In our previous article on Share of Model as a marketing strategy metric, we looked at how changing trends demand fresh approaches for digital success. As online search behaviours evolve, marketing strategies need to keep up. With AI transforming search engines, traditional SEO techniques alone aren’t cutting it anymore. Enter Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). But what exactly is GEO, and how is it reshaping SEO? Let’s explore this next evolution.
GEO is the process of optimising content so that it’s picked up and used effectively by AI-powered search engines.
Unlike traditional search engines—such as Google or Bing—which list web pages based on keywords and rank them by relevance, AI-driven platforms go beyond this. Tools like Google’s AI Overviews (formerly Search Generative Experience (SGE)), Perplexity AI, or OpenAI’s upcoming SearchGPT generate detailed answers, summaries, and conversational responses based on multiple sources instead of just showing a list of links.
For example, when you search for “best restaurants in Auckland” on a traditional search engine, you’ll get a list of websites ranked by their relevance and authority. But when you ask an AI-powered engine the same query, it might instantly provide a detailed summary of the top-rated restaurants, curated from various sources, along with opening hours, reviews, and even personalised suggestions.
This shift means content must be clear, well-structured, and rich in information so that AI can easily process and present it accurately. However, it’s equally important not to lose sight of your human audience—people should always remain the focus of your content strategy. Content that engages and provides value to readers should be the top priority.
While SEO focuses on getting websites to rank higher on search engine results pages, GEO is all about visibility within AI-generated search results. Where traditional SEO thrives on keywords, backlinks, and other on-page factors, GEO ensures that your content makes sense and stands out in the more complex, AI-driven contexts.
SEO works to bring more people to your website. Conversely, GEO makes sure that your content is relevant, understandable, and useful to AI, which now plays a larger role in interpreting and generating search results. It’s not just about ranking—it’s about making sure your content is part of the conversation in a world where AI increasingly answers the queries.
GEO calls for a slightly different approach to content creation. Here are a few key strategies:
Write for Humans, but Consider AI: Your content should still be engaging and useful for human readers, but it also needs to be structured and easy for AI systems to summarise or understand.
Focus on Clarity and Structure: AI prefers well-organised content, so using clear headings, concise explanations, and logical flow will make it easier for AI to surface your content in search results.
Optimise Keywords Naturally: While keywords still play a role, GEO requires a more nuanced approach, focusing on phrases and context that AI can interpret and use effectively.
With AI becoming an integral part of search engines, optimising your content for GEO offers a number of benefits:
Better Visibility: As more people rely on AI-driven search results, your content will be more likely to show up in those answers, giving you a competitive edge.
Broader Reach: By catering to both traditional search and AI-driven queries, GEO ensures your content has a wider impact.
Improved User Experience: GEO helps create more conversational and relevant content, benefiting both AI-generated search and your human audience.
GEO is quickly becoming an essential consideration in any forward-thinking digital marketing strategy. As AI-driven search engines like Google’s AI Overviews or SearchGPT gain popularity, embracing GEO and learning how to leverage it is what’s going to keep your business visible and relevant.
One of the biggest trends to keep up with in 2024 is the emphasis on valuable, shareable content and ensuring your content follows E-E-A-T principles (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). By combining GEO and traditional SEO, you can cover all your bases, making your content AI-friendly while maintaining strong organic traffic.
Looking to the future, it’s clear that AI will continue shaping search behaviour. AI isn’t just impacting search engines—it’s also transforming content creation, improving workflows, and helping marketers be more creative and efficient.
GEO is a necessary evolution of digital marketing. By optimising your content for AI, you can ensure that your business reaches audiences in new and innovative ways.