AI Search
What is GEO, and how is it different from SEO?
Generative Engine Optimization aims to get your brand mentioned in AI answers. It builds on SEO rather than replacing it, and here is where the two differ.
Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO, is the work of making your brand and content likely to appear in answers written by AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
How GEO differs from SEO
Traditional SEO tries to earn a position in a list of links. GEO tries to earn a place inside a written answer, where there may be only a few sources named. The visitor might never see a list at all.
What stays the same
AI tools often draw on pages that search engines already find and trust. A site that can’t be crawled, or that nobody links to, is at a disadvantage in both worlds. That is why GEO usually starts with sound SEO, not instead of it.
What to do differently
- Answer questions directly. Put the answer near the top of the section, then explain it.
- Be specific. Facts, examples and clear definitions are easier to quote than general claims.
- Show who is behind the content. Author details and real experience make a source easier to trust.
- Get mentioned elsewhere. Being discussed on other reputable sites helps AI tools connect your brand with a topic.
Treat GEO as an extra layer on good SEO, and most of the work will pay off in both places.
