What is generative engine optimisation (GEO)?
Where GEO comes from
Search engine optimisation was built for a world of ten blue links. Generative engines work differently. They read many sources, combine them, and write a single answer. GEO is the discipline of making sure your information is part of what they read and the version of you they write about is accurate.
The core principles of GEO
- Be quotable. Write clear, self-contained statements that can be lifted into an answer without losing meaning.
- Be specific. Concrete facts, definitions and named methods are more useful to AI than vague claims.
- Be consistent. The same description of you across every source increases confidence.
- Be structured. Headings, lists, tables and schema help machines extract meaning.
- Be corroborated. Mentions on independent sites act as evidence.
GEO in practice
For an expert or small business, GEO usually means rewriting key pages to lead with direct answers, publishing a small library of definitional and question-based content, adding schema and an llms.txt file, cleaning up profile inconsistencies, and earning a handful of quality mentions each quarter.
What GEO is not
GEO isn't a trick to manipulate AI. Attempts to stuff hidden instructions or keywords for AI tend to fail and can damage trust. The durable approach is simply being the clearest, most credible source on your topic.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between GEO and AEO?
AEO focuses on being the direct answer to specific questions, in snippets, voice results and AI summaries. GEO is broader and focuses on how generative AI understands and represents your whole brand. In practice they use many of the same techniques.
Do small businesses need GEO?
Yes, arguably more than big brands. Large companies are already well documented online. Smaller experts and businesses need to make themselves clear, or AI simply won't know enough to mention them.
Want this done for you?
I build brands and websites that are optimised for search, answer engines and AI from day one. See the AI Visibility Sprint or book a call.