What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and Why It Matters
Why GEO Matters for You and Your Business
This article explores what Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is, why it matters for marketers, and how it differs from traditional SEO. By reading it, you will understand the trends reshaping search, the benefits and risks of GEO, and the practical steps you should take now to prepare for a future dominated by LLM search results.
TLDR / At a Glance
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) – also known as AI Engine Optimisation (AEO) – is the emerging discipline focused on optimising content for generative AI systems.
GEO ensures that material is structured, credible, and machine-readable so it can be accurately cited or surfaced in Al-generated answers.
The goal is to make content discoverable and referenceable within conversational AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, and Google SGE.
Like SEO for traditional search, GEO helps organisations earn visibility and trust in the new era of AI-driven discovery.
Introduction: Why is Search Entering a New Frontier?
Search is undergoing its biggest transformation since the rise of the internet. Instead of typing short queries into a search results page, we are increasingly asking AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Bing Chat, or Google’s Search Generative Experience (GSGE) questions and expecting direct, intelligent, conversational answers. This shift is rewriting the rules of online visibility.
This article explores what Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is, why it matters for marketers, and how it differs from traditional SEO. By reading it, you will understand the trends reshaping search, the benefits and risks of GEO, and the practical steps you should take now to prepare for a future dominated by LLM search results.
What Exactly is Generative Engine Optimisation?
Generative Engine Optimisation is the practice of preparing your content so that it is visible, interpretable, and referenced by AI platforms. The goal is to ensure that when an assistant like ChatGPT or Bing Chat answers a user query, your content or brand is included in the platforms response. Traditional SEO focuses on ranking on search engine results pages. GEO shifts that goal from rankings to references, aiming for visibility inside LLM generated responses.
This requires structuring content so that AI models, and their indexing or search spiders, can easily extract statistics, definitions, and insights. Clarity, authority, and technical accessibility still matter, but the emphasis is on evidence-rich and well-structured material that can be pulled into an AI generated response output.
Why Does GEO Matter for Marketers?
Several converging trends make GEO essential. Adoption of AI-powered search is surging. As of Q3 2025, ChatGPT alone has over 800 million weekly active users worldwide, a dramatic rise from just 400 million earlier in the year. Younger users are leading the way: more than half of Gen Z now go to TikTok, Reddit, or ChatGPT before Google. Across all ages, 41% of people use ChatGPT for more direct, ad free answers, with one in three calling it their go-to assistant. Traditional search traffic is declining.
Gartner predicts conventional search volume may fall 25% by 2026, with organic traffic dropping by more than 50%. Even Google is adapting to this shift, with generative AI summaries now appearing in 13% of U.S. search queries, up from just 6.5% at the start of 2025 User expectations are shifting. Instead of short queries, the average AI search is now 23 words long. Users chat with AI for an average of six minutes, repeatedly asking follow-up questions in natural language until they get the answer they need. This favours content that answers nuanced, long-tail questions in a conversational style. Search is fragmenting across platforms. Apple is integrating engines like Perplexity and Claude into Safari. Amazon Alexa, Instagram, and TikTok are adding AI discovery.
GEO ensures that content is discoverable wherever the user asks their question, even if that is across a patchwork of AI engines or AI assistants. Finally, consumer trust is shifting. Seventy percent of users already trust generative AI search results. By contrast, 86% say Google’s results feel repetitive, and 61% abandon the top-ranked link if it fails to answer their question. Generative AI provides a synthesised, concise answer that cuts through noise – and the plethora of adverts. For brands, inclusion in those answers is now critical.
What Evidence Shows GEO Works?
Although GEO is still in its early stages, credible research and early data already shows measurable benefits. A 2024 BrightEdge report on the Impact of Generative Search found that well-structured, citation-rich content is up to 40% more likely to appear within AI-generated summaries on platforms like Google SGE and Bing Copilot. Similarly, Gartner (2024) noted that factual precision, clear evidence, and authoritative tone strongly influence whether AI models select and reference web content. Early experiments by digital marketing agencies such as Search Engine Land (2024) also show that adding context-driven Q&A sections and structured metadata significantly improves visibility in generative results The quality of traffic generated from AI referrals is strong.
While AI may reduce the total number of website visits, the users who do click through to brand website arrive with more defined intent. Practitioners note that people treat AI assistants as trusted advisors, which makes them more likely to follow a source link when they choose it. This ‘trust-based behaviour’ explains why conversions as a percentage are higher for AI-driven referrals compared to traditional search engines. Generative engines are beginning to serve as powerful new referrers of business. ChatGPT, when using browsing or plug-in features, already sends traffic to thousands of domains. Web development company Vercel revealed in 2025 that 10% of its new signups were coming from ChatGPT referrals.
Even when no direct click occurs, being cited in AI outputs strengthens brand visibility and builds authority with audiences. Industry adoption is growing rapidly. A BrightEdge survey of 750 marketers showed that 68% are already adjusting their search strategies for AI. Almost half are now prioritising both Google’s AI-driven results and ChatGPT, while another 18% are experimenting with engines like Claude and Perplexity. New GEO analytics platforms such as Profound and Daydream are emerging and helping track brand mentions inside AI generated responses. Although, in practice, ecommerce and travel sites are already restructuring pages with Q&A boxes, outbound citations, and summary content, reporting more frequent references inside Bing Chat and Google SGE.
