Search marketing is entering a new era.
Traditional SEO has long been about optimising your website to rank on Google’s search results pages. But with the rise of AI-powered tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and Bing Copilot, the way content is discovered, displayed and clicked has fundamentally changed.
Enter generative engine optimisation (GEO) – a strategy that focuses on making your content more likely to appear in AI-generated answers within search results.
Let’s unpack what GEO means, how it works, and how it’s beginning to reshape the landscape of search marketing.
What is generative engine optimisation (GEO)?
Generative engine optimisation (GEO) is the practice of optimising your content so it can be used, cited or summarised by AI-driven search engines. These engines don’t just show a list of links, they generate direct answers at the top of the results page using content pulled from various sources across the web.
Instead of ranking in the “top 10” like traditional SEO, the goal with GEO is to appear within or influence these generative responses.
Think of GEO as SEO for a world where AI is the interface to search, and your content needs to speak its language.
How generative search works
Generative search tools use large language models (LLMS) to understand queries and generate human-like responses. Google’s SGE, for example, answers questions at the top of the page by summarising and stitching together relevant information from multiple sources.
These AI-generated answers often:
- Provide summaries of topics
- Recommend products or services
- Include links (though not always)
- Influence what users click – or if they click at all
Unlike featured snippets, which pull directly from one source, generative results tend to blend information from multiple places. Authority, accuracy and structure are critical here because the AI decides what to include based on trust signals and clarity.
How GEO Differs from Traditional SEO
While traditional SEO focuses on ranking positions, backlinks, and keywords, GEO is about helping AI choose your content as a source. That means:
| Traditional SEO | Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) |
| Optimises for rankings and clicks | Optimises for inclusion in AI-generated answers |
| Keywords and on-page SEO are key | Clarity, authority and semantic structure are key |
| Goal: Get clicks from users | Goal: Influence AI responses, be cited or referenced |
| Performance tracked via rankings and traffic | Performance tracked via visibility in SGE/Bing, branded mentions, and AI references |
You still need a solid SEO foundation, but GEO is becoming a critical layer on top, especially as AI-generated answers take up more space in search results.
What GEO Means for Search Marketers
Search marketers now face a shift in how we think about visibility and success.
- Click-through rates are changing, users may get what they need from the AI summary and never click through.
- Organic traffic may dip, even if your content is being used, because you’re being referenced, not necessarily visited.
- Being cited is the new ranking; your brand may appear in AI answers even if you’re not ranking #1 in traditional listings.
This means that marketers need to rethink content strategy. It’s not just about writing to rank – it’s about writing for clarity, trust, and usability by machines as well as people.
Practical strategies for GEO
Here’s how to optimise for generative engines:
1. Focus on clear, fact-based content
Write content that directly answers questions in a concise and trustworthy way. AI tools prefer sources that are easy to interpret and factually accurate.
2. Build topical authority
Rather than just targeting individual keywords, aim to cover entire topics in-depth. The more comprehensive your content, the more likely it is to be seen as a trusted source.
3. Use structured content formats
FAQS, how-to guides, and bullet points help AI understand and break down your content.
Use headers (<h2>, <h3>) effectively, and keep paragraphs digestible.
4. Add schema markup
Structured data (like FAQPage, HowTo, or Product schema) helps reinforce the meaning of your content and makes it easier for search engines to parse.
5. Ensure trust and accuracy
Link to credible sources, cite data, and make sure your content is up to date. AI tools penalise vague or misleading information.
GEO for different types of businesses
Ecommerce brands
GEO is particularly important for ecommerce. If you sell products, generative search tools might recommend your product, link to your shop, or describe your features.
Examples:
- Optimise product descriptions to be clear and benefit-led
- Use FAQS on category and product pages
- Add reviews, specs, and unique insights that AI can pull from
Service-based businesses
Service providers, from legal and finance to trades and agencies, can benefit from GEO by being referenced in answer boxes or featured in AI-curated provider lists.
Examples:
- Write clear service area pages with structured content
- Create how-to articles or explainers that demonstrate expertise
- Answer common customer queries on your site using FAQ sections
In both cases, the goal is to become the go-to source that AI tools trust and refer to.
Final thoughts
Generative Engine Optimisation isn’t replacing SEO – it’s evolving it.
As AI reshapes the way people interact with search engines, the brands that succeed will be the ones who understand how to make their content machine-readable, trustworthy and topically rich. GEO is about preparing for that future now.
Whether you run an ecommerce store or offer services across the UK, adopting GEO principles early can help you maintain visibility, build brand authority and stay ahead in an increasingly AI-first search environment.
By
Charlie
