AI and GEO
What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).
In short
Generative Engine Optimization. Work that makes it more likely that ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or AI Overviews mention your business or cite your website in their answers.
Also known as: Generative Engine Optimization
Where GEO comes from
The term comes from a 2023 research paper in which researchers from Princeton and other universities tested which content changes make generative search engines more likely to cite a page. Today GEO simply means working on getting your business into the answers of ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot and AI Overviews.
How it differs from SEO
In SEO you compete for a position in a list of links. In GEO you want the AI to mention you in its answer or cite your page as a source. The foundations are shared: AI relies heavily on search results, so a site that is invisible in Google rarely shows up in AI answers.
What helps
- Clear, specific answers at the start of each section that are easy to quote.
- Facts, numbers and sources instead of generalities.
- Consistent information about the business across the web: on the site, in the Google Business Profile, in directories and media.
- Brand mentions in places AI trusts, such as industry articles, rankings and discussions.
- Access for AI bots in robots.txt and content visible in the HTML without running JavaScript.
Measuring results
There is no Search Console for ChatGPT yet. In practice you regularly check a set of questions your customers ask and note whether your brand appears in the answers. Traffic from AI tools also shows up in Google Analytics as referrals from chatgpt.com or perplexity.ai.