interactions where transactions are executed entirely through AI. “Zero click is that I say to my agent... just arrange it” (42:24). He draws parallels to the automation seen in the stock market, suggesting that AI could similarly streamline and optimize author marketing processes.

Maintaining Positivity Amid Rapid Change

Thomas adopts a historical perspective to contextualize the current wave of AI advancements, comparing it to the technological transformations experienced by previous generations. “Technology creates more jobs than it destroys” (53:14). He emphasizes the importance of embracing AI as a tool for enhancing productivity and creativity, rather than fearing its potential disruptions.

Conclusion

In wrapping up the discussion, Thomas introduces his suite of AI tools available on AuthorMedia.com, designed to assist authors in various aspects of book marketing. “I have a suite of over 30 AI tools that are really easy to use” (54:02). These tools aim to simplify tasks such as creating about pages, analyzing book covers, generating chapter summaries, and developing advertising strategies, empowering authors to effectively leverage AI without requiring technical expertise.

Joanna Penn concludes by reinforcing the optimistic outlook presented by Thomas, encouraging authors to embrace AI-driven changes to enhance their book's discoverability and reach. She highlights the potential for more granular and nuanced search capabilities, which could benefit authors writing across multiple genres by reducing reliance on rigid categories and keyword optimization.

Notable Quotes:

• Thomas Umstattd Jr. [02:25]: "If you can get the AI to recommend your book, you'll be well positioned for ongoing sales in this new era."

• Thomas Umstattd Jr. [04:15]: "AI has boosted my productivity so much that we've been able to launch a new podcast, Author Update."

• Thomas Umstattd Jr. [12:13]: "Create a new page for each book... make your books page just a bunch of thumbnails for your covers."

• Thomas Umstattd Jr. [20:32]: "Blogging is really powerful... you can guide that with a blog post."

• Thomas Umstattd Jr. [53:14]: "Technology creates more jobs than it destroys."

This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for authors navigating the intersection of AI and book marketing, offering practical strategies to enhance discoverability and engagement in an increasingly AI-driven world.