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We got our first client enquiry via ChatGPT in February 2025 — not Google, not an ad. An AI model pulled up SmåSeo as an answer to a specific question about SEO for small businesses. These are the times we live in now.
What is GEO?
GEO — Generative Engine Optimisation — is the practice of optimising digital content to be cited, referenced, and recommended by AI-based search and answer systems.
Where SEO is about ranking in a list of links, GEO is about being used as a source in a direct answer. AI models like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews give users answers — not lists. And they pull these answers from a selection of websites they consider trustworthy and relevant.
GEO visibility happens in two ways: either your content is used as a source in an AI-generated answer in tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity, or it's included in Google's AI Overviews. Both build on the same foundation — high-quality content structured to be read and understood by machines.
What's the difference between SEO and GEO?
SEO is about being found in a list of search results. GEO is about being used as a source in a direct answer.
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Full form | Search Engine Optimisation | Generative Engine Optimisation |
| Visibility via | Organic search results | AI-generated answers and AI Overviews |
| Click required? | Yes | Not always |
| Primary signals | Content quality, links, technical health | Topical authority, structured content, brand |
| Metrics | Rankings, CTR, organic traffic | Mentions in AI tools, AI Overview citations, referral |
But SEO and GEO are closely linked. Large language models primarily draw from content that is already indexed and ranked in search engines. If you're not visible in Google, your chances of being cited in an AI answer are minimal. In other words, good SEO lays the foundation for good GEO.
What I often see go wrong with GEO
As an SEO and GEO consultant, I unfortunately see that the enthusiasm for GEO leads some people to make poor decisions.
- Jumping on GEO at the expense of SEO. Some people read about GEO and start restructuring their entire content strategy — while their fundamental SEO problems remain unsolved. 9 out of 10 searches still happen in Google.
- Producing tons of AI-generated content to increase GEO visibility. AI models are trained on high-quality content — and they're good at identifying generic content without editorial oversight.
- Expecting quick, measurable results. As of today, there's no reliable rank tracker for AI search. GEO is as much about long-term brand building as it is about technical optimisation.
GEO: How to get it right
GEO isn't a revolution — it's a natural extension of good content practices.
- Write clear definitions early on. AI models tend to pull the first clear, self-contained definition of a term. "GEO is..." early in the text is more citable than a definition buried in paragraph three.
- Answer specific questions directly. FAQ sections, "What is..." sections, and question-based H2s directly match how AI models "think".
- Use structured data. FAQ schema and Article schema help AI crawlers understand the structure. This increases the chance that the right section will be cited in the right context.
- Build topical depth. A website with 20 in-depth articles on one subject is cited more frequently than a website with 100 superficial articles on many topics.
- Ensure Bing indexing. ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot use Bing as their technological foundation. Check that your site is indexed and that you haven't blocked Bingbot in robots.txt.
Your GEO action plan: Step by step
| Step | What you do | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Check that your SEO foundation is solid — without it, GEO efforts are ineffective | Audit |
| 2 | Review existing content and ensure clear definitions are placed early in each text | Ongoing |
| 3 | Build out FAQ sections with direct, concise answers — add FAQ schema | 1–2 hrs per article |
| 4 | Verify Bing indexing in Bing Webmaster Tools, check robots.txt | 30 min |
| 5 | Consider llms.txt — easy to implement, but not a priority | 1 hr |
| 6 | Measure: GA4 referral, GSC AI Overview filter, manual testing in ChatGPT/Perplexity | Monthly |
In summary: My take on GEO
If I'm being completely honest: GEO is real, but overhyped. We know too little to invest significant resources specifically in GEO optimisation. What we do know is that good SEO and good content are the best foundation for GEO visibility.
My advice: keep an eye on developments, implement the simple measures (Bing indexing, FAQ schema, clear definitions), and hold off on major strategy changes until we have better data. Patience is underrated.
Where to read more about GEO
- Search Engine Journal — ongoing coverage of GEO developments and new studies
- Ahrefs Blog — data-driven studies on what actually affects AI citation
- Bing Webmaster Tools — verify indexing for ChatGPT and Copilot
- Rankability — LLMS.txt Adoption — monthly adoption data for the llms.txt format
- Pew Research — AI answers and click-through rate — on how AI Overviews change user behaviour
