Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): What It Is And How To Optimize For It

Thirty-one per cent of Generation Z—the emerging customer base—is already bypassing traditional search engines in favour of alternatives powered by artificial intelligence (AI), according to global consumer research. And with one in three of these potential customers believing AI tools will become their primary means of finding products, services, and information, this trend is projected to grow significantly.

This shift in search behaviour has ushered in Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). As AI reshapes how your target audience discovers and engages with businesses, adapting your digital strategy becomes essential for maintaining—and expanding—your market presence.

What Is Generative Engine Optimization?

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) involves tailoring website content to improve visibility in AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, and Google AI Overviews. 

As internet users increasingly rely on AI to generate responses, GEO’s relevance has naturally grown in-line with the ubiquity of AI-driven technology. Subsequently, GEO ensures your brand appears in AI-generated results for queries related to your products, services, or expertise.

Why does GEO matter?

AI-driven platforms are becoming the starting point for many users’ search journeys, with users opting for generated output, as opposed to lists of search results, when making decisions around services, products and purchases.

For instance, ChatGPT now boasts over 300 million weekly active users, while Perplexity AI experienced a 212% surge in interest over the past year (as of 25 November 2024).

As search behaviour evolves, more people are turning to AI-driven tools for quick answers, tailored solutions, and personalised recommendations. Gartner predicts that traditional search volume will decline by 25% by 2026, and organic search traffic will drop by over 50%.

To stay competitive, businesses must meet users where they are—on AI-driven platforms. However, AI tools process information differently than traditional search engines. They prioritise relevance and user intent in entirely new ways. GEO positions your content for visibility, engagement, and relevance, making it adaptable to how AI models process and interpret information.

What’s the difference between GEO and SEO?

Both GEO and SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) aim to increase your content’s visibility, but they focus on different types of platforms and user behaviours. SEO targets traditional search engines like Google and Bing, while GEO optimises content for AI-driven platforms such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini. 

Here’s a closer look at how GEO and SEO differ—and why you need both to win online.

Focus of Optimisation

• SEO:
  Targets traditional search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo, so the content ranks in search engine results pages (SERPs) based on keywords, backlinks, and technical factors.
• GEO:
  Focuses on AI-driven search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews so content is optimised for how generative AI processes and delivers results in response to user queries.

Search Behaviour and Output

• SEO:
  Optimises for users who browse through a list of links on SERPs. Success is measured by a high-ranking position in these lists.
• GEO:
  Optimises for AI-driven responses, where users receive direct answers, summaries, or conversational insights. Success is about ensuring the brand is mentioned or recommended in AI-generated results.

Optimisation Techniques

• SEO Techniques:
  • Keyword research and integration
  • Building backlinks for authority
  • Improving page speed and mobile-friendliness
  • Creating meta tags, alt texts, and structured data (schema)
• GEO Techniques:
  • Adapting content to align with AI’s natural language understanding
  • Structuring information for conversational relevance and clarity
  • Anticipating user intent for AI-generated queries
  • Leveraging AI-friendly metadata or structured data optimised for AI indexing

Content Prioritisation

• SEO:
  Often emphasises technical performance, keyword density, and competitive analysis to edge out other sites in traditional rankings.
• GEO:
  Prioritises creating relevant, conversational, and contextually rich content to align with AI-generated summaries and recommendations.

Platforms Targeted

• SEO:
  Optimises content for visibility on web browsers and search engines.
• GEO:
  Targets AI-powered search tools, chat interfaces, and voice assistants that deliver summarised or conversational outputs.

Future Focus

• SEO:
  Rooted in traditional practices but increasingly adapting to include AI components like schema markup and voice search.
• GEO:
  Positions brands to remain visible as generative engines redefine search experiences.

In Summary:

Aspect	SEO	GEO
Platform Focus	Traditional search engines like Google and Bing	AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude
Response Type	Delivers a list of links in search results	Provides direct, synthesised answers
User Intent Handling	Matches keywords to search queries	Interprets and anticipates nuanced user intent
Content Presentation	Focuses on SERP rankings and click-through rates	Ensures content is included in AI-generated responses
Optimisation Strategy	Prioritises keywords, metadata, and backlinks	Focuses on contextual relevance, structured data, and citations in AI outputs
Authority Signals	Relies heavily on backlinks and on-page signals	Considers brand mentions and trusted source aggregation
Content Synthesis	Optimises individual pages for search engines	Ensures content can be integrated from multiple sources into AI-generated answers
Performance Metrics	Tracks rankings, traffic, and conversions	Tracks referral traffic from AI engines and content inclusion in AI responses
Algorithm Adaptation	Adapts to search engine algorithm updates	Requires adaptation to evolving AI models and preferences

Is GEO replacing SEO?

