What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?

• Aiden Zhao
• Seo , Ai & marketing , Digital strategy

What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is a cutting-edge concept in digital marketing, specifically designed for the rapidly evolving landscape of AI-driven search engines and large language models (LLMs) like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. At its core, GEO is the strategic process of creating and optimizing your online content so that AI-driven generative engines can effectively understand, extract, synthesize, and present it directly to users as part of their AI-generated responses. Unlike traditional SEO, which primarily aims for your website to rank high in a list of search results, GEO focuses on making your content “AI-friendly.” This ensures it’s chosen and cited by the AI itself when it formulates an answer to a user’s query, providing your brand with direct visibility within these new AI experiences.

GEO vs. Traditional SEO: Key Differences

Understanding the distinction between GEO and traditional SEO is crucial for future online success. While both aim for visibility, their mechanisms and desired outcomes differ significantly: