GEO: A New Era for SEO and Digital Content
In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, optimising content to drive organic traffic is nothing groundbreaking. However, a new phenomenon is gaining traction in the SEO world: Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). While the term may sound unfamiliar to many, it represents a significant shift in how companies should think about online content, its interaction with AI-driven platforms, and its future role in the digital marketing landscape.
Lorraine van den Biggelaar, Locaria’s International Organic Media Manager, sheds light on the emerging practice of GEO and how it will reshape the future of SEO and content marketing. She explains the nuances of GEO, its relationship with SEO, and how businesses should begin preparing for its influence on their content strategies.
What is GEO and How Does It Differ from SEO?
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is a relatively new concept in the world of digital marketing. It refers to the optimisation of content to be featured in responses generated by AI-driven applications, such as generative chatbots and answer engines. GEO aims to ensure that a brand’s content is integrated into the AI’s knowledge base, allowing it to be used in response to user queries.
In simple terms, GEO focuses on making content AI-friendly, so it can be used by generative engines like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Anthropic’s Claude, Perplexity, Microsoft’s CoPilot, etc. These AI platforms are designed to provide users with answers to specific questions by pulling data from a wide range of sources, including websites, blogs, and other digital content. Unlike traditional search engines, which provide users with a list of links to relevant content, answer engines generate direct responses to queries based on the data they have been trained on.
For companies and content creators, the challenge lies in understanding how to tailor content for these AI tools. Van den Biggelaar emphasises that GEO is not meant to replace SEO just yet, but rather work alongside it. While SEO targets traditional search engine queries, GEO aims to optimise content for AI tools that provide direct answers to user questions.
GEO vs. SEO: Coexisting or Competing?
One of the most pressing questions in the digital marketing world is whether GEO spells the end of SEO. While the two practices share some similarities, Van den Biggelaar believes that they will coexist, at least for the foreseeable future. She argues that the rise of answer engines does not negate the importance of traditional SEO but rather signals a shift in how content should be optimised.
SEO remains crucial for e-commerce businesses that rely on driving traffic to product pages and generating sales. Currently, answer engines like ChatGPT do not allow users to make purchases directly through the platform. Therefore, businesses that focus on e-commerce should continue optimising their websites for traditional search engines, where users are more likely to make purchases.
On the other hand, informational content—such as blog posts, articles, and guides—could benefit significantly from GEO optimisation. As AI platforms become more sophisticated, they will increasingly pull data from a variety of sources to generate answers. Brands that offer valuable, well-researched, and helpful content will have a competitive advantage when it comes to appearing in these AI-driven responses.
Van den Biggelaar cautions that the evolution of GEO will likely lead to changes in how SEO is approached. For instance, businesses may need to adjust their content strategies to account for the shift toward long-tail, conversational queries that are more likely to be featured in AI responses.
The Role of Structured Data in GEO
One of the most effective ways to optimise content for GEO is through structured data. Structured data is a standardised format for providing information about a page and its content, making it easier for search engines and AI tools to understand and index the content.
Van den Biggelaar recommends that businesses start incorporating structured data into their content strategies. This practice not only helps improve rankings on traditional search engines but also increases the likelihood that content will be featured in answer engines. Structured data can include information about products, events, reviews, and other key elements that are relevant to the content.
By using structured data, businesses can ensure that their content is presented in a way that is easily digestible for both search engines and AI platforms. This enables their content to be more likely to be featured in AI-generated responses, increasing visibility and driving traffic from these new platforms.
Conversational Content: The Key to GEO Success
A major shift that GEO introduces is the move towards conversational content. While SEO traditionally focuses on optimising content around specific keywords and phrases, GEO requires content to be more natural, user-centric, and conversational.
Van den Biggelaar explains that businesses should start thinking about how their content is framed, not just for search engines, but for AI-driven platforms. This means writing content that answers specific questions in a conversational tone. Rather than simply creating content for the sake of ranking, businesses need to focus on providing real value to users.
This shift is evident in how people interact with generative engines. Instead of typing a few keywords into a search bar, users now tend to ask full questions or make requests in natural language. For instance, instead of searching for “best sneakers 2024,” a user might ask, “What are the best sneakers for running in 2024?” This type of query is more likely to generate a response from an AI tool, and businesses that focus on providing well-structured, conversational content will have a better chance of being included in these responses.
