In short
- GEO optimises content so AI systems such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews use your page as a source. SEO mainly optimises for a position in Google.
- AI does not automatically favour big brands. The content that answers the question directly, is clearly structured and adds something unique is what gets cited. Not the brand with the biggest logo.
- In practice: structure your content into citable blocks. Give an immediate answer under every heading, use lists and tables, and add an FAQ that genuinely answers a question.
We still optimise too often for keywords. While what we really need to optimise for is answers. GEO does not replace SEO. But it fundamentally changes how visibility works in this AI era. Anyone who still ignores that risks losing the conversation their customer is having with an AI tool, without even realising it.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimising content so AI systems, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews, use your page as a source in their answers.
SEO is about ranking in Google. GEO is about being cited in an AI answer. Visibility shifts from "position 1" to "are you included in the answer?" That is not a small nuance. It is a different playing field with different rules.
Simply put: SEO optimises for search results. GEO optimises for answers.
| SEO | GEO | |
| Goal | Rank high in search results | Be cited in an AI answer |
| Focus | Keywords, backlinks, ranking | Search intent, structure, citability |
| Metric | Position, clicks, traffic | Citation rate, share of voice, sentiment |
| Content format | A page that ranks for a keyword | A block that fully answers a specific question |
With SEO, the focus is on keywords and ranking. With GEO, the emphasis is on intent and being mentioned in AI output. SEO remains important and is not disappearing or being replaced. But optimising only for keywords is too limited in an AI-driven market.
Because people do not type isolated keywords into AI. They ask complete questions.
People no longer search for "best running shoes". They ask: "What are the best running shoes for a first marathon?" Translate that into a B2B context and you get: not "CRM software SME", but "Which CRM system suits a construction company with 40 employees that still works in Excel?"
AI tries to provide a complete, contextual answer. If you only write for keywords, you miss that intent completely.
The biggest shift is happening with informational questions, comparisons, mid-funnel research, "how does ... work?" questions and advisory queries. Navigational searches such as typing in a brand name, looking for a login, … still mainly happen through Google for now. As soon as someone asks a real question, AI enters the picture.
Interestingly, research shows that large brands are not automatically favoured. What does matter:
Authority alone is not enough. Clarity, structure and relevance beat brand awareness here.
AI scans content in information blocks. So make those blocks logical and citable. In practice:
Stop beating around the bush. Give the answer first. Expand on it afterwards.
Before rewriting everything, check these points for your existing articles:
Four times "no"? Then this article is a good first candidate to work on.
Traffic and conversions remain important, including for GEO. But there are also new KPIs:
To measure this, it is best not to look only at Google Search Console. Tools such as Peec AI, Profound or Ahrefs' Brand Radar specifically track how often and in what context AI models mention your brand. Visibility becomes less of a ranking game and more of a relevance game.
AI answers are tailored to the user: chat history, context and personal preferences all play a role.
That means generic, superficial content will have a harder time. Specific, in-depth and nuanced content wins. Exactly the kind of content a marketing manager or IT lead needs to support an internal decision, not the kind that only ranks for a keyword.
GEO does not require a completely new discipline. It requires better content. And honestly? That is not a threat to copywriters. It is an upgrade.
GEO marketing is the application of Generative Engine Optimization within your broader marketing strategy: building your content, structure and authority so AI tools cite your brand in their answers, alongside your traditional SEO and content efforts.
With GEO optimisation, you want AI models to be able to easily extract and cite your content. In practice, this means restructuring and deepening your content. Think clear, direct answers, a logical article structure and strong source attribution.
Your target audience no longer searches only on Google. If you focus solely on traditional SEO, you miss the searches happening in AI tools and therefore also the moment when a prospect is gathering information.
Use a combination of traditional SEO fundamentals (technical structure, relevant keywords, authority) and GEO principles (direct answers, citable blocks, up-to-date data and real expertise). The two complement each other.
Do not immediately start creating new articles. First look at the content you already have. Which articles answer a question? Where is the answer still buried? Check which pages on your website already perform well and optimise those first. That delivers results faster than starting from scratch.
Two ways:
1. Manually: ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Copilot the same questions your target audience would ask, and see whether your brand or content appears in the answer.
2. Systematically: use a tool such as Peec AI, Profound or Ahrefs' Brand Radar. These tools monitor this automatically and also allow you to analyse competitors.
Today, GEO mainly strengthens brand awareness and trust rather than directly generating leads. An AI answer rarely contains a clickable link or a contact form. But when an AI tool cites you, you build authority during the prospect's consideration phase. That later translates into direct searches for your brand, recognition and ultimately leads through other channels.
