As a Senior Content Specialist, I’ve been hearing this question from clients a lot at the moment. “We’ve heard of SEO, but what is GEO?” It’s also usually followed by “Do we need to do anything differently?”
These are fair questions, especially when things are evolving quickly and you’re already trying to keep up with all the jargon around digital marketing. Let me break it down for you in plain English.
What is GEO?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation. While SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is about making your website more visible to search engines like Google, GEO is about making sure your content shows up in generative engines. These are tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews and Gemini, or Microsoft’s Copilot, which give direct answers to people rather than just a list of links.
Think of it this way: SEO helps you appear in search results and GEO helps you appear in AI answers. Both matter, but they are not quite the same.
How is it different from SEO?
SEO is about keywords, backlinks and site performance. It has been around for decades and while it has evolved, the principles are fairly well known. GEO, on the other hand, is much newer. AI engines don’t just look at keywords, they are scanning for signals of trust, clarity and structured information.
I often hear clients say, “We’ve already done SEO, do we really need GEO?” My answer is yes. SEO gets people to your site from search but GEO makes sure your business is part of the answers AI engines are giving out. If you ignore GEO, you risk disappearing from the places people are increasingly looking for information.
The four pillars of GEO performance
When talking about improving your GEO, I like to use the idea of four pillars. If you get these right, you are giving your content the best possible chance to show up in AI generated answers.
1. Content
This is still king. But in GEO, the focus is on clear, well structured and authoritative content. AI engines need information they can trust, so make sure that you write with expertise and keep things simple and precise.
2. Trust
Generative engines look for signals that your website is credible. This includes reviews, author bios, accurate citations and a strong brand presence. If you’ve been living by Google’s EEAT quality content guidelines, you’ll already be well on your way to succeeding in this area.
3. Schema
Schema is a way of structuring data on your website so engines understand it better. It is like adding labels to your content. For example, marking up FAQs, product information or reviews makes it easier for AI tools to pull accurate snippets from your site.
4. Technical
The behind the scenes stuff still matters. Fast loading pages, mobile friendly design and secure sites are all signals that help both SEO and GEO. A client once told me, “We thought speed was just for user experience.” In fact, it makes a big difference in whether your site is surfaced by AI engines too.
Quick wins to improve your GEO performance
The good news is you do not need to overhaul everything at once. Here are a few easy steps you can take right away:
- Add clear author bios to your blogs and articles
- Collect and display customer reviews on your website
- Use schema markup for FAQs or products
- Keep your content concise, clear and up to date
- Check your site speed and fix anything slowing it down
Why GEO matters now
The way people search for information is changing fast. More of us are turning to AI tools for quick answers and these tools are shaping how brands are found online. As someone who works with clients across many industries, I can say (with confidence!) that those who embrace GEO now will have a head start.
SEO is still essential, but GEO is becoming just as important. The businesses that understand the difference, and invest in both, are the ones who will stay visible.
Need some help with your GEO and SEO strategies? Get in touch with our digital team by filling in the form below.