Search has changed and we all know this. With Google rolling out AI Overviews and ChatGPT answering questions in seconds, the way people discover information online is shifting rapidly.
The principles of traditional SEO are fading out as well. To stay visible, businesses need to think about how they show up not just in search results, but also in AI-generated answers.
Let’s usher in the new generation of the concept, Generative Search Optimization (GEO). What the h-ll is it? GEO is the practice of optimizing your content so that AI search engines (Google’s AI, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing, Copilot, etc.) recognize your content as trustworthy, relevant, and worth citing when they generate the lightning fast answers that people want.
In the past, SEO focused on keywords and backlinks to rank higher on Google. Now, GEO focuses on structuring and presenting content so that AI models can easily interpret and include it in conversational responses that people digest quickly.
In simple terms: SEO got us on Page 1. GEO gets us to the answer highlight at the very top. Make sense?
Why GEO Matters Right Now
AI uses most referenced content, so if your content isn’t referenced, you’re invisible to GEO.
Early movers will win as the frontier is still new, so companies that adapt now will dominate.
What makes something referenced? The answer is trust. Platforms prioritize authoritative and reliable content that has research backed citations and plenty of data driven support (as well as backlinks!) While the new tenants of GEO are still being discovered, a few standards are appearing to form. Let’s review the initial
1. Create Authoritative, Credible Content
AI engines prefer sources with E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). That means:
- Publishing expert-driven articles
- Citing reliable sources
- Adding author bios and credentials
2. Structure Content for Easy Extraction
Breaking up your article or blog (like this one!) with clear headings and subheadings instantly bring your content into the good graces of GEO. Popular ways of doing this include Q&A style sections (the easiest for AI to synthesize), lists, tables, and summaries.
3. Stay Fresh and Relevant
AI models love current, up-to-date content. Regularly refreshing posts keeps you visible. This means that the most popular keywords and search terms in the ether will bring yours to the top. A great way to do this is scanning Google search insights for a look inside popular trends.
5. Think Conversationally
People ask AI engines full, natural questions nowadays. Optimize for long-tail, conversational queries rather than just short keywords in order to rank higher for GEO. Think: how would you talk about this topic to an acquaintance?
GEO vs. SEO: Do You Still Need Both?
Yes. SEO and GEO go hand in hand.SEO keeps you ranking in Google’s traditional results, while GEO gets you included in AI-generated responses.If you neglect one, and you miss half the visibility opportunities. However, your end objective determines which style you optimize more for. If you want to be seen as a thought leader and provide consistently relevant ideas, SEO is preferred. However, if you are looking to be associated with a hot key term or concept then considering GEO would be beneficial.
The way people search is changing fast, but the opportunity is massive. Companies that embrace GEO early will: get cited in AI responses, build stronger brand authority, and capture customers before competitors show up in the conversation.
At MySocialBiz we’ve started building GEO strategies into every SEO campaign – on top of the measures we already take. Because if your content isn’t showing up in AI answers, you’re leaving visibility and revenue on the table. We help companies lift and shift their existing strategies to appease the new algorithms, and see even better results than before. Alternatively, we also assist brands with creating SEO and GEO strategies from ground up. If you want to make sure your business is seen, cited, and trusted in the age of AI, let’s talk!