No, GEO is not replacing SEO. In fact, Google still dominates with over 82 billion monthly web visits, compared to 3.6 billion for ChatGPT—the most popular generative AI tool, according to SimilarWeb. While AI-powered search engines are certainly on the rise, they’re not taking over traditional search any time soon. Instead, they’re reshaping SEO and creating new opportunities to complement and evolve your digital strategy.

In other words, while GEO represents the shift toward optimising for AI-driven search engines, traditional SEO remains essential for visibility in conventional search engines like Google and Bing. 

Why GEO Won’t Replace SEO

1. Traditional search engines are still dominant. Billions of users still rely on them for information, shopping, and research. SEO ensures your website ranks well on these platforms, which continue to play a critical role in digital marketing.
2. Both have different use cases. SEO serves users browsing search engine results pages (SERPs) and looking for various sources and options. GEO caters to users seeking concise, AI-generated answers or recommendations, often delivered through conversational interfaces.
3. SEO foundations support GEO. Many SEO principles—like structured data, quality content, and user intent—are the foundation of GEO. Optimising for AI-driven engines often starts with a solid SEO strategy.

How GEO and SEO Work Together

Traditional SEO focuses on elements like keywords, backlinks, and mobile responsiveness to ensure your site is discoverable by search engines. These foundational elements remain critical for getting your content indexed and ranked. 

GEO goes further by tailoring your content for AI-driven tools, ensuring it aligns with how generative models process, interpret, and recommend information.

Search engines like Google are increasingly blending traditional results with AI-generated summaries. A combined SEO + GEO strategy ensures your brand stays visible in both areas, giving you a competitive advantage.

In essence:

• SEO will continue to drive traffic through traditional search engines.
• GEO will ensure visibility in conversational AI and generative search tools.

How to optimise for generative AI

Optimising for generative AI involves a mix of traditional SEO techniques and a deeper understanding of how AI models process, rank, and recommend content. 

It begins with creating high-quality content that resonates with generative AI. AI-driven tools prioritise detailed, factual content that demonstrates expertise and authority. By offering comprehensive coverage of topics backed by accurate data, case studies, and examples, you improve your chances of being featured in AI-generated responses.

Equally important is maintaining a consistent brand voice, ensuring your content reflects your identity and resonates with your audience. 

Simplifying complex topics is also necessary. AI models favour readable, fluent content that delivers valuable AND accessible insights.

Additionally, structuring your content for easy navigation—using headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs—makes it more likely to be referenced and summarised by AI systems. 

Here’s how else you can optimise your content for generative AI:

1. Create SEO optimised content web search first to rank in GEO

Generative AI often performs web searches in the background to generate its responses. Therefore, traditional SEO remains necessary to ensure that your content ranks highly in organic search results. To play in the GEO game, you must first excel in the SEO game, which means your website should:

• Rank well in search engines. If your website appears on the first page of Google or other search engines, it increases the chances that AI models will reference your content.
• Focus on SEO best practices. Continue using targeted keywords, creating well-structured content, and getting quality backlinks to improve your overall ranking.

Why it matters

AI retrieves information from multiple databases, websites, APIs, and real-time data feeds. If your content isn’t discoverable through traditional search engines, it’s less likely to be featured in AI-generated summaries. 

How to optimise:

• Conduct keyword research to identify relevant search terms.
• Ensure your site is technically sound with fast load times, mobile responsiveness, and proper schema markup.
• Create high-quality, structured content that addresses user intent clearly and concisely.

2. Optimise for AI Overviews and Summaries

AI Overviews, such as Google’s AI-generated answers, have begun to dominate search results by summarising information from multiple sources to deliver quick answers to users. 

Why It Matters

AI-generated summaries often appear at the top of search results. Being included in these overviews can significantly increase your visibility and traffic. A UK study shows that websites included in AI-generated overviews experience a 25% increase in traffic.

How to Optimise:

• Showcase your expertise. The same study highlights the importance of expertise, saying, “the first “E” in EEAT is becoming even more important: expertise. Since the breakthrough of AI, search engines can produce as much mediocrity as they want. What will continue to be scarce, and therefore in demand, is unique expert knowledge.”
• Write concise, informative content. AI Overviews pull information that directly answers common user queries. Make your content clear, well-structured, and to the point, covering key details in a way that’s easy for AI to summarize.
• Target relevant topics. Identify questions or topics your audience frequently searches for and ensure your content addresses them in detail. This will allow AI to extract your information easily.

3. Use AI-friendly Prompts in Your Content

Traditional search engines rely on keywords to find results, but AI-powered tools like ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini go further by understanding the intent behind a query using Natural Language Processing (NLP), the AI branch that enables computers to process both written and spoken language by recognising context, intent, and meaning, rather than just keywords.

For example, instead of searching for exact keywords like “best Italian restaurants Sydney,” AI can process a more conversational query like, “Where can I get good Italian food in Sydney?”

