What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

You all must be aware of what SEO or search engine optimisation is and the role that it plays in the visibility of your business online. But are you familiar with another term that is doing rounds on the internet these days – generative engine optimisation or GEO? If not, you are yet to adapt to the changing times. As leading SEO consultants in Melbourne, we want you to remain in sync with the ever-changing digital landscape and ensure your online presence is designed for success. While SEO continues to dominate traditional search strategies, GEO is what can help your content show up in AI responses in tools like ChatGPT and Google’s AI Overviews.

To help you better understand, here’s our comprehensive guide on generative engine optimisation. With us, learn everything you need to know about GEO and ensure you proceed right in your digital journey.

Let’s get started!

Introduction to Generative Engine Optimisation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has definitely made finding answers to your queries on the web easier than ever before. No more filtering through multiple results that appear on the SERPs (Search Engine Result Pages) to find a definitive answer. Whether you wish to know about a service, a tourist place, a mathematical equation or any other topic under the sun, just type your query into AI tools like ChatGPT and receive a simple, relevant, and straightforward answer within seconds.

As AI is transforming how people search and find information on the web, it also changes the way businesses can reach their potential customers. It is no longer enough to secure a spot for yourself on top of SERPs; you have to target visibility in AI-driven search results. That’s where GEO comes into the picture. It is a collection of strategies which help your content get surfaced and mentioned in AI-generated answers. In short, GEO is SEO for AI. It ensures your content stays discoverable, even when users don’t click on a traditional search result.

How to Optimise Your Content for Generative AI?

Now that you know what GEO is, you must be wondering how to implement it and optimise your content for AI searches. While the right strategy could vary from business to business, here are some basic GEO strategies that can help your content appear in AI-generated responses from tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, Perplexity, and more –

• Answer-Focused Content (AEO) Your content should answer user queries. Focus your content around Who, What, Why, How, and Where; add FAQ sections, How-to guides, and definition-style intros to increase the probability of being cited in AI responses.
• Natural, Conversational LanguageWhile curating your content, use a conversational tone, which most people adopt while asking questions on the web.Some topics might demand it, but avoid robotic or overly technical jargon where possible, as tools like ChatGPT prefer content that sounds like it could be part of a conversation.
• Topical AuthorityAI will always quote from websites that have proven topical authority, i.e., proven expertise in a concerned field. When deciding to quote from your website, AI tools not just analyse individual pages but your website’s entire ecosystem. So, ensure deep, consistent coverage of your niche by publishing multiple articles around relevant topics.
• Structured FormattingWhether you consider SEO or GEO, structured formatting remains a key visibility measure. Be sure to divide your content using heading tags (H1, H2, H3), bullet points, tables, summaries, and bolded highlights, making it easier for AIs to skim through your content.
• Build CredibilityFactual correctness is key when optimising your website for search engines. Do a thorough fact check, cite credible sources, use an authoritative tone and add quotable statements to ensure your content appeals to AI tools like Chat GPT.
• Brand Mentions & Digital Footprint Creating a website and adding content is not enough; you have to get your brand mentioned across different reputed sources like news, directories and blogs. Higher mentions mean more reliability and more chances of LLMs (Large Language Models) indexing your content.
• Fast, Accessible, and Crawlable Website Just like SEO, generative engine optimisation also goes beyond content. It is about creating a crawlable and user-friendly website that is responsive and quick to load.

How Does Visibility in AI Responses Benefit Your Business?

• When AI mentions your brand name in its answer, it immediately puts your business in the spotlight, helping promote brand awareness.
• AI is known to pull information from highly trusted, well-structured sources. Thus, every mention helps establish your expertise.
• With multiple mentions, your brand generates a sense of familiarity and increases the probability of users searching for your website and investing in your products or services.

So, GEO is a proven way to appeal to this new era of search engines and ensure your website is ready to be discovered, cited, and trusted by AI-powered platforms that are redefining how users find information.

SEO vs GEO: Core Difference

Are you wondering what exactly is the difference between SEO and GEO? Let’s have a quick look into the major differences between the two.

