What is GEO and why should you care about it?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is a term you might have heard recently… but what actually is GEO?

GEO is a real-time revolution, changing the way we search the web through AI-powered tools. It’s already having some serious and tangible effects on search patters, from the platforms we’re using, down to some fundamental issues – like the length and context of a search query.

There’s a lot a discussion, worry and concern about GEO, it’s implementation and it’s effects. As it’s potential impact on digital marketing and public relations is huge. AI powered search is the next big step, so it’s important that businesses has a firm grasp of this concept.

That’s where this guide come in… we’ve put together everything you need to now about GEO – from what it acutally is and does, why it’s proving critical to future online visibility and what strategies and tactics you can put in place to establish your AI readiness.

An introduction to Generative Engine Optimisation

GEO is revolutionising digital marketing by changing how people search and interact with information online.

GEO is a major development in the evolving digital marketing landscape.

Understanding generative engine optimisation geo helps you stay ahead in digital marketing.

This guide covers the basics of GEO and its impact on digital marketing.

Understanding Generative AI and Generative Engine Optimisation

As you’ll likely know by now, generative AI (g creates responses and content to prompts. Text, images, videos and even music, the capabilities and capacities of generative AI are huge.

GEO takes this principle, and places it firmly into the context of search.

GEO leverages generative AI technology, to synthesise and optimise content for AI-powered search tools – Large Language Models (LLMs) such as Google AI Overview, ChatGPT, Perplexity and so on.

This advancement is already having profound effects on the way we search… and the way we create search-visible content.

The role of generative AI in search engines

More and more, LLMs are being used as de facto search tools. Using highly advanced machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) to produce synthesised, conversational responses to a query.

Unlike Google and other traditional search engines, they create responses in a far more conversational and nuanced way. Heavily reliant upon intent and pulling from a myriad of sources and citations. Making appearing in these responses, arguably, far more challenging that traditional search.

How search patterns are changing

While it’s important to state, that Google still holds the vast majority of all global search. Some of the early adoption trends and patterns we’re seeing, are pointing to some fundamental shifts in the way consumers are actually searching for things.

Firstly, sessions are reducing. When comparing Google Search and AI Mode we’re seeing that users are getting to their root of their queries faster. But one of the biggest effects we’re seeing, is that AI sessions are producing significantly less follow on traffic compared to external searches. This is referred to as zero-click searches.

For context, a normal zero-click search rate is between 35% and 46%. But in AI Mode, the number of zero-click searches leaps to 92%-94%

There’s no escaping, that is a huge jump… and this dip in traffic is something that businesses are already contending with.

Lastly, the length and context of search queries is very different.

An average Google search – according to SemRush – is four words. The average AI Mode search, is over seven. This gets even higher in ChatGPT, with the average prompt length of 23 words. So when people are interacting with LLMs, they’re prompting longer, more conversational queries. On a search platform those questions get shorter.

So, that’s why you should care about GEO. Now, onto the next big question.

What do you do with all of this?

What to do with GEO

So, what do you actually need to do in order to get a handle on these AI engines.

The first thing is to understand that this is a moving target.

SEO was always a fluid practice. Things changed, regularly and often. People and businesses reacted as best they could to those changes. Then whole cycle repeats.

But with AI powered search engines, its moving fast… faster than any core update.

So it’s really important to either have that expert knowledge internally, or a trusted partner who can consult and strategise on GEO, digital PR and content strategies. Someone who’s at the coal-face.

The goal is to appear in AI generated responses.

So it’s about leveraging your content to give it what these AI driven platforms want.

It sounds daunting in theory. But in practice, it’s a combination of traditional SEO best practices, digital PR, content strategy and strategic communications.

Content quality and E E A T

What you produce must address user queries and intent sufficiently enough to satisfy these AI driven platform to reference and cite you in searches.

That means clear, accurate, relevant and comprehensive content across multiple channels.

In SEO terms, this is referred to as EEAT.

EEAT – which stands for experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness – is the bedrock concept of content relevance. It is one of the most crucial content and visiblity frameworks that you can follow.

If you’re a legal firm, specialising in employment law, then you’ll want to create content firmly within this area of expertise.

Blogs and articles, white papers and industry reports, an active and engaged social media presence – on an individual level and an organisational level is going to help lay down markers for AI platforms.

If you want to be seen in AI generated responses, you simply can’t be invisible online. But what you produce, has to done within the parameters of EEAT. So content for content’s sake, should be discouraged.

Going ‘off brand’ and making content on something that sits outside your experience wouldn’t help your EEAT efforts in traditional SEO terms – and the same applies for GEO.

Intent, intent, intent

Matching search intent has always been crucial to serving people the right content at the right times… and in GEO terms, intent is even more important.

Traditionally, a user would go to Google and they’d search for something like ‘how to bake a cake’

A clear, informational intent driven search. The user wants to learn more about a specific topic, but they haven’t yet honed the specifics of their search journey. This would yield broad results and a follow up search might build on this, making it more specific and navigational… red velvet cake recipes, for example.

Then a more detailed search query might look like this: ‘Best red velvet cake recipes for vegans.’

Businesses, brands, SEO experts and content agencies would create banks of content to match these intents and compete on specific searches.

• Content has to anticipate and totally address user queries to satisfy AI-driven search engines.
• Matching search intent improves content relevance and performance in AI-powered search results.
• Creating clear, accurate, and comprehensive content that directly addresses user intent achieves this

Third party power

How does AI know what to cite?  That’s where third party referrals come in.

Media mentions and postitive media coverage provide the perfect third party validation for search. Which is backed up by research from Ahrefs, which has found that the top contributing factor to appearing in AI search… is earned media

Searching for tax advise on ChatGPT, the AI engine is far more likely to cite an expert that is named and featured in high quality, relevant third party outlets. It was no different in traditional SEO… links and mentions from trusted and respected sites would increase brand visibility, reputability and online positioning.

In creating AI generated responses, these generative AI engines are looking for the same thing… they’re seeking to provide direct answers from the most valid and reputable sources.

So, our hypothetical tax experts would benefit hugely from being features regularly within a wide spread of reputable and relevant media titles.

Combining strategies and tactics for success

No one thing is going to get you featured in AI search.

GEO is not a case of, out with the old and in with the new…. it’s an addition on top of a pre-existing suite of services. GEO, SEO, Digital PR, media relations, content strategy all of these things combine to have a cumulative effect towards online presence.

Without an SEO strategy, there can be no GEO success… and without content creation and content strategy you have nothing to make your SEO strategy come to life

Traditional SEO lays the groundwork for robust and responsive GEO. Underpinned with a content strategy that leverages light on your expertise and digital PR that shines a light on this expertise in third party outlets, is your best chance at standing out.

So, it’s time to:

• Focus efforts into quality, relevant earned media.
• Develop a comprehensive approach to content marketing and production, that incorporates GEO and traditional SEO – and leverage this content into earned media where possible!
• Work to enhance content quality, relevance, and authority across your owned channels
• Monitor and adjust GEO strategies based on your own performance

Final thoughts

AI search engines are already changing the way we use the web.

While traditional search engines – Google specifically – still has a monopoly on net global search. The data for AI driven platforms and their usage is tracking upwards. More and more people are heading to the likes of ChatGPT, Perplexity and Copilot as their first port of call for online search.

Search patterns are changing and the data is telling us that earned media is the biggest driver of AI search results.

So, if you want to start showing up in AI search results – then digital PR is the way forward!