Why It Matters

Including AI-friendly prompts in your content makes it easier for AI to understand and respond to user queries based on your material. AI models favour content that directly answers user questions.

How to Optimise:

• Include question-based prompts. These prompts help generate detailed, in-depth responses. For example, “What is the best strategy for X?” guides AI in delivering a comprehensive answer.
• Use instruction-based prompts. Content explaining “How to do X step by step” is highly effective for generating summarised guides or how-to content when AI processes it.
• Reflect the natural language users are likely to use when interacting with AI.

4. Incorporate Relevant Keywords And LSI Terms

AI models don’t rely on keyword stuffing but rather on understanding content context through Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI). LSI is a technique used by search engines and AI models to understand the relationships between words and phrases in a piece of content. Instead of focusing solely on exact-match keywords, LSI analyses related terms and contextual clues to determine what your content is really about.

For example:

• If your content is about “Apple”, LSI will look for related terms like “fruit,” “orchard,” or “granny smith” to understand you’re talking about the fruit, not the tech company.
• If your content includes terms like “iPhone,” “MacBook,” and “Steve Jobs,” LSI will conclude you’re referring to Apple Inc.

Why It Matters

AI uses keywords to match content with queries, and LSI terms provide additional context, improving the relevance and accuracy of AI responses.

How to Optimise:

To improve AI’s ability to categorise and rank your content:

• Use LSI (Latent Semantic Indexing) Keywords. Include related terms naturally in your content. For example, for a personal injury lawyer, LSI keywords could include “Accident Attorney,” “Car accident claim lawyer,” or “Slip and fall lawsuit.” This allows the AI model to build a broader understanding of your content’s relevance to a variety of search queries.
• Avoid over-optimisation or keyword stuffing. Focus on natural readability, using related keywords that help AI understand your content without disrupting the flow of your writing.

5. Increase Mentions Across the Web

As mentioned earlier, generative AI learns from vast amounts of data collected on the web. It then aggregates and synthesises the information to provide a more complete answer. In some cases, it predicts what the user is likely asking for based on patterns in the data it’s trained on.

Why It Matters

The more your brand or content is mentioned online, the more likely AI models will reference it in their responses.

How To Optimise:

• Use digital PR strategies to gain mentions on authoritative websites and blogs. This helps AI models associate your content with reputable sources.
• Collaborate with influencers to have them mention or review your product or service. These recommendations, especially from trusted voices, enhance the likelihood that AI will feature your content.
• Encourage customer reviews on platforms like Google, Trustpilot, and social media. Specific, positive reviews signal to AI that your business is credible and valued by users.
• Engage with communities on platforms such as Reddit and Quora to share insights.

6. Demonstrate Authority and Authenticity

Generative AI tools, such as Perplexity AI, gather information from authoritative sources like articles, websites, and academic journals to generate responses. This means if you want to optimise for GEO, your content needs to demonstrate authority to be featured in AI summaries. 

Why It Matters

AI tools prioritise trustworthy content from credible sources when delivering answers to users. By establishing your brand as an authority, you increase your chances of being included in AI-generated summaries and recommendations.

How to Optimise Content:

• Cite reputable sources. Link to respected studies, reports, or authoritative articles to build credibility.
• Have it reviewed by experts. Content written or reviewed by experts in your industry is more likely to be regarded as trustworthy by AI models.
• Include original data. If you have data that supports your claims, make sure to present it transparently within the content. This helps the AI process and understand your content as factually sound.
• Follow the E-E-A-T principles. Ensure your content demonstrates Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. AI models consider these factors when determining which content to highlight.

7. Combine GEO Strategies

While individual GEO strategies mentioned above can boost visibility, combining multiple strategies yields the best results. A study shows that using two or more GEO methods together can improve content visibility by over 31% compared to using a single strategy.

Why It Matters

AI doesn’t just look at one thing when deciding what content to feature—it takes into account credibility, fluency, and relevance all at once. By using a blend of strategies, you’re more likely to create content that hits all the right notes for AI tools and keeps your brand front and centre in search results.

How to Optimise:

• Cite authoritative sources. To establish credibility, ensure your content includes links to reputable articles, journals, and studies.
• Check for focus, fluency and readability. AI models prefer content that is well-structured and easy to understand. Use short paragraphs, clear language, and natural flow.
• Include statistics and data. Presenting relevant facts, figures, or case studies helps boost your content’s authority and enhances AI’s ability to understand and recommend your content.
• Add quotations. Incorporate quotes from experts or authoritative voices to enrich your content and provide additional context.

The Future of Search

AI is changing content discovery, and your business can’t afford to ignore it. By incorporating GEO alongside SEO now, you can cover all your bases: reaching users who rely on Google and those turning to AI-powered tools for answers. As technology evolves, the brands that embrace these changes will be the ones to capture attention, build trust, and stay ahead of the competition.