Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the next chapter in how brands win search visibility. If traditional SEO helped you win clicks on Google’s blue links, GEO helps you secure your spot in the AI-generated answers that people are now turning to.
This approach focuses on making sure your content and expertise show up in the summaries, overviews, and recommendations provided by generative AI search engines. Unlike standard search results, where ranking high meant being one of many clickable options, generative AI search can position your brand directly inside the answer. That’s a powerful shift, and it’s already changing how companies think about their content strategy.
Generative Engine Optimization is the process of improving your brand’s visibility within the answers produced by AI-powered search engines. It blends the principles of SEO with new strategies tailored specifically to how generative models source, interpret, and present information.
GEO in a nutshell: The art (and science) of making sure AI search engines not only find your content, but use it in their answers.
Also called AI SEO or AI Search SEO, GEO is all about anticipating how AI models select and structure responses so you can position your expertise where it matters most. It’s not abandoning SEO, but rather expanding your optimization efforts to include the algorithms shaping the new search experience.
Generative AI search engines combine traditional web crawling with large language models (LLMs) that synthesize information into a conversational or narrative format. Instead of serving a list of links, these systems:
The visibility challenge is that AI overviews and chat-style answers can drastically reduce clicks to individual sites. But they also give brands the chance to be the source inside the answer box.
Search engines didn’t become “generative” overnight. The transformation has been gradual, moving through several distinct phases. In the early days of search during the 1990s and 2000s, keyword matching and basic ranking factors determined which results appeared. This gave way to the semantic search era in the 2010s, when advancements like Google’s Hummingbird, RankBrain, and BERT allowed search engines to better understand context and relationships between words.
Now, in the 2020s, we’ve entered the generative AI era. LLMs such as GPT, Claude, and Gemini are being integrated directly into search platforms, enabling them to produce full-sentence, multi-paragraph answers in real time. The search experience is no longer just about scanning a list of 10 blue links. It’s about receiving a ready-to-use answer. This shift is exactly why GEO is becoming an essential part of forward-thinking marketing strategies.
While Generative Engine Optimization builds on the foundations of SEO, it’s not a basic rebrand of what you’re already doing. GEO and SEO share core principles, but the way success is measured, the type of content created, and the optimization targets differ slightly.
| ASPECT | SEO | GEO |
| Primary Goal | Rank high on search engine results pages (SERPs) to drive clicks. | Be included as a cited or quoted source in AI-generated answers. |
| Optimization Target | Search engine algorithms (Google, Bing) for keyword-based queries. | AI models and their training signals (Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, ChatGPT, Perplexity). |
| Content Format | Long-form pages, blog posts, landing pages optimized for keywords and links. | Concise, authoritative statements, structured data, and clearly cited sources for AI parsing. |
| User Intersection | Users click a link to read content on your site. | Users may get your content directly in an AI response, with fewer clicks but higher brand impressions. |
| Measurement | Organic traffic, keyword rankings, CTR, backlinks. | AI visibility share, citation frequency, co-mention volume, referral clicks from AI platforms. |
Both SEO and GEO aim to connect your audience with the information they’re searching for. They each require:
The main difference is where and how the content is surfaced. SEO focuses on winning positions on SERPs, while GEO focuses on getting cited or featured directly inside AI-generated answers. This changes:
GEO works best when it’s layered into your existing SEO efforts rather than replacing them. A dual strategy might look like this:
Pro Tip: A combined SEO + GEO approach means you can capture both the click and the citation.
AI-generated search features (like Google’s AI Overviews) are rewriting the rules of click-through behavior. Ahrefs reports a 34.5% drop in CTR for the top-ranking organic result when AI Overviews appear, based on 300,000 keywords.
A Pew study reinforces the behavior shift, citing that when an AI summary appears, users clicked traditional links only 8% of the time, versus 15% when no summary was shown. AI summary links were clicked in just 1% of visits, and users were more likely to end their session entirely (26% vs. 16%).
While Google counters these findings, arguing overall click volumes remain stable, publishers and marketers across the board are seeing clear signs of disruption.
Search is morphing into an answer-first experience. With generative AI tools delivering instant, synthesized content, users often get what they need without navigating to external websites. This zero-click dynamic is steering traffic away from source sites and towards the brands directly cited inside AI responses.
As visibility shifts from the link to the explicit quote or citation, it’s no longer enough to rank high. You need to be included in the answer. GEO equips you to optimize your content for algorithms and AI models that prioritize clarity and authority.
Being that trusted source inside the generative answer layer means you’re still seen—even if the click happens less often.
Even when click-through rates are lower than traditional SEO, being cited in an AI-generated response can lead to significant awareness lift and indirect traffic from brand recall.
