What Is GEO? Understanding the New AI SEO
As someone who’s deeply involved in digital marketing and SEO, I’ve been super curious about the rise of AI and its impact on search functions. Recently, I came across the concept of GEO - Generative Engine Optimisation - and realised it’s a game-changer for how we approach online visibility (hello Zenzi AI). Here’s what I’ve learned and why it matters to all of us navigating the evolving search landscape.
If you’ve been hearing about GEO but aren’t sure what it means - or how it fits alongside traditional SEO - you’re not alone. Let’s break down what GEO is, why it matters, and how you can start thinking about this next-generation approach to search.
If you’ve been hearing about GEO but aren’t sure what it means - or how it fits alongside traditional SEO - you’re not alone. Let’s break down what GEO is, why it matters, and how you can start thinking about this next-generation approach to search.
GEO Definition
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of optimising your content for AI-driven search engines and generative models - think tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews (SGE), BingChat, and Perplexity.
Unlike traditional search engines that simply match keywords and rank websites, these new AI engines generate direct answers, summaries, and even full articles by synthesising information from multiple sources.
Unlike traditional search engines that simply match keywords and rank websites, these new AI engines generate direct answers, summaries, and even full articles by synthesising information from multiple sources.
How Is GEO Different from Traditional SEO?
- SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is about getting your website to rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google or Bing. It relies on keywords, backlinks, technical optimisation, and content quality to drive clicks to your site.
- GEO focuses on making your content visible and useful to AI models that generate answers directly for users, often without the user ever visiting your website. Instead of just ranking, you want your content to be included, cited, or referenced in the AI’s response.
Why Is GEO Important Now?
AI-powered search is already here. Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and similar tools are changing how people find information. Increasingly, users get the answers they need directly from AI, without clicking through to a website.
This “zero-click” reality means that being part of the AI’s answer is just as important as ranking on page one of Google.
This “zero-click” reality means that being part of the AI’s answer is just as important as ranking on page one of Google.
How Does GEO Work?
AI engines ingest and analyse massive amounts of web content. When a user asks a question, the AI:
To be included, your content should:
- Extracts relevant facts, entities, and relationships from its sources.
- Assesses which information is most trustworthy and clear.
- Synthesises a direct response, sometimes citing sources.
To be included, your content should:
- Be clear, structured, and factually accurate.
- Demonstrate expertise, authority, and trustworthiness (E-E-A-T).
- Provide comprehensive coverage and unique insights.
- Use headers, FAQs, and structured data to make extraction easy for AI.
GEO and SEO: Always Better Together
GEO doesn’t replace SEO - it builds on it. The best digital strategies now blend both concepts:
- Use SEO to ensure your site is discoverable and technically sound.
- Apply GEO principles to make your content AI-friendly and ready for direct inclusion in generative answers.
Getting Started with GEO
- Audit your content for clarity, structure, and factual accuracy.
- Use natural language and answer common questions directly.
- Build your brand’s authority across the web, not just on your own site.
- Track not only your search rankings, but also how often your content is cited or referenced in AI responses.
- Contact us at Zenzi AI to jump in and help, we’re all in.
In Conclusion
GEO is your ticket to staying visible in the age of AI-powered search. By optimising for both humans and machines, you ensure your expertise is part of the conversation, no matter where or how your audience is searching.
Welcome to the future of search, where being “in the answer” matters as much as being “on the first page.”
Welcome to the future of search, where being “in the answer” matters as much as being “on the first page.”
