Meet Jillian Shea: A URI Marketing Student Learning AEO and SEO at Develomark

Jillian Shea is a rising senior at the University of Rhode Island, studying business management and marketing. She joined Develomark's cohort program hoping to gain hands-on digital marketing experience — and to finally understand what AEO and SEO actually mean in practice. Watch her share what she's learned so far in the video below.

Studying Business Management and Marketing at URI

Jillian is a rising senior at the University of Rhode Island, where she is studying business management and marketing. Coming into Develomark's cohort program, her goal was straightforward: gain hands-on experience in digital marketing and learn more about AEO and SEO — two areas she hadn't had much exposure to in the classroom.

Discovering Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

Since starting the program, Jillian says she's gained new knowledge about all things digital marketing, including a clear understanding of what Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) actually is. AEO focuses on structuring website content so it can be surfaced directly by AI-powered platforms, rather than only ranking in traditional search results.

Turning a Client Meeting Into Blog Content

One of Jillian's current projects involves a civil engineering client. After sitting in on a client meeting with the company, she's now writing blog content based directly on what she learned during that conversation — turning real client insights into content strategy in practice, rather than just in theory.

Up Next: A Video Shoot for Lion's Den Coffee Shop

Jillian's next project takes her in a different direction: a video shoot for Lion's Den, a local coffee shop. Moving between blog writing for a civil engineering client and video production for a local coffee shop reflects the range of work interns take on across Develomark's different client verticals.

Why Digital Marketing and AI Visibility Matter

Among her key takeaways so far, Jillian points to understanding why digital marketing matters in the first place — and specifically, why companies need to optimize their websites to be seen on AI platforms such as ChatGPT. As more people turn to AI tools to find businesses and answers, she says that visibility on those platforms is becoming just as important as traditional search rankings.

Why It Matters

Jillian's experience shows how Develomark's cohort program pairs marketing students with real clients across different industries, from civil engineering to local coffee shops, while teaching the fundamentals of AEO and SEO along the way. That mix of hands-on client work and AI search education is what sets the program apart from a typical internship.

Curious what a marketing career built around real AEO and SEO experience looks like? Learn more about Develomark's careers and cohort program.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you're a student or recent grad who wants that kind of hands-on marketing experience, we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to Develomark to learn more about current openings and future cohort opportunities.