Some marketers think that Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is simply a flash-in-the-pan buzzword – this couldn’t be further from the truth, as LLM search is only going to flourish.
Many websites are seeing clicks disappear as Google funnels incoming traffic to AI Overviews, and LLM-type tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity are slowly but surely changing users’ behaviors in terms of how they search for information.
If you’re not optimizing for AI search, you must be missing out on some valuable traffic that could convert.
At Exposure Ninja, we’ve been implementing GEO across industries, testing what helps us truly earn visibility in these new search engines.
In this article, I’m going to outline the actionable strategies we are using for optimizing generative search, and help you recreate our process for improving your brand’s visibility in AI search features.
What is Meant by Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
Generative engine optimization is a tactic to optimize your content for large language models (LLMs) such as Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and other generative models that produce answers instead of links.
Comparing Google search result overview of AI overview answer versus regular organic results.
While SEO is focused on search engines, GEO is focused on developing content that will be cited, summarized, or displayed in an AI-generated answer. In order for that to happen, your content has to be structured in a way that is digestible by large language models.
You may also see it referred to as LLMO, GSO, or AI search optimization. Regardless, they are all addressing how to get your content highlighted in generative engines when trying to answer user inquiries.
GEO versus SEO
GEO and SEO ultimately want the same outcome – visibility – but they are different in how they get there, and who they are.
- SEO: Optimizes for algorithms that rank websites on a search engine results page (SERP). SEO will work with keywords, backlinks, meta tags, and the technical health of the site.
- GEO: Optimizes for AI engines that generate answers. For GEO, it is about constructing content that is credible, structured and machine-readable so that AI tools can pull it directly in their quoting or citation.
Put another way, if you’re doing SEO, then you want to rank #1 for “best marketing strategies.” If you are doing GEO, then you want ChatGPT (or Google’s AI overview) to quote or reference your content when answering the same question.
Why does GEO matter now?
With zero-click searches on the rise, it is clear that SEO strategy is being disrupted on a fundamental level. Already, we see companies experiencing a fall in website traffic as AI-driven engines are rapidly answering questions (with little to no links). We’ve seen companies like Mailchimp (and others) experience a major loss of visibility because they never optimized their content for AI distribution.
On the flip side, we see companies that are adopting GEO-friendly practices, like fast loads, simple structures, and authority citations, seeing growth in visibility. Even sites like Wix have launched geo-friendly devices- like the AI Visibility Overview, and provided site owners with a way to track how often their page is being leveraged by an AI model and their position against competitors.
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Best Practices for GEO
GEO is still new, and no one has found a general checklist for success. However, researchers and industry experts can find middle ground with some early best practices:
- Have a clear structure
Use headings, bullets, and short paragraphs. AI engines like content that can be parsed easily.
- Include Trustworthy Citations
Both authoritative sources, statistics, and quotations increase the chances in generative responses of being cited.
- Use a Conversational Style
Unlike SEO models that sometimes use keyword stuffing or syntax to make their work shine, AI models prefer human-like writing.
- Make Technical Considerations
Ensure that your site is fast to load, your HTML is clean, there is no duplication of metadata, and your markup can be read by machines. This can make it easier for AI crawlers to access and explore your material.
- Use Hybrid approaches
The future is GEO with a hybrid approach encompassing SEO, GEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and AI SEO. Each provides a balance for both search engines and AI engines.
Challenges and Ethical Considerations
GEO provides opportunities but also presents dangers. Experts warned that content marketers could attempt to fool AI models using patterns or intentional misinformation to influence what information is identified. Because AI often works as black boxes, it could be difficult to identify any manipulation.
This raises ethical questions: Should AI always cite its sources? Should users trust content optimized for GEO if it is meant to influence the outcome? Similar to SEO when it was invented, GEO will continue to enter into difficult discussions about regulations and ethics for years to come.
The Next Step in GEO
In the same way that SEO was once a novel idea in the 2000s, GEO will soon be the next great opportunity in digital marketing. With users moving from search to conversational AI, those brands that lean into the idea of GEO will have a prominent place in the ever-complex digital landscape.
As GEO tools and analytics become part of the marketer’s toolkit, like Wix’s AI Visibility Overview and competitor sentiment trackers, they will become a regular feature in the digital space. GEO does not replace SEO, but works alongside it to help businesses obtain visibility where users look for answers.
The Takeaways
Generative Engine Optimization is not just a marketing catch-phrase; it is a response to an evolution in how people use information on the Internet. Brands will now need to optimize, not for clicks, but for citations and inclusion as citations in AI-generated answers.
The biggest lesson for content creators, marketers, and businesses alike is to engage and adapt to GEO, or risk non-existence in the age of AI-search.