What Challenges and Risks Come with GEO?
Like any nascent discipline, GEO carries risk. It is still immature, described by some experts as “vapor thin” and reminiscent of SEO in the late 1990s. What works now may not work in six months, and opportunistic tactics may quickly become obsolete. In addition, the black-box nature of AI engines presents another challenge. While SEO has decades of community knowledge and observable ranking factors, generative engines give far less visibility into how content sources are selected.
Tactics that work on one engine may have no effect on another. Traffic loss is of a concern. AI often satisfies a query directly without requiring a click, which could reduce visits to reference sites even when they are clearly credited. Misattribution is also a risk if an AI borrows from content without proper citation. Hallucinations add further uncertainty. Even reputable brands can be misrepresented if an AI generates incorrect information. And while some critics argue that GEO is not new but simply SEO applied to AI, others believe it represents a fundamental shift. Hype about “SEO being dead” is misleading, but the pressure to adapt is real.
What Practical Steps Should Marketers Take Now?
The best approach is to treat GEO as an extension of your search strategy rather than a replacement. Keep SEO fundamentals strong: technically sound websites, credible content, and user-focused writing remain essential.
Beyond that, marketers should:
Adapt content for AI discovery: Use clear headings, concise answers, add TL;DR:s, and bulleted lists.
Provide authority signals: Incorporate statistics, expert quotes, and attributed references.
Experiment with Q&A formats: Write content that mirrors how users phrase questions to AI systems.
Track AI mentions: Use emerging GEO analytics tools to monitor brand citations across generative engines.
Maintain flexibility: Treat GEO as experimental, refining tactics as AI engines evolve.
How Should You Prepare for the Future of Search?
Generative Engine Optimisation is the logical next step as search behaviour moves to AI-first interfaces. Tools like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Google SGE have already shifted user expectations toward direct, conversational answers. The fundamentals of SEO remain vital, but the focus is moving from ranking pages to being referenced inside AI answers. For marketers and search leaders, the message is clear: GEO is no longer optional. Brands that adapt now will keep their visibility in an increasingly fragmented, AI-driven discovery ecosystem. Those that wait risk disappearing from the exact conversations where audiences are increasingly looking for answers.
Implications for Business Leaders
Visibility will depend on GEO-readiness: Brands that are not cited in AI answers risk losing audience reach.
Authority and trust matter more than keywords: Evidence and citations drive inclusion in AI results, not traditional keyword stuffing.
Early adoption creates competitive advantage: Businesses that embed GEO into their strategies now will secure presence while competitors lag.
Leaders must invest in monitoring tools: Tracking mentions inside AI engines is as vital as monitoring Google rankings.
Search strategy is now multi-platform: Expect discovery to happen across Google SGE, ChatGPT, Bing, TikTok, and beyond.
GEOs about making your content visible, referenceable, and answer-ready for AI platforms like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, and Google SGE. Unlike SEO, which focuses on rankings, GEO ensures your brand is included inside LLM-generated answers. Strong evidence (such as data, statistics and credible references), clear structure, and concise language are key to helping AI systems identify your content. Marketers should strengthen their SEO basics, incorporate Q&A structures, cite sources, and adapt their published content to address conversational queries. GEO may still be early, but it is quickly becoming essential as AI-driven search gains traction.
FAQs
What is GEO in simple terms?
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) means making your content easy for AI systems to find, understand, and use in their answers.How is GEO different from SEO?
SEO is about ranking web pages in Google results. GEO is about being referenced inside AI-generated answers on tools like ChatGPT, Bing Chat, or Google SGE.Why should marketers care about GEO now?
AI-driven search is growing fast. Traffic from traditional search is falling, and users increasingly trust AI answers. Brands need to be visible where audiences are looking.What practical steps can I take to improve GEO?
Use Q&A structures, provide clear statistics and citations, write in a conversational style, and track mentions across AI platforms.Is GEO replacing SEO?
No. GEO builds on SEO. You still need strong technical SEO and user-focused content, but you also need to prepare for AI-first discovery
References
Andreessen Horowitz (2025): How GEO rewrites search marketing
https://a16z.com
HubSpot Blog (2025): Generative Engine Optimisation explained
https://blog.hubspot.com
Search Engine Land (2025): 68% of organisations shifting strategies
https://searchengineland.com
ContentGrip (2025): Gen Z is ditching Google for alternatives
https://contentgrip.com
Revel Interactive Blog (2024): GEO for ecommerce sites
https://revelinteractive.com
Aggarwal et al. (2023, arXiv): Academic study on GEO
https://arxiv.org
Ignorance.ai (2024): GEO as the SEO of AI
https://ignorance.ai
BrightEdge (2025): SEO teams lead the GEO transition
https://brightedge.com
Really thorough primer on GEO. The stat about 41% of folks using ChatGPT for ad-free answrs actually explains why brands are scrambling to adapt. What i find intresting is how you frame this as an extension of SEO rather than a replacement, since the technical fundamentals still matter but now the goal shifts from rankings to being referenced. The bit about conversions from AI referals being qualitatively stronger makes sense too given the trust dynamic.