Search is changing - fundamentally
For two decades, search has worked the same way: type a query, get a list of blue links, click one. SEO was about getting your website to the top of that list. That model is not dead, but it is no longer the only model.
Today, millions of people ask AI platforms direct questions: "Who is the best plumber near me?", "Which accountant should I use in Manchester?", "Find me a reliable fire risk assessor in London." The AI does not show a list of links. It gives a direct answer - a specific recommendation, a specific citation, a specific business name.
What is GEO?
Generative Engine Optimisation is the practice of optimising your business's digital presence so that AI-powered search platforms - ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Claude, and others - recommend, cite, and trust your business in their responses.
Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking webpages in a list of results, GEO focuses on making your business understood, trusted, and citable by large language models. The signals are different, the techniques are different, and the outcomes are different.
How is GEO different from traditional SEO?
Traditional SEO focuses on keywords, backlinks, and page rankings. GEO focuses on entities, structured data, and citation authority. In traditional SEO, the goal is to rank a webpage. In GEO, the goal is to have your business named and recommended by an AI.
Traditional SEO drives clicks to your website. GEO may not drive any clicks at all - the AI gives the customer your name and phone number directly. Your website might never be visited, but the customer calls you because an AI told them to.
What makes AI platforms recommend a business?
AI platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity build their recommendations from multiple sources: your website content, online reviews, directory listings, social media presence, industry publications, and any other publicly available information about your business.
The businesses that get recommended are the ones with the clearest, most consistent, and most authoritative information across all of these sources. If your business name, services, location, and credentials are clearly and consistently presented across the web, AI platforms are more likely to cite you.
How to optimise for GEO
Entity optimisation is the foundation. Your business needs to be clearly defined as a distinct entity - not just a website, but a recognisable brand with a name, location, services, credentials, and reviews that AI can identify and differentiate from competitors.
Structured data and schema markup make your information machine-readable. LocalBusiness schema, service schemas, review schemas, and FAQ schemas all help AI platforms understand exactly what your business does and where it operates.
Citation building across authoritative sources gives AI platforms multiple reference points. The more consistently your business appears across trusted directories, industry bodies, and review platforms, the more confident an AI is in recommending you.
Should you start now?
Yes. GEO is in its earliest stages, and the businesses that establish themselves now will be extremely difficult to displace later. Unlike traditional SEO where rankings shift constantly, AI recommendations tend to be more stable once established. The first businesses to build strong AI visibility will have a significant and lasting advantage.
For help getting started with GEO, view our AI SEO services or request a free AI visibility audit.