GEO requires a little more than just tweaking your SEO playbook. To earn visibility inside AI-generated answers, your content needs to be structured and authoritative. Here’s how to get there.
AI search engines lean heavily on signals of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness.
AI models select answers based on clarity, accuracy, and completeness.
Well-structured content is easier for AI to parse and quote.
The more your brand is mentioned and cited online, the more likely AI engines will reference you.
Your site still needs to be technically sound for AI crawlers to access and understand it.
Pro Tip: These best practices are easier to implement when you have a partner who understands both SEO and GEO.
Creating a Generative Engine Optimization strategy doesn’t have to mean reinventing the wheel. Instead, focus on tuning your content and technical setup so AI search engines see you as the go-to source. These five steps can help you set a strong foundation.
Start by identifying high-value AI search queries that matter to your business. Look for the questions your audience is already asking and see how AI search features answer them. Pay attention to the formats being used (whether it’s bullet lists or short explanatory paragraphs) and map these queries to different stages of the customer journey so you understand exactly where GEO fits in.
Once you know what you’re targeting, craft content that AI can easily parse and cite. Use clear, authoritative statements that stand on their own if quoted, and back them with citations to reputable sources. Place your most important facts and definitions early in the content so they’re more likely to be extracted and featured in AI responses.
Your technical foundation determines how accessible your content is to AI crawlers. Add schema markup for FAQs, how-to content, products, and organizational details to make your site more machine-readable. Refine your site architecture to improve crawl efficiency, and make sure your pages load quickly on all devices to meet the performance benchmarks AI models favor.
A strong GEO strategy doesn’t live only on your website. Share your optimized content across social platforms and partner channels to broaden your footprint. Earning mentions and co-citations on reputable sites increases your authority in the eyes of AI engines, making it more likely your brand will be included in generated answers.
Treat Generative Engine Optimization as an ongoing process. Track your AI citation share to see how often your brand appears in AI-generated responses, and measure any referral traffic from those sources. Use these insights to refine your strategy by testing new content formats, updating outdated pages, and adapting to shifts in how AI presents information.
The fundamentals of Generative Engine Optimization apply across all industries, but the nuances of implementation can vary. Here’s what to prioritize in four key sectors.
GEO is still young, but AI-powered search is evolving fast. Staying competitive means anticipating both technological shifts and changing user expectations.
Generative AI is becoming more context-aware, tailoring answers based on user preferences or location. Search platforms are also integrating real-time data, enabling AI responses to include the latest news, product inventory, or market updates. Brands that can deliver fresh, authoritative content quickly will hold a distinct advantage.
Search is expanding beyond typed queries to include voice, image, and video prompts. This opens GEO opportunities like optimizing images with descriptive alt text for AI citations or marking up how-to videos for voice-led answers.
No matter the format, AI will continue to favor clear, trustworthy content, so the core principles of GEO will remain the foundation for visibility.
A growing number of tools can help you navigate GEO to stay ahead of AI search trends. For example:
At 97th Floor, we’ve built GEO services that are designed to scale, engineered for performance, and focused on driving revenue. Our team blends technical expertise with creative strategy to make sure your brand isn’t just present in AI search, but is positioned as the trusted source.
GEO focuses on getting your brand cited in AI-generated answers from tools like Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, or ChatGPT.
SEO targets traditional search rankings in results pages.
While they share core principles like high-quality content and technical optimization, GEO requires additional tactics like AI-friendly formatting and citation building.
You should review and refresh GEO-optimized content at least quarterly. AI models reward content that’s accurate, up-to-date, and clearly authoritative, so timely updates help maintain your citation potential in evolving answer sets.
No. GEO complements, rather than replaces, traditional SEO. Ranking in SERPs still matters, but AI search is quickly becoming a major channel for visibility. The best strategy combines both, so your brand can win clicks and citations.
Key GEO metrics include:
- AI citation share
- Brand mentions in AI responses
- Referral traffic from AI search platforms
Over time, you can also measure assisted conversions to see how AI visibility contributes to pipeline growth or sales.
GEO amplifies the reach of your existing content, making it more discoverable across AI search environments. By aligning GEO with your advertising, SEO, content, and design efforts, you can maintain consistent messaging and maximize brand exposure.
Focus on clear, authoritative content; strong E-E-A-T signals; and technical foundations like schema markup and site performance. Distribute your content widely to build citations and brand mentions, and update regularly to stay relevant.
GEO works by aligning your content and site structure with the ways AI models gather and synthesize information. When done well, this increases the likelihood that your brand will be cited as a trusted source inside AI-generated answers.
GEO tools include AI visibility trackers, content optimization platforms, structured data generators, and competitive analysis software. These help you monitor performance, improve AI readiness, and spot new opportunities.