How to Measure the Performance of Your GEO Strategies?

Have you already tried optimising your content for visibility in AI search results and are now wondering how to determine whether you did it right or not? Let’s together learn how to measure the performance of your implemented GEO strategies.

• Track Mentions in Generative AnswersDo manual searches on AI platforms to see if your brand is cited. For example, if you are an SEO agency operating in Melbourne, use the prompt “top SEO agencies in Melbourne” and see whether your business pops up.
• Measure Zero-Click VisibilityAI results are mostly zero-click, as users get their answers directly without having to click on any third-party links. So, use Google Search Console to track your impressions. If your impressions are increasing but clicks or organic traffic isn’t, it could mean that users saw your info in AI responses.
• Track Brand SearchesUse Google Search Console to determine whether more people are searching your brand name or “brand + service”. If brand searches are increasing, it could mean that users are seeing your brand name in their AI search results.
  They remember your name → search it later on Google → branded searches increase.

Is GEO Replacing SEO?

No, GEO is not a replacement for SEO but an extension. They work together to boost the visibility of your website and business across the entire digital ecosystem. While AI searches are becoming more prominent, search engines like Google remain the go-to for most users, especially when they are looking for a product or service. For ranking, driving organic website traffic, improving click-through rates and enhancing your brand’s crawlability, search engine optimisation will always remain relevant. You just need to add GEO to your to-do list to prepare yourself for a possible AI-first search future.

Also, a strong SEO foundation is essential for success in generative engine optimisation (GEO). Here’s how –

• SEO focuses on indexing, crawlability, navigability and responsiveness, all of which ensure your content is accessible to AI models.
• When optimising your content for search engines, you focus on H1–H3 headings, bullet points, internal linking, and schema markup. Such structured content is more likely to be quoted or cited by AI.
• SEO helps you build topical authority, thus presenting your content as a trustworthy source in front of LLMs.
• SEO focuses on generating E-A-T Signals (Expertise, Authority, Trust), and these signals help AI determine whether your website is a reliable source.
• Under SEO, you optimise your content to be featured in search snippets. This can also boost your exposure in AI search results.

So, when you invest in SEO, you are simultaneously optimising your content for AI searches.

Get Started Right with SEO.Melbourne!

Be it GEO or SEO, both target content visibility across the digital space through keyword enhancement, citing sources, adding statistics, including quotations, simplifying language and incorporating industry jargon, to name a few. Both of these optimisation strategies go beyond the content, factoring in your website’s design, user experience, page speed, accessibility, and more. So, a high-performing website, both in content and form, is key to standing out in both search engine and AI-generated results.

That’s why you should partner with us in your digital journey. At SEO.Melbourne, we offer both search engine and generative engine optimisation services. We are dedicated to bringing in the desired results for you. With us, navigate this competitive digital landscape and take your business to the desired heights. Send in your queries, and let’s get started with your journey to the top.

FAQs

1. What is the major difference between SEO and GEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) focuses on improving your website’s visibility on traditional search engines like Google and Bing. On the other hand, GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is about optimising your brand and content to appear in AI-generated answers.

2. Is GEO a one-time service?

No, optimising your digital presence for generative engines is more of an ongoing process. AI is still at an experimental stage where it is constantly changing and evolving. So, the GEO strategy that might work today for your business might not work tomorrow. That’s why it is important to be on top of your AI knowledge and tweak your generative engine optimisation strategies accordingly. At SEO.Melbourne, we specialise in offering ongoing support. Ours is not a once-and-done service; we constantly monitor progress and implement regular updates.

3. Do I need a separate strategy for GEO if I already do SEO?

There are certainly overlaps between SEO and GEO – both involve creating high-quality, trustworthy, and relevant content. However, GEO requires a shift in focus and goes beyond keyword optimisation. It is a lot about building brand authority, creating clear, concise and conversational content and using citations. So, while SEO can be the foundation for your GEO initiatives, it does require a separate strategy.