Search is changing. Instead of ten blue links, people increasingly get a single written answer from an AI assistant — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot or Google’s own AI Overviews. Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO, is the practice of making sure your brand is part of those answers.
How is GEO different from SEO?
Traditional SEO aims to rank a page in a list of results. GEO aims to have your brand mentioned, recommended or cited inside an AI-generated answer. The two overlap heavily: AI assistants still rely on crawlable, trustworthy web content. But GEO puts extra weight on clarity, consistency and evidence.
What AI assistants look for
- Clear, direct answers. Pages that answer a question in the first few sentences are easier to quote.
- Consistent facts about your brand. Your services, locations and details should match everywhere they appear online.
- Authority and mentions. Being referenced by respected publications, directories and communities builds trust.
- Structured data. Schema markup helps machines understand exactly who you are and what you offer.
- Original information. Real data, first-hand experience and expert opinion are more likely to be cited than generic content.
Where to start
Begin by asking the major assistants the questions your customers ask. Note whether your brand appears, who appears instead and which sources are cited. That gives you a baseline — and usually a clear list of gaps to close.
GEO is not a replacement for SEO; it is the next layer on top of it. Brands that build strong foundations now will be the ones AI assistants recommend tomorrow.