The Importance of Being Cited
As AI-driven search platforms continue to evolve, one key element in SEO and GEO will be the importance of citations. Google’s AI-organised results are reshaping how content appears in search. The latest addition in zero-click results shows that Google now displays an AI overview above both paid and organic results, with sources cited nearby. This change is designed to streamline the search process, reducing the “legwork” required to find relevant information.
For brands to maximise their visibility, it’s crucial to be cited in these AI-organised results. The higher a domain ranks, the more likely it is to be featured in the AI overview. Currently, the impact of citations is highly dependent on the actual search query. For instance, a query like “best sneakers in 2024” is more likely to generate an AI-driven overview with cited sources, while a question like “how do I clean white sneakers?” may not require citations, as users are more focused on practical answers.
Van den Biggelaar suggests that for clients dependent on informational content, the strategy should shift towards ensuring their content is cited in AI-driven overviews. “If your content isn’t cited, you’re missing out on a major opportunity for visibility,” she says. By being the source referenced in these overviews, businesses can dramatically increase their chances of engaging users who are looking for immediate, concise answers to their questions.
Measuring the Impact of GEO
One of the challenges that businesses face when implementing GEO is the difficulty in measuring its effectiveness. Unlike traditional SEO, where companies can track traffic, keyword rankings, and conversions, GEO does not provide the same level of transparency. As Van den Biggelaar points out, AI platforms like ChatGPT do not offer the same data on how content is being used or how often it is featured in responses.
This lack of data can make it challenging for businesses to assess the ROI of their GEO efforts. However, as generative engines become more integrated into the digital ecosystem, it is likely that new tools and metrics will emerge to help businesses track their performance in this new environment. For now, businesses should focus on creating high-quality content and optimising it for both SEO and GEO, without worrying too much about immediate returns.
Preparing for the Future: How to Optimise for GEO
Given the potential of GEO to reshape digital marketing, businesses should start preparing now to optimise their content for generative engines. Van den Biggelaar offers several practical recommendations for businesses that want to stay ahead of the curve:
Prioritise Conversational Content: Businesses should focus on creating content that answers specific user questions in a natural, conversational tone. This approach aligns with how people interact with generative engines and increases the likelihood of appearing in AI-generated responses.
Use Structured Data: Incorporating structured data into content helps search engines and AI tools better understand and index content. This practice increases the chances of content being featured in AI responses and improves overall SEO performance.
Create Valuable, Informative Content: Whether for SEO or GEO, content must be useful and valuable to the user. Businesses should focus on delivering high-quality, well-researched content that provides real answers to user queries.
Adapt to Long-Tail Queries: As generative engines become more popular, long-tail keywords and conversational queries will become more important. Businesses should start optimising their content to answer these types of queries in addition to traditional SEO keywords.
Stay Agile: The landscape of SEO and GEO is constantly evolving, and businesses must remain agile and adaptable. By staying informed about developments in AI and answer engines, businesses can pivot their strategies as needed to stay competitive.
The Future of GEO and SEO
While GEO is still in its early stages, its potential to disrupt the digital marketing landscape is clear. As generative engines become more integrated into daily life, businesses will need to adapt their content strategies to ensure they remain visible in AI-generated responses.
In the long term, it’s likely that GEO will complement, rather than replace, traditional SEO. By optimising content for both search engines and generative engines, businesses can ensure that they are well-positioned for the future of digital marketing. As Van den Biggelaar notes, “Start preparing now, and you’ll be ahead of the curve when the shift happens.”
For businesses that act early, GEO presents a unique opportunity to enhance their visibility, engage users in new ways, and future-proof their content strategies. However, success will depend on the ability to create content that is not only optimised for AI platforms but also adds real value to the user. Hannes Ben, CEO of Locaria, makes an important point: “the future isn’t the death of SEO—it’s about evolving beyond SEO in isolation. It’s about holistically optimising organic media across LLMs, search engines, video platforms, app stores, and marketplaces (and probably more to come), while creating strategies that work seamlessly across them all.”
Insights from: Lorraine van den Biggelaar, International Organic Media Manager & Hannes Ben, CEO of Locaria
Written by: Oliver Barham, Global Marketing Manager
Latest Blog Articles
